The Nedbank IMC 2021 conference paper was developed from the highly successful virtual conference of the same name that attracted more than 1300 delegates across 14 countries. The paper details a practical roadmap for marketers to get back to the basics, to flex their creative muscles and to reimagine their role in business.
‘You don’t need me to tell you that the world we are operating in now is fundamentally different to where we were just 18 months ago. Major changes across industries were implemented virtually overnight and we’ve spent the last few months getting into a new rhythm, a new normal, the next normal,’ so states the paper, adding that ‘Marketers must build back better in the next normal.’
This document is authored by marketing specialist Dr Caitlin Ferreira, a marketing specialist and lecturer in marketing at the Luleå University of Technology, and adjunct lecturer in marketing at the University of Cape Town.
Importantly, the paper invites marketers to view their discipline through the lens of collective introspection, with content grouped around six seminal ‘moments’ that aptly define today’s marketing environment: An opportunity to be better; Have we lost our way?; First and foremost, we are human; Change is the only constant; Being the best version of ourselves and The future of the industry.
CEO of the Nedbank IMC, Dale Hefer, said that while the conference, themed ‘Marketing. The Movie’, was high energy and inspiring, the central tenet remained one of viewing marketing as business. ‘Our conference paper captures this essence, highlighting key messages and actionable takeaways that marketers could adopt to help guide their businesses in a world in flux.’
The paper contains gold nuggets from some of today’s leading global and local marketing stars. Included, among a host of critical actions, are the key learnings from marketing during a pandemic, which is outlined by Marcel Marcondes, US CMO: AB InBev. and a Forbes World’s Most Influential CMO 2020. A ‘creative process’ toolbox to deliver consistent creative brilliance is shared by Susan Credle, who is the Global Chief Creative Officer: FCB. Sydney Mbhele, the Chief Executive Brand at Sanlam and MASA Chairman, suggests the valuable steps to wooing African audiences. Tebogo Motsepe, Head of Brand and Client Insights at Nedbank CIB offers practical steps for marketers to ensure they retain control of the marketing function to deliver a powerful combination of logic and magic.
These are just some of the highlights of the Nedbank IMC 2021 conference paper, which is an accessible and valuable document for marketers to dip into as they navigate the ‘next normal’.
NEDBANK IMC
www.imcconference.com
