Forbes CMO Hall Of Fame Inductees On The Evolution Of Marketing And Marketing Influence – Forbes

By Seth Matlins Managing Director, Forbes CMO Network

No matter how you measure marketing influence, no matter the tweaks made to methodology over time, no matter the sea-change across the marketing landscape itself, the chief marketers being inducted into this first class of The Forbes CMO Hall of Fame, have been mainstays of The Forbes Worlds Most Influential CMOs List since its launch in 2012.

We consider this proof positive of their enduring influence on the brands and businesses they help lead, on industry, the marketing community and the attitudes and behaviors of people the world over. Individually and collectively, they have shown us what true (marketing) leadership and impactin the face of unimaginable and unforeseen changelooks like.

Given their influence, given the scope and scale of their achievements over time we thought their perspective on the changes these Chief Marketers have seen (and driven) over the past decade, and the ones they expect to continue to confront in the exercise of their influence were worth sharing.

While we werent able to connect with each of those being inducted, we asked those we did how, over the past decade, they thought marketing and marketing influence had evolved, and what and/or who moving forward a chief marketers influence will be in service of? Weve organized the perspectives theyve shared in 3 buckets.

Some of answers have been edited for clarity. They are presented in alphabetical order:

Whats clear from whats been shared is that the worlds most frequently recognized influential marketers recognize in turn that while theyve been and will be confronted by torrents of change, what remains unchanged is that understanding and serving the user to drive growth remains fundamental even if and as the how-to-do-it continues to evolve. While one could reasonably argue this isnt news, given that change often begets more change and a reflexive shift in focus, wed suggest that maybe this is exactly the point.

Whats equally clear and we hope offers reason for optimism at a time when socio-economic indicators globally provide few, is that these chief marketers clearly see their role and influence serving more than a shot-term sales imperative but, rather, the long-term best interests of an eco-system of stakeholders and the world at large. And that they consider the activation and expression of purposea word oft over and mis-usednot as window dressing but as an economic engine.

Finally, by definition, induction into any Hall of Fame is rooted in looking backwards, in what has already been done and accomplished and contributed. But, we consider at least the early years of The Forbes CMO Hall of Fame more as a living museum because those inducted continue to do, contribute, accomplish and, yes, influence.

With this in mind, we give the last word to inductee Michelle Peluso:

Heres to owning our own future and having the curiosity, grit, and grace to shape it.

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Forbes CMO Hall Of Fame Inductees On The Evolution Of Marketing And Marketing Influence - Forbes