Industry Contributor
29 Apr 2019 -
2 min read
Are outsiders better marketers?
By Paul McIntyre
- Executive Editor
Senior marketers that came into their roles from different sectors say they bring broader perspective to their brands. Sector stalwarts say immersion and experience should not be underestimated (Marketing Week).
- Tesco group brand director Michelle McEtterick had no retail experience prior to the role: "Having experiences in multiple sectors gives you a broader base".
- Birds Eye CMO Steve Callouma is two decades in under three different owners: "If you stick, you become an expert. I remember every micro change over the years in fish fingers; what has worked, what hasn't".
- Hiscox global brand director, Annabel Venner: "It just opens your eyes to different ways of doing things."
It's an interesting debate that is cyclical and doesn't have a definitive answer. About 20 years ago, Australian banks were in the mood to sidestep career marketers from financial services and hire from consumer goods.
If companies have the patience for outsiders to adjust and understand category dynamics, it can work. Deep knowledge of product, customer and consistency of brand is reassuring. Fresh eyes spot hidden opportunities, different perspective and new techniques that can unlock value.
If we look at Australia's top 10 marketers, as ranked by the CMO50 2018, they lean towards multi-sector experience, but only just:
- Lisa Ronson: Tourism Australia CMO's 25 years as a marketer span CUB, Visa, Telstra, David Jones and Westpac
- Martine Jager: Westpac's top marketer has been in the banking sector nearly 17 years
- Susan Massasso: The a2 Milk Company global CMO's career is largely CPG, including five years at Unilever and 12 years at Campbell Arnott's
- Leisa Bacon: ABC director of audience and marketing's CV blends healthcare and FMCG with a mix of cinema, entertainment and performing arts
- Nick Reynolds: Lenovo global head of digital, web and social has been at the firm for 12 years, and in computers and consumer electronics virtually his whole marketing career
- Ric Navarro: The global director marketing and communications at Norman Disney & Young has worked across architecture, mining and energy, beverages, and government over two decades. He started out a Fairfax cadet journalist
- Brent Smart: AIG's CMO spent two decades in top ad agency roles. He's probably worked across more sectors than most
- Steve Brennen: Uber's ANZ marketing director has experience across the tech, media and telco sectors, at Ebay and Paypal for 4.5 years following similar tenures and Virgin Mobile and Virgin Media
- Damian Young: Chobani's Marketing GM has had almost exclusively FMCG roles, in the dairy sector for the last decade
- David McNeil: Campbell Arnott's CMO, APAC and Global Expansion, is experienced across food, beverage, telco, and personal care with senior marketing roles at Colgate Palmolive, Optus, Lion and Unilever.
