Joe Tripodi, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer of Coca-Cola, says, "Balance inspirational and operational marketing"

The Coca-Cola Company is in the early phases of a transformation into a total beverage company, according to Chief marketing and Commercial Officer Joe Tripodi. As part of his role, which he assumed in 2007, he’s taking a careful look at the need to balance inspirational marketing with operational marketing. “Particularly in these challenging economic times globally, it’s very important for marketers to be thinking about a whole host of operational marketing elements,” he says, citing examples, such as improved precision and targeting and more customer engagement through CRm systems.

                     

Inspiration marketing, according to Tripodi, involves a much deeper understanding of what drives buyer preference. His presentation will explore the topic further, including better use of digital and the Web to engage and retain customers. “My view is, if you think the 30-second television commercial is going to solve all of your problems, then I have some land to sell you,” he says, noting that his own organization is building up muscle and capability in digital. “We see a lot of studies that say 75 percent of consumers make decisions in the store. So they’re not really thinking about that great 30-second spot they saw the night before.”

            

A frequent participant at the Masters of Marketing, Tripodi describes the conference as “the epicenter of marketing leadership,” both a provoking forum and an opportunity to rub elbows with fellow marketers. “You feed off of that — you get juiced by it,” he says. “As a marketer, that’s something that you really look forward to.”

            

(As appeared in The Advertiser)