In this episode of the B2B Trust and Influence podcast, host Joel Harrison speaks with Vito Labate, VP of Global Industry Marketing at Capgemini, a $23 billion global tech consulting firm. Capgemini recently won gold in the thought leadership category at the B2B Marketing Awards in London for their "Building Trust in Data" campaign. With over 20 years at Capgemini, Labate offers valuable insights on how thought leadership has evolved from a support function to become a strategic growth driver for professional services firms.

Topics Covered

• The transformation of marketing in professional services firms over the past decade
• Capgemini's approach to thought leadership and the role of their Research Institute
• The award-winning "Building Trust in Data Sharing" campaign targeting public sector organizations
• Balancing brand building and demand generation through thought leadership
• The power of executive advocacy and social media in amplifying thought leadership
• Integration with account-based marketing strategies
• The shift toward more digestible, multi-format content
• How thought leadership builds trust in professional services relationships
• Measuring the impact and ROI of thought leadership initiatives

Key Conclusions

1. Strategic Evolution of Marketing: "Ten years ago, marketing organizations were almost perceived as a support function. Now we're seen as a strategic growth driver," notes Labate. This shift has moved marketing from predominantly brand awareness to becoming a central part of business growth strategy, incorporating analytics, data-backed strategies, and storytelling.
2. Trust as Foundation: In professional services, thought leadership builds critical credibility with decision-makers. "In our industry, it's all about credibility," Labate emphasizes. "The value we're bringing is around our expertise, our insight, our ability to counsel our clients on how to navigate their transformational journeys."
3. Content That Cuts Through: In an environment saturated with information, thought leadership provides genuine value rather than just sales messaging. "Thought leadership cuts through that noise because it feels like real value... that someone can take away and either learn from or have a further conversation about," explains Labate, noting the growing preference for expert-led, digestible content over corporate messaging.
4. Long-Term Approach: The most successful thought leadership isn't treated as a one-off campaign but as part of a comprehensive strategy. "What I've seen work most is when you consider it part of a longer-term journey. You get more value out of that, and you have more impact on your audience," advises Labate.

For B2B marketers embarking on their thought leadership journey, Labate recommends starting with your "why," ensuring authentic expertise, and developing a holistic content strategy that supports long-term business objectives rather than viewing thought leadership as isolated campaigns.