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CMO tenure is declining with a median life cycle of about 28 months. But two years is exactly when brand marketing gets exciting, making it a disappointing time to say goodbye.
This high turnover comes down to two types of movement. The first is when CEOs and boardrooms are preoccupied with KPIs that don’t necessarily align with building an authentic brand. CMOs are forced out for not delivering on growth numbers in this case. The second is when CMOs leave of their own accord after they’ve helped build a brand, hoping to build their stock portfolio. The idea: get in, get stock options and move on to repeat the same process elsewhere. Maybe one will be the big break!
But the brief CMO tenures are out of step with what marketing experts know to be true: building a brand takes consistency and time.
The good news is it’s possible to set your company up on a successful brand journey and enjoy the fruits of your labor, even once you’re gone. Here’s how to best set that brand journey in motion.
Build your steadfast KPIs
The first three months are crucial when you’re new to a company. Whether you’re the first CMO or the tenth, you’re there to create change. So set the stage for your success.
Non-marketing folks don’t have the same understanding as marketers of how brand building works so they will default to performance metrics. Don’t accept these as the only KPIs that matter. Instead, shift the conversation towards KPIs that work in your favor and expand the definition of growth.
The first deliverable you should set is establishing a comprehensive, clear brand system (if it doesn’t already exist). This is fundamental to the consistency necessary for brand recall and recognition, and yet so often lives inside a single person’s head where it’s easily lost. Establishing the system mitigates that risk and saves time for every team.
Secondly, add KPIs around brand engagement beyond sales. This includes simple Google analytics on website visits and social media statistics (i.e.: increase in follower count). Another good metric is employee branding results, such as brand marketing leading to direct hires. These kinds of numbers help get the whole leadership team on board.
We also recommend a quarterly brand lift study to demonstrate marketing and PR efforts are measurable. Affordable options include ad channels like Meta, LinkedIn, Google and new AI tools like Bera and Sisense.
Defining your KPIs helps set marketing goals in stone and increases the chances of long-term adoption. That lasting influence means your imprint will still be visible years down the line.
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Collaborate meaningfully to future-proof the brand’s identity
So often, CMOs try to carry the brand solely on their shoulders. But a brand made up of a single voice is inauthentic and short-lived. After all, what makes a brand but the people who bring it to life every day?
Brand building requires the input of every department, especially the C-suite. Without its involvement, brand representation lacks consistency, gets tweaked to death and eventually dies on the vine.
While demanding an all-hands brand-building meeting can be intimidating, the results are worthwhile. We’ve found it best to give people something to react to and offer a sharing protocol to ensure folks feel safe.
For example, present the team with a positioning statement and ask small groups to workshop the language. You have the final say as the leader, but letting others participate will result in greater support and adoption. You’ll benefit from faster, easier approvals and the brand lift inherent in everyone using the same playbook.
A safe, workshop-like environment allows brand building to become a true conversation with diverse perspectives. We like to think of it as business therapy. As a CMO, you’ll be credited for getting investment from employees at different levels, making it more likely for your hard work to last beyond your tenure.
Bring brand values into the workday, every day
Brand building doesn’t just bring in customers; it helps maintain team cohesion.
With a clear mission and vision, people are more engaged at work. This couldn’t be a more important time—1-in-2 employees feel disengaged from their jobs. Consider as well that 82% of employees believe it’s important their company has a purpose, and for 70% of Gen Z, the purpose is more important than pay.
Brand values give people something to believe in, which leads to happier and more fulfilled employees. When this happens, the whole ship runs smoother.
So ask yourself if your employees are being praised publicly, and with genuine examples, when they embody brand values. Additionally, short-term pro-bono projects can offer opportunities to enact brand values. Not only do they stimulate engagement and professional development, but they also build your brand internally and externally.
Being recognized as the CMO who went beyond mere marketing and instilled shared values will build your brand too. The work of a CMO is more than campaigns and click-through rates; it’s helping build something that matters. If you create long-lasting, widely embraced and trusted brands wherever you land, you can ride on the coattails of your success throughout your career.
