Join us for another insightful episode of Scratch, hosted by Eric Fulwiler, with special guest Mark Kirkham, the CMO of PepsiCo International Beverages. PepsiCo is an iconic brand, recognized globally for its diverse portfolio and commitment to societal impact. Mark shares his wealth of marketing knowledge on building a brand that goes beyond just products and stands for a purpose that resonates with its consumers. He emphasizes the importance of being relevant, differentiating your brand, and aligning your actions with your brand's broader mission.

Mark also talks about the strategic marketing choices brands need to make to establish themselves as 'iconic', the balance between global scale and local relevance, and how to prioritize in a world filled with marketing opportunities. He underscores the importance of understanding your consumers, learning from failures, and always questioning your brand's relevance to your audience. This episode is packed with invaluable insights into PepsiCo's mission to connect with its consumers on a deeper level. The discussion highlights the significance of purpose-driven branding, customer understanding, and the right cultural fit in the dynamic landscape of marketing consumer goods. Be sure to tune in and learn from one of the best in the business! 

[If you’re a brand-side marketer and want to join the AMP community, check out the application form here]

Chapters:

[03:57] Intro

[05:40] What is the one challenger brand you’re passionate about?

[09:08] How important is authenticity for challenger brands?

[14:25] How does a day look in the life of the CMO of Pepsico?

[17:49] How do you get the insight onto ‘what you need to do’ to be relevant and iconic?

[21:09] How do you use ‘purpose’ in your role as a CMO of so many brands?

[29:30] How do you actually become iconic?

[33:30] Do you have a framework to split investment between splitting things that are actually going to work, and innovating and trying out new things?

[39:20] Driving global scale and local relevance at the same time

[40:50] If you left Pepsi tomorrow, and started your own company, what would you do in the first 30 days to build an iconic brand from scratch?

[43:40] Lightning Round

Watch this episode on Youtube 📺: 

"Scratch" is a production of Rival, a marketing consultancy and technology company that builds challenger brands, strategies, and capabilities to change categories. 

In every episode Eric interviews the CMO of some of the worlds biggest or fastest-growing brands, exploring their innovative marketing strategies that challenge established incumbents. Immerse yourself in the world of challenger brands and learn valuable marketing lessons from industry experts, as you discover their secrets to success. 

Find Mark on Linkedin.

Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter. 

Watch the video version of this Podcast on YouTube.

Find Eric on LinkedIn and tweet him @efulwiler. 

Say hi at [email protected], we’d love to hear from you.

Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Past guests include CMOs from Mastercard, GE, Shell, Hyperloop, Adobe, PepsiCo, and Papa Johns.

If you’re interested in learning more about marketing from successful CMOs, we compiled a list of the top 5 CMO podcasts to listen to in 2024; check it out here 🔗  https://www.wearerival.com/content-hub-articles/cmo-podcasts-you-cannot-afford-to-miss-in-2024