Think about engaging storytelling, killer on-hands experience, creative and analytical resolutions and you will get Michelle St. Jacques, CMO of Molson Coors.
When I received the invitation to the Kilts Center for Marketing Speaker Series event with Michelle (or MSJ as she likes to be called), I simply knew I had to attend. Being a passionate marketer myself, I have always aspired to become a successful CMO and to have the opportunity to engage with one, and an extremely successful one at that, was a no brainer. It was an amazing occasion to get an in-depth view into MSJ’s life and what I can expect to encounter in my journey to becoming a CMO.
One of the things that resonated with me the most was the idea that in order to have a successful brand you must drive the desire of consumers so that they choose your products. Having worked in consumer packaged goods (CPG) I’ve never felt happier than when I saw people using the products that I was working on. To see consumers proudly using your brand means that as marketers we are connecting with consumers, and we are understanding their needs and creating a proposal that appeals to them more than any other on the market.
Another thing that I found extremely interesting from Michelle’s talk was the importance she gives to understanding and acting in a fast-paced environment. Being a Millennial, I have often found myself struggling to explain to older generations the importance of acting when the opportunities arise. Whether it is a political announcement, a celeb scandal, or an act of nature, it’s important that in marketing we use those opportunities to engage with consumers. Businesses today must have the ability to pivot and act. MSJ mentioned 24-hour cycles where there is no time for planning, pitching ideas or conducting market research, just acting. Today’s social media platforms give us the unique chance to do that and to create meaningful relationships with consumers in the process, and companies that understand that are way ahead of the game.
The last takeaway from MSJ’s talk is that data is just an enabler to decision making. The Internet, globalization, and social media have given us access to an unimaginable amount of information. However, that data without the insights or the creativity of marketers is only that: data. Data by itself cannot create brand love, cannot engage consumers, and cannot generate brand evangelism. Marketers can comprehend that data in order to create strategies that would talk to consumers and make them feel understood by the brand, relate to the brand’s vision, and ultimately choose the brand above all others.
After hearing MSJ, I could see why when thinking about the skills needed to go into marketing people always come up with the usual: be able to lead cross-functional groups, advanced data-analysis, attention to detail, and leadership. But if there is one thing that was clear to me after MSJ’s talk, it was that anyone looking to pursue a career in marketing should have passion. You cannot make consumers fall in love with a brand if you don’t love it yourself. As marketers, we have the exceptional opportunity to make brands relevant, and the only way to achieve that is by doing it passionately.
The Kilts Center for Marketing hosts events and programs throughout the academic year that showcase the breadth and depth of marketing skills across job functions and industries. Learn more about the Kilts Center and stay up to date on Booth marketing community news, successes, and events by following the Kilts Center on LinkedIn.
