the marketing technologist: neo of the marketing matrix

Neo of the Marketing

Matrix

by Scott Brinker@chiefmartec

TheMarketing

Technologist

Let me start with the story of a guy named

Mayur.

Java Developer

Mayur started his career as a Java developer.

Java Developer

Senior Java Developer

He was very good, and he was soon promoted.

Java Developer


Enterprise Architect

He was then promoted to an Enterprise Architect,

managing his own team.

Java Developer



Senior Architect

He was promoted again and his responsibilities

and team grew.

Java Developer



Senior Architect

Technology Director

He rose to become a Technical Director, with significant influence and authority over the technology of the business.

Java Developer



Senior Architect

Technology Director

?

Now take a guess.What was Mayur’s next position?

An executive role in software development

or IT, perhaps?


or IT, perhaps?

Reporting directly to the CTO or the CIO?


or IT, perhaps?

Reporting directly to the CTO or the CIO?

Good guesses.But Mayur decided to

take the “red pill.”

Mayur is the Global Head of Marketing Technology &

Innovation at Kimberly-Clark.

Mayur is the Global Head of Marketing Technology &

Innovation at Kimberly-Clark.

(The people behind big brands such as Kleenex,

Huggies, and Scott paper towels.)

Mayur works in Marketing and Advertising. Ultimately, he reports up to the CMO.

Not what you expected?

I could have given you a hint that he previously worked for SapientNitro, a leading interactive agency.

But before any agency stereotypes colored your perceptions, I wanted to emphasize his

technical credentials.

But before any agency stereotypes colored your perceptions, I wanted to emphasize his

technical credentials.

Mayur is a bona fide software architect.

So what’s he doing in marketing?

Marketing Technology

MarketingTechnologists

Mayur exemplifies a new kind of marketing professional: a marketing technologist.




A marketer who understands technology.




A marketer who understands technology.

A technologist who is passionate about marketing.

But why do we need marketing technologists, anyway?

Here’s one big reason.

You may have seen this eye chart of mine. It’s often used to frighten people.


A sample of over 350 different companies that have built software for marketers.


A sample of over 350 different companies that have built software for marketers.

Let me emphasize: this is just a sample of a few hundred, from a marketing technology ecosystem of thousands of products.

It’s also woefully out of date (it’s grown since then).


Yes, there has been some consolidation.


Yes, there has been some consolidation.

But for every acquisition, dozens of new start-ups arestill launched. I believe that the scale and diversity of this

landscape will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.

Why will it grow?

Why will it grow?

Primarily because the world is changing so rapidly, and it’s changing marketing with it.

Why will it grow?


The possibilities and expectations of customer experience are blossoming around us — disruptive innovation that is now at the very center of marketing.

Why will it grow?


The possibilities and expectations of customer experience are blossoming around us — disruptive innovation that is now at the very center of marketing.

The scale and diversity of marketing itself is exploding.

Software is what enables and harnesses these possibilities.


And these days, more people can create software — faster, cheaper,

and easier than ever before.

It’s a confluence that has sparked aGolden Age of Marketing Software.




It’s a confluence that has sparked aGolden Age of Marketing Software.

Marketing has more software solutions available to it today than any other business function in the

entire history of computing.




But again, why do we need “marketing technologists” for this? Isn’t this just a different kind of IT?


But this isn’t so much a different kind of IT.


But this isn’t so much a different kind of IT.

It’s more a different kind of marketing.

It’s a digital world we live in now.


So many of the experiences we have, so many of the communications we share, are entirely digital.


So many of the experiences we have, so many of the communications we share, are entirely digital.

And even those that happen in the physical world are within reach of digital influence in a matter of seconds — in some cases, even milliseconds.

Quick! Reach for your smartphone. (Or just open up a new browser window on the device you’re reading this on.)

That’s how quickly you can jack into the digital world, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing.

Quick! Reach for your smartphone. (Or just open up a new browser window on the device you’re reading this on.)

Here’s the secret for mastering marketing in this digital world — the secret that will give you magical powers like Neo in The Matrix.

Everything digital is controlled by software.


Everything digital is controlled by software.


That may seem obvious, but…

The implications of this are huge.

In a digital age, it’s through software that marketing sees and touches the world.


Software is marketing’s interface to

reality.





Our choice of software changes what we can see.


reality.



Our choice of software changes what we can do.


reality.

This is marketing’s “matrix.”Consider the following…

Analytics/attribution software affects our perceptions.

How different analytics packages measure events, relate them to each other, and visualize trends and

exceptions will color how you perceive your audience.


Marketing automation software affects our processes.

The way your marketing automation software was designed, its capabilities, its user interface — what is

easy or hard to do — will shape your operations.



Social media listening software affects our engagement.

