. Every over-achieving brand we spoke to mentioned creating cultural change – building

1. Build The Organizational Networks
PEOPLE
It starts with the right people, and there is a real war on great talent. Overachievers distinguish
themselves by being better at hiring young, fresh perspectives into marketing. But just as important is
the culture that prevails in the organization. Every over-achieving brand we spoke to mentioned creating
cultural change – building
a culture where innovation, risk taking and curiosity are promoted. These cultural shifts are often
accompanied by symbolic changes; AB InBev created the beer garage in Palo Alto to experiment with
innovation, discover and collaborate with start-ups, and learn new digital marketing tools. Adidas has
written risk-taking and an “all-in” spirit into its entire corporate literature, while Virgin Media in the UK
has created a whole new set of hiring criteria including “curious, bold and adventurous.”
In winning organizations, a new type of leader often plays a very active role, igniting change and
inspiration by example. For example, Dana Anderson, known as untraditional and quite a creative rebel
in the industry, was recently appointed to replace her boss as CMO at Mondelez International. Hiring a
personality
like Dana is quite a signal, and it clearly demonstrates the cultural intentions at the company. When
Apple hired Angela Ahrendts away from Burberry to lead its retail experience, Apple indicated that they
are not only a technology company, but also a brand that values status and style.
These new marketing leaders think differently about talent and partner closely with HR to recruit and
train. They empower employees by moving away from “command and control,” and create future
leaders by understanding what it takes to motivate millennial employees. Some go even further to get
the culture right: online retailer Zappos HYPERLINK offers new employees $2,000 to leave the company
after their third month, weeding out any employees who are not entirely dedicated to the culture.
Over-performers consistently talk about the importance of understanding millennials. Many have
examples of how to best motivate this important new talent cohort:
Millennials want to quickly see the impact they make, but also have a need for training. At L’Oreal, they
are matched with a more senior mentor that will help them successfully navigate the company from the
start. Because collaboration is seen as key by millennials, Mondelez International has developed a new
program that brings together global executives and junior team members to collaborate and brainstorm
new ideas.
Millennials particularly value transparency, so through its ‘Life Inside’ Facebook page, Dropbox
regularly shares pictures and stories of the team at work. And because millennials learn faster by in
taking information through familiar digital interfaces, Adidas completely recreated its marketing

2. training program on digital platforms – including mobile accessibility, on-demand video and peer-to-
peer game-like quizzes.
STRUCTURE
Structure is about so much more than the organigram – it’s about building a networked organization to
collaborate on and achieve an aligned strategy. Winning marketing leaders promote a more fluid
organization focused solely on delivering a total consumer experience around their brand’s positioning.
These networks are built to facilitate networking across functions, teams, and external partners, break
down silos, and allow teams of specialists to build communities around brand experiences.
When Angela Ahrendts was still at Burberry, she eliminated company silos and created the Chief
Creative Officer position to serve as the brand architect responsible for driving consistency and seamless
experience to rebuild a singular brand image. Learn more at http://mbvermeer.com/