The CMO
Council Blog

Thoughts on the latest marketing trends
from the CMO Council. Interested in
contributing to our Expert Views? Reach
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CMO BLOG

Left Behind In Digital Times

January 19, 2022 by Tom Kaneshige

Digital marketing tactics are essential to modern marketing. Problem is, many local businesses lack digital marketing strategy, planning and execution. More >

CMO BLOG

CMOs Lead Into the Light

January 12, 2022 by Tom Kaneshige

The best CMOs know how to navigate the brave new world of digital and data and make strategic alliances that marshal MarTech success. More >

CMO BLOG

Big Brands, Small Biz

January 05, 2022 by Tom Kaneshige

How can big brands help small businesses in these uncertain times? Reach out with marketing expertise, digital transformation resources and an evolved channel program. More >

CMO BLOG

Got Time for a Chat?

December 22, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

A mobile chat app showing an unread message is like a Christmas present waiting to be unwrapped. Can chat commerce tap into this feeling of anticipation? More >

CMO BLOG

Holiday Season Tests Brand Loyalty

December 15, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Consumers are opening their wallets, buying gifts and traveling again. Will they buy your brand? Weary from the pandemic, many have lost their sense of loyalty. More >

CMO BLOG

Exploring Digital Innovation Globally

December 07, 2021 by Kate Stephani

Let's dive in to what marketers around the world are doing to thrive in the ever-changing marketing landscape. More >

CMO BLOG

How to Achieve Transformational Growth

December 01, 2021 by Donovan Neale-May

Revenue growth is on everyone’s mind. Are you doing enough to make growth intrinsic to your corporate DNA in 2022? More >

CMO BLOG

Business Is Personal

November 24, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Every customer wants to be seen as an individual and receive personalized treatment. It’s up to marketing to make that happen. More >

CMO BLOG

7 Things Shaking Up Marketing

November 17, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

As the new year approaches, we take a deep breath and brace ourselves for the disruptions that are upending marketing. More >

CMO BLOG

All The World’s A Stage: Act 2

November 10, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

It’s time to reimagine and return to in-person events. What lessons have marketers learned from virtual events that will lead to a better performance? More >

CMO BLOG

How CMOs Can Grab The Reins

November 03, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

For CMOs aspiring to raise their profile and venture beyond marketing’s traditional borders, the road goes through MarTech. More >

CMO BLOG

High-Tech CMOs Better Get MarTech Right

October 27, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

More than any other CMO, the tech-vendor CMO uses MarTech as a calling card. If MarTech isn’t working properly, tech-savvy customers will know it. More >

CMO BLOG

CPG CMOs on the Hot Seat

October 20, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

CPG companies are in dire need of a rebound after getting walloped by the pandemic. The job of driving revenue growth has landed on the CMO’s shoulders. More >

CMO BLOG

Can Biometrics Solve the Password Problem?

October 13, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Identity theft wrecks the digital customer experience, while password proliferation leads to frustration. Is biometrics ready for primetime? More >

CMO BLOG

Chat Commerce Revolution

October 06, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Do customers appreciate marketers constantly pushing products? Nope. With Chat Commerce, marketers can change the narrative. More >

CMO BLOG

Long Road To CX

September 29, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Companies are just starting out in their pursuit of ideal CX and AI. Looming hurdles threaten to trip up even the most skilled marketers. More >

CMO BLOG

Taming the Three-Headed Monster

September 22, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

CMOs charged with advancing digital transformation, customer experience and revenue growth will need MarTech and the CIO as powerful allies. More >

CMO BLOG

When AI Behaves Badly

September 08, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

If Facebook’s AI can make an “unacceptable error” and embarrass the brand, what does this mean for the rest of us? Don’t give up on AI just yet. More >

CMO BLOG

What Can We Learn From Nike’s Social Media Play?

September 01, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

At times, Nike makes great plays and then drops the ball over social media. Peek inside the iconic brand’s unofficial playbook. More >

CMO BLOG

Breakthrough in the CMO-CIO Relationship

August 18, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

With so much riding on MarTech, companies can no longer wait for CMOs and CIOs to slowly work out their differences. The relationship must be righted now. More >

CMO BLOG

Shaping a Privacy-First Data Strategy

August 11, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Privacy will push marketers to have a better relationship with customers. We’re talking greater transparency, clearer communications and honest dialogue. More >

CMO BLOG

If CMOs Lead CX, Who Will Follow?

