At this year’s Financial Promoter Live!, the CMO panel explored how corporate communication strategies should be integrated, emphasising the importance of aligning PR with marketing, and branding efforts.
The “CMO outlook” panel hosted Alexandra Lewis, CMO at Aon Reinsurance, Andrew Mouncer, head of marketing, communications and client experience at State Street, and Jayne Fieldhouse, managing director and global head of institutional marketing at RBC GAM.
Alignment
Fieldhouse commented on the importance of PR aligning with broader marketing strategy.
“I strongly believe these functions should be fully integrated, just as they are in my teams,”
“My key takeaway is that siloed functions do not drive business outcomes, all departments and practices need to work together,”
“Take social media, for example, is it a communications function, a marketing function, or both? It must be fully woven into all strategies to be effective,” she said.
Adding to her point, Mouncer spoke on the strategies that State Street are using to maintain effective PR and marketing alignment.
“We operate through virtual account teams, ensuring that even if PR sits separately, it remains aligned with the business strategy.
“Marketing and communications come together at the table, and then everything is executed through campaigns,”
“We take a campaign-driven approach before launching in the market, incorporating client experience insights with the marketing team,”
“From research to campaign execution, it’s a deeply integrated process,” he said.
Agility
The need for agile marketing has gained importance in today’s market environment. The panel discussed how they respond to this demand within strategy.
Lewis insighted: “It is a delicate balance between anticipating what’s ahead, managing messaging, and reinforcing key values while maintaining the flexibility to adapt.
“In our industry, where risks emerge constantly, the ability to respond quickly is crucial,”
“Flexibility in adjusting campaigns is essential, and at times, budget constraints require spontaneous decisions. Proving the value of those decisions to the board is just as important,” she said.
Moreover. The ability to adapt quickly also comes from within, Lewis added to the conversation how that looks for Aon Reinsurance.
“While brand remains important, we’re seeing a shift toward deeper engagement down the funnel.
“We’ve discussed employee advocacy extensively, but the key is providing colleagues with actionable tools and helping them maximize content, enhance their profiles, and engage in more strategic conversations with clients beyond their usual expertise.
“To that point, we’re increasing investment in digital platforms like LinkedIn, always ensuring we can demonstrate the impact on client relationships,” added Lewis.