C-Suite Leadership With Coupa Software CMO Chandar Pattabhiram

BY

During this 224th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Chandar Pattabhiram, the chief marketing officer at Coupa Software.

 

On the show today, we talk about the shift Pattabhiram is making in his marketing across strategy and programs. He defines “4 Ps” around positioning, posture, programs, and people. We dive into each of those components. We also talk about C-suite leadership and how CMOs should be thinking about the role.

Pattabhiram begins by introducing us to Coupa Software, which is a platform to manage business spend. We then talk about Pattabhiram’s approach to marketing in the current climate; he says, “if you can operate in that mix of thoughtfulness and hustle, then you can respond to these situations that are in front of us.” Then Pattabhiram shares his 4 Ps and talks about creating an advocacy flip, where they’re showcasing their customers’ resilience. He says, “You can only showcase your brand by showcasing your community.” Then we discuss how to be an effective C-suite leader. Pattabhiram tells us about Coupa’s inverted org chart and the importance of supporting employees. This discussion provides a new take on how CMOs can pivot thoughtfully in uncertain times.

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • Chandar’s path to becoming CMO at Coupa. 01:45
  • All about Coupa Software. 03:25
  • Chandar’s approach to adapting marketing in 2020. 05:35
  • Chandar’s thoughts on posture. 07:22
  • The people component of the 4 Ps. 09:36
  • The results of these big pivots so far. 11:46
  • How to be an effective C-suite leader. 13:02
  • Key CMO functions and core responsibilities. 17:05
  • Metrics CMOs should be focusing on. 19:01
  • Chandar shares a defining experience. 21:21
  • Chandar reflects on advice he would give to his younger self. 22:40
  • Chandar shares about an impactful purchase he made in the last 6-12 months. 24:02
  • Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Chandar follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 26:38
  • Chandar’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 28:53

Resources Mentioned:

Subscribe to the podcast:

Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart:

Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

What We’re Reading—Week Of August 31st

BY

We’re rounding up the most insightful marketing articles in circulation this week.

Reddit Wants To Up The Vote In First Brand Activation

Campaign

Up The Vote, Reddit’s first major ad campaign running in four markets via on-site digital and out-of-home points out that the number of upvotes some Reddit posts receive would be sufficient to sway an election as Reddit users vote approximately 165 million times daily.

Why it matters: One billboard shows an image of a banana with 146,000 upvotes next to the words, “If Reddit votes counted in real life, this banana could’ve been elected to Congress in 2018.”

Becoming A More Patient Leader

Harvard Business Review

A survey of 578 full-time US working professionals from various industries during COVID-19 found that when leaders demonstrated patience, their reports’ self-reported creativity and collaboration increased by an average of 16 percent and their productivity by 13 percent.

Why it matters: Helpful strategies for leaders looking to boost their patience include defining what delivering value means from the start and practicing gratitude.

Hot Off The Press: Covid-19 Market Trends

The Drum

Founder and chief executive of Print-print.co.uk Dean Williams found that 40 percent of the print jobs he’s doing for brands include a QR code whereas pre-pandemic, just 3 in every 500 did.

Why it matters: Williams has also seen a surge in printed floor stickers and transparent, pull-up banner stands for use as dividers in businesses like restaurants and hair salons.

GSK’s Brian McNamara On The Business Impact Of COVID-19

McKinsey & Company

CEO of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Brian McNamara says shortly after stay-at-home orders took effect, GSK transitioned its 25,000 employees to a home-based work model, affording McNamara greater efficiency, in addition to a stronger connection between the company’s leadership team.

Why it matters: McNamara says because over-the-counter online purchases have surged since COVID-19, GSK anticipates an acceleration in e-commerce.

75% Of People Unlikely To Use Branded Hashtags, Survey Finds

Marketing Dive

Seventy-five percent of people are unlikely to use a branded hashtag from a company in a post and 73 percent say they’re unlikely to create branded videos, Visual Objects’ consumer survey found.

Why it matters: Prompting consumers to create user-generated content is a cost-effective way to maintain a social presence in COVID-19 as 26 percent of respondents say they were likely to review a business on a third-party website.

No More Third Party Cookies—Good Or Bad News?

Forbes

Doing away with third-party cookies doesn’t necessarily increase consumer privacy and may not impact marketers’ business outcomes.

Why it matters: Given third-party cookies and the ad tech tracking that came along with them weren’t driving additional business outcomes anyway, the disappearance of cookies will wipe out the ad tech companies whose entire business models rely on them, while consumer privacy will be enhanced.