August 04, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Many CMOs say they own the customer experience, but they’ll need the power of the purse to orchestrate touch points across the business. More >

CMO BLOG

10 Most Loved Ads on Social Media

July 28, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

What brands are making an emotional impact over Youtube, Facebook and Instagram? Find out who they are and how they’re doing it. More >

CMO BLOG

Are Marketing Budgets Getting Slashed Again?

July 21, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

CMOs hoping for a rebound in budgets to go along with new revenue-growth responsibilities will be unpleasantly surprised by a recent Gartner report. More >

CMO BLOG

Is Customer Loyalty a Fantasy?

July 14, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Amid pressure to grow revenue, should marketers focus on customer loyalty? It’s a safe bet with attributable returns on investment — but a wrong one to prioritize.  More >

CMO BLOG

Define the Need Before You Bleed: Marketing Rigor Can Reduce Start-Up Failure

July 06, 2021 by Donovan Neale-May

70% of upstart tech companies fail — how can you avoid being one of them? More >

CMO BLOG

Making the Marketing Play

June 30, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Turn triple plays and hit home runs in revenue growth. It’s time to step up to the plate and deliver in the big moment. More >

CMO BLOG

Retail’s Road to Recovery

June 23, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

After the pandemic wreaked havoc on traditional retailers, many now see a social commerce comeback. But can they avoid social criticism? More >

CMO BLOG

Marketing Under the C-Suite Microscope

June 16, 2021 by Donovan Neale-May

The CMO Council’s C-suite marketing scorecard is here! Check out how marketers fared in performance, confidence, alignment and more. More >

CMO BLOG

Yin and Yang: The Work-Life Experience

June 09, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Customers and employees are one and the same. They need to have a great human experience with companies lest they take their wallets and skills elsewhere.  More >

CMO BLOG

Making Omnichannel Work

June 02, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Even savvy marketers have a hard time mastering omnichannel’s many moving parts. Add in the nearly impossible consumer expectation for a seamless, personalized experience at every touchpoint. More >

CMO BLOG

How Smart Is Your Marketing Machine?

May 26, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

What do chief marketers need to know about artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks, deep learning? Back to school. More >

CMO BLOG

Will Purpose Lead to Profit?

May 19, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Brands that commit to a purpose will engage customers, engender trust and enjoy economic benefits. Others seeking only shareholder value put their brands at risk. More >

CMO BLOG

CMOs Facing The Fire With Steady Cool

May 12, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Battling on many fronts amid tenuous tenure, CMOs will have to show grace under pressure, hit their revenue targets, and help companies emerge from the pandemic. More >

CMO BLOG

Keeping Brands Safe in an Angry World

May 05, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Is your brand appearing next to spam, adult and explicit content, hate speech and acts of aggression? It’s time to act. More >

CMO BLOG

CMOs Need to Apply More Diligence to Cybersecurity Resilience

April 28, 2021 by Donovan Neale-May

Are CMOs stepping up to assure brand trust, confidence and reputation in the connected economy? More >

CMO BLOG

Agility Scores in the Marketing Game

April 21, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Half of marketers now leverage agile marketing best practices to keep up with a chaotic and unpredictable buyer’s journey. Are you among them?  More >

CMO BLOG

Off The Record: Masked Marketer

April 07, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

A former CMO of a large Asian electronics company experiences culture shock during the first days on the job. This masked marketer has lessons to share. More >

CMO BLOG

Hey CMO, Are You Crushing Your Quota?

March 31, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Marketers wanting to meet aggressive revenue targets will need new strategies, tactics, skills and the tenacious spirit of sales. More >

CMO BLOG

When Leadership Skills Are Lacking

March 24, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Can free agents parachute in and fill marketing leadership gaps? Their specialized expertise and domain knowledge can help new MarTech investments pay off. More >

CMO BLOG

MarTech Hangs In the Balance

March 19, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

For MarTech’s sake, smart marketers have made a friend of IT. Are you one of them? More >

CMO BLOG

Are Marketers Second-Rate Citizens in Foreign Multinationals?

March 17, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Insights into the management culture and mindset of global companies doing business in North America. It’s not always a pretty picture. More >

CMO BLOG

LTV: It’s Relationships, Not Revenue!

March 10, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Marketers struggle with customer lifetime value because they’re stuck on its monetary value to the company instead of the experiential value to the customer. More >

CMO BLOG

The Hard Truth About Customer Lifetime Value

March 03, 2021 by Kate Stephani

Feeling lost with LTV? You're not alone. CMO Council's latest research indicates most marketers aren't tracking LTV effectively, if at all. More >

CMO BLOG

Are You Mastering AI? Or Will AI Master You?

