What Do Marketers Really Want? More than Just ‘Creative Agencies’

Economic turbulence, pressure to lead on company-wide DE&I and sustainability transformation, lightspeed tech evolution and an overwhelming array of options from agencies and platforms alike… and of course the enduring need for good creative thinking that raises share prices or shifts product: it’s fair to say that marketers have a lot on their plate right now. 

And so, kicking off a week of discussions at the LBB & Friends Beach about how all parts of the industry work together in a time of increasing competition, a group of leading marketers set the scene. Becky Verano, global VP of marketing operations and capabilities at Reckitt, Erwin Dito, VP of global brand at McDonald's, Grainne Wafer, global director of beer, Baileys and Smirnoff for Diageo and Mark Kirkham, SVP and CMO of international beverages at PepsiCo met with LBB’s editor in chief Laura Swinton to discuss that question that everyone across the industry is grappling with: what do marketers really want?

With so many disruptions and challenges to contend with, from AI to sustainability to new platforms to web 3, panellists were divided on exactly what, amongst the maelstrom, they’re choosing to prioritise. But consistency in the face of volatility emerged as a value all four marketers expressed as a priority.

Grainne asserted that a key focus for Diageo’s marketing is “systematising our approach to volatility,” which largely revolves around staying on top of the data the company has access to and making use of it efficiently.

Being up against the ocean of content out there that marketing needs to compete with, having consistent principles guiding a brand’s decisions is key. Becky noted that linking every Reckitt product to a Sustainable Development Goal helps as a North Star in this respect, while Mark at PepsiCo listed the values to come back to when responding to any new challenge - authenticity, relevance and consistency are central for him.

Amongst all the trends and emerging media, marketers have to be disciplined against distractions. And the biggest culprit? According to Grainne it boils down to putting too much focus on any one concern. Balance is needed between thinking of them as distractions and “staying curious,” she said.

Be wary of “shiny object syndrome,” added Mark. If a brand isn’t sure who it is, it can lose itself following the latest trend. Becky underlined the seriousness of this risk. “It’s not just a distraction,” she said. “It can actually kill your brand.”

The marketers on stage were unanimous that their creative partners are custodians of their brands’ success. “Creativity is the number one priority,” said Erwin. But the panel agreed that marketers need brave ideas that drive growth. Becky spoke about her desire to avoid her colleagues outside of marketing viewing creativity as “fluffy ideas”. Reckitt demands higher-order creative insights from its brands’ agencies. Creative effectiveness, beyond just creativity. Or as Diageo call it, “creativity with precision.”

As Mark stressed, creativity isn’t the end result that you see in the Palais in Cannes. It’s in the doing. “Creativity is process. Creativity is culture. Creativity is mindset.”

In fact, the panel agreed that to achieve business-altering creativity, agencies need to be more than just ‘creative agencies’. They need to be reframed as business partners, said Mark, referring to PepsiCo’s relationship across Omnicom –  as well as the other agencies it works with – built on collaboration at the most senior level. “You’re responsible for our brands,” he said.

Production, too, is very much front of mind for marketers. Historically, it’s been the ‘end of the pipeline’ for marketers but now with an increasing array of touchpoints and platforms to create content for and a coming together of content and commerce, the role of production has changed significantly for some marketers.

Grainne explained how covid drove change by making everyone in the marketing department a content producer. She reflected on how her colleagues were shooting barbecue shots in their own gardens in lockdown. Hand in hand with that is the disruption which tech has brought, automating production processes to drive efficiencies.

Reckitt’s has innovated dramatically when it comes to production. Becky noted that “partially inhousing production was an absolute gamechanger for me,” as was the company’s large investment in its virtual production. “The creative unlock that gave us was massive,” she said, providing significant efficiencies of cost. “Our lead agencies are buzzing about it. They can now do stain removal on the moon,” she laughed. It’s also more sustainable. “The carbon footprint of our production is about 80% less,” she said.

For McDonald’s, Erwin said, production “might be one of the areas with the most change.” Taking an agile approach to innovation and learning, he noted that AI will be a big factor in the coming changes for the restaurant giant’s production. “We are at the beginning,” he said.

As Grainne at Diageo mentioned upfront, DE&I and sustainability are huge priorities - and marketers are trying to balance the need to transform their businesses while ensuring that they’re not greenwashing or purpose washing. It requires “huge collaboration at the most senior level” across the agencies they work with. Making that a priority has been, “not just valuable but fundamental,” she said.

Sustainability goals are also something marketers need collaboration on from their creative partners. From Guinness working on a regenerative farming pilot to Bailey’s B-Corp status, embedding sustainability through saving water through Finish dishwasher tablets’ marketing strategy, to McDonald’s committing to phase out plastic toys from its Happy Meals, to regenerative farming practices being integrated into the potatoes grown for Lay’s, each of the brand leaders on stage shared the innovations in business practices that they’d made to begin to transition to greener practices. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, “ said Mark. But the principle guiding it will be to “do it authentically, do it consistently and make it core to what you do.” 

To add to those challenges there’s the volatility of various economies and tightening budgets, both for consumers and marketing budgets. Grainne noted that tighter financial times have seen people prioritising quality when it comes to their celebrations, so many Diageo brands have been helping people prioritise moments that matter.

PepsiCo products have to sell to so many markets, including those which are the most economically volatile in the world and Mark noted the role of marketing here. “You have to maintain that mental availability,” adding that not all of it is the most glamorous, but “non-sexy things that allow your brand to be of value.” Focus on the simple things that matter to the consumer, he stressed.

Historically, over volatile periods, the brands that held investment came out on top, reflected Grainne. Some Diageo brands are over 100 years old and it’s up to marketers and their creative collaborators to protect those heritages. “If you want these brands to be around for the next 100 years, you have to hold your nerve and hold investment.”