Expert Marketing Perspectives: In Partnership with Tim Bishop

Articles originally posted from Q4 2020 to Q3 2021.

In Partnership With features expert contributors to celebrate marketing perspectives in a community-based content series. Marketing, more than many professions, requires the collaboration and strategic partnership of many individuals and organizations to succeed. That is at the heart of this initiative – to explore our rapidly-changing profession and focus on the opportunities available to those who choose to unite to win.

In many ways, it’s like the knot pictured above. A Zeppelin Bend Knot is so named because it secures airships to the ground or sailboats to a dock. It’s easy to tie and untie even under heavy loads, is strong, secure and symmetrical. Jerk-resistant, too (but that will be covered under “culture and leadership” separately…). It’s a highly versatile and creative approach to solving a complex challenge. These are the skills that marketers can deliver today for businesses.

There’s no doubt there’s rough waters out there right now. But there should be an incredible optimism that prevails.

Yes, things are changing in unexpected and turbulent ways. That’s where opportunity presents itself for those who can capitalize on it. And that’s why it’s more critical than ever to consider the aspects of marketing that really matter today:

Expert Marketing Perspectives

There’s a lot of ground to cover. So start now by exploring the 40 marketing perspectives available.

In Partnership With actively works towards being a diverse and inclusive community of content partners. To make this meaningful, a majority of content is sourced with the strong partnership of female, BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ expert contributors. Here’s a flavour of what you’ll find here:

The Future

Looking ahead to what’s next requires asking the right questions. Here are 10 to ask to prepare for the future …since it’s already here. Mitch Joel – world-renowned visionary, digital expert and community leader – shares his perspective on How to Decode a Disruptive Future.

Futureproofing is not about predicting the future. Rather, it’s considering innovative opportunities in your three-to-five year window. Sean Moffitt, author, former Fortune 500 CMO and four-time startup founder explains how in See Into the Future Clearer.

Ethics & Purpose

As marketers and business leaders, we have a unique vantage point in which to view the world. We also have a disproportionate ability to persuade and impact the behaviour of others. Enjoy celebrated author Kelly Small’s latest perspective on Practical Ethics for Purposeful Work.

Building on this notion, Doing Well By Doing Good, in partnership with Hope Air’s CEO, Mark Rubinstein, explores the reality that for an increasing part of the workforce, there is a driving belief that there’s got to be more to their work. That they are doing something beyond just getting a paycheque. True fulfilment comes from contributing to a real purpose.

Brand building today is about strategy, bravery and playing the long game. Discover why James Fisher, former Senior Global Brand Director at Canada Goose, believes purpose is a powerful way to unite people emotionally in The Business of Authentic Brand Purpose.

Teams & Culture

Progress in the marketing community requires a broad partnership and new perspectives to ensure both BIPOC and white people create space to allow equal advancement to happen. Business leader and Founding Member of POCAM, Julian Franklin, explains how you can help further in Better Results with BIPOC Marketers.

In terms of understanding various marketing changes due to COVID, nothing has been impacted more than the job market. The New Executive Search is now in play, as shared by Mandrake Human Capital’s VP, Andrew Gartha. Nobody is safe because every company is going through their org chart to see who’s absolutely essential and who’s not.

Building on this POV, it’s an uncertain time for anyone in marketing. In any major city, it’s common to find 200+ people who have the skills, aptitude, qualifications and experience. Act now to ensure you are in the top 2 or 3 applicants, advises Bruce Powell, Managing Partner & Founder of IQ PARTNERS in Marketing Career Planning Advice.

With ski season underway, we wanted to explore with 4-time Olympian Manny Osborne-Paradis what an elite sport experience can teach us about Gaining a New Business Edge. Hold on as he’s moving fast on the slopes and in this perspective piece.

Strategy & B2B

It’s often said that the “left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing,” especially with marketing and sales teams. But there’s hope! Collaboration is the secret behind How to Deliver with B2B Marketing, according to Purolator’s Head of Customer Marketing, Stacey Cummings.

