Series, a fast-rising social networking startup, has named a humanoid robot as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), blending robotics with mainstream business leadership.
The humanoid robot, known as Uri, made its debut last week at Harvard University, drawing massive attention as the new CMO led Series’ first campus marketing campaign.
From taking over Harvard Square with a giant student composite banner to parading the stands during the Harvard versus Brown football game, Uri quickly became the centre of attraction. The spectacle generated more than one million views across social media within 24 hours.
Uri, powered by the Unitree G1 humanoid system, is built with 43 degrees of freedom, 3D LiDAR sensors, depth cameras, and reinforcement learning that allows it to adapt to real-time human interactions. It stands 1.2 metres tall and has been programmed to engage with users both offline and online in ways that mimic human marketers.
During the campaign, Uri didn’t just pose for photos, the robot handed out matcha drinks to students, initiated conversations, and roamed the stadium stands, a mix of spectacle and brand promotion that left many in awe.
Nathaneo Johnson, CEO and co-founder of Series, explained the logic behind the appointment. “Most CMOs cost $100k – $300k a year. Ours is a fraction of that, and it gains more attention than most celebrities do in any given room. That’s marketing.”
Series, launched as a platform to connect students and professionals, has already facilitated more than 700,000 messages exchanged with a 95% match acceptance rate. The company says that Uri is more than a novelty act, but part of a long-term strategy to enhance how technology can drive human connection.
Johnson added: “This move reflects our belief that robotics and AI will co-create the future of connection. Uri’s capabilities are far beyond novelty, which reflects the culture of constant innovation that will come to define today’s most ambitious startups.”
In placing robotics at the centre of its growth, Series is testing how far human-robot collaboration can go, not just in automating tasks, but in building strategy and public engagement. For a generation that thrives on digital-first interaction, Uri may be the next frontier of marketing leadership.
