Marketing, Interrupted Read online

  What Leaders are Saying

  “The most profound shifts in marketing start with a profound shift in buying. We are in an important phase of that shift, where general practitioners accept the extreme empowerment granted to buyers. Yet, they struggle to adapt quickly. Dave Sutton’s Marketing ,Interrupted is the new book for our age. Anyone in an executive leadership role will take home insights to help them accelerate their transformation and improve the advocacy of their brand.”

  —Mark Roberge,

  Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, Former CRO at HubSpot

  “Dave provides a brilliant blueprint for connecting the dots in our collective journey to making brands positive solutions in people’s lives. In a consumer-first world, he simplifies the transformational power of business to engage in authen- tic relationships with people.”

  —Ed Farley, former CMO United Way

  “When asked to review this new marketing book, I hesitated. Will it have a new message for marketers? Will it be well-written? Will it contain fresh marketing stories? Will it cover all the new developments in marketing? My answer is Yes! Read Dave Sutton’s Marketing, Interrupted!”

  —Phil Kotler, S.C.Johnson , Distinguished Professor of International Marketing

  at Northwestern University

  “Dave Sutton possesses a brilliant, innovative mind and is at the forefront of anticipating global marketing trends with remarkable precision and this book will prove him right once again.”

  —Lidia Frayne, Chief of Staff, Digital Marketing, Dell

  “Marketing, Interrupted is a must-read for any business leader who is under pres- sure to get results from their company’s marketing efforts. Dave Sutton had me glued from the beginning because he shows how Transformational Marketing is built on a foundation of intimate knowledge of the customer, which is the basis of everything I’ve ever done as a marketing leader, industry analyst, and entre- preneur. Only then can you stand out, yet so many companies are shooting in the dark. If you’re ready to have your current thinking about marketing interrupted, read this book.”

  —Jeff Ernst,

  CEO SlapFive; ex-CMO Forrester Research

  “Marketing, Interrupted touches on one of the most crucial issues facing market- ers today. You have to stay relevant to your customers and meet them where they are. Dave’s book crystalizes how today’s marketers must evolve to do just that.”

  —Steve Lucas,

  CEO, Marketo

  “Love this book. It enters my list of “go-to” thought leadership in marketing. We are enjoying a time when marketers cannot plug‘n play anymore. To be success- ful, the CMO must be ready to call the audible at the line of scrimmage. That means building a team that can process meaning on the fly, not just formulas for message, reach and frequency!”

  —Tim McMahon,

  Culture, Leadership & Learning Officer, JetLinx Aviation

  “One Voice. One Look. One Story – Marketing, Interrupted is beautifully explained through interesting story telling. A book hard to put down as each story teaches a lesson in marketing yet simply told with facts.”

  —Umaesh Khaitan, CEO Door Kraft Products

  “Informative, Inspiring, a degree in how to become a transformational mar- keter. Marketing, Interrupted is the book for all senior executives and marketers if they want to experience their company’s full potential. The knowledge in this book put into practice will help to supercharge sales and customer loyalty. Customers should always be the hero!”

  —Mike Ziegler,

  SVP Sales and Marketing, Ameritox

  “Having led and transformed marketing departments a few times, I found this to be an excellent summary of the journey that an enlightened marketer needs to take to achieve success. Punctuated by great anecdotes and illustrations, this book is itself an effective application of the 3 S’s and provides a rich blueprint for both strategic and executional steps one could take to get started today!”

  —Rob Chen,

  Former CMO CEB

  “Marketing, Interrupted is required reading for the modern marketer—transfor- mational marketing advice presented in a clear, simple and compelling fashion that can be applied to any organization.”

  —Mark Miranda,

  Director of Marketing, WinCup

  “Vertical marketing is finally going through the transformation that all other cat- egories have. The mix of software, analytics, content and digital distribution will only speed up. Sutton’s book explains this evolution thoughtfully and with a clear sense of the endgame: customer experience and engagement, a powerful book.”

  —Larry Weber, Chairman and Founder of

  Racepoint Global

  “Marketing, Interrupted is a much needed treatise on how to transform market- ing from being mechanically business-focused to being truly customer-focused. Dave Sutton reminds us that our brand, our products, and our services are not really the hero. Our customers are. In this new media age, in which marketers just try to shout above everyone else, Dave interrupts the noise to get back to the basics of building meaning and trust through delivering on our brand promise. As both a for-profit and non-profit entrepreneur, this exciting new book is just what I needed right now.”

  —Chad Thevenot,

  Executive Director IHS

  “Global business is going through enormous transformation fueled by digital technologies. Marketing, Interrupted teaches you how to transform marketing and build brand power by applying a lens of simplicity, clarity and alignment”

  —Fredrik Angelo Lindqvist,

  CEO, Flowfactory

  “If you need creativity in your company’s kitchen, you can’t get upset about burnt pancakes. Marketing, Interrupted highlights how storytelling can give more mean- ing to all of your employees and ultimately win over new talent. Bon appetit.”

