Marketing

In the age of anxiety, global challenges like trade, politics, inequality, and the state of the natural environment have captured much of the public's consciousness. What's not getting enough attention are timely examples of human innovation — the kind that will help drive a more sustainable future. There are two such milestones this year from which to draw inspiration.

Why brands must forge deeper, more personalized relationships with consumers for future growth.  By Valeria Piaggio, SVP and Head of Identity and Inclusion Insights at Kantar Consulting

While marketers admit their future growth and success will rely on leveraging deeper relationships with customers, 43 percent surveyed by the CMO Council admit that their organizations identify “transactional” as being the top attribute and descriptor of their customers.

Over the past decade, many consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) companies have mastered the fundamentals of pricing, promotions, assortment, and trade investment—revenue growth management’s four main elements. While that development has allowed CPGs to reliably capture value, the landscape has shifted, and the bar is rising.

Like professional athletes at the mercy of team owners always looking for the next superstar, chief marketing officers appear to have the shortest tenure of any member of the C-suite. The median life span in the role was 28 months in 2018, dropping from the 31-month median tenure a year earlier, according to Spencer Stuart. While some departing CMOs are tapped for internal roles beyond marketing, such as general manager, more often than not they are shown the door and move on to their next gig.

The fundamental method by which television commercials are bought and sold hasn't significantly changed since the first spot aired 70 years ago — but that is changing now, and changing fast.