Khalid El Khatib, CMO of Consumer Reports, Discusses Attracting New Audiences to a Legacy Brand…

Consumer Reports (CR) is widely recognized for providing unbiased reviews, ratings, and purchasing advice on a wide range of products and services to help consumers make informed decisions. However, not many are aware that it is an 89-year-old nonprofit organization.

Khalid El Khatib has served as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Consumer Reports for 16 months. In that short time, he has been hard at work partnering with product and tech teams to modernize the CR organization by merging cutting-edge digital tools with the organization’s time-tested credibility. He is marketing this transition by prioritizing product-led offerings and community engagement, while leveraging AI tools like “Ask CR” for greater accessibility.

Throughout its extensive history, Consumer Reports has been a prominent advocate for consumer rights, addressing numerous issues to protect and empower consumers. These initiatives range from being among the first to highlight the dangers of cigarettes and promote seatbelt laws to engaging in matters related to food safety, environmental sustainability, digital privacy, consumer financial protection, and various other concerns.

From Tech to Trust

Khalid’s tech pedigree is certainly fueling CR’s digital transformation, but it’s his belief in advocacy that makes the shift powerful.

Drawing on his experience at companies like Stack Overflow, he brought modern digital tactics— such as platform thinking and AI tools—to reinvigorate CR’s trusted brand. His move to CMO of Consumer Reports reflects a shift from growth-focused marketing to purpose-driven leadership, uniting innovation with consumer advocacy.

He feels that nonprofit organizations, many of which are long-standing institutions, are uniquely positioned to meet this moment of political polarization and a fractured social media ecosystem by reassuring their existing supporters while attracting new ones. “Embracing an organization’s legacy and evoking nostalgia can reaffirm one’s commitment to a mission, providing a way to navigate uncertain times.”

He adds, “Stability can be a superpower in volatile times, as can agility. Positivity, nostalgia, and trusted information can make a difference in marketing right now.”

His tech background lets him bring a product-led, agile marketing mindset to a legacy nonprofit, bridging CR’s historic authority with modern consumer expectations.

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 In our conversation, we discuss the following:

• Is Consumer Reports’ nonprofit status a boon to your efforts, a challenge, or both?

• As a CMO, how do you embrace an organization’s legacy while also creating contemporary appeal to a new generation?

• You often say, “Stability can be a superpower in volatile times, as can agility.” Tell us more about what that means to you and Consumer Reports.

• This is a relatively new role for you— coming from the tech sector. What made you take the role, and how are you adapting to the new world of nonprofit?

• You’ve also mentioned that “Positivity, nostalgia, and trusted information can make a difference in marketing right now.” Is that true for all brands? How do those elements affect your work at CR? 

• How do you balance brand building with the immediacy of member acquisition and fundraising?

•  How would you like people to perceive Consumer Reports in 2025 and beyond. And would this perception be the same for all generations?

• What is the biggest challenge of your role…and the greatest satisfaction?

• What’s next for you and Consumer Reports?

Khalid El Khatib’s transformation of Consumer Reports (CR) over the past year reflects a bold shift to a product-led, platform strategy. By emphasizing user-centric advocacy and real-world utility—while preserving CR’s reputation for rigorous lab testing—he has helped turn passive readers into active participants. This approach deepens consumer trust and encourages organic growth, reinforcing CR’s relevance in a digital-first world.

A core pillar of Khalid’s strategy is community-building as a competitive advantage. Recognizing the power of both long-standing supporters and digitally native audiences, he has re-centered community engagement to span generations. By fostering loyalty through dialogue and participation, CR is cultivating a sustainable subscriber base in an increasingly noisy media environment.

Khalid’s tech-forward mindset is further exemplified by the launch of “Ask CR,” an AI-powered chatbot. This innovation makes CR’s vast expertise more accessible through conversational search, addressing user needs in real time. It not only boosts usability but positions the organization as technologically progressive and responsive to modern information-seeking behaviors.

Importantly, Khalid has also prioritized ethics and trust in the digital space. He’s been vocal about responsible AI use, data privacy, and combating misinformation—ensuring CR continues to earn its audience’s trust at a time when digital vigilance is paramount. His stance helps future-proof the organization while reinforcing its mission.

Through podcast appearances and media engagement, Khalid has amplified both his voice and CR’s evolving brand. His thought leadership around updating legacy institutions with digital tools—without compromising credibility—has positioned him as a forward-thinking marketing leader and boosted CR’s influence among industry peers.

Overall, his impact is clear across multiple dimensions: platform strategy, community advocacy, ethical innovation, and brand visibility. Khalid has helped modernize a nearly century-old nonprofit, blending technology with trust and expanding CR’s reach across generations. His leadership is a standout example of how marketing can drive mission-aligned transformation.

ABOUT Khalid El Khatib

Before his current role as CMO at Consumer Reports, Khalid served as Chief Marketing Officer at Stack Overflow, where he led the marketing and communications strategy for the world’s largest online community for developers and technologists—one of the most visited websites globally. He was responsible for the growth and positioning of Stack Overflow for Teams, the company’s SaaS collaboration and knowledge management platform, which is used by thousands of leading companies to drive productivity, innovation, and knowledge retention. Under his leadership, the public Q&A platform earned multiple Webby Awards and attracted more than 100 million monthly visitors.

With over 15 years of experience growing B2B, B2C, and B2B2C companies across diverse industries, Khalid has helped elevate the awareness and perception of globally recognized brands including GE, GLG, the Motion Picture Association, TED, and Xerox. His background spans digital strategy, media relations, corporate reputation, demand generation, social media, and web design. He has successfully guided organizations through periods of crisis and transformation with agility and resilience.

A founding member of CMO Huddles, a peer-to-peer network for B2B marketing leaders, Khalid is passionate about empowering teams, engaging customers, and building communities through impactful and authentic marketing.