  —Tom Klein,

  CMO, Mailchimp

  “Dave is the first marketing guru who had the guts to challenge us to prune some things rather than continuing to expand marketing activities and spend… bril- liant and thanks!”

  —Jim Brady, President and CEO, Brady Services

  “An insightful and scholarly book that will serve as a reminder to the marketing community that real Transformation is first and foremost about the People, the other P’s come later. I’ve always known Dave as an “interrupter” who blends ana- lytical reasoning and emotional cognitions to the delight of his audience.”

  —Harmandeep Singh,

  Chief Strategy Officer, Building Clarity

  “Love, love, love this book! It simplifies and provides evidence-based use cases for what marketers must do to successfully acquire new customers. Readers may comb through the book to find the right case study to create long-lasting relation- ships with customers. It is a must read for any marketer trying to build the brand story and create strategies to elevate an organization’s marketing and branding efforts.”

  —Scott Klinger, VP Marketing and eCommerce,

  First Data Corporation

  “This book is a compelling and entertaining guide to telling a brand’s story in the 21st century, and what that means for strategy and systems, not just in the developed world but in emerging markets as well. ‘Make the customer the hero’ is one of the key ideas in this book, but it is perhaps the hardest thing for market- ers to do. With the case studies and step-by-step advice in this book, marketers can deliver the kind of customer-centricity that will move them ‘TopRight.’ I highly recommend this book for business strategists ready to commit the time and money it takes nowadays to create enduring competitive advantage for their brands.”

  —J Walker Smith, Chief Knowledge Officer, Brand and Marketing,

  Kantar Consulting

&
nbsp; “In this age of Digital Transformation, the role of marketing and the CMO con- tinues to evolve. While tactics such as the digitization of the customer experi- ence, the dematerialization of products into services and the advent of the plat- form economy, have altered corporate interactions, the basic tenets of marketing have not changed: driving innovation and growth by understanding and meeting the needs of the customer. Dave has masterfully captured and balanced the right tone between the strategy and tactics.”

  —Bill Hurley,

  CMO, CenturyLink

  “In Marketing, Interrupted, Dave Sutton has perfectly captured the nuance that goes into laying the necessary groundwork to successfully conveying a brand story in a way that consumers will care. This book does a tremendous job of helping marketers initiate meaningful conversations with customers that have longevity.”

  —Joe Koufman,

  CEO and Founder, Agency Sparks

  “Global business is going through enormous transformation fueled by digital technologies. Marketing, Interrupted teaches you how to transform marketing and build brand power by applying a lens of simplicity, clarity and alignment”

  —Fredrik Angelo Lindqvist,

  CEO, Flowfactory

  “Marketing, Interrupted is a must-read for CEOs and marketers. It provides a roadmap for authentic conversations with customers that will lead to real ‘Top- right’ success.”

  —Slade Kobran, CMO, Chief Outsiders

  “Marketing, Interrupted provides fresh perspectives and sound advice on con- fronting the marketing disruption challenges we face every day. Sutton’s TopRight approach simplifies the ocean of complexity into three clear, manageable and effective strategies for brand success.”

  —Tony Dammicci,

  CMO, Young Presidents Organization

  “Marketers today need meaningful ways to break through the very clutter we helped create. With its too-many-to-count contemporary case studies and well spelled out how-to guidance, Marketing, Interrupted is an excellent road map to help us do just that.”

  —Kelly Chmielewski,

  Brand Innovator and Found, The Possibility Shop

  “Finally a dose of strategic reality in this over-hyped world of marketing shock and awe. Brands and marketers are best served in delivering authenticity through storytelling, all focused with the customer at front and center. A great and refresh- ing reminder of how marketers can stay relevant in a fast-paced world.”

  —Lisa Gregg, Founder, LivingxLG and former VP, American Express

  “An excellent book full of cases of companies we know well that have transformed their company and changed their industry. Marketing, Interrupted precisely cap- tures the pivot marketing companies must make to be relevant with consumers as their behaviors and expectations change.”

  —Brian Hendricks Weber-Stephen Products—Regional Vice President, APAC

  Marketing, Interrupted

  Sometimes the only way to succeed is to go a little crazy

  Dave Sutton

  © 2018 by David A. Sutton

  All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the publisher.

  Portions of this manuscript have been previously published at Inc.com, TopRightPartners.com, and Entrepreneur.com

  This is a publication of TopRight, LLC.

  Publication services provided by Cause Communications, LLC. [email protected]

  To purchase this product in bulk for organizational purposes, contact TopRight, LLC at

  678-384-6700.

