UK’s Strongest Brand CMO's Playbook: How Side Hustles, Calling Out Superiors & Ignoring the Status Quo Help You Win

Checkout the Uncensored CMO episode page here.

Gav.notes Summary

Rebecca Hirst, is CMO of EY UK (recently ranked UK’s strongest brand), has a powerhouse background with brands like Samsung, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, plus a TEDx talk under her belt. She’s all about side hustles, mentoring, and bringing a challenger mindset to the B2B world—where she’s pushing for creativity that challenges the B2C world.

Key insights? Pursue your passions outside of work, embrace the fear of new challenges, never underestimate the power of personal storytelling for public speaking, and don’t be afraid to share your ideas/thinking with senior leaders or those you admire, even if it’s confronting. She also reinforces the ‘Cost of Dull Advertising’. If you’re in B2B, ditch boring marketing! Creativity + bold ideas = a winning strategy (and might save your budget).

Enjoy my notes and as always, let me know what you found the most insightful 💡

Key Takeaways

1. Rebecca Hirst emphasises the significance of side hustles for professional distinction, showcasing personal growth and community contribution as valuable assets in a competitive industry.

2. Pursuing passions outside of work not only energises professionals but also enriches their contributions, highlighting the importance of ‘outside of work’ activities.

3. Push through initial doubts and face your challenges. Embracing fear and taking risks can lead to unexpected growth opportunities.

4. Effective public speaking hinges on vulnerability and storytelling. Use personal stories combined with insights to engage your audience.

5. Have Courage to Call Out Superiors. They’re open to your ideas and it can significantly influence your career path and foster valuable professional relationships!

6. A challenger mindset promotes innovation and drives growth, challenging the status quo of market leading brands in favour of emerging brands.

7. Successful brand execution requires a keen focus on nurturing innovative ideas, contrasting with established companies' tendencies to rely on maintaining existing brands.

8. Long-term branding success compounds, signaling the importance of patience in building a brand's reputation.

9. Retention of talent within organizations fosters deeper insights and contributes to innovation, highlighting the need for long-term relationships in businesses.

10. Influencing B2B decision-makers requires personal relationship-building rather than large advertising budgets.

11. Simplifying communication for complex service offerings is vital for effective client engagement.

12. Be Bold! Unconventional marketing ideas significantly increase visibility and open doors to new partnerships, supporting the need for creativity in advertising.

13. B2B’s Death by Dull: 53% of B2B ads are 'extremely boring'!

14. “Build your own” unconventional career path, it can lead to significant growth, learning and fulfilment.

15. Base decision on your ‘future’ emotion. It can help determine whether the choice aligns with your true desires and values.

Gav.notes // Full notes and clip times.

[02:47] Value Beyond the Day Job: Leverage Side Hustles for Distinction

Engaging in activities outside of your primary role, can significantly enhance your appeal in a competitive industry. Having a side hustle or engaging in activities that give back to the community can differentiate a professional in a competitive field, setting you apart from peers who merely do their job. It not only energizes individuals but also creates additional value for others. Pursuing passions outside of work can enhance overall contributions, enriching both personal and professional lives.

[06:51] Effective public speaking: Combine personal storytelling with Relevant Insight

Effective public speaking combines personal storytelling with relevant insights, as demonstrated by using an unexpected scenario to capture attention. This approach engages the audience and maintains interest throughout the talk. Mastery of pacing and body language enhances delivery, while seeking guidance from a coach can help overcome initial fears.

[10:01] Have Courage to Call Out Superiors & Those You Admire

Many people hesitate to share their thoughts with highly respected individuals due to fear of embarrassment or rejection. However, these individuals often value diverse perspectives and are more likely to appreciate your contributions than you might think. Overcoming this fear can lead to valuable connections, professional growth, and a more fulfilling career.

