creativebrief: Why did you choose a career in marketing?

Jack Lowman: To make great things that make a great difference.

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

Jack Lowman: I think there are a few things that would be in my recipe: be a leader first, and a marketer second. Hire, develop and trust the best people. Be obsessed by audiences and their behaviours. Have a rigorous yet creatively brave approach. Know your business, and how your function adds value to it. Then demonstrate it. Genuinely care about the contribution your work makes. Kevin Murray, Chairman of the Good Relations Group, captured this spirit by saying: “I don’t care what you know until I know how much you care”.

creativebrief: And who is a great example of this?

Jack Lowman: Many of the marketing leaders that I have been lucky enough to meet through the Marketing Academy over the last year have demonstrated vast experience and belief in some of these principles. Sarah Warby (Sainsburys), Rufus Radcliffe (ITV) and Jenny Ashmore (SSE) all have their audiences at the heart of what they do.

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

Jack Lowman: We face some of the same challenges that we have always faced as marketers – understanding audiences, standing out, measurement and emerging technologies and markets. The difference is the speed of change, which is so rapid.

The current challenge is keeping up, being brave, moving fast and ensuring you learn as you go.

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

Jack Lowman: I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with the Marketing Academy over the last year, so I’ve had access to some incredible mentors who have helped me navigate the ever-changing landscape. I would encourage people to seek a mentor that operates in a different industry to theirs.

creativebrief: How does this impact your relationship with agencies?

Jack Lowman: The best agencies I’ve worked with are always open to ideas, collaboration and working towards shared objectives – so it can only be positive.

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

Jack Lowman: It’s all about the work – if the output delivers beyond the objective, is on time and in budget, then you know you have hired the right agency. Add a bit of fun, genuine passion for the brand and a focus on long term impact, then you have something special.

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

Jack Lowman: We recently launched our first major brand campaign in nearly a decade. ‘Learn the hard way’ will span TV, cinema, radio, out-of-home, print and social media. I felt immensely proud reading the hundreds of online comments from young people, the general public and staff who had got behind the advert.

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

Jack Lowman: Marketers need to be storytellers internally, as well as externally. Inspire your colleagues, demonstrate the value of marketing and build an environment for them to be advocates.

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

Jack Lowman: I’d describe myself as a generalist, with a focus on understanding how specialists’ skills, such as copywriting, search and social, all integrate for a wider purpose. That said, I’m a big believer in people turning their strengths into super powers, and utilising their specialist knowledge and passions to add value, whenever they can.