Author: Melissa Caffrey

B2B Brand Transformation in 3 Acts

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

Powerful narratives tend to follow a 3-act story structure: the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution. Act One is about establishing characters and their challenges in the world they live in; Act Two is about the actions they take in response to said challenges; and Act Three brings the story to a climax, effectively giving characters a new sense of who they are.

In this fascinating episode, CMO Paul Stoddart lays out the 3-act story behind Epicor’s recent brand development. Tune in to learn how Epicor identified where it was lacking, discovered a new purpose that aligned its brand strategy to its business strategy, and brought its new promise to life through its employees and customers, effectively transforming the organization from the inside out.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Why brand strategy needs to be aligned to business strategy
  • How Epicor transformed its marketing organization
  • How Epicor made its brand promise real

The B2B Vertical Marketing Playbook

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

Artful marketers don’t just chuck paint at the wall and hope people notice, they come with a full set of brushes and an eye for detail. It’s this focus that can lead to some really effective, targeted marketing campaigns, and in this episode, we’ll be exploring the medium called “Vertical Marketing.”

There’s a lot to sift through when it comes to building a robust B2B vertical marketing program, but Ian Howells of Sage Intacct, Lynne Capozzi of Acquia, and Mika Yamamoto of F5 are great guides. Tune in to hear how they apply vertical marketing in the real world, where they’ve noticed mistakes, and why vertical marketing is here to stay.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • How to build a successful vertical marketing program
  • Common vertical marketing mistakes
  • How to measure a vertical marketing program

Accenture’s CMO on B2B Brand Development

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

How is a CMO to roll out a new brand, purpose, and business strategy all at the same time? As Accenture’s CMO Amy Fuller says, “Instead of focusing on speed to the answer, focus on inclusion of the process.”

This episode with Amy dots all the i’s and crosses all the t’s as she walks us through why Accenture decided to rebrand, how they developed their purpose, and how they’ve brought it to life and redefined their business strategy. With a wealth of insights into the true value of a dedicated brand development strategy, this is a lesson in one CMO’s dedication to develop an everlasting purpose for ever-changing business needs—don’t miss it!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • How Accenture brought its rebrand to life
  • Why brand purpose is integral to business strategy
  • How to find a lasting brand purpose

Balancing Brand and Demand

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

Which came first, brand or demand? It’s an age-old question in the B2B world, especially for B2B CMOs who understand the delicate balance between growing a powerful, lasting brand and a demand gen engine that delivers results. Enter CFA Institute, a leading association of investment professionals with a global reach and a strong brand identity.

In this episode, CMO Michael Collins shares exactly how CFA balances brand and demand while managing a robust MarTech stack, adjusting strategy where needed, and tracking key metrics to maintain a healthy data-oriented alignment with the C-Suite. Tune in to hear what has worked, what hasn’t, and how CFA has driven growth within its close-knit community of Chartered Financial Analysts.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • How CFA Institute balances brand and demand
  • Why brand consistency matters
  • How CFA Institute optimizes its MarTech stack

Brewing a Simple B2B Brand Story with Tealium

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

When CMO Heidi Bullock joined Tealium in 2019, her mandate was to grow the company from great to greater. Tealium already had a solid standing in the customer data management space when she arrived, having reached over $100 million in ARR with no plans of slowing down.

Heidi dove in immediately, directly reaching out to customers and partners to figure out how to level up the brand. Tune in to hear Heidi spill the tea on how Tealium simplified its brand story, infused it into the organization, and brought it to market with a flourish. This episode is a remarkable lesson in B2B brand strategy—you don’t want to miss it!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • How Tealium simplified its brand story
  • How Tealium certified its employees on the new story
  • Key brand metrics: engagement, pipeline, velocity

B2B Marketers Marketing to Marketers

Posted on by Melissa Caffrey

Like any good magician, a great marketer never reveals their secrets. The best marketing is so good that it wows its target audience on the stage, but when that audience is a group of marketers, things become a lot trickier. It’s like pulling a rabbit out of a hat at a magician’s convention—your fellow marketers already know all the tricks of the trade, so they are that much harder to impress.

In this episode, we spoke with three master CMOs of marketing to marketers: Norman Guadagno of Acoustic, Jamie Gilpin of Sprout Social, and Eric Eden of Postclick. In this insightful conversation, they share all kinds of tricks of the trade, from strategies to really engage the marketing community to how much MarTech is too much. Check it out!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Best practices when marketing to marketers
  • How to engage marketers virtually
  • How to get the most out of your MarTech stack