Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) and WPP welcomed senior marketers to the holding company’s Sydney Campus for the latest Marketing Masterclass, in partnership with global marketing effectiveness consultancy Gain Theory.
From Data to Decisions: Driving Profitable Growth with Marketing Effectiveness’ explored how CMOs can elevate marketing’s strategic role by embedding a culture of data-driven decision-making, aligning business KPIs with marketing metrics, and using foresight to plan proactively in an increasingly volatile market.
One of the core themes of the morning was the need for marketers to speak the language of the C-suite, with practical recommendations for aligning measurement programs to business priorities.
Arvind Sethumadhavan and Jyane Quek
Attendees heard how moving from reporting to strategic planning can transform marketing into a growth engine, and how techniques like scenario planning and war-gaming can help teams better prepare for future disruptions.
The session also addressed the importance of building organisational trust in marketing data and fostering a culture where marketing is empowered to lead.
The AANA event opened with a fireside chat between Arvind Sethumadhavan, senior partner at Gain Theory, and Jyane Quek, global head of planning and effectiveness, corporate affairs, brand and marketing at Standard Chartered Bank, who highlighted the growing gap between marketing teams and senior leadership when it comes to evaluating effectiveness.
AANA CMO panel
Howe, Coghill and Gorringe
Justin Nel, directory of Australia of Gain Theory, then lead a panel discussion Tamara Howe, CMO, SunRice, Susan Coghill, CMO, Tourism Australia and Naomi Gorringe, head of marketing, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA).
The panel explored the role of foresight and advanced analytics in future-proofing marketing strategies, with each leader sharing examples of how their teams are using data to navigate change and drive confident decision-making.
Coghill told marketers to not let imperfect data stop them. “Define your challenges, figure out what success looks like, build a simple measurement framework, and then learn as you go and evolve it and get better, apply those learnings.
“We don’t own our customer journey, we rely on those partnerships to drive that conversion at the end. What matters is how we use the information that we have to make better decisions, how we interpret it, how we apply the data, even if it isn’t your own.
“I would say don’t wait for the perfect data, it’s like waiting for the perfect time to go on holiday. You will never get that tan, you’ll miss your flight, don’t wait, get started now.”
Howe said: “We’re passionate about evidence-based decision making. While Marketing should always be a balance of art and science, it’s helpful to take the subjectivity out where you can, so you can then focus your energy on the right areas, and with a true north of being consumer led.”
Gorringe said: “The level of data-literacy across an organisation is often greatly varied, therefore starting with an understanding of where teams and individuals are at, establishing the context and goals for each team, and meeting people where they are, will help short-cut the education phase. By speaking each team’s language, we can show how making decisions based on data will help them reach their goals. This makes change feel relevant, seamless and achievable.”
Nel added: “Marketing effectiveness should be a strategic imperative not an afterthought. To do this well you need to think holistically, starting with a clear understanding of the role that marketing plays in achieving the goals of the business.
“Then you need to use advanced measurement and foresight techniques to transform data into actionable insights that drive growth.”
Rounding out the morning, Josh Faulks, AANA CEO, said: “There’s no growth without proof. Today’s masterclass was about giving marketers the frameworks, confidence and language to champion effectiveness inside their organisations and lead business growth from the inside out.”
Justin Nel, Arvind Sethumadhavan, Jyane Quek, Susan Coghill, Tamara Howe, Naomi Gorringe and Josh Faulks
Top image: AANA Masterclass attendees