"Your life’s course is not determined by the things you do or know, it’s really determined by trying hard outside your natural skill set." This is Lee Tonitto's message to marketers who are struggling in the face of disruption and the need to constantly reskill.

This week we take a deep dive into the colourful world of modern marketing to ask the hard questions; What does the future of marketing look like? How is innovation impacting the skills needed to survive and thrive? What should graduates and career professionals do to make sure they remain relevant and continue to add value?

In this episode of The CMO Show, Mark and JV are joined by Lee Tonitto, CEO at the Australian Marketing Institute and a lifelong marketer. With more than two decades of experience across several areas of marketing, Lee brings a mix of unique customer insights, industry experience, and data and analytics to the fore, to discuss the current state of the industry and where it's all headed.

"The fundamental principles of marketing will always be the same in terms of marketing activity meeting unmet needs. The how marketing is executed has changed enormously, and it's all led by marketing technology and automation," says Lee.

In particular, the burgeoning of marketing automation tools and resources available to marketers is having a continual impact on the industry. Five years ago there was around 250 such tools whereas today, marketers have access to around 3,500, says Lee. This is why marketers must commit to being lifelong learners.

"I always recommend to marketers, whether they be seasoned professionals or starting out in their career, they keep across the latest trade articles, webinars, podcasts," says Lee. "The dynamic nature of the profession is that if you want to be part of it you need to be relevant and create value."

Lee Tonitto on why marketers are learners first & leaders second

The CMO Show

Lee Tonitto on why marketers are learners first & leaders second