Making the Case: How a CMO Can Prove Brand's Value to the CFO

Not to review spending Not to justify a line item But to make a case a compelling datainformed businessminded case that brand is not just a marketing concept but a core driver of enterprise valueAt the Association of National Advertisers ANA weamp8217ve reimagined the brand practice around one core truth Brand is not fluff Brand is not veneer Brand is strategy The companies that internalize this truth are the ones that outperform in the market in valuation and in consumer loyalty over timeSo when the CMO sits across the table from the CFO hereamp8217s how they should show up as a business partner not a budget requesterStep 1 Start With the Language of Value CreationBrand marketers love the language of storytelling equity and emotional connection and rightly so But a CFO operates in the language of return margins and asset performanceSo translateDonamp8217t say amp8220brand loveamp8221 say customer preference and price elasticityDonamp8217t say amp8220awarenessamp8221 say market penetrationDonamp8217t say amp8220brand refreshamp8221 say asset optimizationRemember brand is an assetamp8230 sometimes the most valuable one a company owns In fact in many Fortune 500 companies brand value constitutes more than 20 of total market capitalization If your CFO cares about assets under management remind them that the brand is one they already own and one whose value can be grown with intentionStep 2 Present Brand as a Multiplier of Business PerformanceBrand doesnamp8217t exist apart from business performance it amplifies it As the ANAamp8217s own research and leading industry voices like WARC Kantar and the EhrenbergBass Institute have shown the most effective campaigns amp8211 those that drive longterm sales growth are those that build both brand and demandShow how investment in brand strengthensPricing power enabling you to sell at premium vs discountCustomer acquisition cost lower CAC through brand familiarityLTV longerterm customer retention through emotional loyalty andEmployee productivity through internal alignment on mission and valuesStep 3 Demonstrate Measurement MaturityCFOs are trained to be skeptical of things that canamp8217t be measuredGoodMeet them there Show them that brand can be measured and that modern marketers are doing it more rigorously than ever beforeFrom brand equity tracking to econometric modeling from brand valuation frameworks to advanced MMM and MTA integrations bring the receiptsDonamp8217t just say amp8220Trust me it mattersamp8221 Say amp8220Hereamp8217s the data that shows our brand work last year lifted total revenue by X and hereamp8217s how that breaks down by channel and campaignamp8221Step 4 Align on Strategic HorizonCFOs often manage quarterly pressures CMOs need to balance that with longterm brand healthBut hereamp8217s the insight brand is the ultimate longterm growth engineShorttermism is tempting especially in uncertain economic climates But the most successful companies know how to build for both the next quarter and the next decadeIf you can align with your CFO on a shared understanding of both time horizons and show how brand investment now leads to compounding returns you earn credibility not as a dreamer but as a strategic investor in the businessStep 5 Be Their Partner in Risk ManagementBrand is not just about aspiration Itamp8217s also about protectionA strong brand can protect the company from reputational risk It can defend market share in a downturn It can help stabilize pricing even when competitors race to the bottomYour CFO manages financial risk Let them know youamp8217re managing reputational and competitive risk And that brand is your tool to do itIn Closing Brand as a Boardroom PriorityA modern CMO must be a growth strategist not just a marketing tactician And a CFO who embraces brand as a business asset becomes a more holistic steward of enterprise valueThis is the moment to elevate the conversation Not about spending but about investment Not about perception but about performanceBecause at the end of the day brand isnamp8217t just what people think of youItamp8217s what theyamp8217re willing to pay forItamp8217s why they choose youAnd itamp8217s the most scalable competitive advantage a company can buildSo bring the numbers Bring the vision And make the case with confidenceBrand is valuable Itamp8217s your job to prove itPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

Click to Make Your 2025 Contribution to Support the MediaVillage Education Foundation

Making the Case: How a CMO Can Prove Brand's Value to the CFO

Author

Publish date

Channel

Stephanie Fierman

The Ad Council, Huntsman Mental Health Foundation and Amazon Announce “The Mind Set” to Support Mental Health - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

Click to Make Your 2025 Contribution to Support the MediaVillage Education Foundation

Making the Case: How a CMO Can Prove Brand's Value to the CFO

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Stephanie Fierman

TAGS:

The Ad Council, Huntsman Mental Health Foundation and Amazon Announce “The Mind Set” to Support Mental Health - Ad Council InSites

The payment was successful

Cookies