Interview with Mark Power from Podean, Co-Author of “Amazon for CMOs" - Episode 99

THE “AMAZON FOR CMOS” SERIES

 

DESCRIPTION

This is another episode in our Amazon For CMOs podcast series, where we're talking to retail executives and CMOs to find out what they are doing, regarding Amazon, in their companies. 

Today we're sharing Kiri's conversation with Mark Power, the co-author of her new book, Amazon for CMO's. Creating the book was a challenging two-part process for them, which involved first putting all the content together, and then getting people to care about it. And all of this with a looming deadline! In today's episode, Kiri and Mark talk about how the book came to be, and why they chose the approach that they did, which was to focus on the voice of the industry through interviews with actual CMOs and practitioners.

Mark Power has been in the field of digital marketing and media for more than twenty years. He has a broad base of experience, having previously owned his own email marketing business and digital agency. About five years ago, he became part of a public group, IPG, where he led a mobile and innovation agency. This gave him a springboard into the world of digital commerce. He then launched his own agency, Podean. Podean consider themselves the marketplace marketing experts and they help brands navigate all the opportunities presented by Amazon in the emerging marketplaces. Tune in today, to find out what Mark has to share.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Mark found that a lot of the larger agencies were falling behind when it came to the opportunity around Amazon.

  • For their book, Kiri and Mark interviewed about fifteen CMOs, COOs, head of Amazon, senior folks at CPG brands, brands that sell on Amazon, and even one or two people who don't sell on Amazon but leverage Amazon's media capabilities.

  • Kiri explains why they chose to do the voice of the industry.

  • Kiri talks about the approach that they have taken with this book.

  • Kiri and Mark feel that they have given a well-rounded view of the landscape in their book.

  • There is a lot of content available when it comes to Amazon, particularly around the marketplace and selling on Amazon, but that's not what they are amplifying in this book.

  • The book contains a whole new set of formulas, and it explains how to approach Amazon from a strategic standpoint.

  • They are also planning to launch this book as an audiobook. 

  • Kiri and Mark discuss some of the key themes of the book.

  • Different brands choose to engage with Amazon in very different ways.

  • Some of the brands discussed in the book have chosen not to engage with Amazon, however, they do have a strategy.

  • The Amazon economy really needs to be taken seriously.

  • There is still a lot of confusion with executives around Amazon's long-term strategies, and Amazon's complexity is still quite daunting.

  • The automotive industry is looking for ways to partner with Amazon.

  • Some of the things that Mark and Kiri found to be surprising when gathering the information for their book.

  • Some brands have been using Amazon as an innovation platform.

  • Kiri and Mark hope to encourage people with this book.

  • The Kindle version of the book will be available for free on Amazon for the week of September 24th.

RESOURCES

  • Amazon For CMOs website - www.amazonforcmos.com

  • Mark’s agency website - https://www.podean.com/

  • For the first few days after the launch of “Amazon For CMOs”, on September 24th, the Kindle version of the book will be available for free! So sign up to get your copy. Go to www.amazonforcmos.com to sign up for our email list and to be notified of the launch.


QUOTES

Mark's quotes:

  • "I've been across the digital spectrum but I ended up, about five years ago, in a public group where I was leading a mobile and innovation agency, which then gave me a springboard into this world of digital commerce."

  • "A while back I launched my own agency, called Podean. We're the marketplace marketing experts but we are really here to help brands navigate all the opportunities presented by Amazon on these emerging marketplaces."

  • "There is so much content out there when it comes to Amazon, particularly around the marketplace and selling on Amazon side of things, and how to be the best seller you can be. But that's not what we're amplifying in this book."

  • "In this book, it's really a whole new set of formulas, and how to approach Amazon from a strategic standpoint."

  • "The only failing strategy is to not have a strategy, or just to completely ignore Amazon."  

Kiri's quotes: 

  • "We wanted to do the voice of the industry, rather than the book just being Kiri and Mark telling you how to do Amazon." 

  • "We wanted to bring the voice of the industry in because I think Mark and I have both realized that people want to learn from their peers, not just someone sitting on a pedestal."

  • "People want to learn from their peers and they want to have more easy access to some of these conversations that are going on at happy hours, and retail conferences. They want to find out what CMOs and retail executives are saying to each other in confidence, about some of the challenges and opportunities about Amazon." 

  • "In the book, we have this continuum of brands and how engaged they are with Amazon." 

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