February 24, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

AI will impact every aspect of marketing, from customer intuition to hyper-personalization. It’s time to get out in front or risk being left behind. More >

CMO BLOG

Top Marketing Trends for Recovering Brands

February 17, 2021 by Kate Stephani

Lets chat about some trends we think you should keep an eye on in 2021 More >

CMO BLOG

CMO Mindsets for Different Stages of a B2B Company

February 10, 2021 by Ash Parikh

When a company reaches the next stage of revenue growth and market share, it may need a vastly different marketing mindset. More >

CMO BLOG

Marketers Take Action

February 03, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Spending is on the rise. Campaigns must be optimized. Data skills are needed. There’s much work to do this year. More >

CMO BLOG

How Are You Doing?

January 14, 2021 by Kate Stephani

With no end in sight to this pandemic, working from home went from a pleasant respite from reality to the daily routine we’ve become accustomed to. So, I want to ask: how are we doing?  More >

CMO BLOG

Disruptive Marketing Means Disaffecting Millions

January 06, 2021 by Tom Kaneshige

Marketers shell-shocked from last year probably want to play it safe this year. But this would be a big mistake. The battle cry for 2021: Disrupt the status quo! More >

CMO BLOG

Marketing Wrapped: Top Marketing Moments of 2020

December 16, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Did we miss any? What were your favorite marketing moments of 2020? More >

CMO BLOG

Mercurial Marketing Budgets

December 09, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Place your bets on MarTech and digital channels and prepare yourself for the new normal. More >

CMO BLOG

Meet Customers Where They Are: A Brief Recap of Our "Channels of Choice" Webinar

December 02, 2020 by Kate Stephani

If you missed out on our last webinar, catch the highlights here. More >

CMO BLOG

Three Reasons Why You Need to Listen to Our Latest Webinar

November 18, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Here are the most important takeaways from our expert speakers and how you can get a head start on better communicating with the modern consumer. More >

CMO BLOG

Prop 24 Set To Pass, As Privacy Battle Heats Up

November 11, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Does California’s Privacy Rights Act follow in the footsteps of the GDPR? If so, this gives marketers a clear path forward. More >

CMO BLOG

All The World's a Virtual Stage

November 04, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Is it time for an online curtain call amid all the applause? Or is your performance lacking? We take a look at the state of virtual events this year. More >

CMO BLOG

Getting Into the Spirit? In Defense of Halloween

October 28, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Why are all those Christmas trees up already, anyway? More >

CMO BLOG

Brand Champions and LTV

October 21, 2020 by Kate Stephani

How are you making your most loyal customers feel valued? Here are some ways to keep them sticking around. More >

CMO BLOG

3 Surprises in Topsy-Turvy Times

October 14, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

With so many things happening this year, the unexpected has become expected. But what other surprises have been overlooked? More >

CMO BLOG

How to Shift Your Content Game

October 07, 2020 by Kate Stephani

The CMO Council's latest webinar was jam-packed with great advice from marketing leaders at Cisco and Schneider Electric. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom to get you started on your journey to marketing and communication alignment. More >

CMO BLOG

The Rise of the Customer Intuitive Enterprise

September 30, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Learning to meet a customer's needs before they arise is a daunting task, but we're getting closer to doing so everyday. More >

CMO BLOG

Customer Experience vs. Human Experience

September 23, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Customers are whole, complex people and it's time for us to treat them as such in the way we connect with them. More >

CMO BLOG

Q&A with Snagajob's Matt Wisk: The Road to Recovery and What Marketers Need to Know

September 15, 2020 by Kate Stephani

We're chatting with Snagajob's head of corporate development to discuss the current state of the job market and how marketers can thrive. More >

CMO BLOG

Your Values are Your Greatest Asset

September 09, 2020 by Kate Stephani

The most effective thing in your marketing toolkit is the one closest to your heart. More >

CMO BLOG

Making the Case for Marketing Budgets

September 02, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Everything about this year has been unpredictable, but one thing is for certain: marketing budgets have come under fire. But is that really the best idea? More >

CMO BLOG

How COVID-19 Changed Digital CX

August 26, 2020 by Kate Stephani

With all the uncertainty in the world right now, one thing is for sure: digital CX matters. More >

CMO BLOG

Save Digital Assets, Cut the Frontline

August 19, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Even prior to the pandemic, companies were making moves toward more digitally-focused engagement strategies, which could spell bad news for frontline sales professionals. More >

CMO BLOG

The Workplace of the Future

August 12, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Varying opinions about WFH may mean varying approaches to returning to the office. More >

CMO BLOG

Small Businesses Face Tough Road. Help Is On the Way.