Unilever, Target Partner For Voice-Powered Ads On Peacock

Marketing Dive

Viewers of NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service who say the phrase “Save with Suave” get a $5 coupon for Unilever hair brands sold at Target.

Why it matters: Voice-powered ads eliminate an extra step for consumers, enabling an immediate response.

Customer Journeys Are Becoming Increasingly Complex

Forbes

The pandemic has accelerated the transformation of consumer journeys from linear to zigzag.

Why it matters: Aligning with this new complex customer journey requires an artificial intelligence-powered omnichannel experience and the use of quality data to personalize customer experiences.

Uber Eats Unveils First Ad Format With Sponsored Restaurant Listings

Mobile Marketer

Uber Eats’ first in-app advertising format uses a cost-per-click (CPC) pricing model that lets restaurants only pay when an app user clicks on the sponsored listing, which appears at the top of the home feed. In addition, the company’s self-service ad platform lets businesses target ads based on location and consumer preferences.

Why it matters: Uber Eats is giving out $25 million in marketing credits to small- and medium-size restaurants as indoor dining remains impacted by COVID-19.

A Moment Of Awakening: Has Sport Finally Found A Higher Purpose Beyond Entertainment?

Forbes

Professional athletes across the US are protesting the injustices of police brutality following the police shooting of a black man named Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, causing NBA, WNBA, Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball games to be postponed or canceled.

Why it matters: Chief executive and founder of 17 Sports Neill Duffy tells Forbes that the teams and leagues who embrace the change will thrive over the coming decade while the ones that don’t will be relegated to “have been” status.

Shoppers Are Returning To Non-Essential Stores, But Spend Less Time And Money

BY

As marketers continue to grapple with the pandemic, Mood Media has released some helpful findings about how consumer sentiment toward in-store shopping and spending habits have changed, based on a survey of over 8,000 consumers across the US, the UK, China and France.

The results of Mood Media’s survey show nearly half (49 percent) of consumers around the world are still nervous that in-store shopping will expose them to the virus, yet most have returned to non-essential stores. In fact, 71 percent of global consumers feel comfortable going back to physical stores as lockdowns continue to ease while 67 percent say they’ve started shopping for non-essentials in store.

That apprehension diminishes for countries in later stages of COVID-19 recovery like France and China. In the US, the number of people who have returned to non-essential in-store shopping amounts to 60 percent, whereas the figure is 50 percent for the UK, 77 percent in France and 81 percent for Chinese shoppers.

Brands have succeeded at implementing safety precautions as evidenced by consumers’ responses—80 percent of consumers globally feel reassured by new safety measures they see and hear in store. Despite this, many feel that COVID-19 has dramatically changed the shopping experience. Of those who’ve shopped in a physical store since the pandemic started, 65 percent of US shoppers describe the customer experience as “not the same” and 23 percent feel it’s so different that they’ll try avoiding a trip to the store soon.

The pandemic has transformed consumers into “mission shoppers” focused on getting in and out of the store as quickly as possible. As a result, people are spending less money per visit. Among those who say they feel comfortable returning to physical stores, 28 percent of US respondents reported spending less money and less time shopping. Just 20 percent of US shoppers are spending more money and less time in-store shopping than pre-pandemic.

Looking ahead, only 22 percent of US consumers expect their shopping habits to rebound by the end of 2020, while 24 percent don’t expect their in-store shopping habits to fully resume until the summer of 2021.

Maison Margiela Hires Tanja Ruhnke As First-Ever Chief Marketing Officer

BY ,

This week in leadership updates, Maison Margiela appoints Tanja Ruhnke as CMO, Target brings on Maurice Cooper as its senior vice president of marketing, Cracker Barrel hires Jennifer Tate as CMO, Roblox hires Barbara Messing as its first-ever CMO, City of Hope names Gulden Mesara as chief communications and marketing officer and more.

Maison Margiela Hires Tanja Ruhnke As Chief Marketing Officer

Maison Margiela has appointed Tanja Ruhnke as the brand’s first-ever CMO, according to WWD.

Ruhnke most recently served as vice president of communications, North America, for Valentino. Prior to that, she was vice president of global branding and communications at Alexander Wang.

Target Names Maurice Cooper As Vice President Of Marketing

Maurice Cooper has joined Target as the company’s SVP of marketing.

Prior to joining Target, Cooper founded and led Forward Vision Strategies consultancy after working as executive vice president and chief growth and experience officer for Wingstop Restaurants for over a year.

Cracker Barrel Appoints Jennifer Tate As Chief Marketing Officer

Cracker Barrel has hired Jennifer Tate as CMO.

Tate joins from Olive Garden, where she’s held various marketing leadership roles for over a decade.

