What does it take to be the CMO of an iconic British high-street retailer, like Boots? Pete Markey shares his valuable wisdom and insights from a career at the very top.

What we covered in this episode:

The difficult second album making Boots Christmas Ad
Rediscovering the joy of Hall & Oates
Why Retailers are so good at making Christmas ads
Making people feel more festive
The importance of escaping reality at Christmas
How Boots landed on Joy as a proposition for Boots
The purpose of making gifting easier and more joyful
Being CMO of a high st retailer during covid & recession
How Boots is using pricing and Advantage card to help customers
Going from ‘good old Boots’ to ‘oh wow Boots’
How Boots is using advertising to reflect the full diversity of society
The importance of telling one persons story well
Wising up and showing older people in a better light
How ‘Summer be ready’ campaign reflected older people as part of the story
The role of purpose and whether it can also deliver profit
Never drink the kool aid on your own purpose
How to tell your brand story internally as well as externally
Making the finance team your best friend
Being shortlisted for Brand of the year in two awards
The power of Boots advantage card as a media channel
Meeting the challenge of Black Friday
Being on the Campaign and Marketing Week Top 100 lists
Impressing the kids with a Hollywood style photoshoot
The secret to being a Top 100 CMO
How the reality of being a CMO is different to the perception
Creating the framework for success and unleashing the talent
The hidden P’s of Politics and Persuasion
The importance of non-marketing skill set for a CMO
Pete’s advice to the aspiring CMO – be curious, get trained & build your network
How Jon got a job that was never advertised
The hidden power of your network
What you should do right now to build your network
How Jon accidentally ended up doing a speech at the wrong event
The 100 day plan to meet 100 people
Pete’s aim to terrify himself via improvised comedy

Making iconic high street retailer, Boots, relevant again - Pete Markey, Boots

Uncensored CMO