CMO Perspectives: From Stretched to Strengthened

I just read a research report that should be required reading for anyone interested in serving marketing executives, large or small. In October 2011, IBM published a C-suite study report entitled From Stretched to Strengthened. IBM conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,734 CMOs spanning 19 industries and 64 countries. In conducting this research, IBM hoped to determine what CMOs are doing to help enterprises cope with the fundamental shifts that are transforming business and the world.

Figure 1: Title Page of IBM’s CMO Survey

According to the report, CMOs think that marketing and technology factors are the two most powerful external factors affecting their organizations. The report stated, “Marketing executives are dealing in an environment where customers can shop around the globe and find out more than ever before about the organizations that they are dealing with. Marketers are then in a position to share their views with hundreds of thousands if not millions of fellow customers. They can make or break a brand overnight.”

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About Barb Pellow

A digital printing and publishing pioneer, marketing expert and Group Director at InfoTrends, Barbara Pellow helps companies develop multi-media strategies that ride the information wave. Barb brings the knowledge and skills to help companies expand and grow business opportunity.

Please offer your feedback to Barb. She can be reached at [email protected].

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