At the heart of Avenue Z’s growth engine is Johnny Hughes, our Chief Marketing Officer, a strategic operator who blends storytelling with scale, brand with performance, and vision with velocity.
With over 20 years of experience leading high-impact digital strategies, Johnny has helped Fortune 500s, growth-stage companies, and emerging innovators align reputation and revenue through next-gen marketing systems.
His expertise spans B2B, SaaS, healthcare, education, and more, making him one of the most versatile and trusted voices in modern marketing.
A Data-Driven Leader with a Track Record of Results
Before joining Avenue Z, Johnny founded Zillas, where he helped scale hundreds of organizations through SEO, paid media, content strategy, and conversion-focused web design. Over the years, he has worked with AAA, Truist Bank, AdventHealth, Orlando Magic, Goodwill, Boys & Girls Club, and Piper Aircraft, helping brands in healthcare, fintech, manufacturing, technology, entertainment, and tourism achieve lasting growth.
Johnny’s playbook goes beyond clicks and impressions. He builds full-funnel ecosystems that connect brand and demand, and deliver measurable outcomes across industries.
His expertise includes:
- B2B and SaaS marketing strategy and lifecycle orchestration
- Healthcare and healthtech marketing with compliance-aware frameworks
- Education and nonprofit outreach through content-led growth
- Enterprise SEO and CRO at scale
- Revenue marketing and attribution infrastructure
Whether he’s architecting ABM programs for a SaaS firm or guiding a healthcare brand through digital transformation, Johnny leads with performance, always focused on impact.
Recognized for His Influence
In 2025, Johnny was named to the Orlando Business Journal’s Most Influential Leaders, an honor that reflects both his professional achievements and his broader impact on the marketing industry.
He’s also a regular presence on stage and in media, having spoken at conferences, summits, and internal workshops such as:
- Digital Summit: How to Boost Your Website Conversions
- Avenue Z Webinar: The Funnel GPT Playbook
- Driving Influence: The Role of AI in Modern SEO
- Driving Influence: The Future of Commerce
- Driving Influence: The Future of Digital Media
- Driving Influence: The Future of Search & PR Convergence
- Winsday Podcast: AI Search & SEO Strategies: Content, Visibility, and ROI
Recent Press:
- AI World Today: How Avenue Z’s Johnny Hughes is Transforming Marketing with Funnel GPT and Human Creativity
- TechRound: AI Appreciation Day: How Different Companies Find Value In AI Tools
- Venturebeat: No more links, no more scrolling—The browser is becoming an AI Agent
- Orlando Business Journal: These are Central Florida’s 34 Most Influential Leaders
- Forbes Advisor: 34 Website Optimization Tips
- Entrepreneur: Want to Be Discovered in AI Search? These Are the Sources That Matter
A Foundational Force at Avenue Z
Since joining Avenue Z, Johnny has helped evolve our service model across verticals. As CMO, he plays a key role in:
- Merging strategic communications with performance media
- Accelerating our AI Optimization capabilities for lead generation
- Supporting DTC, B2B, and healthcare clients with integrated growth plans
- Helping define our agency’s core outcomes: boosting conversion, building loyalty, and shaping consumer behavior
“At Avenue Z, we’re not just building campaigns. We’re building systems of influence,” says Hughes. “It’s about creating momentum that compounds over time, where brand, media, and performance work together to drive real outcomes.”
AI Visibility is the New Frontier
AI is rewriting how brands engage with audiences, and Johnny is pushing Avenue Z and our clients to stay ahead of the curve, building the systems, stories, and strategies that make influence sustainable.
He’s helped build Avenue Z’s AI Visibility Index (AIVx), proprietary research reports that rank brands across sectors, from fintech to beauty, based on visibility in LLM-generated responses.
We’re proud to have him at the helm, helping Avenue Z and our clients lead with influence, intelligence, and intention.
Read more from Johnny on Driving Influence.
Want expert consultation from Johnny, need high-level commentary for an article, or looking for an engaging speaker at your industry event? Get in touch.
