CM’s “Marketers on Fire” editorial series highlights the people and campaigns that are shaping, pushing and disrupting the marketing industry. The profiles offer insights from executives at the top of their game, spotlight innovative programs and erudite thinking, and provide career advice to those with C-suite aspirations. Here’s a look back at the last five Marketers on Fire, a collection of conversations with CMOs from MetLife, Dickies, Walgreens, UScellular and Anywhere Real Estate.
MetLife Global CMO, Michael Roberts
MetLife’s annual Employee Benefit Trends Study is a thought leadership piece initially designed to demonstrate the brand’s expertise in the benefits product space through providing observations, trends and key research. But in the last couple of years, the conversation has shifted more toward the future of work and how benefits contribute to the employee value proposition over time. We spoke with Roberts about the marketing strategy behind the report and its insights; the evolution of the buyer journey; how previous roles at TIAA and Vanguard have informed his perspective at MetLife; and the marketing trends he thinks B2B2C companies should be watching.
Dickies Global CMO, Sarah Crockett
Jameson whiskey and workwear brand Dickies launched a capsule collection earlier this year inspired by the brands’ mutual dedication to and celebration of the art of craftsmanship. We caught up with Dickies Global CMO Sarah Crockett to talk about the partnership’s strategic marketing goals, how influencers and experiences are supporting the campaign, best practices for brand collabs, and the challenges of managing logistics and production across different businesses.
Walgreens launched its first weeklong savings event earlier this year, dubbed “myW Days,” which offers members of its myWalgreens loyalty program increased cash rewards, daily deals and other benefits for its more than 110 million participants. Walgreens CMO Linh Peters discusses the marketing goals of the promotional event; the brand’s recent pivot towards marketing itself as a more healthcare-focused company; her philosophy on launching loyalty programs and managing growth; and lessons learned while building a career as a diverse woman in marketing.
According to UScellular marketing chief Eric Jagher, going up against your direct competitors may not be the best way to break through. “Sometimes the right thing to do is challenge something bigger than the category,” he said. For Jagher, that meant spearheading the brand’s multi-phased “Let’s Find US” campaign earlier this year, which explores the relationship between consumers and technology by addressing the issue of cell phone overuse. We spoke with him about the program’s origins, startling stats about cell phone usage in America, strategies for setting the brand apart within a hyper-competitive category and the campaign’s positive results surrounding brand consideration and Net Promoter Scores.
Anywhere Real Estate CMO, Esther-Mireya Tejeda
The real estate buyer journey has changed a lot in the past 15 years. So naturally, marketing that process to individuals must evolve along with it. We spoke with Esther-Mireya Tejeda, the first enterprise-level CMO at Anywhere Real Estate, about what that shift entails; the company’s goal of transforming the consumer experience within the real estate industry; her approach to segmentation based on emotional motivators; and the critical importance of understanding and marketing to Latino buyers.
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