Marketing Today With Alan Hart

Phil Clement is the global CMO for Aon, the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resource solutions. He's a rare breed: he's been CMO at Aon for more than 12 years — a position with an average tenure of only 23 months. He attributes his longevity to utilizing a consultant's approach in getting people to buy in on ideas and projects and understanding that, as CMO, you are a member of the C-suite team — you can't have a strategy that is divorced or disconnected from the company vision and team alignment.One key for Clement in leading branding efforts on a global scale is to let the "local jazz" come through when interpreting the "sheet music" of the brand instead of strictly adhering to brand standards: "The essence of brands translates, but it won't always translate in the same exact manner." He also believes listening is critical in understanding the operational differences among cultures. "You can't spend enough time listening…and