Branding strategies are changing, and in order for a company to survive, it too must evolve. Today it is more important than ever to effectively manage creative collaborations in order to establish and maintain a strong brand. As Marty Neumeier details in “The Brand Gap,” there are three basic models that organizations are using to manage large-scale creative collaborations: handing over brand management to a one-stop shop, a brand agency, or an integrated marketing team. Experienced branders prefer the third model due to the fact that the more a brand is distributed, the greater the need for centralized management. This need for centralized management of a brand has prompted many companies to hire chief brand officers, or CBOs, who manage the brand at the highest corporate level. These CBOs must be skilled enough to strategize with the CEO as well as trigger creativity among their team in order to align business strategy with customer experience.
Many companies are now discovering the need for CBOs – some companies already have a CBO, while others are on the path to having one. Evidence of this new era of integrated marketing can be seen in 7 large companies that have reorganized their corporate structure:
- Ericsson
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts
- Samsung
- Philips
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Procter & Gamble
Ericsson
Ericsson has announced that it will change its business and engagement models. Market units are one of their main operational functions, in addition to coordinating the company’s strategies, operations, and resource allocation. Ericsson has also appointed a Chief Brand Officer, Cesare Avenia, to develop these strategies.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Phil McAveety, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of Starwood Hotels & Resorts has led a reorganization of the brand management group and has integrated various functions to create a sense of a single brand team.
Samsung
Samsung has said that they will start practicing a holistic marketing strategy instead of individual marketing plans as part of their effort to launch a worldwide brand campaign. The Samsung Global Marketing office lies within their Digital Media & Communication Business Unit.
Philips
Gerard Kleisterlee, President and CEO of Philips, has incorporated a marketing model into the corporate structure, leaving behind their previous manufacturing model. Geert van Kuyck, who is the Chief Marketing Officer, acts as the voice of the consumer within the company.
Intel
Deborah S. Conrad is Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Intel and is in charge of brand management and integrated marketing communications. Former Worldwide Creative Director of Intel, Susan Rockrise, helped to establish this integrated marketing team within the company.
Microsoft
Microsoft has reorganized its Central Marketing Group, appointing both a chief strategy officer and a chief creative officer to collaborate on marketing communications. Mich Mathews, Senior Vice President for Microsoft’s Central Marketing Group, oversees this team and leads integrated marketing communications to customers all over the world.
Procter & Gamble
Four pillars form the organizational structure of P&G. One of these pillars is Market Development Organizations (MDOs), which focuses on local understanding for their marketing campaigns. P&G approaches business with the philosophy of thinking globally and acting locally. Marc S. Pritchard of the Global Marketing & Brand Building Office is the head of all global marketing campaigns.
Is your organization joining the new brand era?
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