Rebecca Hirst recalls a time when she confronted the VP of Samsung’s UK business (at the time), after he spoke at a work conference. Despite feeling intimidated, she shared her thoughts on an issue he raised during his talk. The VP was receptive to her ideas and ended up giving her the job to lead the change and fix the issue. This experience demonstrates the importance of overcoming fear and sharing your perspective, even with those you admire or you think are ‘above you’.

[12:03] Breaking Barriers Can Inspire Others

Overcoming challenges and achieving success can inspire others to pursue their own goals, which they may have thought impossible previously. By breaking down barriers and paving the way for others, Hirst demonstrated that it was possible to break down barriers and achieve great steps towards equality in organsiations. This experience inspired others to pursue similar opportunities and helped to create a more inclusive work environment.

[14:01] A Challenger Spirit: The Thrill of Innovation and Disruption

Success in business often springs from innovation, in marketing that can be new brands that resonate with consumers. Growth can be achieved by embracing a challenger mindset rather than focusing on maintaining the status quo of market leaders. The thrill of innovation and being part of emerging brands stimulates passion, leading to greater enthusiasm and creative drive in achieving growth.

Innovation and disruption can be incredibly exciting and rewarding. The thrill of creating something new and challenging the status quo can be more appealing than maintaining a market-leading position.

[17:15] Don’t Underestimate the Complexity of Nurturing New Ideas

Execution is crucial for new brand success; established companies often excel at maintaining existing brands but struggle with launching new ones. A common misstep is underestimating the complexity of nurturing innovative ideas, as seen in the contrasting strategies of Pepsi and Coca-Cola. While Pepsi engaged in smaller acquisitions like V-water, Coca-Cola made significant investments in established brands, showcasing differing approaches to brand development within the beverage industry.

[17:53] Carve Your Niche to Thrive (This works for brands and your career!)

Creating a distinct identity within a larger organization can lead to innovation and autonomy. By separating teams or projects from the main enterprise, such as Coca-Cola's V-S team, organizations can foster an environment that encourages creativity and focuses on specific goals without the constraints of the larger company's framework.

[18:23] Success at Launch can Fades Over Time. Focus on Long-term Success.

Analyzing a decade of soft drink innovations reveals that initial success does not guarantee long-term viability; brands that thrive in their first year often struggle to maintain that status after five years. Notably, only a few, like Coke Zero, achieved lasting success, typically requiring multiple relaunches. Over a long-term outlook, many prominent brands fail to remain in the top 20. Success strategies often involve niche targeting, as seen with brands like Relentless, Red Bull, and Fever Tree, each honing in on specific market segments.

[19:13] Mastery in a Niche Drives Success

Successfully penetrating a niche market can be more valuable than aiming for volume. Proving excellence in a niche can challenge industry norms, particularly for large corporations like Pepsi and Coke, which prioritize high volume sales. The conventional metric of success often dismisses initiatives that do not immediately yield large numbers, demonstrating a need for broader perspectives on what constitutes meaningful achievement in business.

[19:31] Aim for a Million to Make an Impact

Achieving significant milestones is crucial for garnering attention and respect within the industry, as operating below a threshold of a million unit cases limits engagement and conversations. This underscores the competitive nature of the beverage industry where innovative ideas need to demonstrate substantial potential to be considered viable. The speaker reflects on their diverse experiences across different brands, emphasizing the necessity of high volumes for visibility and influence.

[20:46] ‘Share a Coke’. Small Pilot to Mass Rollout.

Leveraging collaborative branding strategies, such as ‘Share a Coke’ with personalized cans that encourage customers to connect with products, can lead to significant engagement and enthusiasm. A small pilot in year one demonstrated the concept's effectiveness, resulting in widespread rollout across multiple markets. This suggests that innovative marketing tactics, primarily those that foster interpersonal connections and unique customer experiences, can dramatically amplify brand visibility.

[26:30] Consistency Yields Compounded Returns, in Finance and Marketing.

