Chief marketing officers are more reliant than ever on their CIO colleagues - but it's a relationship that can, and should, work to their mutual benefit
By
Robert Grimsey
Published: 01 Oct 2024
Few roles have changed as radically in the last decade as the chief marketing officer (CMO). Technology has laid out a path directly from the marketing department to the customer. Where in the past, marketing had to guess about consumer habits and influence from a distance, today those things are just a mouse click away.
At least, in theory.
CMOs are becoming technologists. For many, a large proportion of their budget will be spent on digital, whether that's advertising, social or - closer to the tech leader's remit - websites, data analytics and marketing automation.
But don't be fooled. A CMO isn't a CIO in waiting. And CIOs can play a very important role in supporting and guiding the CMO through possibilities of technology.
So what does a CIO need to do?
Drink coffee
No CIO/CMO relationship would be able to blossom without having a shared vision of the future, and a strategy to see it through. But what really develops a partnership isn't what sits on a three-slide board presentation - it's in a whole longtail of microdecisions and interactions where technology and marketing meet.
These things surface over a coffee and continual open discussion, not corporate strategy awaydays. It's in these more relaxed settings that the CIO can truly understand the CMO's pain points and vision, while the CMO can gain insights into the technological landscape that might shape their strategies.
The vision might say “align sales and marketing systems”, the day-to-day pain point might be that the marketing team simply don't even have access to the sales system to see its potential. The vision might be to “realise value from generative AI”, the day-to-day pain point might be that their access to generative AI (GenAI) tools is limited to the corporate standard, and there is no way they can truly experiment with the full features of content generation.
Whatever they are, relieving these small pain points can lead to big wins in the longer term.
Be the technologist
I went to an event once where a CIO proudly stated they had no idea where their servers were or how they operated, because their focus was business. Of course, this business focus is good, but it did make me wonder what exactly the difference was between a CIO and any other tech-savvy executive.
Having a deep technical understanding - and enthusiasm - for tech is the secret sauce of a CIO.
Great CIOs have a skill of seeing through the noise of vast amounts of data
Robert Grimsey, Nash Squared
I remember the first blog and podcast I published. The idea came from my CIO colleague at the time. They had no idea what would be published on them, but they did have a sense of their reach and potential - something I didn't have at the time.
Of course, these new technologies have now become old, and comfortably sit within the remit of anyone, from CMOs to teenagers in bedrooms. But scan the horizon and different technologies have taken their place. Have I mentioned GenAI yet? There, I've done it. Again.
As a CIO, staying ahead of the technological curve is crucial. It's not just about knowing what's new, but understanding how these innovations can be applied to marketing strategies.
The big questions that keep a CMO awake at night are: Who are our customers? What are their needs and how do we meet these needs? How do we connect with them? How do we convert connection into buying habits?
Data can be key to answering these questions, and no person in an organisation has a better view of this than the CIO. For many organisations the data is already there, but it is hidden behind a seemingly impenetrable wall of finance systems, CRMs, customer portals, websites, social media and a whole host of other technology which the customer interacts with.
Great CIOs have a skill of seeing through the noise of vast amounts of data - they believe in the art of the possible. For instance, while a CMO might be aware that the last 10,000 customers have data stored on the finance system, and many of these same people are on the CRM, or are visiting websites or signing up to newsletters, the enormity and “fuzziness” of the task of bringing these all together to identify potential upsell opportunities might seem like an impossible dream. Great CIOs are not put off by this task – indeed, they relish it.
Bridge the gap between IT and marketing
Often, there's a disconnect between IT and marketing departments. It's a cultural thing. People in IT spend their lives dealing with real things. Marketing seems more focused on the fuzzy world of people, concepts, words and images. Each team know the value of each other, but at times it might seem IT is from Mars, marketing from Venus.
The CIO is in a strong position to bridge this gap. By fostering a culture of collaboration and understanding between these two crucial functions, the CIO can create a more effective organisation.
This might involve setting up cross-functional teams, organising joint workshops, or even implementing job rotation programmes where IT staff spend time in marketing and vice versa. The goal is to create a shared language and mutual respect between the two departments, leading to more innovative and successful marketing technology initiatives.
By working closely with the CMO, the CIO can ensure that all customer touchpoints - from the company website to mobile apps to customer service platforms - are seamless, user-friendly, and aligned with the brand's promise.
This might involve implementing AI-powered chatbots for 24/7 customer service, creating personalised digital experiences through machine learning, or ensuring data privacy and security to build customer trust.
The CIO should also be proactive in suggesting technological solutions that can enhance customer experience. For instance, implementing a robust customer data platform (CDP) can help the CMO create a unified view of the customer across all channels, leading to more personalised and effective marketing strategies.
It all starts with a coffee
By being a tech-savvy collaborator, a data interpreter, a bridge-builder, and a champion of customer experience, the CIO can become the CMO's most valuable ally in navigating the complex, technology-driven marketing landscape of today and tomorrow. It's good for the CMO, but it’s also good for the CIO.
And it all starts with a coffee.
Robert Grimsey is group marketing director at Nash Squared.
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