#134: Turning Cat Culture Into Brand Growth | Whisker CMO Hew Loyd

About this episode

Can a robot that scoops cat litter lead a cultural movement?

This week on Soul & Science, Jason Harris talks to Hew Loyd, the first-ever CMO at Whisker, about the unique challenges of joining a business at an inflection point, balancing brand purpose with commercial growth, and finding new ways to connect with consumers. From early roles at Clif Bar and Old Navy to CMO tenures at Sir Kensington’s, CookUnity, and now Whisker, Hew has built a reputation as the first marketing leader founder-led brands hire when they're ready to scale up.

Hew shares why Whisker, which created its own category with the Litter-Robot 25 years ago, is now working to shape cat culture and advocate for cat owners through its “The Future Is Feline” campaign. He also explains why organic growth should be every marketer's starting point, how reframing a premium product as a household necessity can change consumer perceptions, and why great marketing means shaping the entire customer experience rather than simply communicating its benefits.

Key Takeaways

✅ Marketing is only as good as the product

✅ Advocating for a category lifts up everyone in the category

✅ Great storytelling can transform everyday commodity products

✅ Marketers should shape the customer experience, not just communicate it

✅ Fix issues impacting organic growth before investing in performance marketing

Memorable Moments 💡 “The future is feline, man.”

💡 “Great brands latch themselves onto movements and become their advocates.”

💡 “It's like stepping into a cult.”

💡 “We've had countless people say the Litter-Robot saved their cat’s life.”

💡 “It’s really about reframing the necessity of the item.”

Brought to you by Mekanism.