The concept of compounding applies not only to finance but also to marketing. Consistent efforts in marketing over time can lead to significant returns, as strategies mature and successful decisions from the past continue to yield benefits. This highlights the importance of longevity and patience in marketing practices, revealing that the impact of previous marketing investments can be substantial and rewarding as an understanding of effective approaches evolves.

[26:58] Identity in Marketing: B2B vs. B2C

In B2B marketing, there is a lack of understanding about the role and impact of marketing compared to B2C marketing. In B2C, the function of a marketer is clear and straightforward: strategizing and executing brand plans tailored to consumer engagement and product launches. However, in B2B, the narrative is more ambiguous, leaving many unsure about what marketing contributes to the business goals and processes.

[27:46] Patience Pays Off: Long-Term B2B Decision Making

B2B purchasing decisions involve significant financial commitments, often reaching hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds, leading to extended purchase cycles that can last from six months to several years. Unlike consumer purchases influenced by trends and immediate needs, B2B clients may take 12 to 18 months to make initial inquiries.

However, in Hirt’s experience, as these potential clients progress through their decision-making phases, a significant increase in purchasing activity can occur around two to five years later, resulting in a sudden influx of demand as multiple decision-makers enter the market at once.

[28:19] Long-Term Strategy Trumps Hard Sell

In industries with extended purchase cycles, decision-makers may take years before entering the market. This transition highlights the effectiveness of a long-term marketing strategy focused on consistent engagement over aggressive sales tactics. Relying on a sustained, brand building approach enables businesses to avoid the pressures of hard selling, creating a more organic purchasing environment when decision-makers are ready to buy.

[29:06] The Power of “Long-Term” in Branding and Business Success

Investing in long-term brand building and employee retention can yield significant compounding benefits for businesses. By focusing on building a strong brand identity, fostering a supportive work environment, and encouraging employee loyalty, companies can create a sustainable competitive advantage and achieve lasting success.

A brand building example is Pepsi and Coca-Cola, who took different approaches to brand building. Pepsi focused on smaller acquisitions and developing new brands, while Coca-Cola invested heavily in established ones. Over time, Pepsi's strategy proved more successful.

Dom Dwight at Yorkshire Tea, who had been with the company for ten years, is an example of how committing to employees vision over the long-term can contribute to a brand's success.

[32:37] Influence through Engagement, Not Budget

In B2B environments, influencing decision-makers relies heavily on personal engagement rather than large advertising budgets. Building relationships and spending time with potential clients is essential for affecting their decision-making on high-stakes investments. This shift emphasises the importance of direct interaction and relationship-building over traditional media spending.

[33:26] Understand your Target Audience Creates Clarity

In B2B interactions, achieving precision in understanding the target audience is crucial. A vast organization like EY, with its extensive range of services, presents a challenge in simplifying its offerings for better comprehension. The role of clarity becomes paramount to effectively communicate the value of these diverse services to potential influences.

[34:26] Simplicity is Key to Clarity

When faced with a complex array of products and methodologies, simplifying the communication of services is essential. Translating complex offerings into straightforward language allows for better understanding and engagement with clients. Focusing on the core functions, such as testing ads, innovations, and tracking brands, enhances clarity and helps customers grasp the value of the products quickly.

[37:27] Navigating Complexity in Leadership

In large organizations, the dynamics of influence are intricate and multifaceted, particularly within partnerships where numerous stakeholders contribute their perspectives. Achieving clarity and alignment amidst diverse opinions requires a nuanced understanding of the structure and the relationships involved. Effective leadership must recognize that influence is not a binary concept of hero versus villain, but rather involves navigating a complex web of interactions to foster collaboration and drive collective decisions.

[40:34] Embrace Opportunities for Growth

Putting your hand up for high-stakes assignments can provide valuable experiences that not only test skills but also expose individuals to unique environments, such as international locations. The ability to excel in these assignments can lead to rapid career advancement, particularly to significant roles (eg. director level).

