In today’s marketplace, where the customer experience is a major differentiator and competitive advantage, CMOs today find themselves at the intersection of the brand experience and their organization’s culture, exploring how inner workings translate into external engagement, says Spencer Stuart in a survey of more than 200 marketing leaders about the effect of the organizational and marketing cultures on the brand experience.
While a seemingly nebulous concept, an organization’s culture, the shared values, beliefs and hidden assumptions that shape how work gets done, can have a tangible impact, spurring (or inhibiting) innovation, growth and customer satisfaction, says the report. A series of insights examining this issue are summarized showing both sides of the equation. 82% of marketers say they have experienced friction between the marketing function’s culture and the broader organization’s culture, and 95% say the CMO should play an active role in shaping the organization’s culture
Following are findings from the study:
The Role of Culture in Enabling the Brand Experience | |
Role | % of Respondents Agreeing |
Very influential | 60% |
Somewhat influential | 30 |
Neutral | 6 |
Not influential | 4 |
Source: Spencer Stuart, May 2015 |
Marketing Team’s Culture Change Required To Better Enable The Brand Experience | |
Degree of Change | % of Respondents |
Slight change | 52% |
Significant change | 20 |
No change | 27 |
Source: Spencer Stuart, May 2015 |
83% say organizational culture is very influential in the way their teams work and the outcomes they deliver… but
If You Could/Would Change Marketing Team Culture, What Qualities Prefer Added? | |
Quality Improvement | % of Respondents |
Data and analysis driven decision making | 52% |
Exploration and creative thinking | 52 |
Results orientation | 43 |
Decisiveness and bold action | 41 |
Fun, passion and excitement | 38 |
Planning, caution and thoughtful action | 5 |
Source: Spencer Stuart, May 2015 |
Where Does One Find The Marketing Leaders Who Bring The Skills And Attributes Needed To Fit The Culture And Deliver The Brand Experience? | |
Source of Leader | % of Respondents |
Consumer industry | 23% |
Competitors in our sector | 20 |
Within own marketing team | 18 |
Technology/online | 12 |
Advertising | 8 |
Media | 5 |
Source: Spencer Stuart, May 2015 |
Skills Needed for Marketing Team Culture VS. Organization Culture (% of Respondents) | ||
Skill | Marketing Culture | Organization Culture |
Innovative, creative and able to lead change | 86% | 36% |
Collaborative and encourage teamwork | 76 | 60 |
Focused and driven to achieve | 48 | 53 |
Manages risk appropriately | 10 | 42 |
Focused on greater purpose | 30 | 34 |
Playful with good sense of humor | 11 | 4 |
Boldly confronts issues | 15 | 14 |
Respectful and rule abiding | 2 | 32 |
Analytical | 16 | 178 |
Source: Spencer Stuart, May 2015 |
“In an organizational culture that is defined by the company's broader purpose and values, every touchpoint of the brand experience directly leads to delivering on the purpose, without compromise. Employees are always the best personification of the brand experience, so embedding values into the culture will translate into a meaningful brand experience for consumers.” – Senior Marketing Executive
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