The Three Cs : Marketing Leadership - Part 1

As a CMO, I’m often asked: “What makes a great marketing leader?” It’s a great question and a subject I’m always pleased to talk about. It also deserves some very clear, well thought-through answers.

That’s why, in this mini-series, I will outline and build up a simple model – which I’m calling ‘The Marketing Leadership Propeller’ - which, when applied, I believe to be both insightful and useful.

Firstly, I want to break the question of ‘what makes a great marketing leader’ into two parts – let’s contemplate both ‘marketing’ and ‘leadership’ independently. 

In the third part, I’ll stitch both concepts together and provide some conclusions which I hope will be informative, inspiring and useful to you in your business.

With the focus, then, on ‘great marketers’, a good way to think about it is what I refer to as the ‘Three C’s’ model. These are three simple ingredients that, when combined - in equal measure, as much as possible - make for great marketing potential.

Those three Cs are – Creativity, Commerciality and Communication.

It is not those skills or capabilities in isolation that matter most, it is the blend of the three together, that makes the difference, 

When combined, they can lead to very powerful marketing thinking.

First, let’s look at creativity. Creativity is an art. It’s the magic, it’s instinct. In many ways it lacks definition, but you know it when you see it. In aesthetic terms, it’s having a ‘good eye’, if you like. The very best creative minds take the seeds of a great creative idea and they elevate it. Such thinkers are single minded in the pursuit of the beauty of the creative product.

Commerciality is critical too. I have yet to meet a fantastic marketer who does not ally deeply held commercial acumen with the creativity that is so important. I think of commerciality as the anchor that guards against fanciful creativity. Rather it grounds it in the pursuit of growth, of accelerated revenue and of heightened margins - all underpinned by brand building and innovation.

Then there’s communication. All of the best marketers I have worked with over the years have outstanding communication skills. Spoken or written, they have it in equal measure. As marketers our job is to be persuasive, to sell. We have to sell ideas and concepts. We are in the business of selling dreams - of envisioning. Ultimately, at our best, we inspire.

I believe marketers have to make magic. And it is the coming together of these three ingredients – the Three Cs of creativity, commerciality and communication – that ensures that magic is made.

Look out for Part 2, where I look at the Leadership part of ‘The Marketing Leadership Propeller’, where I’ll be sharing more of my insights I’ve discovered on my marketing journey. 

KINGSLEY