In an industry marked by constant change, it’s no surprise the concept of agility--the ability to adapt with speed and influence--has surfaced time and time again in our five years of researching lead marketers. And, while software companies across the country have long been organized around formal Agile methodologies, “Agile Marketing” remains a new frontier. Lucky for us, the EVP and CMO of K12 Inc., Celia Stokes, is just the pioneer we were hoping to learn from. In a recent interview, we...

A great report recently released by Forrester demonstrates, well, something we’ve all known for some time – people trust recommendations from friends more than advertising. What is alarming is the trust rate of 70 percent for recommendations compared to just 10 percent for ads. The study’s digital focus justifies the recent trend of brands creating content, what Forrester describes as a ‘pull model’, because of it’s significant trustworthiness over more traditional ‘push’ methods...

When we encounter a marketing professional seeking a different way to utilize his or her strategic prowess and desires to use the power of marketing to achieve business goals, our reaction cannot be overstated…fireworks. CMG Partners recently made its debut appearance at UNC's Spring Career & Internship Expo. The event was open to all students, regardless of grade or major, drawing over 1,100 students according to UNC Career Services representatives. With over 100 employers...

The marketing world is still abuzz over the impromptu social media judo carried out in real-time by Oreo during the Super Bowl blackout. This sort of rapid response marketing is relevant beyond the social sphere and has implications to how marketing organizations function as a whole. Think “increased agility” – or Agile Marketing.   Change is truly the one constant for CMOs.In today’s hyper-competitive and rapidly shifting economy, companies are striving to remain at the forefront...

While the internal review pointed towards a bright future and solid investment opportunity, it also identified several areas the firm needed to address and/or be mindful of once the company was recapitalized. This included increased discipline around the company’s marketing budgeting, capital deployment and management processes; the monitoring of new, but potentially ineffective, marketing tactics; and the need to broaden and deepen the marketing leadership team as the company...