Check out our Predictions 2017: The Post-Digital CMO Appears piece that just went live this morning.

We can’t help but think CMOs feel a great deal of empathy for the characters in, Game of Thrones.  Westeros is a cutthroat environment riddled with cunning strategy, but also a profound amount of character turnover, shall we say. Marketing is no less strategic, what with digital disruption, an evolving customer base, and brand strategy calculus also creating drama and departures.

So in 2017,  what will smart  CMOs do to survive until  2018? CMOs must demonstrate their  brands’ promises everywhere.  Specifically:  evolve their brand and CX strategies to close the distance between brands.  We expect that:

Brands will go Post Digital. To customers, there are no longer boundaries between the digital and the physical worlds.  CMOs who get this will work to connect with customers emotionally, create one-to-moment, personalized interactions, and  stress a human, helpful, and handy charter as the guiding principles of their marketing efforts.  

Organizations will update talent and structure. The scramble to do the right thing by empowered customers next year will finally force CMOs to consider the skills shortage ever-present on their teams.  This will lead to much needed training of existing talent and realigning teams with brand visions and customer needs.

And what comes of CMOs who shun the Post Digital shift? Spoiler alert: We expect roughly a third of CMOs find themselves dusting off the old resume while they catch-up on the last season of Game of Thrones.

CMOs, see what is in store for you next year and let us know what you think.