How do CEO’s think about marketers?

26 september 2013, Dhr. Frank Bekkers, Mobile Vikings

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45 CEO’s gave their opinion about

the performance and responsibilities of

marketers

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• Build consistent brand equities • Define customer segment(s) • Check customers' needs

• React fast to changes • Adapt fast to new expectations• Define efficient marketing

processes

• Define unique value propositions • Make everyone contribute to brand marketing• Innovation that reaches new

customers/markets• Increase innovative power of company

• Analytical skills • Make strategic analysis of the

market • Define KPI’s and improvement

plans • Demonstrate Pragmatism • Analyze competition objectively• Appreciate impact of sustainable

decisions• Combine sustainable performance • Raise awareness of sustainability across

company

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-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

511

17 4

6

10

16

18

Importance

Performance

Focus 1) Build consistent brand equities 12) Define customer segment(s) 13) Check customers' needs Agility 2) React fast to changes 8) Adapt fast to new expectations 14) Define efficient marketing processes Creativity 3) Define unique value propositions 7) Make everyone contribute to brand marketing 9) Innovation that reaches new customers/markets 15) Increase innovative power of company Tangibility 4) Analytical skills 6) Make strategic analysis of the market 10) Define KPI’s and improvement plans 16) Demonstrate Pragmatism 18) Analyze competition objectively Sustainability 5) Appreciate impact of sustainable decisions 11) Combine sustainable performance 17) Raise awareness of sustainability across company -2 = below -1 = almost in line with 0 = in line with +1 = slightly above +2 = above expectations

CEO’s rank marketing responsibilites as moderately

important

Marketers’ performance is below their expectations

(exception: CEO consider “defining segments” as very important and value the market analysis)

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-0.4 -0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.20

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

5

11

17

4

6

10

1618

CEO's

Mar-keters

Importance of Marketing responsibilities

Focus 1) Build consistent brand equities 12) Define customer segment(s) 13) Check customers' needs Agility 2) React fast to changes 8) Adapt fast to new expectations 14) Define efficient marketing processes Creativity 3) Define unique value propositions 7) Make everyone contribute to brand marketing 9) Innovation that reaches new customers/markets 15) Increase innovative power of company Tangibility 4) Analytical skills 6) Make strategic analysis of the market 10) Define KPI’s and improvement plans 16) Demonstrate Pragmatism 18) Analyze competition objectively Sustainability 5) Appreciate impact of sustainable decisions 11) Combine sustainable performance 17) Raise awareness of sustainability across company

-2 = below -1 = almost in line with 0 = in line with +1 = slightly above +2 = above expectations

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Performance of Marketers

-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

5

11

174

6

10

16

18CEO's

marketers

Focus 1) Build consistent brand equities 12) Define customer segment(s) 13) Check customers' needs Agility 2) React fast to changes 8) Adapt fast to new expectations 14) Define efficient marketing processes Creativity 3) Define unique value propositions 7) Make everyone contribute to brand marketing 9) Innovation that reaches new customers/markets 15) Increase innovative power of company Tangibility 4) Analytical skills 6) Make strategic analysis of the market 10) Define KPI’s and improvement plans 16) Demonstrate Pragmatism 18) Analyze competition objectively Sustainability 5) Appreciate impact of sustainable decisions 11) Combine sustainable performance 17) Raise awareness of sustainability across company

-2 = below -1 = almost in line with 0 = in line with +1 = slightly above +2 = above expectations

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Marketers see marketing responsibilities as slightly more important than CEO’s do ...

but they are even more severe on their own performance than CEO’s are

The CEO values segmentation and market analysis, but not more than thatMarketing seems to be a short term responsibility where pragmatism is expectedMarketing looks more and better at the past than to the futureMarketing is not in the lead for innovationAnd marketing is not expected to put sustainability on the agenda

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DOES MARKETING FAIL?

Marketers need a FACTS approach

More strategic focus

More agility in the organization

More creativity in their marketing approach and innovation

More tangibility without losing faith in intuition

More sustainable reflections

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The marketer should re-valorise his responsibilites and focus on the ultimate goal: customer satisfactionConcretely:  

we see marketers as cross-departemental INTEGRATORS making all employees focused on customer satisfaction. He has the total view and can push for change and improvement we see marketers as BRAND BUILDERS, aiming for consistency and granted relevance we see BUSINESS MINDED marketers, looking at the future, able to guide the necessary organizational changes in a turbulent environment we see marketers as the INNOVATORS within the company we see marketers as ANALISTS but counting on intuition and profound knowlegde as well to make decisions we see marketers as defenders of a sustainable marketing, contrary to the unlimited push marketing of the past that has lead to absurd consumption  

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