The growth of the global market and the
all-pervading march of technology has
provided customers with a wealth of
choice and, perhaps more importantly,
given them their own voice. Added to this,
the revolution in media means that after
decades of simply being on the receiving
end of mass marketing, customers can talk
back; promoting or detracting from your
brand in the process.

This is not to say that the fundamentals of marketing have changed; companies
still need to increase their relevance with customers, differentiate their offering and drive profitable growth. But it means that every business decision should be made with the customer in mind and to truly achieve this, marketing needs to claim its place at the forefront of the enterprise.

In The Future of Marketing, 50 global CEOs speak of their increased recognition of marketing’s unique place at the heart of business performance. Forward-looking CEOs know that, if they are to realise the full potential of their organisations, marketers must be empowered to behave as business owners for their brands, integrating themselves into all aspects of their businesses. Read more from Nick Smith in The Future of Marketing..

Nick Smith
Managing Director, Global Marketing Transformation, Accenture