Tony Miller
Former CMO, WW; VP Digital Marketing, Disney
Alison Orsi
Former VP/CMO, IBM Europe
Visha Kudhail
Former Director Business Marketing, Pinterest; Brands and Reputation, Google
Ash Tailor
Former VP and Global Brand and Marketing, LEGOLAND
The panellists agreed the role of the CMO has evolved significantly in the last five years, thanks in no small part to the pandemic and the consequent cost-of-living crisis. The discussion focused on the impact it has had on measurement in particular – whilst pre-pandemic, brands were becoming increasingly digital and measurement-led, they leaned into a more people-focused approach from 2020. Now it’s ‘snapped back’, but brands and their leaders are increasingly required to demonstrate both –meaning CMOs have to be more multi-skilled and agile than ever before.
“If agencies can understand how
they can grow my business, that’s special – not
many do.”
BELOW ARE FIVE KEY TAKEOUTS FROM THE SESSION:
- CMOs ARE BUSY: HOW WILL YOU ADD VALUE?
A key insight agreed by the panel was the majority of CMOs’ time is not spent on marketing activity, but on stakeholder management. In practical terms, that will mean three things for existing and potential agency partners:
- i) You need top-tier account management skills. It’s important to focus on the basics.
As Kudhail commented: “It’s great to have big ideas and a strong pitch, but solid account management is life-saving. It often gets forgotten, but it makes such a big difference.”
- ii) The CMO might not be the only budget holder or decision maker.
The panel agreed they’ll often delegate entire projects or procurement tasks to trusted team members, so agencies prospecting for new business might do just as well talking to senior managers as they would the marketing directors.
iii) You will help them by being the partner or support system they need. As Miller said, “As a CMO, you’re constantly defending your team, your decisions and your budget to the board” – so agency partners can become indispensable by adding tangible and measurable value.
- A GROWTH MINDSET IS KEY: HOW CAN YOU SHOW YOU’RE GOING TO HELP THEIR JOURNEY?
“All we really think about as marketers is growth,” said Tailor. “If agencies can understand how they can grow my business, that’s special – not many do.”
Demonstrating real understanding of what makes a customer stay, upgrade or switch from a rival brand is key.
- RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON TRUST
Bring your expertise and experience to meetings, be honest and constructive when talking about the challenges and opportunities. Be clear on what you can and can’t deliver.
Long terms trusted relationships are built on mutual respect, trust and transparency. Add value to each encounter and response.
According to Orsi, there are three key components to building trust. “Honesty – don’t tell me what I want to hear, tell me what’s really going on. Transparency – play the situation back to me. And create trust. Agency relationships will last a lot longer if they feel like you’re adding value.”
The panellists also stressed the importance of knowing when to push back – and how to do it in the right way. Essentially, it’s a fine balance to strike; know when it’s appropriate to challenge the status quo but try not to be overfamiliar, which the CMOs all agreed can be off-putting.
“Do your due diligence and look beyond the brief. I want someone who shows curiosity and intelligence and comes armed with questions”
- IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THEIR WORLD
You really need to get under the skin of a brand and understand all its nuances.
Tailor told attendees of his preparation before taking on his former role at LEGOLAND. “I was dishing out chips in the food stalls and changing bedding in the hotels. I wanted to really get to understand the business.”
Orsi added: “We need to know people have gone the extra mile to understand us, including our legacy – the challenges and opportunities we’ve come up against historically.”
This sentiment was echoed by Miller. “Do your due diligence and look beyond the brief. I want someone who shows curiosity and intelligence and comes armed with questions.”
- DO BRILLIANT WORK AND BE FUN TO WORK WITH
Summarising an evening that was focused on the importance of innovation and big ideas, Kudhail pressed the importance of never playing it safe. “We need more fun! We need you to be brave, we need innovation and we need you to be creative. I think a lot of agencies rely on the safe option.”
Ultimately, it’s all about the energy you bring to the table. Clients – and indeed, prospective clients – are seeking personable, creative and collaborative problem solvers.
Clients need true partners, the ones who will come to you with innovation, be problem solvers, bring energy to every session and push you to excellence.
