Former CMO at Beats by Dre and Former VP Marketing at Apple
Omar Johnson: Biography at a Glance
- Omar Johnson is the former CMO of Beats by Dre and VP of Marketing at Apple.
- Under Johnson’s tenure, Beats grew from $20 million to a $2.0 billion dollar category leader, becoming the #1 premium headphone in over 25 countries, which led to the subsequent purchase by Apple for $3 billion.
- Adweek named Johnson a “Brand Genius,” and Business Insider named him one of the “Most Innovative CMOs.”
- He has worked on hundreds of winning marketing campaigns while at international brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup.
- Johnson founded ØPUS United, a modern brand management company comprised of a multi-disciplined collective of award-winning executives, athletes, strategists, creatives, and musicians, which has been involved in developing initiatives to encourage conversations around racial equity and the empowerment of younger generations to take action through polling, voting, and representation within the government.
Biography
Omar Johnson is a marketing innovator in the art of building world-class brands. As former CMO of Beats by Dre and VP of Marketing at Apple, throughout his career, Johnson has led all facets of marketing, ranging from brand development and positioning to advertising and global digital marketing.
Under Johnson’s tenure, Beats grew from $20 million to a $2.0 billion dollar category leader, becoming the #1 premium headphone in over 25 countries, which led to the subsequent purchase by Apple for $3 billion. Adweek named Johnson a “Brand Genius,” and Business Insider named him one of the “Most Innovative CMOs.” Additionally, Johnson has worked on hundreds of winning marketing campaigns while at international brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup. Johnson produced some of Nike’s most memorable TV commercials including “Rise,” starring LeBron James, “All Together Now,” featuring Kobe Bryant, and “The Most Valuable Puppets”.
Since Apple, Johnson has founded ØPUS United, a modern brand management company comprised of a multi-disciplined collective of award-winning executives, athletes, strategists, creatives, and musicians, who understand the anatomy of world-class brands. Through his work with ØPUS United, Johnson has also been actively involved in developing initiatives, such as We The People and We Got Next, and authored Dear White Corporate America to encourage conversations around racial equity and the empowerment of younger generations to take action through polling, voting, and representation within the government.
Johnson is from Brooklyn, NY. He received a BS in Biology and Chemistry from Georgia State University and an MBA from Goizueta Business School at Emory University.
Topics
Diversity in Business: Meeting People “Where They Are”
Many leaders and business owners are at a loss on how they can concretely affect change and grow their business in regards to diversity. Join us for a conversation with Omar Johnson, Former CMO at Beats by Dre, and Former VP of Marketing at Apple, Inc. as he shares his thoughts on how we can support our black employees, partner with the communities they serve, and make more conscious decisions in our marketing and branding efforts.
Leadership: Meeting People “Where They Are”
The idea of the majority office culture is changing. Instead of expecting everyone to fall in line, employees are encouraged to bring their individuality to work, such as their culture, gender, or sexual orientation. While celebrating and encouraging individual differences is good for breaking groupthink and innovating, it is also hard to manage as a leader. In this talk, Omar Johnson discusses the challenges and benefits of meeting people where they are. Audiences will come away with an understanding of employee differences, which can provide for a better work environment that enriches the company culture and the bottom line.
Marketing Brands With Authenticity and Emotion
Big companies spend millions of dollars on advertising campaigns to drive brand awareness, but Omar Johnson was able to make Beats headphones a viral social media phenomenon and an international success on almost no budget. Johnson learned the key to building great brand awareness was to listen, be curious, and to use truth and emotion to connect to the audience. In this talk, Johnson will share his experiences of creating emotional connections to a brand through innovative and unconventional marketing techniques.
The Beats Story: Building an International Brand
When Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine created Beats in 2006, their goal was to create great-sounding headphones. However, it wasn’t until Omar Johnson came along that Beats became the most popular headphone for athletes and musicians. Johnson was able to turn a 180 million dollar company into a billion-dollar enterprise through unconventional marketing tactics and his brand of insight, idea, execution, and result. In his highly engaging talk, Johnson shows how he used curiosity and creativity to turn Beats headphones from a commodity product into an experience and an international brand.
The Best Idea Wins: How To Work With the Crowd, Ignore the Data, and Use the Art of Listening To Develop Your Best Ideas
Marketing is about ideas and authenticity. When Omar Johnson took over the marketing for Beats by Dre, he created a flat organization style where the best idea could win. He encouraged everyone to contribute ideas from the newest member of the team to the oldest. Instead of heavy data analysis, his team would talk to actual users of Beats in the streets in order to find why and how people were using their headphones. The result was a billion dollar company and category leader. In this talk, Omar shares techniques from his experience on how to develop the best ideas.
The New Rules of Marketing: From Influencers To Ambush Marketing
When Beats by Dre headphones came into the market they faced competition from more established market leaders like Bose. As the new kid on the block, Omar used new marketing techniques to gain market share, from giving well-known athletes free headphones to developing hangouts for Olympic athletes to drive buzz and desire for Beats headphones. In this talk, Omar shows how your company can incorporate guerilla techniques to gain market share.
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FAQs
How do I book Omar Johnson for my event?
Contact CAA Speakers at (424) 288-2898 or speakers@caa.com to book Omar Johnson to speak at corporate or private events, keynote speeches, speaking engagements, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances.