Roblox Hires Barbara Messing As First-Ever Chief Marketing Officer

Roblox has named former Walmart senior vice president and CMO Barbara Messing as its first CMO to lead marketing, communications and employee experience.

Prior to working with Walmart from August 2018 to September 2019, Messing held executive roles at TripAdvisor and Hotwire.

City of Hope Names Gulden Mesara As Chief Marketing Officer

Starting September 15, Gulden Mesara will lead City of Hope’s communications and marketing.

Mesara, who replaces John Weston, most recently oversaw Walgreens Boots Alliance US communications as group vice president of communications.

Daniel Cherry Joins DC Comics As GM

Comicbook.com reports that Activision CMO Daniel Cherry is joining the DC Comics team as SVP and general manager, effective September 8th.

According to the announcement, the hiring of Cherry frees up Jim Lee, who will have “an expanded role in the overall DC brand.”

SoundExchange Appoints Esther-Mireya Tejeda Chief Marketing Officer

SoundExchange has hired Esther-Mireya Tejeda as chief marketing and communications officer, according to Variety. Reporting to SoundExchange president and CEO Michael Huppe, Tejeda will oversee the company’s brand strategy and marketing, global communications and a team of nearly two dozen marketing and communications professionals.

Prior to joining SoundExchange, Tejeda served as senior vice president and head of corporate communications at Entercom.

Speakable Hires Rebecca Chen As First Marketing Head

Rebecca Chen has joined Speakable as the startup’s first vice president of marketing, Campaign reports.

Before joining Speakable, Chen was commercial lead for marketing and sales at Strong Roots U.S.A. Prior to that, she held various roles at Anheuser-Busch over the course of three years.

What We’re Reading—Week Of August 24th

BY

We’re tracking the most important marketing and advertising news from major publishers. Here’s what we’re reading this week.

Consumers Age 65 And Older Are Attracted To Non-Brand Terms

MediaPost

Seniors are showing more activity online due to COVID-19. According to Microsoft’s analysis of online behavior of consumers 65 years and older in Australia, the growth rate of generic, non-branded searches among this demo surpasses other age groups.

Why it matters: Marketers should take note of Microsoft’s latest report on the online behavior of consumers 65 years plus to reach this demographic, noting the differences between brand and non-branded searches.

Wall Street Analysts Looked At Early Data On Instagram Reels To Estimate Its Potential To Drive Ad Revenue. Here Are 5 Key Takeaways From Their Report.

Business Insider

Jefferies analysts estimated that Instagram’s TikTok-like feature, Reels, could add $2.5 billion in yearly incremental ad revenue for Facebook by 2022.

Why it matters: Key takeaways from Instagram’s market analysis indicate that users are adopting the feature within Instagram and using it daily. Also, if Instagram Stories is any bellwether, Reels could be on target to match the success of Stories, the latter being the “largest driver of ad impression growth” for the platform.

How To Foster Psychological Safety In Virtual Meetings

Harvard Business Review

HBR articulates some helpful platform features to encourage feelings of psychological security among virtual meeting attendees. 

Why it matters: With virtual meetings, barriers with detecting non-verbal agreement and cues can lead to feelings of being unheard. Creating breakout rooms and using platform-specific tools like hand-raises can, according to HBR, have a positive impact on “psychological safety—people feeling they can raise questions, concerns, and ideas without fear of personal repercussion.”

Report: Nike Shutting Down 9 Wholesale Accounts In Shift To DTC

Retail Dive

Nike is taking a hard look at its wholesale accounts and prioritizing its own direct-to-consumer channels as the retailer evaluates its existing partnerships.

Why it matters: According to a Nike spokesperson quoted by Retail Dive, “As part of our recently announced Consumer Direct Acceleration strategy, we are doubling down on our approach with Nike Digital and our owned stores, as well as a smaller number of strategic partners who share our vision to create a consistent, connected and modern shopping experience.”

Marketer Bari Harlam Joins Rite Aid’s Board Of Directors

BY

This week in leadership updates, Rite Aid names Bari Harlam as the newest member on their board of directors, the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars created a new VP position for social responsibility and impact, Caroline Hudack leaves her position as EMEA brand marketing director for Airbnb, Virgin Atlantic CMO Claire Cronin departs while Just Salad appoints their first chief marketing officer.

Rite Aid Picks Bari Harlam As Newest Board Member

Bari Harlam joins Rite Aid Corporation’s board of directors as its newest member, according to a press release circulated today.

The move comes as Rite Aid seeks to support its RxEvolution strategy which positions the company toward embracing a holistic approach to health.

Harlam was most recently CMO at Hudson’s Bay Company and also had a hand in creating CVS’s ExtraCare program as CVS Health’s SVP.

