来源 | Thom Wyatt，Siegel+Gale全球客户负责人
编译 | Tiana
Marketing a brand is one skill, and nurturing a brand is another
CEO、CMO、CTO...... Now there is a new "chief" - CBO (Chief Brand Officer).
Does this mean that the role of the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is becoming obsolete? It simply means that many companies are aware that the customer engagement landscape is changing, and that's a good thing for branding.
In most organizations, the role of the Chief Brand Officer complements the Chief Marketing Officer. The two leaders have their own clear areas of responsibility and collaboration. When done right, the ideal result is increased brand power and customer engagement.
When we understand why the role of CBO can become popular in global enterprises, it is possible for CBO+CMO to achieve the best effect of "1+1=3".
Why do we need a CBO
Why now?
The rapid development of technology is changing the way people connect with brands, and thus the way brand relationships are built. However, one side effect of accelerating technology is the decline of the mass market.
Remember the classic law: when tens of millions of people see a great 30-second ad more than three times, it generates brand awareness and persuasiveness. However, this is no longer the case today. More than 50% of households in the U.S. have disconnected from cable television, which has also cut off the vast reach of traditional mass advertising.
Nowadays, we swipe through thousands of ad clips every day on our phones. However, beyond scrolling ads and influencers, our daily lives are still interacting with big brands through regular channels. These experiences are still having a profound impact on us, such as those that may appeal to us or turn us off, such as how we feel and our overall impression of the brand, and whether or not we are willing to recommend or even buy the brand's products.
Consumer experience
CBO builds the grip of the brand
As mentioned above, the consumer experience can influence how much they love a brand, so many companies are investing heavily in AI and Net Promoter Score (NPS) to optimize these touchpoints.
Unfortunately, however, AI engines across industries often draw information from the same pool of big data, while NPS measures common industry outcomes. These strategies themselves can improve the customer experience, but without a differentiated brand strategy, this may also accelerate the homogenization of the market.
Aside from convenience, what is the rationale for choosing you? It's the brand – more specifically, the brand strategy and its application to the broader customer experience beyond marketing and advertising.
The world's greatest companies offer unique, brand-specific experiences that invite customers to a "brand dance" – an engaging, multi-sensory experience designed to touch their customers' emotions in a one-on-one way, giving them a sense of pleasure, accomplishment, and appreciation.
Nike's innovative experience store, which blends the physical and digital worlds with personalized services such as "Nike By You," Apple retail store specialists who have the authority to assist customers in selecting products and completing checkout instantly, Tesla's on-site service team to service your vehicle from home, and Spotify's app, which generates weekly discovery playlists based on user preferences. Each example represents an experience that embodies the brand's personality and behavior, bringing each brand to life through its unique "brand dance".
Forward-thinking and brand-conscious companies have noticed that every customer touchpoint is both an opportunity for customer engagement and an opportunity for brand building. Many companies are creating the position of Chief Brand Officer (CBO) and placing it outside of the marketing department. After all, marketing isn't the same as branding, which now encompasses much more broad. As a brand's experience system continues to expand far beyond the boundaries of a typical marketing organization, the focus on the brand must also extend beyond the marketing department.
These companies understand that a brand is not just a logo or a slogan, but an all-encompassing experience for customers in their interactions with the company. From the user interface design of the online shopping platform, to the layout and service of the physical store, to the after-sales service and customer relationship management, every link is an important part of brand building.
Therefore, the Chief Brand Officer needs to have a cross-functional vision and coordination skills to ensure brand consistency and coherence. They need to work closely with product, design, sales, service, and more to create unique experiences that reflect the essence of the brand.
In this way, the company is not only able to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, but also to stand out from the competition and build a unique and strong brand image.
The CMO+CEO relationship is like 1+1=3
How should we think of CBOs? We can think of them as communicators and promoters of the company's and brand image. The Chief Brand Officer builds and communicates the brand within the organization by inspiring and influencing it, enabling brand building from the inside out.
The role of the Chief Brand Officer requires both brand and organizational acumen: a good CBO defines the brand, its personality and signature behaviors, and uses the brand strategy to engage all departments that engage with customers. This process may start with marketing and advertising, but can extend to legal, technology, product development, and innovation teams, and even human resources and customer service. After all, in many service industries, employees are part of the brand themselves.
Marketing and advertising remain crucial in the early stages of generating brand interest, while day-to-day contact and experiential channels provide additional opportunities for customer engagement, brand building, and loyalty.
Mutual respect for each other's areas of responsibility between the Chief Brand Officer and the Chief Marketing Officer is a key driver of success. When CMOs and CMOs are aligned, on-brand customer touchpoints expand dramatically, driving brand and business value in an increasingly fragmented, omnichannel world.
Multiply the total number of channel interactions with analogue ratings and CPMs to quantify potential value.
First, we can quantify the value of always-on media across different channels using familiar media terms such as reach, frequency, and total impressions. And then go a step further: how much time do customers spend on these channels? What is the overall quality of experience? How does it enhance customer fulfillment? Also, what elements do customers find unique to your brand that leave them with lasting pleasure and belonging?
The media value of each interaction is often jaw-dropping – a good indication that there's a media plan hidden in every experience channel. It also begs the question: how can companies apply the same brand insight and creativity across every channel?
Does your company need a CBO?
Take a holistic view of your customer's performance across marketing, media, and customer experience touchpoints. What is the frequency, duration, and brand value of each touchpoint, and how do customer experience touchpoints compare to marketing touchpoints?
If you find that the moments that matter most to your customers are not limited to your marketing and advertising, but also exist in your own channels, then you have identified some brand-building potential and opportunities to differentiate your experience from your competitors. At this point, the Chief Brand Officer may be what your company, your brand, and your business really need.
A good Chief Brand Officer can help you understand your customers better and develop strategies that are more aligned with your brand's values. They are able to coordinate departments to ensure that customers receive a consistent, high-quality experience with every interaction. At the same time, they are able to leverage creativity and innovative thinking to create unique brand experiences that differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
So, if your company is looking for a way to elevate brand value, enhance the customer experience, and differentiate itself from competitors, it may be a wise choice to consider bringing in a chief brand officer.
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