The CEO’s Guide to Marketing The one with Unilever Chief Growth & Marketing Officer, Esi Eggleston Bracey on what CEOs need to know about driving desirability at scale, the difference between marketing and sales, and how you win hearts, minds—and machines.
Jul 30, 2025
Esi Eggleston Bracey, Chief Growth & Marketing Officer at Unilever and a seasoned leader, shares her insights on the intersection of marketing and leadership. She dives into the role of 'desirability' in creating emotional connections with consumers and differentiates marketing from sales. Esi discusses the essential evolution of marketing strategies in today's digital landscape, emphasizing localized branding's impact on global success. She also explores how to engage consumers in an era dominated by bots, highlighting the importance of maintaining emotional ties.
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Marketing Is About Growth
- Marketing is fundamentally about growth through creating value and desirability for brands.
- Understanding people and positioning products uniquely drives business growth and brand value.
Desirability Beyond Luxury
- Desire is an unconscious urge, not exclusive to luxury brands but essential for CPG at scale.
- Marketing combines art and science to create emotional desire amid intense competition and short attention spans.
Desire Versus Preference
- Desire differs from preference as it is emotional and unconscious, while preference is rational.
- Creating desirability allows brands to earn a premium and deliver greater value to the business.