Quick booking process- Email CAA Speakers with event details
- Get availability confirmation within 24 hours
- Review speaking fee and contract terms
- Sign agreement and finalize logistics
As one of the most influential talent agencies in the world, CAA handles all speaking engagements from contract to event day coordination.
Who is Omar Johnson's booking agent?
CAA Speakers is the preferred booking agency to contact for Omar Johnson’s speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com for all Omar Johnson in-person appearances and keynote speaking requests.
Contact Omar Johnson's agent- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: caa.com/caaspeakers
- Response: Within 24 hours
CAA Speakers can check Omar Johnson's speaking calendar with direct access to availability and official pricing. While many websites may list Omar Johnson, CAA Speakers is the direct source for authentic information about availability and pricing.
What is Omar Johnson's speaking fee?
Omar Johnson's speaking fee varies by event type, location, and requirements. As a top keynote speaker, Omar Johnson's fee reflects their expertise and market demand.
Speaking fee factors:- Event type and audience size
- Travel distance and logistics
- Presentation length and customization
- Virtual vs. in-person delivery
Additional costs: Travel, accommodation, A/V requirements, and optional meet-and-greets.
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for Omar Johnson's current speaking fee and detailed cost breakdown.
How much does it cost to book Omar Johnson as a keynote speaker?
The cost to book Omar Johnson as keynote speaker includes their speaking fee plus travel and logistics expenses.
Total booking cost includes:- Omar Johnson's keynote speaking fee
- Travel and accommodation
- Technical requirements and A/V setup
- Optional add-ons like book signing and meet & greets
- Virtual presentations
- Local/regional events
- Off-peak booking periods
- Flexible event dates
Email speakers@caa.com for Omar Johnson's exact booking cost and customized pricing proposal.
How to contact Omar Johnson for speaking engagements?
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for all Omar Johnson speaking engagements.
Official contact for Omar Johnson bookings:- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/omar-johnson
- Response time: 24 hours
Include your event date, location, audience size, and budget when contacting CAA about booking Omar Johnson.
Is Omar Johnson available for virtual speaking events?
Yes, Omar Johnson speaks at virtual events with professional-grade equipment and interactive presentation style.
Omar Johnson's virtual event options:- Live virtual keynotes with Q&A
- Interactive workshops and breakouts
- Hybrid events (in-person + virtual)
- Pre-recorded presentations
Virtual events offer global reach, flexible scheduling, and reduced travel costs while maintaining Omar Johnson's engaging presentation quality.
Contact CAA Speakers for Omar Johnson's virtual event availability and technical specifications.
What events can I book Omar Johnson for?
Book Omar Johnson for corporate conferences, industry events, private functions, and virtual presentations. Omar Johnson customizes content for any audience size or event type.
Event types:- Corporate meetings and conferences
- Industry summits and trade shows
- Private executive retreats
- Educational institution events
- Virtual and hybrid conferences
Omar Johnson engages audiences from private executive meetings to large conferences with thousands of attendees.
Contact CAA Speakers to discuss how Omar Johnson can customize their presentation for your specific event.
Omar Johnson booking information and availability
Check Omar Johnson's speaking availability through CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com. Book 3-6 months in advance for best date selection during peak seasons (September-November, March-May).
Availability factors:- Event date and location
- Speaking fee and budget
- Lead time for booking
- Peak conference seasons
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Contact CAA early in your planning process to secure Omar Johnson for your preferred event date.
Book Omar Johnson keynote speaker through CAA
Book Omar Johnson through CAA Speakers for guaranteed authentic representation and professional event coordination. CAA is the preferred booking agent for Omar Johnson, with direct access to their speaking availability and decades of experience representing the world’s top keynote speakers.
CAA booking advantages:- Direct access to Omar Johnson's calendar
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Trusted by Fortune 500 companies for their most important speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com to book Omar Johnson for your next event.
Will Omar Johnson speak at private events?
Yes, Omar Johnson speaks at private corporate events, executive retreats, board meetings, and exclusive functions.
Private event types:- Executive retreats and board presentations
- Client entertainment and VIP gatherings
- Corporate celebrations and award ceremonies
- Private dinners and exclusive functions
Private event benefits: Customized content, enhanced interaction, complete confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.
Contact CAA Speakers for Omar Johnson's private event availability and confidential pricing proposals.
How quickly will I get a response about booking Omar Johnson?
CAA Speakers responds to Omar Johnson booking inquiries within 24 hours during business days. Complex requests or international events may take up to 48 hours for detailed proposals.
Response timeline:- Initial acknowledgment: Within 24 hours
- Availability confirmation: 24-48 hours
- Detailed pricing proposal: 48-72 hours
- Urgent requests: Same-day priority response
Include complete event details (date, location, audience size, budget) for fastest response times.
How far in advance should I book Omar Johnson?
Book Omar Johnson 3-6 months in advance for best availability, especially during peak speaking seasons. Early booking ensures better date selection and rate negotiations.
Recommended booking timeline:- 3-6 months: Optimal availability and pricing
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Peak seasons: September-November and March-May book fastest. Contact CAA Speakers early for priority consideration.
How do I get Omar Johnson pricing information?
Get Omar Johnson pricing information by contacting CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com with your event details. Receive detailed cost breakdown within 24-48 hours with no obligation to book.
For accurate pricing, include:- Event date and location
- Audience size and type
- Event format and duration
- Budget parameters
CAA provides transparent pricing with all costs included - speaking fee, travel, accommodation, and technical requirements.