The CMO Journal's 2023-in-review
Looking back at the year that was, plus the best essays of 2023
Another year of marketing, another year of learning, and another year of living. You can’t get all of the above right at all times, but we try, don’t we? Sometimes that’s all we can do.
This was one of those years for me. I got a lot right, not a lot wrong, but it still wasn’t a year that was a complete success. I also don’t know what that means, but I think I will know when I do have an year like that.
I already went over a year of marketing at Atomicwork in my last post. And I’ll repeat: It was a far more satisfying year at work that I have had for while. I’m thankful to my team at Atomicwork for giving me the opportunity to do that; I wanted it desperately, and I was able to do at least 60-70% of what I aimed for.
I’m hungrier for a lot more in 2024, and I have a plan.
But before I let go of this year and move on to the next, I wanted to look back at the 5 favourite essays I wrote. I also wrote a lot less than I wanted to, but as I said, there was a lot of work, and there was a lot of life.
Here you go, then. Please revisit, read, and share.
1. This breakdown of an ad’s making was my most-read piece this year.
How Stoa created and launched their new brand campaign
Last week, Stoa, the alternative MBA program I teach content marketing at, released a brand campaign. It was immediately all over social media. One reason for the buzz is that Stoa is a social-native brand, fuelled by the frenetic community of young people that have filled its cohorts. The other reason is that the spots were genuinely great, and spoke t…
2. I enjoyed analysing and writing this piece on startup comms a lot. Also probably because it was a bit too close to home.
How bad communication brought down Silicon Valley Bank
I first read about bank runs as an economics student, in historian Niall Ferguson’s book The Ascent of Money. It seemed an archaic concept, something that used to happen long ago. But then Silicon Valley Bank collapsed. I was stunned, as was most of the technology crowd in India. Silicon Valley Bank is an institution we know intimately. I knew Freshworks …
3. This essay is important to me in a lot of ways, and has a postscript I’ll work on this year.
Why writing is the foundation of your brand marketing
First Round Capital was founded in 2004. It is a respected venture capital institution, and not just because it makes good investments and backs founders. It is also because First Round built, in First Round Review, one of the biggest content marketing success stories in the industry. Literally every content marketer in startups knows First Round Review…
4. This is a good guide to brand building for your career.
How to use content to stand out and build a personal brand
I took a course on content marketing last year, and included a bonus session on personal branding. This was usually the last hour, and I kept it open ended. I always started the session with this story: A friend of mine had reached out to me a few years ago. He was older, having spent more than 10 years at an IT services company, one of the big behemoth…
5. Another favourite, this is a list of advice I myself go back to often.
5 ideas I’ve stolen from people I've worked with
Over the years, all of us accumulate certain bits and pieces of advice, hacks, tips, and learned wisdom that become our little mental model of the world. I have these too, the shorter ones of which I write down on stickies and put up around my desk. They are great reminders during a workday, especially if you need a confidence boost.
As always, thank you a lot for reading, folks. It is because you read that I write.
For 2024, there will a lot of marketing, reading, and living. Which is what I wish for you too. Happy new year to you and yours, from me and mine. :)