  ISBN: 978-1-945537-08-0 Hardcover

  ISBN: 978-1-945537-09-7 Ebook

  Printed in the United States of America

  You know how it goes. You pick up a book, flip to the dedication, and find that, once again, the author has dedicated a book to someone else and not to you.

  Not this time.

  Because this book is for the passionate storytellers, the intellectually curious strategists, the modest marketing technologists… the unsung heroes, gener- ating outsized returns for their companies every day.

  This one’s for you.

  Contents

  Foreword xv

  Introduction: Marketing, Interrupted 1

  1: Why Marketing Must Change 7

  2: Transforming Marketing, One Marketer at a Time 16

  Part One: Story

  3: Telling a Simple, Yet Remarkable Brand Story 27

  4: Telling a Nonprofit Brand Story 37

  5: Telling a Story to Win Talent 44

  6: Telling a Story in Emerging Markets 53

  7: Crafting Your Personal Brand Story 61

  Part Two: Strategy

  8: Formulating a Clear and Compelling Marketing Strategy73

  9: Personifying Your Strategy 82

  10: Entering New and Emerging Markets 92

  11: Extending Your Brand 98

  12: Creating Remarkable Customer Experiences 104

  13: Making Innovation Real 112

  Part Three: Systems

  14: Aligning Marketing Systems to Execute Strategy 121

  15: Selecting the Right Partner

  Not the Next Bright Shiny Object 131

  16: Exposing the Little White Lies About

  Marketing Automation 137

  17: Establishing the Conditions for Success 145

  18: Not Getting Lost in Transformation 152

  19: Driving Innovation Through Marketing Systems 167

  20: Unleashing the Ghost in the Machine 178

  Conclusion: Marketing, Innovated 190

  Acknowledgments 200

  Index 202

  Foreword

  Jo Ann Herold

  CMO of Honey Baked Ham

  very one of us has a great capacity for brilliance. That’s my humble observa- tion from over 25 years working in marketing. Our brilliance translates to

  the products and services we sell, the people we serve, the stories we tell, and the experiences we create for our customers. It is true in any industry—transporta- tion, consumer goods, services or non-profit. It is also true for different divi- sions in business—sales, marketing, human resources, legal, finance, front-line or freelance.

  But that brilliance is a moving target. Consumer demands change. Innovation, globalization, consolidation, increased transparency into our work and a never- ending need for ingenuity is the reality. Market shifts and disruptions are all over the world:

  • Airbnb has become the largest hotel chain—without a single real-estate investment.

  • Interface shrunk its carbon footprint and introduced green sustainabil- ity to the world.

  • Netflix and other streaming services have reconfigured the entertain- ment industry.

  • Uber has become the largest transportation company—without owning any vehicles.

  xv

  xviMarketing Interrupted

  • Amazon is shaking up the delivery space, redefining convenience and modernizing grocery shopping.

  Transformation is all around us. There has never been a more exciting time to be in business, but the rulebooks of the yesteryear are no longer relevant.

  All of this brings me to Dave Sutton’s breakthrough book: Marketing, Interrupted. Dave is a great observer and synthesizer of trends and ideas, always on the cutting edge of the transformative and shifting business landscape. When we worked together at TopRight, I watched Dave help companies navigate the shifting sands of marketing, activating with our clients to give their customers a reason to buy, advocate and stay.

  Dave has his finger on the pulse of disruptive strategies and ideas that are driving growth and change for the future. And he’s a great storyteller. What I love about Marketing, Interrupted is how Dave shares real life examples of inspired business leaders and industries that are changing and growing. This book is inspiring, hopeful and optimistic, and reminds me of how much power we all have to change the world for the good. Don’t we all w
ant to be brave, stand out from the crowd and do something epic? Don’t we all want to increase our capac- ity for brilliance?

  This book is a roadmap for anyone who is trying to grow. These real-life sto- ries and case studies provide optimism and hope for me in my field, but also for anyone who is trying to grow in the market place.

  Marketing, Interrupted reminds us all how important our own ingenuity is. Dave teaches us how to tap into our ability to be the ultimate problem solver, be differentiated, tell great stories and create new experiences to engage in the marketplace and create a remarkable future.

  Great marketers need one another. We need people who inspire us to lead, innovate and love our profession. Thank you, Dave, for inspiring me and the next generation based on purpose, values and love for marketing.

  Introduction

  Taylor Swift and Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards

  o you remember that famous (or infamous) moment at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards?

  Taylor Swift barely had accepted her award for Best Female Video when Kanye West rushed the stage, grabbed the microphone out of the startled teen’s hands and launched into a crazy rant: “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!,” the rapper said, referring to the undeniably danceable “Single Ladies.”