‘Active choice’: Do customers need ‘meaningful friction’?
Matthew ValentineRather than delivering fully seamless experiences in the age of agentic AI, should brands be adding some useful friction to the customer journey?
‘Massive superpower’: What do we mean by financial fluency?
Matthew ValentineB2B marketers believe financial literacy will help them secure investment, but is there more involved than just reading a balance sheet?
‘Not just semantics’: How senior B2B roles are ‘catching up’ to reality
Matthew ValentineWhether it’s introducing a CMO or hiring your first chief growth officer, changes at the top of B2B brands go deeper than pure semantics.
‘The war for attention’: B2B brands on why the role of creativity is ‘much clearer’
Matthew ValentineNuance may be needed when measuring the effectiveness of creativity, but adopting a “show not tell approach” is putting B2B brands on the right track.
‘Relentless pursuit of the truth’: Why are marketers dissatisfied with metrics?
Matthew ValentineCan marketers ever be truly satisfied with effectiveness metrics, or is too much data, an obsession with accuracy and changing algorithms getting in the way?
‘Built over decades, measured in quarters’: How can marketers escape short-termism?
Matthew ValentineIn a volatile world where shareholders demand quick wins and squeezed consumers want short-term savings, how can marketers champion long-term thinking?
‘The triple win’: Why marketers have an ‘essential seat’ in the NPD process
Matthew ValentineIf NPD “hits all of the elements of a good marketing strategy”, why aren’t more marketers influencing innovation?
Generalists vs specialists: Are stretched marketing teams losing tactical skills?
Matthew ValentineAre tactical skills under threat with teams spread thin, entry level roles becoming more generalist and the price for specialist talent rising?
Teams in turmoil: Marketers on the ups and downs of restructures
Matthew ValentineWith the level of marketing team restructures at a three-year high, can revamps be seen as a positive form of redeployment rather than a cover for redundancies?
‘A statement of intent’: Brands on the rationale behind appointing their first CMO
Matthew ValentineWhile some firms are cutting senior marketing leaders, others see appointing their first CMO as a statement of intent in the pursuit of growth.
Marketers on the risks and rewards of effective team building
Matthew ValentineFrom avoiding the impulse to hire ex-colleagues to constantly engaging “passive candidates”, marketers discuss their playbook for building effective teams.
‘There’s no right or wrong’: Why nuance is needed when building marketing teams
Matthew ValentineFrom startups recruiting generalists to corporates hiring specialist expertise, marketing teams may differ by size or industry but change is a constant.
Restructures, influence, short-term gains: 5 interesting stats from State of B2B Marketing 2024
Matthew ValentineMarketing Week’s 2024 State of B2B Marketing research reveals marketers are coming under increasing pressure to deliver.
Are digital emissions a marketing blindspot?
Matthew ValentineA combination of weak consumer pressure and a lack of agreed standards means marketers are failing to prioritise cleaning up their ‘hidden’ digital emissions.
‘If they’re winning, we’re winning’: B2B marketers on the relationships that matter
Matthew ValentineFrom making the CFO your “first customer” to exploring cross-functional tension, marketers should put energy into nurturing relationships with the CEO and beyond.
Abercrombie & Fitch credits brand portfolio ‘strength’ for driving record quarter
Matthew ValentineFresh from appointing former Mars CMO Andrew Clarke to its board, the fashion retailer claims its “strong” brand portfolio has contributed to record sales.