Building Authentic Brands That Drive Growth - Tips From Top Leaders

A simple post on Linkedin resulted into priceless guidance from incredible marketing leaders who I have always looked up to. I thought it was worthwhile capturing it here for others to get access to, this is life-long for all.

The Original Thought - The purpose of marketing is NOT a choice between: 

• ????Growing the brand 
• ????Growing the user base 
• ????Growing the user value 

It's a convergence of brand & performance, that's where true growth happens You MARKET TO GROW 

Question Posed To 5 of the Top Marketing Leaders - All in Growth Companies

Q - What is your perspective on the need for authentic brands, the challenge of continuous investment on building such brands in the midst of a "same-day growth at all cost mindset" & pressure? What is your advice for marketers to create that balance, and not choose between one or the other?

Soyoung Kang - CMO, eos | Forbes CMO Next | Business Insider CMO To Watch | Glossy 50

I couldn’t agree more, but no magic bullet, I’m afraid... My only advice is to think of delivering immediate results as the dividend you pay in order to be able to continue to invest for the long term.

We are all merely stewards of our brand (and of our organization if we’re fortunate enough to be in a leadership role); we have an obligation to ensure today is healthy to earn the right (and trust) to build for the future.

Minjae Ormes - Storyteller + Team Builder. CMO at Visible. Forbes CMO Next. Business Insider CMO to Watch.

This is a timely topic more than ever - and why in times of uncertainty or crisis people often turn to their oldest friends, comfort food, trusted brands.

The emotional connection and bond of a human relationship is one that brands can only aspire to have on their best days, and a worthwhile endeavor knowing that just like human relationships, consistently showing up for our customers pays off. Quick wins and short term gains tend to bank on a transactional relationship that’s at its best easy to forget and at its worst easy to dismiss or complain about when things go badly.

As marketers we must be able to demonstrate the ROI of our media dollars spent to earn a platform, an opportunity to be heard, a way to reach more customers, AND have the courage to invest consistently in our product, experience, people, and customers so that we’re building equity back into the lasting legacy that becomes our brand.

Josh Dean - Chief Marketing Officer at S'well | Forbes CMO Next 2019

Its hard to add much more to what you guys have said. More than ever before IMO marketing and brand building specifically needs to be about empathy, service, creativity AND consistency. If we try to embrace that every day and find the balance it will serve all of us and the people we seek to serve well.

This is the moment where brands have the opportunity to authentically provide value today, through their actions more than their words and avoid being overly transactional. The right, thoughtful message, delivered in the right channel at the right time will drive growth. And this is the moment, in particular, that we really have to listen to our consumers and communities, be human, and have the courage to weather the storm and build for the future.

All of this helps build brand love and growth. We can do this!

Karuna Rawal - Chief Marketing Officer|Forbes 2019 CMO Next

I am experiencing this in real time building a new to the world brand at a time when we also have to deliver short term results. They have to be intertwined and a strong brand gives you the ability to ride the short term ups and downs.

You have to keep an eye on that North Star while you do the day to day. There is no magical balance but if you lay the right foundation and execute the short term then it almost doesn’t matter what the right balance is. It’s about deep understanding of your consumer and what’s happening the market so you as a brand are relevant and constant adjustment.

No magic bullets:)

Matt Kerbel - Head of Marketing and Brand Strategy @ Canoo | Lyft, MeUndies, Call of Duty, GMI Alum | BI 40 Under 40

IMO that magic comes via the consistency of narrative and experience across channels. It is not Brand or Growth, rather it is ALL Marketing set out to achieve the same objective: building a brand efficiently that resonates and requires less and less DR media, discounts, etc over time.

Brands that lead from a place of empathy and creative win. They then look at the channels and tools at their disposal and determine the best way to deploy their USP via shareable content that cuts, converts and leads to evangelization. My Venn consists of 3 C’s - Consumer, Company and Culture...

Do you know your Consumer better than anyone, an ability to best appeal to and serve them (even if in a particularly novel/unique way)? Is your Company able to deliver the best value product or service experience for your target audience? And are you positioning yourself in a way that is Culturally relevant re: current zeitgeist? Are you well-timed (vs too early or too late) and can you become top-of-mind? Some of what we think about ??

Hope you all enjoyed these priceless jewels from this incredible thought leaders as much as I did.