Uniliver CMO Talks This Internet Thing is Big

Lever's CMO Throws Down the Social-Media Gauntlet (Advertising Age)
Unilever Chief Marketing Officer Simon Clift said:

"No matter how big your advertising spending, small groups of consumers on a tiny budget might hijack the conversation," he said. "So this internet thing is much bigger and more interesting than just finding successors to TV advertising."

PR seems to be having a central role in marketing communications. Advertising can support PR but can't be a central player in many cases.
Five new rules for marketing:

1. Listening to consumers is more important than talking at them


2. You can't hide the corporation behind the brand anymore -- or even fully separate the two.


3. PR is a primary concern for every CMO and brand manager.


4. Cause marketing isn't about philanthropy, it's about "enlightened self-interest."


5. Social media is not a strategy. You need to understand it, and you'll need to deploy it as a tactic. But remember that the social graph just makes it even more important that you have a good product.