Your choice of social media listening software will influence who and what you pay attention to and how you engage with your audience in different situations.




Customer experience software affects our touchpoints.

The creative capabilities of your content management and landing page software will determine what kinds of

customer experiences you can deliver across devices.





Forgive me for a quick promotional

interlude — but my company, ion, offers amazing software in

this category. :-) ioninteractive.com

The creative capabilities of your content management and landing page software will determine what kinds of

customer experiences you can deliver across devices.





CRM software, by definition, affects our relationships.

CRM software impacts how you manage your customer relationships, offering different ways to structure and

harness all the data you collect on your audience.





CRM software, by definition, affects our relationships.

CRM software impacts how you manage your customer relationships, offering different ways to structure and

harness all the data you collect on your audience.

These are decisions that significantly alter the reality

of marketing’s matrix.

My point is that themarketing software we

choose...

How we configure it…How we apply it…

How we extend it…


choose...

How we configure it…How we apply it…

How we extend it…

Materially affectswhat marketing can do.


choose...

TheKing Solomon approach to

dividing marketing

technology.

This is why we should not take…


dividing marketing

technology.

The CIOgets the

technology half.


dividing marketing

technology.

The CIOgets the

technology half.

The CMO gets the

marketing half.


dividing marketing

technology.

The CIOgets the

technology half.

The CMO gets the

marketing half.

NOT GOOD


dividing marketing

technology.

The baby does much

better in one piece.

The baby does much

better in one piece.

We need a holistic approach to nurturing marketing technology.

So how do we get there from here?

CIO CMO

Some people say this is merely a communication issue between the CMO and the CIO.

CIO CMO

Yes, getting these two leaders to talk on a regular basis is a good start...

Some people say this is merely a communication issue between the CMO and the CIO.

CIO CMO

But it’s not enough. Marketing must be able to wield technology as a native capability in its strategy and tactics.

CIO CMO


I know how to script marketing

automation.

CIO CMO

Yet who in the marketing department would know how to develop and

manage such capability?


CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

So, imagine a new technical management role in the marketing department that would own this mission — say, a chief marketing technologist.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

So, imagine a new technical management role in the marketing department that would own this mission — say, a chief marketing technologist.

(The title isn’t important. It’s the role that matters.)

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

This marketing technology leader

would report up to the CMO.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist



Because this is a marketing mission.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

But he or she would also report with a “dotted line” up to the CIO.




CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist




Because no enterprise technology is an island.


CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist



This role should be a bridge between marketing and IT.


CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Marketing Technology Staff & Vendors

This role takes responsibility for

the technology capabilities of the

marketing team: technical people,

processes, and platforms.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Marketing Technology Staff & Vendors

This role takes responsibility for

the technology capabilities of the

marketing team: technical people,

processes, and platforms.

But it also coordinates with IT fully and takes responsibility for adhering to proper IT governance.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Mktg

Mktg

Mktg

And by living in marketing, this role helps other marketers get the most out of technology.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Mktg

Mktg

Mktg

It’s more than a function — it’s a vehicle for imparting tech culture and intuition to marketing.

CIO CMO

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Mktg

Mktg

Mktg

It’s more than a function — it’s a vehicle for imparting tech culture and intuition to marketing.

This role teaches other marketers how to manipulate marketing’s matrix too.

Okay, this is nice in theory...

Chief Marketing

Technologist

But do these roles actually exist?

Chief Marketing

Technologist


According to Gartner, over 70% of large high-tech companies already have someone in this role (although the titles vary).

Chief Marketing

Technologist



Forrester Research recommended this role as part of a Marketing Technology Office.

Chief Marketing

Technologist



Forrester Research recommended this role as part of a Marketing Technology Office.

SiriusDecisions advocates for this role as an integral part of marketing operations.

Chief Marketing

Technologist

There are many variations on this theme. But all of them share the same core idea: tech-savvy

leadership embedded in marketing.

Chief Marketing

Technologist

There are many variations on this theme. But all of them share the same core idea: tech-savvy

leadership embedded in marketing.

(Again, the title isn’t important. It’s the role that

matters.)

Chief Marketing

Technologist

Of course, this idea scares some people, in both marketing and IT.Is marketing really ready for this?

Technology Expertise

Tech

nolo

gy A

utho

rity

Let’s consider a graph of technology expertise and

technology authority.

Cowboy


Tech

nolo

gy A

utho

rity

If marketing wields too much technology authority without a

matching level of expertise, you risk a “cowboy” effect— the IT

equivalent of a rogue state.

Cowboy

Prisoner


Tech

nolo

gy A

utho

rity

On the other end of the spectrum, a tech-savvy marketing team that is too tightly restricted

by IT policy is a “prisoner.”

