Dear Emily Post, what is a CMO?

Dear Ms. Post,

I am confused. The amazing Wiki (which has taken over People magazine as the truth) defines all of the tactical roles that a CMO performs including…sales management, product development, distribution channel management, public relations, marketing communications (including advertising and promotions), pricing, market research, and customer service. These are only tactics. But what is the true overall reason for a CMO?

The Chief Outsider is a big fan of Arrested Development (and their version of Public Relations and following your dreams).

Anyway, my point is that I am here to create an outsider’s definition of a CMO. Here it goes…please comment. First, let’s start at the beginning with the definition of marketing from the AMA (American Marketing Association). Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Approved October 2007).

WOW, that was pure academic. So here goes my version. Overall, a Chief Marketing Officer is a corporate title referring to an executive responsible for the creation, maintenance and growth of the value an organization.

Sure, it almost sounds like a CEO, but they are also managing the board, listening to customers, keeping suppliers aligned, sweet talking investors, giving back to the community and managing the office space dwellers. Who else is qualified to be the #2 Chief Strategists?

Based on the definition of marketing and the Chief Marketing Outsider’s definition of the CMO, there are 3 main responsibilities of the Chief Marketing Officer: Research, Planning and Execution.

3 PHASES OF MARKETING

Barking loudly,