The digital revolution has affected marketing teams and leaders around the globe.
The role of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) is an excellent example of how this dynamic has evolved. CMO, a position that once had a list of defined objectives, now includes specialisms like customer experience, acquisition, and technology implementation.
How can we define success as a CMO? According to a report from Forbes, Sprinklr, and LinkedIn, 50 CMOs are leading the charge for marketing in 2017 according to this new report. This article explores 5 CMOs leading the charge in marketing in the digital age and evolving the role of the CMO.
The Fundamental Five
Although successful as a CMO cannot be reduced to formulas, there are some key attributes that all effective leaders have in common. These include:
Strategic leadership skills
Innovation is in our blood
Intensive customer focus
Results-minded engagement
Strong desire for continuous improvement
CMOs at the top of their game seem to have all five traits. The CMOs at the top of their game have a wide range of personality traits that allow them to envision and implement new strategies for growing and nurturing their business.
Keith Weed, Unilever
Keith Weed, widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential marketers today, has led Unilever for almost seven years. He has been a leader in the industry and a voice for many issues.
Weed’s “3V” directive, which claimed that digital platforms should provide ‘Value,’ ‘Viewability’ and ‘Verification’ for consumers, gained him widespread recognition. The impact has been significant. Unilever’s customer loyalty is at an industry-leading level, thanks to the sense of community and trust that has been fostered.
Weed is a rising star amongst peers. He was given the spotlight recently at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where he spoke about the future of marketing and social media.
Linda Boff – General Electric
Linda Boff, the CMO of GE, has been making waves for her dedication to portraying GE as a digitally-first company. She is regarded as one of her peers’ most forward-looking and visionary professionals. She has worked with marketing professionals and agencies around the globe to create a compelling and unique vision for General Electric. This vision transcends expectations both internally and externally.
Boff is a great example of this. The company has redefined its digital marketing strategy to target a younger and more ‘hipper audience.’ The company has created a strong Snapchat profile, delved into virtual reality, and even participated in a five-part series about science and human creativity.
Boff has gained notoriety for her innovation and efforts to create a “frictionless” customer experience that benefits everyone involved. Boff’s determination to break through industry norms and redefine HP’s capabilities and performance has led her to be included on our list of respected CMOs.
Leslie Berland on Twitter
Leslie Berland is the first CMO of Twitter. She is a leader who focuses on teamwork and synergy. She is a lover of everything ‘public.’ She explores and engages Twitter employees worldwide to gain greater insight into who is driving the marketing strategies and how individual personalities and strengths can be leveraged.
Berland says this can be achieved by understanding an individual personally before trying to match them with a position or function. She believes that having informal conversations with her employees will help to maximize their abilities and strategies.
Berland is the marketing director for a technology company. However, her marketing approach creates employees’ sense of empowerment and individuality. She has been in charge of marketing for a tech company since 2016, and she has built a creative studio with over 30 employees to create impactful campaigns.
Antonio Lucio – Hewlett Packard
Antonio Lucio is a CMO at Hewlett Packard. He has used his vision and talents to create a new marketing approach that challenges stereotypes and preconceived ideas.
He received significant attention when he publicly urged that greater consideration be given to women, ethnic minorities, and other groups in the marketing industry, specifically those holding leadership positions. HP has promoted its team so that 50% of the top marketing positions at HP are women. The company also developed a diverse portfolio of traditional and digital media spots that are more expansive to reach a younger audience.
Lucio’s leadership at HP has shown his strength in the “Fundamental Five” listed above. This is a demonstration of strategic leadership that acknowledges individual strengths and empowers people who have been marginalized formally to contribute to the whole group.
Ann Lewnes – Adobe
Ann Lewnes, CMO at Adobe, a leading design and publishing software provider, understands the importance of maintaining a fresh and cutting-edge online presence. Ann Lewnes’ top priority as CMO has been and will remain brand repositioning.
Adobe is acquiring several digital optimization companies, which helped Lewne identify and answer several important questions about the company’s online platform. These efforts have significantly improved online customer retention, engagement, and brand loyalty.
Lewnes acknowledges that her role has changed as CMO. She explains that marketing professionals today must have a solid grasp of technology and the technical processes behind many of the most powerful advertising tools.
By 2018, CMOs will have complete control over nearly a third of all-new marketing technology projects. CMOs can play a major role in shaping a company’s brand, positioning, and how they communicate with their customers.
CMOs are the “keys to the Kingdom” in many ways. Digital technologies are a part of every successful marketing strategy. The correlation between CMOs and technology spending is relatively new. However, it appears to be a standard in the industry rather than a rare exception.