MAYBE - Thomas Delabriere, Marketing director, Innocent Drinks
It depends on the context and, obviously, the individual. Many companies have worldwide marketing departments responsible for brand communication, or are led by a managing director with a strong marketing background. In these contexts, a marketing director has a relatively limited remit and cannot really damage a brand. Besides, he or she can bring some enthusiasm and fresh thinking to the organisation.
However, long-term interim marketing directors are not ideal. I think the true mission of a marketing director is to build brands and generate profitable growth for shareholders. To do that, a marketing director must understand their brands, market and consumers inside out. They need to build trust with the rest of the board and key partners, and inspire their team and agencies. They have to think long-term, and not only about the next market share or tactical brand activities. It is difficult to do that when your mission is restricted to a limited period of time.
NO - Mike Colling, Managing director, Mike Colling & Co
Cadbury has appointed an interim marketing director, while Muller has just parted company with one. That both appointments were internal candidates should provide the clue. As with most such arrangements, they suggest a holding job until the right candidate is found.
Short-term interim marketing directors tend to come along when strategies aren't working and a brand has lost its direction, or perhaps when the right long-term candidate is not immediately available. However, whether a post is longor short-term shouldn't matter - and having the word 'interim' in the job title isn't helpful, as it just clouds the issue.
Essentially, a job title is something that is made up. What matters is that whoever takes on the responsibility is best-placed to succeed at that time. If this turns out to be the interim appointee, all well and good, but the selection process must not be rushed.
NO - Scott Jefferson, Marketing director, Greggs
Given the average tenure of a marketing director is about three nanoseconds, I would suggest that most brands have de facto interims anyway. It really comes down to how good the person is, what experience they bring to bear and how quickly they get to grips with new brands and industry sectors.
A good marketer should be able to apply a broad marketing skill set to a specific brand. Often you see the same issues and opportunities present themselves in different sectors - they are just dressed up differently.
Whether a marketing director is in position for months or years, what's important is that decisions are made taking account of both the short and long term. Balancing short-term tactics and long-term brand-building is fundamental to the role and there's no reason why an interim can't handle this.
So, having played with toothpaste, pet food, pregnancy tests and trains, I am, obviously, perfectly qualified to market Greggs sandwiches and other such fresh-baked loveliness. Hmmm ... I'll get my coat.
YES - Rebecca Heaney, Managing director, RAPP Edinburgh
The words 'long-term' and 'interim' are an oxymoron. It's one thing to appoint an internal candidate to hold the fort, quite another to commit to a long period of instability. Because, like it or not, instability will be inevitable.
The worst-case scenario is to bring in an external candidate on a long-term interim basis - someone with no established empathy with the brand or firm grasp of where it's heading.
With an interim appointment, the danger is that all a brand does is tread water - and anyone treading water is effectively going backwards.
Brands need constant evolution to stay ahead of their peers and that is only possible if you have a settled executive team with a shared vision and drive. A long-term interim marketing director is unlikely to give any brand the stability and vision required to help drive the business forward.
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