Premium is no longer a status symbol. Today, premium means access to culture, travel, dining, and the moments that people care about.
In this episode of The Speed of Culture podcast, Matt Britton sits down with Jessica Ling, EVP of global advertising at American Express, to explore how Amex is redefining premium for a new generation.
Jessica breaks down the shift from exclusivity to experiential access, how the brand consistently delivers emotional and rational value, and what it takes to build modern connection across culture, sports, entertainment, and travel.
She also dives into AI and the future of commerce, the power of personalization and connected experiences, and the evolving role of creators and live sport in customer engagement and brand storytelling at scale.
Jessica is responsible for shaping high-impact work such as the Amex Platinum campaign “There’s Nothing Like Platinum,” elevating customer experiences across entertainment, travel, dining, and sports while advancing loyalty and innovation.
Prior to Amex, Jessica held leadership roles across AOL, Verizon, and performance-driven B2B organizations, bringing deep expertise in media, digital transformation, and brand-building grounded in customer value and commercial impact.
She has built teams across both B2B and B2C environments and is widely recognized for her perspective on modern marketing, personalization, and creative innovation at global scale.
Key Takeaways:
[01:47] Redefining Premium As Access — Jessica explains how Amex thinks about the future of premium experiences. Premium today means access to travel, dining, sports, and cultural moments that feel close and real, especially for Gen Z and Millennial membership. The focus is on getting Card Members into the rooms, cities, lounges, and events they care about, not on a vague idea of status.
[03:45] Build Around Culture To Create Real Demand — Rather than chasing every trend, Amex centers its customer experiences on four cultural pillars: entertainment, travel, dining, and sports. Creator marketing and partnerships with talent like Olivia Rodrigo become proof points, showing Card Members that the brand provides access to seats, tickets, and tables that are usually hard to get. Culture becomes the route to loyalty, not just communication.
[05:16] Use Heritage As A Strategic Advantage — Amex is 175 years old, and Jessica emphasizes that history is a responsibility, not a constraint. Trust, security, and service form the backbone of the brand and enable customers to move confidently through the world. At the same time, modern benefits, cultural experiences, and product evolution drive relevance. The brand succeeds because it balances both commitments in parallel. That discipline fuels loyalty and innovation rather than forcing a tradeoff between stability and progress.
[07:35] Turn Campaigns Into A Long-Term Story Spine — The Amex Platinum campaign “There’s Nothing Like Platinum” is more than a slogan. It forces every benefit and execution to clear a high bar: the experience must feel unlike anything else. Jessica shows how that platform supports brand storytelling at scale, from TV spots in real locations to social content and on-the-ground experiences, all pointing to the same clear promise.
[10:11] Treat Media As An Integrated System — Jessica makes it clear that meaningful brand reach comes from layered architecture rather than channel battles. Live sports such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, and US Open deliver communal cultural energy, while social extends those moments into personal engagement and deeper interaction. The goal is not to choose but to compound impact. The approach creates a flexible yet powerful live sports marketing strategy that captures attention at scale and sustains it through daily relevance.
[13:31] Prepare Now For AI-Led Commerce Journeys — Jessica reflects on seismic change in how people discover and purchase products as AI interfaces replace traditional search behavior. Instead of browsing websites and comparing pages, customers will ask a conversational system for recommendations and reach decisions almost instantly. This shift shapes the future of AI and the future of commerce, where visibility, content structure, and payment integration must be redesigned. Amex is actively exploring how the brand shows up in this new environment.
[16:55] Personalization And Connected Experiences Will Define Loyalty — Jessica explains that Amex has deep insight into customer lifestyle patterns across travel, dining, spending, and sports. The real opportunity ahead is using this intelligence to create personalization and connected experiences that feel designed for one individual rather than a generic demographic. Loyalty grows when a brand anticipates needs and removes friction. The future of Amex is an ecosystem where every interaction feels intentional, relevant, and supportive.