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‘It’s sharpened me up as a marketer’: Telstra CMO Brent Smart bids to link CX and rising NPS for non-believers, flip performance and brand investment ratios and systemise marketing team creativity, attention and MMM

While Telstra’s massive CX overhaul has powered net promoter scores through the roof – with NPS linked directly to executive bonuses – CMO Brent Smart says that’s only half the job. To grow, Telstra needs to go harder on brand to woo those that don’t even know about its sweeping digital overhaul, including aggrieved former customers. As such Telstra’s 80:20 performance to brand investment ratios won’t stay that way, but Smart says competing with the likes of JB HiFi and Harvey Norman plus rival telcos in the monthly acquisition battle royale “has really sharpened me up as a marketer.” Smart thinks too many firms are failing to properly link brand communications through to CX and performance, using the same off the shelf tools and “luggage matching” instead of truly being fit for platform. Meanwhile, he’s testing performance channels to gauge if they are delivering incremental growth versus sales that would have happened anyway – and similar tests at IAG threw up some interesting results.  Plus, Smart and Telstra are diving deeper into market mix modelling while building out a framework across the marketing function to “systemise and quantify” great creative work “without strangling it”. The latter is lifted from AB InBev’s award winning template. The former an attempt to demonstrate how marketing investment is delivering ROI and contributing to the bottom line. Between the two “I’d be lying if I said we could predict the impact of better creative,” per Smart. But in terms of media planning, he’s going all out for attention. “That definitely does change your channel choices,” says Smart – and there are winners and losers. Smart also fires back crisply at those suggesting Telstra’s new brand ad is lacking in branding.

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‘It’s sharpened me up as a marketer’: Telstra CMO Brent Smart bids to link CX and rising NPS for non-believers, flip performance and brand investment ratios and systemise marketing team creativity, attention and MMM

Brent Smart stepped into the Telstra CMO role a year ago. He's learned a lot: Performance marketing is a street-fight that Telstra – and he – must win; huge investment in digital transformation and customer experience has powered net promoter scores through the roof; and that creative excellence has to be systemised in a beast that big. Which is why he's lifting the template that has powered Anheuser-Busch to marketing greatness and is creatively scoring every piece of work that ever touches the customer. But he's still probably brand and creativity's biggest champion and thinks for all the NPS high fives, it's the only way Telstra can grow. So Smart's piling into market mix modelling and attention planning to prove it, and build the ammunition to put a greater portion of budget into brand building, while turning off the performance channels faking their ROI. Last month, he launched the first of Telstra's brand plays to win back customers that got fed up with the telco's service and complex plans pre-overhaul – mostly boomers – and he's got a choice word or two for armchair critics.

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Why boards must recognise the growth-driving potential of the chief marketing officer

By Bronwyn Powell, CEO of the Australian Marketing Institute Published by The Australian | Click here to read the article In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the role of the chief marketing officer (CMO) has transformed from solely focusing on the tactical aspects of traditional marketing to playing a crucial role in the overall corporate… Continue reading Why boards must recognise the growth-driving potential of the chief marketing officer

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Can you spot a fake product review?

By Jana Bowden, Professor of Marketing, Macquarie Business School. At present 31 per cent of Australians are shopping online weekly or more, with 28 per cent shopping online every two to three weeks. With this growth, falling for fake reviews is also becoming increasingly common. Even when shopping in-store, 64 per cent of consumers say… Continue reading Can you spot a fake product review?

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3 COMPELLING REASONS WHY PURPOSE SHOULD EXIST AT THE HEART OF YOUR BRAND

3 COMPELLING REASONS WHY PURPOSE SHOULD EXIST AT THE HEART OF YOUR BRAND In today’s fast-paced and socially conscious world, the concept of purpose has become more than just another buzzword or box to tick. It has evolved into a critical success and longevity of a brand. Purpose transcends profit margins and revenue streams; it… Continue reading 3 COMPELLING REASONS WHY PURPOSE SHOULD EXIST AT THE HEART OF YOUR BRAND

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Slash Your Marketing Costs Overnight? Discover the AI Secret Every Business Owner Needs to Know!

As the digital landscape evolves, so do the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at our disposal. AI has the ability to analyse data, predict trends and streamline processes. But, just how important is AI for business owners in their marketing strategies? And how much trust can we give it? Anyone can quickly produce high volumes of… Continue reading Slash Your Marketing Costs Overnight? Discover the AI Secret Every Business Owner Needs to Know!

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Meet the AMI Board

The AMI Board is very much a ‘working Board’ that adds value based on the diverse skills and expertise that directors bring to the Board. It’s not just about being a good marketer. A good board is a balanced team with complementary skill sets that work together to make the most effective decisions for the organisation. It is the full participation of every director that contributes the most to the effectiveness of a Board and management of the organisation.

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