Aron North, CMO of Mint Mobile: Marketers Have Lost Their Insight
Dec 13, 2023
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Aron North, CMO of Mint Mobile, discusses the challenges and insights behind the success of Mint Mobile. They touch on evaluating creative from the consumer's perspective, the importance of business accountability in marketing, measuring metrics for DTC marketing, the concept of 'jump ball' in generating creative ideas, the role of the media team in successful ads, the hype and reality of AI in marketing, and the role of AI in creative roles.
Marketers should prioritize addressing consumer insights and building a strong consumer proposition, rather than relying on personal opinions.
Successful CMOs possess both business acumen and creative thinking skills, allowing them to make data-driven decisions and drive sales while appreciating creativity.
CMOs must embrace accountability, admit mistakes, and foster a culture of trust within their teams to drive innovation and growth.
Deep dives
The Importance of Starting with Consumer Perspective
Marketers need to evaluate creative from the perspective of the consumer, not their own personal preferences. Understanding the consumer's needs and mindset is key in developing effective marketing campaigns. Instead of focusing on personal opinions, marketers should prioritize addressing consumer insights and building a strong consumer proposition.
The Role of Business Acumen and Creative
The role of a CMO requires a balance between business acumen and creative thinking. Having both the right and left brain skills is necessary for success in this position. The ability to analyze data and make smart business decisions, combined with a deep understanding and appreciation for creativity, helps CMOs drive sales and build brand value.
Taking Accountability and Embracing Failure
CMOs must take accountability for their decisions and be willing to admit when they make mistakes. Building trust with the CEO and CFO is crucial in establishing credibility and securing support for marketing initiatives. Embracing failure and learning from it is essential for innovation and growth in marketing. By acknowledging mistakes and taking responsibility, CMOs can foster a culture of accountability and trust within their teams.
Measuring Advertising Effectiveness
The podcast episode discusses the importance of measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. The speaker highlights the use of television spots as a testing method, where search queries and internet interest are measured within a two-minute window. Additionally, the use of analytics packages on platforms like connected TV, video on demand, and YouTube are mentioned. The speaker emphasizes the need to evaluate performance across different channels and devices to ensure optimal results.
The Role of Creatives and Influencer Marketing
The podcast episode delves into the role of creatives and influencer marketing in advertising. The speaker expresses support for influencer creative, using Ryan Reynolds as an example. However, the importance of providing well-defined briefs and insights to creatives is highlighted. The concept of 'Jumpball' is also mentioned, where different agency partners submit their ideas for creative campaigns, and the winning ideas are selected based on customer feedback. The speaker emphasizes the value of creativity and the need for a strategic and impactful approach to marketing and advertising.
When Aron North was hired to lead marketing and creative at Ultra Mobile — the fastest-growing private company in the world, in 2016 — he had no idea what would be waiting for him on day one: The outlines of a new prepaid cell phone plan aimed at consumers, then called Mint SIM, which would be sold online only.
Aron was blunt with the company's president: "Oh, this is incredibly interesting. Unfortunately, this is never going to work the way you've laid it out. There's no chance this succeeds."
At the time, the consumer proposition of what would eventually become Mint Mobile was confusing, and it wasn't clear how consumers would benefit from switching to Mint. Aron and his team worked until they arrived at a clear insight that would define the company's early years: "How can it be any good if it's this cheap?"
Today on Building Better CMOs, he talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about what happened next, why marketers' opinions of a product don't matter, and hiring fiercely competitive “killers." They also discuss the importance of failing often, and the benefits of playing "jump ball" with creative teams. Plus: Why AI is overrated.