The lines between marketing and communications functions continue to blur in 2024. In a PRNEWS conversation with Mastercard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Raja Rajamannar—an executive who leads both, in one of the world’s most recognized brands—the marketing chief sheds light on how the two disciplines overlap, integrate and collaborate.
PRNEWS: How does the overlap between marketing and public relations functions play out at your brand? Do you see the two functions further blurring together in some ways? How are you seeing this dynamic play out industry-wide?
Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard: There’s no doubt that public relations and marketing are becoming increasingly intertwined. Whether you are focused on reaching consumers, B2B customers or employees, brands need to construct a unified messaging approach across paid, earned and owned channels. In our organization, we created one Integrated Marketing and Communications team that ensures close collaboration—from ideation and planning to day-to-day program execution to measurement and analysis.
While collaboration is key, it’s also important to recognize the unique skills and perspectives each team brings. There are some areas where communications leads and marketing follows, and vice versa. For instance, employee relations is more critical now than ever. While communications leads on our employee relations strategy, we understand that marketing brings assets and strengths to the table to enrich the employee experience. Truly, we are stronger together.
Industry-wide, I’m seeing a similar trend towards closer alignment between marketing and communications, as well as with other areas of the business, such as customer management, public policy and human resources. Given the risks and opportunities companies navigate every day, operating in a silo is no longer a viable option. More and more companies are recognizing the value of a unified strategy.
Read the full interview at CM sister pub PRNEWS.
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