THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING MARKETERS

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING MARKETERS 1. Internal coordination of marketing activities “The global marketing challenge today is a challenge of execution.” Doug West, Global marketing Director, ex Rentokil-Initial The bigger the brand, the more links in the chain. Organisational HQs have historically struggled with rolling out coordinated marketing campaigns across multiple territories. Today we have vastly improved systems and communications, but also higher expectations for relevant, localised execution. How best to achieve maximum impact? Internal coordination of complex campaigns across business units remains a key challenge on the desk for global marketers. “People tend to be focused on their own regions first and do not always understand the global context.” Grant Westbrook, Global Director of Marketing, Mintel Group Ltd Many worldwide campaign implementation models include an element of ‘adopt and adapt’; but there is some debate about how best to achieve the best results. 2. How to reach customers in a meaningful way That knockout creative concept that ticks all the boxes in one territory may fall flat in another for any number of reasons. Adapting an idea to suit different cultures and outlooks — while remaining true to the key messages behind the campaign — remains a major challenge for the global brands we spoke to. Stewarding these creative, intellectual and emotional elements safely across territories is one mighty task. But figuring out digital media on a global scale — with all the technical, media and channel options available — makes the picture even more complex. Our respondents see driving local consumer engagement at the highest possible level is an ongoing work in progress. Not surprising when you consider the differing levels of marketing maturity and digital understanding, legal and regulatory issues and cultural subtleties across the globe. For a more in-depth report on our research with big brand global marketing directors, download the full report. 3. How to measure and report, learn and improve The marketers we interviewed (including industry award-winners) all reached the ‘top of the tree’ by delivering consistent return on investment (ROI). As they look across the global brands and properties they now manage, measuring and reporting on ROI takes on a new complexity and some very significant budgets are at stake. Our respondents haven’t taken their foot off the pedal in the desire to provide transparent reporting. It’s just that the task is bigger than ever. "The biggest challenge with any global marketing role is ROI. It’s more important than ever to show the value in what you do.” John Bernard, multi award-winning Global Marketing Director, Firefox OS It’s clear that working out rock-solid objectives with associated key performance indicators (KPI) at the outset is a ‘must-have’ for balanced reporting. Yet, at the same time, global marketers have to be able to ‘flex’ the interpretation of data coming from several different environments to make it meaningful and digestible. Delivering consistent measurement across a multitude of channels and geographies remains a challenge, particularly where boards demand short-term results. 4. How to handle the creative development process A key theme emerging from our research is the on-going hunt for global campaign consistency matched by seamless local relevance. There are differing schools of thought on how to achieve this; but the mantra of ‘act global think local’ remains a central tenet for global marketing directors. Localisation of the big idea for different territories is the default for all global brand guardians, but the methodology for doing so is somewhat polarised. Whatever route people are taking, it’s clear that localisation and a focus on smart implementation are firmly on the agenda when it comes to rolling out global creative that resonates wherever it lands. It adds up to a complex picture but one in which the best managers find systems and partners to manage creative development for a wide range of implementations. 5. Understanding customer wants and needs across different segments The need to align campaigns to differing cultural and social sensitivities is well-established. It’s just part of the jigsaw our marketers need to piece together. But targeting messages on a global scale also requires a deep understanding of how industries, geography and demographics will affect messaging. Brand affinity and buying preferences are affected further by the relative strength of country economies — yet another layer of complexity. “The economic picture of different countries has to be factored in to campaigns.” Cat Allport, Head of Marketing Services, Rentokil Initial. Finally, global marketing directors must take into account the relative growth positions and potentials for multiple markets. 6. Digital, social and the new marketing How to integrate social into a wider campaign remains a focus for many global marketers. Reliable reporting about the impact of social on awareness and sales remains elusive despite the deluge of data available. Such reporting is sometimes hard to align with the more traditional ROI markers from advertising or direct marketing. “Digital media is forcing campaigns to be much more engaging. The new media is designed to allow people to talk back.” Ronnie Beltran, Group Brand Strategist, Red Fuse Communications Marketers understand the value of social but it seems its unpredictable nature is harder to control. 7. The role of technology in campaign creation and implementation There’s a risk of letting technology lead the way, while it should merely be an enabler of creative ideas, following a strategic and operational vision. Digital Asset Management (DAM) remains a tactical challenge. Brands are striving to maintain a centralised repository of marketing assets. It’s also important to know what assets are being used, what are needed, when rights expire and so on. “We mustn’t let technology be a roadblock to creativity. It should merely be an enabler, following a strategic and operational vision.” Mayur Gupta, Global Head, Marketing Technology Operations and Innovation, Kimberley-Clark Marketing automation has provided smart efficiency, and we have certainly travelled a long way down the road to personalisation in the last years. However, just how to deliver faultless, personalised advertising, at scale and worldwide, is still a nut to crack.