Cowboy

Laggard Prisoner


Tech

nolo

gy A

utho

rity

And if you lack both technical authority and expertise in this

digital world, you’re in trouble.

Cowboy

Laggard Prisoner

Superstar


Tech

nolo

gy A

utho

rity

The sweet spot is a marketing department that is growing

its technology expertise andis given an appropriate levelof tech authority to match.

But is native technology expertise really necessary in marketing?

It wasn’t before, but...

The real revolution in marketing is a shift from producing communications to delivering customer experiences.

It wasn’t before, but...

Within the blink of a click,a customer can jump from reading an ad or an emailto interacting with us in a digital channel.


And the experience they have — good or bad —may be instantly shared, resonating in search and social circles for all time.

This makes customer experiences the definition of our brand.


And the experience they have — good or bad —may be instantly shared, resonating in search and social circles for all time.

Technical talent must become native to marketing because...

To deliver customer experiences in a digital world requires fluency not just with art and copy, but also with code and data.

Technical talent must become native to marketing because...

Great experiences fluidly combine these elements from concept to execution. They conceive and raise the baby in one piece.

Code and data are the “star stuff” from which these experiences are crafted — a blend of the software we choose and what we create with it.

Code and data are the “star stuff” from which these experiences are crafted — a blend of the software we choose and what we create with it.

And the marketing teams who can create the best experiences will rule this marketing matrix.

Of course, not everyone in marketing needs to become a technologist.

But technology must entwined into marketing’s DNA, along with design, storytelling, and customer affinity.



These are the genes that express marketing in the modern world.

But technology must entwined into marketing’s DNA, along with design, storytelling, and customer affinity.

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy

Old School Marketers

Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s

You can still be a great marketer without being a technology savant.

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s


(Just like you can be a great engineer without being a marketing wizard.)

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s


(Just like you can be a great engineer without being a marketing wizard.)

But you better become really good at collaborating with those who are.

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s Because the line between marketing and engineering is blurring...

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s

New School:Marketing TechnologistsCreative Technologists

Growth HackersChief Digital Officers

Data Scientists

It’s inspiring a new generation of professionals who blend both of these disciplines:

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s



Data Scientists

These are not equivalent, but they all share a hybridization of marketing and tech savvy.

It’s inspiring a new generation of professionals who blend both of these disciplines:

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s



Data Scientists

These are now many of the hottest positions in business today — they’re in tremendous demand.

Marketing Savvy

Tech

Sav

vy


Old

Sch

ool

Engi

neer

s



Data Scientists

These are now many of the hottest positions in business today — they’re in tremendous demand.

(Just a hint, if you’re looking for an exciting job with great

opportunities.)

Here’s one last reason to embrace marketing technologists...

technology changes exponentially

Time

Chan

ge

Technology continues to change exponentially, such

as with Moore’s Law.


Time

Chan

ge

Technology continues to change exponentially, such

as with Moore’s Law.

Computational power doubles every two years.

Data storage doubles. Social media sites multiply and mutate like fruit flies.


organizations change logarithmically

Time

Chan

ge

However, we humans don’t change nearly as quickly.

Organizations tend to change more on a logarithmic scale.



Time

Chan

geWe simply can’t absorb all the technology changes that bombard us at this rate.



Time

Chan

ge

This leaves us with a gap...

We simply can’t absorb all the technology changes that bombard us at this rate.



Time

Chan

ge

This leaves us with a gap...

How do we decide which

changes we should adopt

and which ones to forgo?

We simply can’t absorb all the technology changes that bombard us at this rate.



Time

Chan

ge

Marketing in particular feels the strain of straddling this widening gap.



technology management is deciding which

changes are adopted

?

?

Time

Chan

geThis is one of the key roles that technology leadership must play:



technology management is deciding which

changes are adopted

?

?

Time

Chan

geThis is one of the key roles that technology leadership must play:

Marketing technologists — especially the role of a chief marketing technologist — can help marketing ride this

wave of change, instead of being swept beneath it.

Marketing technologists help marketing regain control of a world that has exploded with complexity

and accelerating change.



They do this by turning marketing into a “local” instead of a tourist in

this new environment.



They do this by turning marketing into a “local” instead of a tourist in

this new environment.

They reveal the secrets of marketing’s matrix.

This marketing matrix has given us a new brand of marketing.

And marketing technologists are the Neo-like characters who will help us master it.



And marketing technologists are the Neo-like characters who will help us master it.

Are you ready to take the red pill?

Co-founder & CTOion interactive, inc.http://ioninteractive.com

Thank you. Please feel free to reach out to me:

[email protected]: @chiefmartec

BloggerChief Marketing Technologisthttp://chiefmartec.com

the marketing technologist: neo of the marketing matrix

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