BrandMAX, the two-day summit and networking event for senior marketers, will feature the biggest names in global marketing and communications, brought together by and the .
will focus on every aspect of the marketing mix and how to optimise ROI, and includes special breakout sessions focused on media.
In the latest of a series of interviews with speakers at the event, which takes place at Altitude 360 next week (21-22 September), Marc de Swaan Arons, co-founder and Chairman of Effective Brands, talks about media and globalisation, prior to his global marketing workshop at the event.
Media Week: It's been a turbulent few years for the industry. How would you describe the marketing and media industries in 2011?
Marc de Swann Arons: Fast-paced, all converging and slightly overwhelming. When I look at the CMOs and senior global marketers we work with, I see many of them intellectually excited by all that becomes possible, in terms of connecting brands with consumers. But, at the same time, quite challenged on how to make it all work together effectively.
How does globalisation affect these issues?
The ongoing "globalisation" trend just makes things go even faster and the accompanying transparency has led to a world where you cannot afford to try things out in one place, before rolling them out once you know they work. Everything is seen and reacted to, and a misstep in Kenya can be on the front pages in London the next day. Focusing more on the effects of globalisation on marketing organisations specifically, we see a quite dramatic shift towards working more effectively across borders. More centralisation, more joint initiatives and a bigger role for global marketers, wherever they sit.
What does this mean for the challenges that marketers have to face?
Today almost everyone works for or competes against a global brand. Building the brand across borders requires new capabilities of marketers and their marketing organisations. It’s about effective global marketing strategy, structure and capability.
What do you think that marketers will look for from the media industry in 2012?
Marketers, brand builders, are looking for partners that can understand the brand strategy and truly partner them to build those underlying strategic objectives, not just achieve media goals. The more strategic the media partner, the better.
The theme for BrandMAX is brand optimisation. What do you see as the secret to optimising brand performance?
Optimisation in today’s global marketing arena is all about striking the right balance between local relevance and global leverage. You cannot afford to go fully local everywhere, and it would be stupid to start marketing a vanilla mix to all consumers everywhere.
How does the global picture affect this?
Smart marketers working on today’s global brands understand where to be firm and adhere to one consistent brand purpose and drive one global vision, and where to be flexible and take a local insight to bring the brand fully alive in a specific market.
What do you think delegates will take away from the whole event and, in particular, from your workshop?
Our workshop focuses fully on giving marketers, working on or competing against global brand, the framework and tools to win. We focus on WHAT the characteristics of winning global brands are, and HOW to win in global marketing. Everyone attending will take away both strategic and practical insights to help them improve their own marketing effectiveness – starting the day after.
To hear more from Marc and from other big names, including Nick Manning, BMW's Richard Hudson, Barclaycard's Nina Bibby and more, please contact Celia Miranda at celia.miranda@haymarket.com.
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