creativebrief: Why did you choose a career in marketing?

Neil Costello: The right side of the brain controlling creativity has always been the guiding light for my career. As an art student with a bent for graphic design the large corporate environment appealed as an opportunity to test and hone these skills in the marketing department.

creativebrief: What do you think makes a successful career in marketing?

Neil Costello: A mentor on the Marketing Academy shared his thoughts and provocations with me on this many years ago and I hold them dear to my heart today. Ask yourself three questions about your marketing career (or any discipline for that matter); do you enjoy it? Are you learning? Can you influence the outcome? If you can answer all 3 with a yes you can say you are having a successful career. If it ever gets to 1 out of 3 be true to yourself and make the right decision for you and your organisation.

creativebrief: And who is a great example of this?

Neil Costello: It’s hard for me to look beyond our very own CMO, and president of the Marketing Society. Amanda Mackenzie. Responsible for delivering ‘arguably the slickest corporate rebrand in history’ as quoted by the Times, Amanda has been a beacon for our organisation and our marketers since joining in 2008. She is a figurehead for our industry and beyond, such as her role with Lord Davies to produce the Women on Boards report, and has such an infectious personality that I can’t help but think she must adhere to the principles above one way or the other.

creativebrief: What do you think are the main challenges facing marketers today?

Neil Costello: Technology. Technology is a major driver of consumer behaviour, impacting all aspects of our lives. Whilst we are in an unparalleled era of exciting times for marketers we must still maintain the focus on consumer needs, preferences and demands. Particularly in the service sector we shouldn’t be using technology because we can, we should use it because it fulfils a need. Responding to the trends, not the fads, and intelligent use of data that allows businesses to reach customers on a personal level will be crucial.

creativebrief: How do you keep up with constant stream of innovation in marketing comms?

Neil Costello: A balance between insights from the lead agencies we work with and social media. Bleeding-edge thinking and creativity more often than not can be found in the social space if you’re listening in the right places. I actively take time every day to keep up to date, with the old-fashioned pen and paper being the repository for ideas that spark the imagination or challenge my thinking.

I do take the time to sit back from it all and soak it in, this period of exponential change ensure that the future of marketing is far more exciting than the past.

creativebrief: How does this impact your relationship with agencies?

Neil Costello: I believe purist marketing agencies have to find their niche and specialism as players in the traditional consultancy space begin to encroach on their thinking with opinions on technology and data. Those who try to be all things to all men will struggle against nimble, focussed competitors. Given the digital disruption that is taking place I expect, even more so, our agencies to collaborate harder together with us – all sides want the relationship to be a winning one so we have to act as one.  

What I would say, and particularly with the rise of LinkedIn where prospecting is going through the roof, agencies large and small, have to focus on effective relationships. I recently had the chance to discuss this with smaller agencies at one of the fantastic Art of New Business events and, just as in traditional social channels, getting noticed in a way that doesn’t alienate the client is crucial. I don’t want to hear about how you have delivered x in sector y – that is irrelevant to me. I want to hear how you understand my challenges.

creativebrief: How do you know if you’re getting the best from your agencies?

Neil Costello: Given our size we have a core roster of lead agencies and to ensure both parties are feeling the value of the relationship we have regular performance reviews. These help is focus on the most important challenges we face together and enable us to manage performance, both client and agency side. The sign of a healthy relationship is that nothing comes as surprise to both parties when the reviews come around.

creativebrief: Of your recent work, what makes you particularly proud and why?

Neil Costello: Aviva has recently launched Aviva Drive, an app designed to make insurance fairer by assessing how you drive rather than who you are. When we first launched, the app was conceived as mass market, however take-up was much higher amongst men. Our marketing teams were keen to understand how it could be developed further and so my research team got involved. We recruited to test the product live and to track experiences and found that customers found it added flavour and stimulus to something that can be routinely dull. We found it played the same role as apps for cycling and running, makes the routine more interesting and is like a data companion or friend alongside. User enjoyment, utility and discovery all together – the success requirements for any app. We have taken these insights and harnessed them in our latest advertising, real insights to real action.

creativebrief: How do you think marketers can raise the profile of marketing within their organisations?

Neil Costello: Commerciality. If you are client-side know the P&L inside out, know what metrics you are driving across paid, owned or earned media, and the value that brings to your business. Then take accountability for the targets. Be forensic in your understanding. In doing so, you will give yourself the permission to try out the innovative new ways of doing things that marketers crave.

creativebrief: Do you see yourself as a generalist or a specialist, does it matter?

Neil Costello: A generalist – and I think this is deeply important. The more disciplines of marketing you learn about and influence, the better marketer you will become. Don’t underestimate the value of stepping out and testing yourself in the sales or service arena to increase your understanding; you will come back an even more powerful marketer.