August 05, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

It's no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic hit small businesses hard, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel for those who play their cards right. More >

CMO BLOG

How to Court the New Customer

July 29, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

We sat down with McKinsey & Company senior partner, Eric Hazan, to talk about the six important changes coming in customer behavior and how to adapt. More >

CMO BLOG

Virtual Protesting: The Way of the Future?

July 22, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Changing circumstances mean a change in ways to take action on issues that matter. See how employees, leaders and organizations alike have taken a stand. More >

CMO BLOG

Lighting the Fire: 3 Ways to Overcome Burnout

July 15, 2021 by Kate Stephani

With life shakily going "back to normal," it's a lot all at once and burnout is almost inevitable. Here are some ways to get back to feeling like yourself again. More >

CMO BLOG

McKinsey: How Brands Can Survive and Thrive

July 08, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

COVID-19 has reset the game board, so leaders have to make up lost ground and laggards have a chance to become leaders. Learn how to survive—and even thrive—in the midst of a pandemic. More >

CMO BLOG

Improving Commercial Performance Through Integrated Sales and Marketing Efforts

July 01, 2020 by Helena Mah

Learn how to set your B2B marketing strategy up for success with these expert tips. More >

CMO BLOG

The Way to Pleasant and Value-Driven Customer Experience

June 24, 2020 by Helena Mah

With so many changes in the "new normal" one thing remains: creating a great customer experience. Learn how to adapt with these great tips. More >

CMO BLOG

Upturn During the Downturn

June 17, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Despite the economic downturn worldwide in the wake of COVID-19, these 25 brands have seen a major upturn. More >

CMO BLOG

Why Brands Need to Speak Up

June 10, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Brands have the privilege of influence. As brand custodians, CMOs have a duty to amplify the voices of those who represent the causes that matter. Silence is no longer an option. More >

CMO BLOG

Marketers Must Make Haste

June 03, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

Agility is a reoccuring theme when it comes to companies recovering from the pandemic. See how companies around the world are making big changes in order to stay afloat. More >

CMO BLOG

Marketing in the Driver's Seat During Economic Recovery

May 27, 2020 by Helena Mah

In the midst of a global pandemic, marketing teams must become agile in innovative in order to keep their companies afloat. Learn how to adjust to the coming "new normal" with these unique tips. More >

CMO BLOG

Employees Aren't Pawns

May 20, 2020 by Kate Stephani

In the wake of yet another round of layoffs at WeWork, we're talking about how to handle these tough decisions the right way. Spoiler alert: don't be like WeWork. More >

CMO BLOG

How To Keep Your Cool When Marketing Budgets Come Under Fire

May 01, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

It didn’t take long for Google to take a hatchet to the marketing department, slashing the budget by half for the second part of this year and putting in place a hiring freeze, reported CNBC.  More >

CMO BLOG

6 Ways to Foster a Remote Company Culture

April 29, 2020 by Kate Stephani

Just because your team is remote doesn't mean company culture can fall by the wayside. Show your employees—and your customers—that you care with these six tips. More >

CMO BLOG

Retailer Insights: Imbibing Increases, Panic Buying Eases

April 08, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

People are stocking their shelves with booze and often imbibing while Zooming with others. Reports show alcohol consumption up 42 percent in the San Francisco Bay Area last week. More >

CMO BLOG

Marketers Struggle To Make Informed Decisions During Chaos

March 26, 2020 by Donovan Neale-May

Facing global disruption, business upheaval and looming budget cuts, marketers must chart a sensible path through a devastating global viral outbreak.  More >

CMO BLOG

Mid-March Report: COVID-19 Disrupts Shopper Behavior

March 20, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

We all know about the hoarding of toilet paper going on across the nation, but that’s just one of many shockwaves in retail right now. More >

CMO BLOG

When Big Brands Fall, Big Dollars Follow

January 23, 2020 by Tom Kaneshige

In Tom Kaneshige's latest blog post, he addresses the slippery slope of diminishing brand value and the effect it has on a brand's worth.  More >

CMO BLOG

Are Marketers Getting In The Way Of Growth?