[43:19] Master the Art of Stakeholder Pre-engagement

Understanding stakeholder management is crucial for success in any project. Failing to identify and engage stakeholders in advance can lead to unforeseen obstacles. Mapping stakeholders by their influence and support allows for strategic interactions; pre-engagement is very important. This proactive approach resembles an election campaign, where knowing your audience and building relationships can significantly impact outcomes.

To effectively present ideas and gain support, it is crucial to engage with various stakeholders and ensure their nod of approval ahead of formal discussions. Understanding the underlying influences and having strategic conversations, akin to identifying 'back channels,' helps establish a supportive environment for proposals. This approach not only covers essential bases but also enhances the likelihood of successful outcomes during presentations.

[44:08] Visibility is Key: Promote Your Success

Assuming your work and reputation are understood without self-promotion can lead to misunderstanding and being perceived as a risk, especially in competitive environments. You should actively engage in promoting your successes to ensureyour contributions are recognised. In large organizations, it is crucial to build relationships with decision-makers, and skillfully navigate feedback to bring others along in the journey towards success.

[48:21] Bold Actions Spark Recognition

Implementing bold and unconventional ideas, such as a prominent display at company headquarters, can effectively communicate a firm's commitment to key issues. Such visibility can lead to valuable opportunities, such as participation in influential discussions and networking events, particularly around pressing topics like sustainability in the fashion industry. Demonstrating expertise in areas like decarbonization can further solidify a company’s position and open doors to new partnerships and recognition.

[49:45] Dullness Demands a Heavy Price

Engaging content significantly impacts market effectiveness in advertising. Research indicates that if an ad ranks in the bottom 25% for engagement, brands may need to invest nearly £10 million to achieve the same market effect as an ad in the top 25% of interest. This highlights the vital importance of creativity and engagement in advertising strategies, as lackluster ads can incur substantial costs for brands.

[50:24] Death by Dull: 53% of B2B ads are 'extremely boring'

Only 9% of B2B ads are deemed as engaging as the top 25 B2C ads, illustrating a significant creativity gap between the two sectors. A staggering 53% of B2B ads fall into the 'extremely boring' category, indicating that they are less captivating than even the least interesting B2C ads. For B2B companies to achieve the same impact as the leading B2C ads, they would need to invest around 25 times more, equating to about $260 million. This highlights the challenges B2B marketing faces in competing for attention and engagement.

[51:30] You don’t have the budget to be boring!

With limited advertising budgets, it is crucial to be strategic and intentional about spending choices. Every expenditure must deliver maximum impact, making it essential to avoid dull advertising. It's vital to embrace creativity and courage in marketing efforts, especially when resources are constrained.

Brands can’t afford to be uninspired; therefore, adopting a bold approach can lead to more engaging and effective campaigns. The mantra 'you don’t have the budget to be boring' emphasizes that a lack of financial resources should drive innovation rather than complacency.

[53:21] Trust Your Gut and Take Risks for Career Growth

“Build your own” unconventional career path, it can lead to significant growth, learning and fulfilment. Taking risks, especially through unexpected job opportunities, results in richer experiences and greater rewards than a linear career trajectory. Trusting your gut instinct is crucial; it is more reliable than logical reasoning. Embracing uncertainty allows you to swiftly discern the right path, fostering personal and professional development. The willingness to step outside your comfort zone can enhance skill sets and contribute to a more fulfilling career journey.

[54:45] Making Decisions Based on your ‘Future’ Emotional Response

When faced with a decision, envision the outcome as if the decision has already been made and gain insight into your ‘future’ emotional response. Capturing your ‘future’ emotion can help determine whether the choice aligns with your true desires and values.

Additionally, understanding that some aspects of decision-making remain uncertain emphasizes the importance of taking action to gain clarity and insight. Ultimately, the genuine experience of doing helps navigate through the ambiguity of choices.