Uncensored CMO: Unilever Brand Building Masterclass with Esi Eggleston Bracey, CMO

Key Take Aways

1. Strong brand building requires a strategic and emotionally resonant approach, globally and locally.
2. Cultural differences influence organisational approach; PNG focuses on functional needs, Unilever on emotional deepening.
3. Leaders with broad general management experience, including P&L oversight, are better positioned for sustainable brand growth.
4. Investing more in marketing (15%) signifies a business confident in its marketing ROI and brand desirability.
5. Demand creation should be continuously proven as impactful; sustained investment is key to building business value.
6. Effective marketing measures encompass impact and productivity, leveraging earned media and real-time analytics.
7. Organisational change management is critical in a dynamic environment that involves cross-functional collaboration.
8. Success in modern marketing hinges on a blend of human qualities—curiosity, creativity, and agility—and strong technical skills.
9. Winning algorithms and understanding AI-driven content engagement is essential alongside authentic consumer connection.
10. Building desire at scale involves storytelling that appeals to emotion, leveraging science, aesthetics, and credibility.
11. Digital innovation, including rapid prototyping and digital twins via AI, accelerates product development and enhances desirability.
12. Community-led insights and collaborations, exemplified by partnerships like Dove with crumble cookie, are vital to creating culture-responsive brands.

Key Statistics

• Marketing investment increased from 13% to 15% of budget.
• 63 million impressions were generated from Vaseline verified influencer campaign.
• Nearly 50% (43%) conversion rate from influencer campaigns on Vaseline.
• Over two-thirds of the world’s population are active on social media platforms.
• Algorithms influence 85% of content consumed by users online.
• Liquid IV, a brand nurtured from $150 million to over $1 billion in sales, exemplifies successful growth.
• Dove’s ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’ has been active for less than 20 years, impacting well over 60% of girls starting from age three with beauty perceptions.

Key Discussion Points

• The importance of a strategic, emotion-driven approach to global brand building.
• Cultural distinctions between functional (PNG) and emotional (Unilever) brand philosophies.
• The value of diverse management experience, including general management and P&L responsibility.
• The rationale behind increasing marketing spend to demonstrate confidence and measurable ROI.
• The critical role of proving demand generation as a sustainable growth driver.
• Balancing impact and productivity to optimise marketing efficiency and ROI.
• Managing organisational change in a fast-moving, cross-functional environment.
• Essential qualities for modern marketers, including imagination, curiosity, agility, and analysis.
• The significance of understanding algorithms and the role of AI in content optimisation.
• The framework of ‘sassy brands’—Science, Aesthetics, Sensorials, Credibility, Young Spirit—as a blueprint for desirability.
• Using AI for insights, rapid innovation, digital twins, and content creation to speed up product development.
• The efficacy of community insights, influencer collaborations, and cultural relevance in brand growth.

Podcast Description

This podcast explores the art and science of brand building from a senior marketing perspective, featuring insights from AC, the Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Unilever. It covers strategic approaches to creating emotionally resonant brands, managing large portfolios across diverse markets, and leveraging organisational change, innovation, and AI technologies. Aimed at senior managers, it offers valuable lessons on driving demand, investing effectively in marketing, and connecting with consumers in an evolving digital landscape.