We should be relentlessly focussed on creating an industry-wide culture of effectiveness

Sera Miller passionately believes in the unifying power of the language of effectiveness. Organisational change that embraces effectiveness is now a business necessity. Sera will be speaking at Effectiveness Week in London on 01 & 02 November 2016

Take a look at the programmes of a few major international marketing conferences. Amongst the ubiquitous ‘next big thing’ narratives and trend-driven themes, words like “creativity” and “data” are liberally scattered. Fundamental to our industry’s lexicon, we are very comfortable with them.

“Effectiveness” though, is notably less present. So what’s our problem with it?

At an operational and structural level it’s there. Client recruitment, capability building and internal focus on effectiveness has never been more present. But organisationally and culturally the disconnect surrounding marketing effectiveness endures. And that is reflected in the pile of conference programmes I’ve been looking through. It is rarely on the agenda, except where a pairing with the word ‘creative’ makes us a bit more comfortable. It’s as if it has been left out in the cold, pressing its perceived sensible little nose up against the window, while all the creative hipsters, data gurus and cool tech kids party on inside.

Balancing long-term investment and short-term activity has never been more important for brands

Well it’s time to invite it in. And not just because it’s getting a cold nose and we feel a bit sorry for it. Because we need to: effectiveness is what brings all those disparate groups together. Because a culture of effectiveness, one that is driven by insight, actionable foresight and creativity, is now nothing less than a business transformation necessity. Balancing long-term investment and short-term activity has never been more important for brands; in that context there is no better framework for decision-making than effectiveness.

Organisational culture is built on values, beliefs and behaviours. If you want it to evolve you have to change: and to change behaviour, you need to change thinking. I believe that effectiveness culture offers an opportunity to do just that. It offers a shared language with which the CFO, CMO and CEO can engage in dialogue. It is the most powerful value creation tool in the C-Suite. Unifying rather than divisive, it frames how value is created, delivered and captured – the whole business model – embedding business benefits not just communication results.

From the CEO, right through the business we must understand the opportunity to create real change. To take what is known about the problems that have already been solved, the impacts that have been achieved, and the outcomes that have been realised. To acknowledge all the different inputs, outputs, blockers and enablers. And finally, we must take all of this knowledge and understanding and move beyond it to create strategies and forward motion.

The time is now for the marketing community to provide leadership and steer the conversation

In short, the opportunity lies in harnessing the power of evidence-based decision-making to improve commercial performance and create long-term value. Both for ourselves and for our clients.

The time is now for the marketing community to provide leadership and steer the conversation. This is where Effectiveness Week comes in. Established by the IPA in association with the most influential of industry bodies and clients it will catalyse that conversation. It will be the genesis of a greater debate around marketing effectiveness focussing on evidence-based decision-making and foresight rather than retrospective measurements and awards.

What happens on the stages in London and around the country in the first week of November is just the beginning. I will be a part of it because I believe the focus on effectiveness culture, business transformation and results will give me real insights into the opportunities available to my business and clients. Can you afford not to be part of the conversation?

This article was originally published on the IPS'a Effweek site at http://www.effectivenessweek.com/creating-effectiveness-culture/