'Marketing is more important than ever': Serviceplan CEO at European CMO of the Year awards

Speaking to Euronews, Serviceplan Group CEO Florian Haller said marketing has evolved far beyond traditional advertising, and now sits at the centre of the "whole customer journey" where "data, technology and creativity" meet. Marketing has never had more influence over how companies engage with consumers, but according to Florian Haller, many business leaders still underestimate its role. Speaking to Euronews just after the inaugural European CMO of the Year Awards in Cannes this week, the CEO of Serviceplan Group said marketing has evolved far beyond traditional advertising. "We are now responsible for the whole customer journey," said Haller. The awards, launched with the support of Serviceplan Group alongside the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, is a new accolade aimed at recognising the continent's most influential marketing leaders. This year's inaugural winner was Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group. She was selected from a shortlist of 28 other CMOs, from household giants like LEGO, Ferrari, Coca-Cola and L'Oréal. In an interview with Euronews, Haller discussed why he created the award, how artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing, and why Europe remains such a unique environment for brand-building. Euronews Culture: You're essentially the brain behind the European CMO of the Year Award. How did you come up with the idea, and why now? Florian Haller: I believe very much that marketing is more important than ever. There are several factors contributing to that. One of them is that we are now responsible for the whole customer journey. It's getting more complex, with data, technology and creativity all coming together. There are different factors indicating that marketing is becoming more important. The thing is, it's still a well-kept secret. When you talk to CFOs or CEOs, very often they still have an old picture of marketing in their minds - that it's about funny pictures, visuals and whatever. That well-kept secret needs to be lifted. I think the best way to communicate that marketing is such an essential value driver for a company is to bring the stories - and the people behind those stories - to life. That's why we're celebrating the European CMO as an exceptional example of successful marketing. With LEGO and Julia Goldin, we've found somebody who clearly demonstrates that marketing can move a big company. Was there not a concern among some about the 'dark arts' being revealed? Not everyone want to know how sausages are made, so to speak. We're not afraid of that. Honestly, there are people who think that way, but I'm different. I always believe that if we understand whD works and what doesn't work, and we share those learnings, then we as an industry become more effective. We become better, and we learn from each other. I think openness is more successful than keeping a secret to yourself. There are national CMO awards taking place in countries including Germany, Italy and Switzerland. What lessons have you learned from those that have helped you build the larger European event? The key thing is the guests. You want to have a great group of CMOs because, at the end of the day, it's not only about the award. It's also about creating a community of CMOs who exchange ideas, share learnings, benefit from each other and make these events enjoyable. To attract the right people, they need to know that the award is serious and that there's a mechanism behind it that's more than simply electing a friend. That's why we always have a system where CMOs select the CMO of the Year. I think that's important. Once you've done that, it almost goes by itself. In a time when artificial intelligence is presenting both challenges and opportunities, how do you see it affecting the role of CMOs? In the end, AI is going to make us more powerful. It will make us better. One of the issues I currently see in the discussion around AI, particularly in Germany, is that everybody is talking about how to cut costs, reduce spending and make things more efficient. Personally, I think AI will make us more effective. It will help us become stronger, create better work and deliver more personalised approaches to people. That's what we should be focusing on more. Is there a different approach between countries when it comes to marketing, and what criteria are you imposing for choosing the European CMO of the Year? The principal criteria for a successful CMO are honestly the same across countries. It's about effectiveness and the ability to build a brand based on results. It also involves international or regional brand management, sustainability considerations and other factors. The way you run a brand obviously differs from culture to culture and from country to country. That's why I find Europe particularly interesting. We have so many cultures in such a small space. There are so many different languages, traditions and target groups. Where do you see the awards in three to five years' time? We've only just started with the European CMO award. Honestly, I would love to make this the flagship event that we have. I think Cannes is the perfect place to do it because so many European marketers come here. Let's see whether we do something similar for the US market in the medium term. But for now, we're just getting started. Looking more broadly at Serviceplan, where do you see the company's future and what direction would you like to take it in? We are an ambitious group. We enjoy growth and we enjoy development. We always tell new talent joining us that, unlike some of the larger groups, we're not finished yet. We're not a ready-made organisation. Things are still developing a great deal. The first area is further digitalising our business and making even better use of the connection between technology, creativity and media. Secondly, we're organised around Houses of Communication, where creative, media and technology expertise are brought together under one roof. Integrating those three disciplines even more effectively is another important growth path. The third area is expanding our international business. We still have significant room to grow in Europe, the Middle East, the United States and China. We're certainly not lacking opportunities for growth, and we're not ready to slow down just yet.