Podcast: Mark Appel (Exact) over digitale transformatie, cultuur en Max Verstappen

HelloMasters is de tweewekelijkse podcast van HelloMaaS, waarin Louise Doorn spreekt met de huidige en toekomstige leiders in de Nederlandse marketingscène. CEO’s en CMO’s spreken over de staat van marketing, en de successen én twijfelmomenten uit hun loopbaan. In deze aflevering een gesprek met Mark Appel, Global Marketing Director bij Exact.

Onze gast in de veertiende aflevering van deze podcast-serie mag met recht een marketingveteraan worden genoemd. Mark Appel sloot bij ons aan in de VondelCS Studio in Amsterdam om te praten over digitale transformatie, belangrijke skill sets, Max Verstappen en de juiste bedrijfscultuur.

“CEO’s zouden marketing niet te veel als kostenpost moeten benaderen”

Mark begon zijn carrière bij Apple, als Account Executive. Zonder afgeronde studie was de sales-rol er een die hij eigen kon maken: “I do not have such a theoretical background, which means I am a pragmatic guy. I start doing things, roll up my sleeves.” Zo schoof Mark alle bestaande sales decks aan de kant en creëerde hij zijn eigen om mee te werken. Het eigenlijke begin van zijn marketing: “I always try to create my own story”.

Inmiddels is Mark al 15-20 jaar werkzaam in marketing, waarvan de laatste acht jaar bij Exact. Ik vroeg hem naar de opkomst van digital marketing en transformatie. Hij geeft aan: “Eight years ago I started that digital transformation. But I just didn’t call it that way”. Hij vervolgt: “Without a plan up front regarding digital transformation, we just started. We adopted the possibilities of technology at that moment”.

Als tips voor CEO’s geeft hij aan dat ze vooral marketing niet teveel vanuit het oogpunt van een kostenpost moeten benaderen: “CEO’s tend to see marketing as a cost centre, but it really is a growth engine”. Hij is stellig over hoe hij erover denkt en hoe het bij Exact gaat. Wat betreft budgettering is er zelden een discussie, omdat men het belang en de opbrengst van marketing ziet: “If we want to grow, then we also need to grow our marketing budgets. That’s a given fact.”

Het Max-effect

Het bedrijf is sinds 2015 sponsor van Max Verstappen. Een erg leuke en leerzame partnership, zo geeft Mark aan. In het begin wilde men al te graag Max als persoon en merknaam overal voor inzetten, maar de data gaf anders aan: “We are using Max especially in the upper funnel area and then also mainly in events.” Ook had het aantrekken van Max effect op het bedrijf intern: “Everyone was really proud to have Max within the team. Also with employee branding it helped a lot. We were able to attract people we couldn’t reach before.”

Met de opkomst van nieuwe technologieën en digitale transformatie hoort ook experimentatie. Vragend naar hoe Mark dit zo goed mogelijk probeert te stimuleren binnen het bedrijf, antwoordt hij: “I really believe that things start at the top. Looking at the teams that I’m responsible for, I need to create an environment where they feel – let’s say – encouraged to fail.” Dit is volgens Mark echt waar de crux zit: “Even if you see that things are going wrong, let it happen. That’s how you learn.”

Wij begrijpen dat je soms kortstondig specifieke kennis nodig hebt. Benieuwd hoe jij jouw in-house marketing team op een flexibele manier kunt opzetten? Op HelloMaaS kun je direct connecten met marketing freelancers. Meer weten? Klik hier.

Onderwerpen

[00:00:00] Intro HelloMasters

[00:01:05] Intro Mark Appel

[00:01:15] Intro HelloMaaS

[00:02:00] Mark en het begin van zijn carrière bij Apple

[00:03:28] CX = BB x DG

Customer Experience is the combination of Brand Building and Demand Generation.

[00:04:15] Mark over Ironman Triathlon

I’m always looking for the max. Out of myself, out of my teams.

[00:06:00] Bio hacking

I do not have such a theoretical background, which means I am a pragmatic guy. I start doing things, roll up my sleeves. – Mark. I believe in organic growth, I believe in serendipity. That’s how I live and how I act.

[00:07:00] Mark z’n carriere tussen Apple en Exact

I didn’t have a study, so I started in sales.

[00:08:22] Omlooptijd van een marketing lead

I think about ten years ago, technological developments within marketing were accelerating. I like technology, I like to adopt it, which brought me to Exact.

[00:09:45] Belang van product in het team

I strongly believe that product and marketing will integrate with each other.

[00:11:25] Digitale transformatie bij Exact

Eight years ago I started that digital transformation. But I didn’t call it that way. It was maybe more digital marketing.

Without a plan up front regarding digital transformation, we just started. [..] Right now we’re in the middle of it. It was not a pre-defined plan, rather just adopting the possibilities of technology. – Mark

[00:13:15] Tips

I hear that people still need to explain to their marketing manager, director, or even CMO, that digital is becoming an important part in the marketing arena. If you still have to explain this, you lost a battle and are way off. CEO’s tend to see marketing as a cost centre, but it really is a growth engine.

If we want to grow, then we also need to grow our marketing budgets. That’s a given fact. – Mark

[00:16:15] Team van Exact en skill sets

I want to build up knowledge and skill sets within the company. I want to be less dependent on external companies or agencies. – Mark. Marketing is about building reach and trying to recognize behavior. – Mark

We can never outsource our problem.

[00:19:10] Scrum methodologie

The scrum master is the owner of the process and the people manager. Each team is end-to-end responsible for their efforts. Scrum is about self-steering teams, which means responsibility. You need to be even more involved. – Mark

[00:21:25] Marketing Mix en Max Verstappen

We were able to see where Max works within the marketing mix, and where he doesn’t. It didn’t work as well in the bottom or the middle of the funnel as it did in the upper funnel.

[00:24:20] Diversity

Diversity is something we pay a lot of attention to.

[00:25:05] Leermomenten van Mark

We really try to get traction internationally and we learned that every country has its own story.

[00:27:45] Bouwen van een bedrijfscultuur

I really believe that things start at the top. Looking at the teams that I’m responsible for, I need to create an environment where they feel – let’s say – encouraged to fail.

[00:30:00] Belang van freelancers

We have freelancers in our company, but for very specific areas. But I first want ourselves to have an understanding of our problem and how to solve it.

[00:32:00] Advies voor 21-jarige Mark

Be patient and believe in yourself. Do the things that you believe should be done. I see myself in the youngsters in our company. We see and recognize their talent, so be confident that you will be able to leverage that talent. And we will give you that opportunity.

[00:33:40] Nieuwe managen

I give them a lot of freedom, but also a lot of responsibility. And I really try to make them understand what responsibility is about.

[00:37:08] Outro