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Penny Herriman
Global Brand Director at Boden
Ben Somerset-How
Client Director Creativebrief
Penny is Global Brand Director at Boden, responsible for driving awareness of the brand in overseas markets.
Before Boden Penny was CEO of Isobar, where she sat on the Aegis UK executive board. She was also CEO of WCRS after 10 years at BBH.
Penny is a member of WACL and was a member of the executive committee between 2009 and 2011.
creativebrief: As Global Brand Director, what is your primary focus?
Penny Herriman: That’s simple. The customer. Kate Richmond as we call her here at Boden. Focus on getting it right for her and the rest will come. Shifting from inside-out marketing to outside-in.
creativebrief: What is the biggest issue for your brand today and how are you addressing it?
Penny Herriman: Giving Kate a consistently brilliant customer experience. We’ve just done a great piece of work with our agency where we’ve mapped out in some detail the different customer journeys and how each touch-point has to work. Identifying where the emotional highs and lows are and what we can do to strengthen the highs and address the lows. Bringing that granular engineer mind-set into the broader marketing mix.
creativebrief: Is there a broader initiative that you are driving for the brand outside of the day to day?
Penny Herriman: Future British. We recently teamed up with the British Fashion Council to launch a new initiative created to support emerging British designers as they grow. Future British, led by Boden, will support men's, women's or accessories talents over a 12-month period - offering not just financial support but also mentoring in areas including product development, brand identity, PR and marketing, as well as access to Boden's 1.5 million-strong global customer base.
creativebrief: What attributes do you think are required for success for a CMO today?
Penny Herriman: A broad skill set wrapped up in brilliant inspiring leadership. A deep understanding of the customer – how they view your brand and product every day. An understanding of technology, existing and emerging – embrace a digital mind-set.
creativebrief: What work are you most proud of over the course of your career?
Penny Herriman: Some brilliant creative output at BBH – Levi’s, Lynx, Barnardo’s to name a few. Also making the leap from leading a traditional agency to leading a digital agency and transforming it into a very successful one. And finally going client-side and making Boden talked about and loved again.
creativebrief: Industry-wide what work has excited you the most this year?
Penny Herriman: Deliveroo. By stealth has disrupted the market, benefiting both their end customer and their Clients.
creativebrief: Can you tell us about your involvement with WACL?
Penny Herriman: I have been a proud member of WACL since 2009. Over the years I have been part of the Exec committee and part of the Gather team. There is still a need to develop more future female leaders and I feel determined to play a part in this. Far too often talented female leaders do not speak up and go unnoticed. We need to inspire them with confidence so they are able to step up and get to the very top of organisations.
creativebrief: What’s your attitude to the ‘traditional’ pitch?
Penny Herriman: Great output comes from great relationships. Great relationships do not come out of traditional pitches. Relationships develop over a period of time. First and foremost your partners have to be really good but if you don’t like them and there is no chemistry then it is doomed. I want to reap the rewards as quickly as possible so will always prefer to start with people I know and respect. People that I want to spend time with, to discuss and solve my business challenges.
References
Boden hires Penny Herriman as first global brand director
Boden has appointed former Isobar CEO Penny Herriman to fill the newly-created role of global brand director, handing her responsibility for driving awareness of the quintessentially British brand in overseas markets.
Future British
Boden and the British Fashion Council are excited to announce the launch of Future British – a brand new collaboration that will support new British designers (men’s, women’s or accessories) as they build their businesses in the fashion arena.
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