Initiating change when shareholders demand quarterly targets are hit and dividends paid is hard. But marketing chiefs - and CEOs and CFOs – are paid to think strategically and sustainably. Those that do not are effectively presiding over value destruction.  That’s the subtext of Peel’s words and it’s interesting that “a new way of thinking” boils down to “looking after the long-term health of the brand”. Others would suggest that is the old way of thinking, but as Peel implies, unwieldy structures and silos muddy the waters for brands, while "shiny things" often prove to be marketing glitter rather than gold. It's also notable that Adidas' shift in emphasis to weight brand building over performance marketing follows a push to in-house much of its media function. As others plot similar routes, we may well see brand building return to the fore.