November 13, 2019 by Tom Kaneshige

In this blog, Tom Kaneshige discusses the problem with "marketing dissonance" and the need for marketers to change the way they their approach their customers. More >

CMO BLOG

Meeting Automation Platforms are Changing the Game

June 05, 2019 by Jagdish Upadhyay

Figuring out how to schedule strategic B2B meetings during the middle of business events can feel almost impossible. So, how are meeting planners, executive admins, and event managers supposed to keep it all straight? More >

CMO BLOG

Why Organizations Should Embrace Sales, Marketing and Meeting Automation

May 29, 2019 by Jagdish Upadhyay

As any meeting planner will tell you, the process of getting the business meeting schedule established doesn’t always go smoothly. Here are three reasons why spreadsheets and emails don't cut it anymore. More >

CMO BLOG

Why You Should Grow Your Business the Old-Fashioned Way

May 22, 2019 by Jagdish Upadhyay

Take advantage of tradeshows, conferences, and other business events by leveraging strategic B2B meetings at events. It is more powerful than you can imagine.  More >

CMO BLOG

How To Inspire Creativity and Innovation In Your Team

January 16, 2019 by Lauren Gall

It’s not always easy to carry out creative and new ways to market a brand, but the rewards are worth it. Here are 5 ways the modern CMO can inspire creativity in their team. More >

CMO BLOG

Death to ROI

January 07, 2019 by Denise Kohnke

Hear this out: ROI is phasing out and there is a new emphasis on shifting value to alternative metrics for the creation of a brand and future results in an organization. More >

CMO BLOG

Encouraging Your Young Sales Stars to Close Deals FAST

December 07, 2018 by Stephan Schiffman

How can you fire up sales professionals who have a completely different modus operandi from past generations? Here is a new formula to jumpstart your team. More >

CMO BLOG

Trends for CMOs in 2019

November 26, 2018 by Lauren Gall

The New Year is a great time for you to take charge of content creation, implement fresh branding updates, and ensure that everything looks cohesive to stay ahead of the innovation curve. More >

CMO BLOG

How to choose the SEO company that offers greater ROI on your SEO investment

October 01, 2018 by Erica Silva

In increasingly competitive markets, SEO is effective only when ROI are transparent. Learn how to identify potential SEO firms to work with and invest in that are worth your time.  More >

CMO BLOG

How Sales Automation is Different from Marketing Automation

August 03, 2018 by Erica Silva

Sales automation and marketing automation include different purposes, methods, and disciplines, but you need to focus on both at the same time to achieve your ultimate goal, which is to grow your business. More >

CMO BLOG

CMOs and Digital Transformation

July 24, 2018 by Bennet Bayer

The hype cycle of digital transformation has added another layer of expertise for the Chief Marketing Officer, and providing an executive, organization and market expectation has become incumbent for the CMO. More >

CMO BLOG

The Most Critical Phrase for Marketers Today? “Average is Over.”

July 12, 2018 by Allen Adamson

In a business environment as volatile and complex as marketing, there is one phrase that marketers must keep top of mind if they want to lead in their categories: “Average is over.”  More >

CMO BLOG

The Importance of AI for Customer-Focused Businesses

June 20, 2018 by Erica Silva

For a customer-focused business, the goal is to enhance customer experiences and ensure that customers feel satisfied with what you have to offer them, and AI can help with this.   More >

CMO BLOG

Rethinking the Customer Journey in the Age of AI

April 18, 2021 by James Briggs

Businesses that build AI innovations into the core systems that power their customer journey capabilities can deliver a more integrated, seamless customer journey that can evolve and improve with each customer interaction. More >

CMO BLOG

AI is a Gamechanger

February 20, 2018 by Hessie Jones

Artifical intelligence (AI) allows marketing operations teams to be more agile than ever before.  More >

CMO BLOG

CX To The Extreme: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say

August 30, 2017

Open 24/7 takes on a whole new meaning in the face of disaster. But for Waffle House, its about keeping a promise. More >

CMO BLOG

Clean Up on Aisle W: Should Price be the First Thing Addressed at Whole Foods?

August 28, 2017 by Liz Miller

In an effort to take on the big chain competitors, Amazon has started with taking on price. But is price really the barrier to entry at Whole Foods? More >

CMO BLOG

Eating My Own Dog Food

August 14, 2017 by Liz Miller

I've told COUNTLESS marketers to not start a blog unless you mean it...unless you can commit to actually posting content regularly. Did I follow my own advice? Of course not! Open up Liz...here comes the dog food.  More >

CMO BLOG

Welcome to the New CMOCouncil.org!

August 18, 2016 by Liz Miller

George Washington is credited with saying, “We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.” Easy for him to say. Me…I’m just trying to launch a new website. More >