T-Neisha Tate Named Jaguars’ Vice President Of Social Responsibility And Impact

T-Neisha Tate has been picked for a newly created role as part of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ leadership team, reports Sports Illustrated.

The new role, VP of social responsibility and impact, will find Tate “responsible for creating programming and executing on the organization’s social responsibility mission that is designed to emphasize respect and to inspire and unify players, staff, fans and area communities through efforts to make a positive, meaningful impact.”

Tate reports to CMO and SVP of social responsibility & impact, Julian Duncan.

Caroline Hudack Leaves Airbnb EMEA Marketing Position

Caroline Hudack will be leaving her position as Airbnb brand marketing director for the EMEA region, reports Campaign.

Hudack has been in her position for the past three years at Airbnb. Freddie Eaves, Airbnb’s brand marketing manager for United Kingdom and Northern Europe, will take over her duties in her absence.

Virgin Atlantic Chief Marketer Claire Cronin Leaves Position

Claire Cronin is leaving her CMO position at Virgin Atlantic, a spot she held since 2017 after first joining Virgin Holidays as marketing director in 2014.

Marketing Week reports that with the departure of Cronin, Virgin Atlantic’s VP of digital and distribution, Siobhan Fitzpatrick, will take on the duties previously associated with the CMO title under her expanded role.

Just Salad Names First CMO

Andy Rooks has been named as Just Salad’s first CMO, reports QSR Magazine. 

Rooks joins the fast-casual brand from Theory Marketing Partners, a consulting firm he founded and served as CEO for.

Beyond The Bottle With PepsiCo’s Scott Finlow

BY

During this 222nd episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Scott Finlow, the chief marketing officer of PepsiCo’s foodservice business.

On the show today, we talk about PepsiCo’s push into sustainability, specifically the Beyond the Bottle initiative. We also talk about PepsiCo and their foodservice division’s beta testing of SodaStream Professional and many other topics. 

Finlow begins by talking about his long career with PepsiCo and the always energizing environment there. We then talk about PepsiCo’s impressive sustainability initiatives. Finlow says, “we have a vision of a world where plastic will never become waste.” Then we talk about SodaStream as part of the PepsiCo portfolio as well as SodaStream Professional. He says, “we did a ton of work to understand the different ways that people are now drinking water.” The insights gained from this research led PepsiCo to see the connection between water consumption and big goals consumers have. Finlow tells us about the significant work PepsiCo is doing to serve communities during COVID-19, and he notes, “it’s helped elevate our empathy muscle in terms of understanding people.” This discussion highlights the way a mission-driven organization can make a real impact.

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • Scott’s 21-year career at PepsiCo. 01:23
  • Other significant positions in Scott’s career. 02:49
  • Explaining the foodservice side of the business. 06:41
  • PepsiCo’s sustainability initiatives. 09:25
  • SodaStream Professional’s place in PepsiCo’s portfolio. 13:03
  • The SodaStream Professional experience. 14:52
  • Insights that helped launch the SodaStream Professional platform. 16:06
  • Beta testing for SodaStream Professional. 18:32
  • The impact of COVID-19 at PepsiCo. 20:23
  • Partnering with Guy Fieri and Bill Murray. 25:58
  • Scott shares a defining experience. 28:02
  • Scott reflects on advice he would give to his younger self. 29:48
  • Scott shares about an impactful purchase he made in the last 6-12 months. 32:41
  • Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Scott follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 34:45
  • Scott’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 37:34

Resources Mentioned:

Subscribe to the podcast:

Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart:

Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

Facebook CMO Antonio Lucio To Depart

BY

This week in marketing leadership announcements, Antonio Lucio is leaving Facebook, Fred Bucher joins The Weather Channel TV network’s parent company, The Weather Group, as SVP and CMO. Also, Martin Lee joins Sport Clips as chief marketing officer and Tina Rubin leaves her position as head of strategy and consumer marketing at Netflix for the CMO role at Wave.

Antonio Lucio Is Stepping Down From His Role At Facebook

As reported by Business Insider and confirmed by Bloomberg, Antonio Lucio is leaving his position as Facebook’s chief marketing officer.

Lucio served as the global marketing chief for Facebook for the last two years. Prior to that, he was the global chief marketing and communications officer at HP.

The Weather Group Names Former Charter Communications Exec As SVP, CMO

Fred Bucher joins The Weather Channel’s parent company, The Weather Group, as senior vice president and chief marketing officer as reported by MediaPost.

Bucher was previously in the same roles at Spectrum Reach, a division of Charter Communications, as well as at Time Warner Cable Media. Prior to that, he served as VP of marketing solutions at ESPN.

