Earlier this month, McDonald’s announced that it will bring back the role of a global CMO, less than a year after scrapping it. In 2019, the company opted to split the role between the technical and non-technical aspects, but is now reinstating a CMO to drive the brand forward.

McDonald’s isn’t the only brand to bring back a CMO role. Last year, Coca-Cola also appointed a new CMO, after two years of trialling a different model. These examples showcase the two main schools...