RoguemarketerSergioZyman,formerChiefMarketingOfficerforCocaCola,revealsforthefirsttimehisphilosophyof‘neo-marketing’.
SergioZyman–akaAya-cola–hasjuststeppeddownfrombeingchiefmarketingofficerforCocaCola.TenyearsagohehadthedubiousdistinctionoflaunchingNewCoke–oneofthebestdocumentedandmostspectacularmarketingfailuresofalltime.Butjust79dayslaterthereturnofClassicCokeproducedthebiggestone-yearriseeverinthebrand’ssales.Zymanlearnt–andtaughtothers–importantlessonsabouttheemotionalbondofconsumerstotheproduct.ThelateCokeCEO,RobertGoizuetasaid‘IfIcouldhaveaNewCokesituationeverydayIwould.Absolutely’.
Zymanisflamboyantandcontroversial,withanappropriatelyfizzypersonality.Lastyearhereceivedarecordsalaryof$412,000plusabonusof$305,000.InTheEndofMarketingAsWeKnowIthewillrevealforthefirsttimehisphilosophyofmarketing,which,hesays,isnotwhateveryonethinksitisabout.Hewillofferuphisownbrandof‘neo-marketing’basedonthenotionthat‘advertisingandpromotionaresupposedtosellmorestuff’.
Cokeisoneoftheworld’smostpowerfulandsymbolicbrands;thisaccountofeventstherebyitschiefmarketingofficerpromisestobeeducational,instructive,controversialandentertaining–amustreadforanyoneinvolvedinthemarketingbusiness.