Sport Clips Welcomes Martin Lee As Chief Marketing Officer

Martin Lee, who has previously served in various marketing roles for brands such as SIRIUS XM Radio and Sleepy’s, joins Sports Clips Haircuts as chief marketing officer.

Lee will lead the initiative to “getting the message out about the differentiators that make Sport Clips the hair care choice for men and boys,” according to the announcement.

Tina Rubin Joins Wave Leadership From Netflix

Variety reports that virtual interactive event startup Wave has brought on Tina Rubin, who hails from Netflix where she previously served as head of strategy for YA and family original TV shows.

Wave, which produces virtual, interactive events featuring avatars of artists such as The Weeknd, has tasked Rubin with overseeing all global marketing initiatives and partnerships. She replaces Wave interim CMO Jeremy Welt who will remain on the advisory board.

What We’re Reading: August Rewind

BY

Stories we think you may have missed with everything that’s going on.

Walmart Is Pushing Harder Into Advertising

Business Insider

Walmart is launching a new dashboard for advertisers that shows how online ads drive in-store and ecommerce sales.

Why it matters: Akin to the technology advertisers use to buy ads on Facebook, Amazon and Google, the measurement tool will make it easier for advertisers to house all their data in one place and update it daily.

TikTok Helps Gen Z Learn About Social Justice Issues, Study Finds

Mobile Marketer

Social activism posts on TikTok have inspired 54 percent of Gen Z to engage in discussions with family and friends, and 44 percent to sign petitions, a study from Reach3 Insights found.

Why it matters: Brands should tailor their TikTok messaging to reflect Gen Z’s awareness of movements.

Contactless Tech May Make Or Break Small Businesses

Adweek

Eight in 10 consumers worldwide have changed the way they pay in order to reduce contact, and 54 percent of American consumers said they’d switch to a new store that installed contactless payment systems, Visa’s Back to Business study revealed.

Why it matters: In response, 67 percent of small businesses have created ecommerce sites, or adopted touchless technology.

‘You Get 2 seconds To Engage Consumers Online’: Mars Neuroscientist Shares Key Findings

The Drum

Marketers now have only about two seconds to get consumers’ attention via digital content, extensive neuroscience studies conducted by Mars show.

Why it matters: Because it’s difficult to elicit emotions in short form—the key to encoding your products into the consumer’s brain—brands should teach consumers about something and then show them the product.

Why Do Boards Have So Few Black Directors?

Harvard Business Review

The results of a survey HBR fielded between 2015-2016 to a small sample show that one barrier to the boardroom is the recruiting system for directors, which are ingrained on boards that lack directors who are racial/ethnic minorities.

Why it matters: In 2019, 37 percent of S&P 500 firms had no black board members, and in that same year, black directors comprised only 4.1 percent of Russell 3000 board members.

Comfort In Trying Times With Purple’s Burke Morley

BY

During this 221st episode of “Marketing Today,” host Alan Hart interviews Burke Morley, the vice president of brand and executive creative director of Purple.

On the show today, we talk a lot about content and how content has been vital to Purple’s growth. We also discuss Purple’s focus on differentiation and innovation in the DTC mattress space, including their “SHIF” (show how it feels) approach.

Morley talks about what sets Purple apart from their competitors in the same space. He says, “we’re interested in creating a better sleep experience and a better mattress and not just a better purchasing experience.” This focus on innovation connects to Purple’s content strategy, which is about owning tactility. Trying to create a visceral sensory experience, Morley says, “we want to show how it feels instead of talking about what it is.” We discuss how Purple has weathered the COVID-19 pandemic phenomenally by shifting their strategy and the sales flow from wholesale to DTC. We also discuss Purple’s future, and Morley reminds us that, “reach can be bought, but attention has to be earned.” This discussion highlights a sensorial approach to marketing and how that strategy can help evolve a growing brand. 

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • Burke’s experience working in many locales. 01:30
  • His journey to Purple. 02:08
  • The nature of the work he did at iconic brands such as Nike and Sonic. 03:02
  • How Purple differentiates itself in the DTC mattress space. 05:24
  • How Purple is thinking about content. 07:06
  • Taking the brand to the next level and evolving the brand strategy. 11:32
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 13:23
  • Purple’s future. 20:00
  • Burke shares a defining experience. 24:01
  • Burke reflects on advice he would give to his younger self. 27:44
  • Burke shares about an impactful purchase he made in the last 6-12 months. 30:48
  • Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Burke follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 32:03
  • Burke’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 34:36

Resources Mentioned:

Subscribe to the podcast:

Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart:

Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.