With many global cities now in lockdown, small and medium businesses are vulnerable. Owners are resilient but they need help (professionally and with our spending), SMB and B2B expert Miki Velemirovich explains in How to Market B2B to SMB.

Insights & Data

We are in a perfect storm of visible personal and financial health concerns and invisible mental health deterioration for a majority of Canadians. 35-year veteran Don Mayo of IMI International shares the latest research in A New Mental Health Crisis. A must read.

Marketers know that leveraging customer research to tell a brand’s story is critical. It informs effective storytelling which takes defences down. Global Head of Research & Insights, Raj Kuchibhatla, shares how to gain additional clarity now in Unlock B2B Clarity During Chaos.

Marketing insights can help guide the way forward in rapidly-changing circumstances. Elizabeth Hall, Managing Director of RKI, shares her informed perspective gleaned from 20 years of inquiry. In Lies, Damn Lies & Marketing Insights, she shares why and how quality insights must be leveraged to tell a story, be easily understood and be actionable.

Branding & Communications

Communicating effectively is at the heart of leadership. So we went straight to the source to gain valuable public speaking tips from speaker, author, and agency founder, Ron Tite. He shares why you should write a book and more in Speak Better With the Funny Business Guy.

Attention. Is there anything more valuable in the world? In Partnership With explores how brand platforms (and not marketing campaigns) are your best way forward with the founders of cleansheet, an award-winning agency team, as they share how Attention is More Valuable Than Gold.

Real purpose often means finding one’s truth. PR industry veteran David Kaiser talks about the urgent need to Get Real with Authentic Communications since consumers can sense a disingenuous brand from a mile away and are not looking to be sold to. Enjoy specific tips and advice from this pro who has seen it all.

When marketing (not selling!) on various platforms, social expert Heather Travis believes that if you respect the power of the tools at your disposal to engage on social media, it can be a significant part of your marketing toolbox. Read her perspective based on her 30,000 hours of experience on Social Media in the Marketing Toolbox.

Customer Experience

No fans at live sports means no sports marketing, right? Does that mean no live events means no experiences? Not at all! In Partnership With connected with Alan Palmer and Linsey Ferguson to learn how Wasserman, the back-to-back sponsorship agency of the year, has evolved The Playbook for Better Experiences.

We’re hearing some companies are reducing their marketing and customer-focused budgets. But… if you don’t care about CX now, what else could you possibly be more focused on? We asked Stephan Sigaud, current Board Member and Past Chair of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) to outline Creating a Better Customer Experience.

Regarding customer experience insights more broadly, In Partnership With explored that CX is not a project. It’s a journey – and you must continue to work on it. John Bardawill, a 25-year veteran Managing Director notes that with COVID changing everything, there’s more to know now with CX and the Opportunities Ahead.

Channels & Media

Based on our experience, for any recipe to work, you need all of the right ingredients. Marketing is no different. Discover why out-of-home (OOH) is growing rapidly this year in The Latest in Canadian OOH since it’s so flexible for media buyers, planners and marketers to use according to Barbara Huggett, Captivate Canada’s General Manager.

Finally, branded merchandise – or swag – has more power than you might think. Take an ordinary product that anyone and everyone can get and transform it into a unique experience that no one can emulate. Founder Mark Jackson’s nearly 30 years of experience shows us how in Strategic Swag (It’s Possible!).

Marketing Perspectives Matter

With such timely and relevant perspective from leading marketers and business experts, we can navigate these tough times together. Please Follow In Partnership With on LinkedIn to enjoy these marketing perspectives. Get in touch to share your POV or contribute to this series and sign up to be notified of future articles by email below.

In Partnership With

Tim Bishop, CM is a multi-disciplined executive with a proven record of optimizing strategic efforts to expand the influence of leading organizations, such as the Canadian Marketing Association, Cineplex Entertainment, Lavalife.com, IMI International and Northstar Research Partners. In Partnership With is his latest focus to curate marketing experts to celebrate the power of strategic partnerships in a perspective-based content series.