For a long time, the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) was considered a key part of brand leadership. It is increasingly becoming an invitation-only job, which tells us a lot about how businesses currently value (or don’t value) marketing.

A Seat at the Table That’s Not Always Guaranteed

Unlike CFOs and COOs, who are expected in the boardroom, CMOs often find themselves on the outside looking in. Some only receive an invitation into strategy conversations when a crisis occurs, such as declining sales, a brand blunder, or an impending product launch. Other businesses simply view them as campaign executors rather than as strategic influencers.

What is the problem? In today’s unpredictable, digital-first economy, marketing has emerged as one of the most important drivers of growth. Reducing the CMO function to “by invitation only” is short-term thinking that impedes long-term success.

The Strategic Blind Spot

When organizations exclude CMOs from early decisions, they risk the following:

• Misaligned strategy: Marketing teams must “retrofit” messages to business choices they had no hand in making.
• Ignoring the market: CMOs understand the shifts in cultural trends and customer behavior. When companies ignore this, they are effectively ignoring the market itself.
• Eroding brand value: Short-term cash wins can hurt brand value over time if marketing is not involved.

Reclaiming the Role

The task for CMOs is clear: earn a continuous invitation. They can do this by:

• Speaking the language of business: They must speak the language of finance, growth, and risk, not just campaigns.
• Demonstrating impact: They need to show marketing’s measured effect on sales and market share.
• Balancing short-term wins with long-term health: Short-term performance wins should align with long-term brand health.

“CMO by invitation” transcends mere terminology; it highlights the precarious nature of marketing’s impact within numerous organizations. The future of this role hinges on CMOs transforming their position from mere guests at the strategy table to becoming essential hosts of growth.

ALSO WATCH MARKETING EDGE ONTV