30-70% of F500 CMOs Embrace Freelancers
Adweek on Fortune 500 freelancer teams, DOLs new contractor rule, Jose De Cabo on LATAM hiring, 4 marketing business cases, and Winter 2026 badge awards.
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Earlier this week, we said you can't predict the next 150 days - hell, not even the next 5 days - but a flexible workforce helps you respond in minutes, not months.
Well... Fortune 500 CMOs already made this shift. Adweek reported this week that freelancers and contractors now make up 30-70% of marketing teams at Fortune 500 companies - up from roughly 10% before 2022. Delta, MassMutual, ServiceNow, and Colgate are assembling full teams of external specialists - and they're using top marketing solutions like Wripple, Model B, Uncompany, and more to do it.
And the US regulatory environment is catching up. Yesterday, the Department of Labor proposed a new independent contractor classification rule that rescinds the Biden-era 2024 framework and returns to a simpler, more business-friendly two-factor test. Comments are open through April 28.
It's really happening. Tariffs are one of many uncertainties. Marketing is leading the shift. And who would've thought - even government is joining in. It's not a shift, it's a structural realignment of work, from fixed to flexible, and you leaders are ready for it.
We'd love to hear how you're navigating this. Reply and we'll get in touch.
- The HC Team
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The modern EOR for the modern workforce
Jose De Cabo, Founder at Remotely
Jose epitomizes this future. 30 internal, 1,000+ external. Using data to connect companies directly with the best LATAM developers. No percentage cuts, no hidden markups.
"For every $100 the company pays, only $30 goes to the person doing 100% of the work. That doesn't make any sense. So we flipped it - developers set their own rate. We don't take a cut."
The traditional staffing model takes 30-70% of what the company pays before the developer sees a dime. Jose flipped that entirely - Remotely charges a flat fee, developers set their own rates, and companies get full transparency on where every dollar goes. The result: better retention, higher-quality talent, and costs that make US-based hiring look like a rounding error.
What really stood out: Jose's take on AI and developer demand. Everyone assumes AI will reduce the need for engineers. Jose is seeing the opposite. AI makes senior developers dramatically more productive - which makes them more valuable, not less. Companies that locked in top LATAM talent early are now sitting on a massive competitive advantage as demand surges.
Listen Now →What to Expect
Next Week
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Next Week on the Podcast
Tom Pammenter, Founder at Hive 25 & Frame
Pure SaaS had its moment. Tom coined the term "SWAS" - Software with a Service - and explains why buyers now want expertise behind the login. He built Hive 25 inside UK broadcast, where freelance-first has been the norm for decades, and replaced a broadcaster's entire 6-person bookings team with one person plus platform.
Follow the Pod →Coming in March
Winter 2026 Badge Awards
Guess who's leading their segment? In 3 weeks, HC Badges for winter will be awarded. Learn how HC Score works →
From the Founders
Matthew Mottola
CEO, Human Cloud
The $1.3 Trillion Market Without a G2
The flexible talent market is massive, fragmented, and has no trusted discovery layer. That's what we're building.
Read →
Tony Buffum
Co-Founder & CSO, Human Cloud
The Reshape Economy: 92% Hiring, 55% Laying Off
92% of companies plan to hire in 2026, but 55% also expect layoffs. That's not a contradiction - it's the new operating model. Inside the data driving the reshape economy.
Read →Marketing Business Cases
Real results from the marketing solutions Fortune 500 teams are using right now.
Model B + Cybersecurity Company
Model B audited prior campaigns, restructured targeting and creative, and diversified the channel portfolio. Result: 2,216% click-rate increase, 46% of SQLs from paid.
Wripple + Equifax
Wripple assembled a 6-person team (strategist, creative director, copywriter, art director, planner, producer) for Equifax's Ignite platform launch. Exceeded all previous B2B social benchmarks.
Uncompany + Tupelo Honey Cafe
Full rebrand across 12 locations covering branding, web, collateral, interiors, promotional materials, attire, and content video - all under $200K.
The Bench + State Farm
200+ contractors deployed across 20 activation teams in 39 cities for pop-up events at sporting events, concerts, and festivals. Record-setting lead generation over 1,000+ event days.
Weekend Read
- 9 Trends Shaping Work in 2026 and Beyond - Harvard Business Review
- HC Score: How We Measure Merit - How we rank 1,077+ solutions
- JPMorgan Has "Huge Redeployment Plans" for Staff Impacted by AI - HR Grapevine
- The AI Productivity Gap in Talent Acquisition - Tony Buffum, HC Podcast
- Kinfolk Closes $7M Seed Round for AI-Driven HR Platform - Startup News
- How HC Search Works: Our Recommendation Algorithm - Human Cloud
- DOL Releases AI Literacy Framework for the US Workforce - SHRM
What is Human Cloud?
Human Cloud helps companies find and deploy the right flexible talent solutions in minutes instead of months.
We automate discovery, compliance, and orchestration across 1,077+ workforce platforms - so business teams move fast, procurement teams stay in control, and rogue contractor spend turns into a strategic advantage.
By using Human Cloud, companies can:
- ✓ Shortlist 10+ ideal solutions in minutes (not weeks)
- ✓ Deploy 3+ marketplaces in under a day (not 6-12 months)
- ✓ Turn 60% rogue contractor spend into a governed, strategic workforce
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