What makes a successful marketing professional? This time, I spoke to one of the most important CMOs in our country, Frank Pflaumer, CMO of Nestlé, and we had a super relaxed chat, talking about some relevant topics about the industry, scenarios and insights for those who want to make a difference in their career!
Thiego Goularte: Frank, what are you currently working on?
Frank Pflaumer: Now in the second half of January, on two specific and important projects: the first is the totally virtual National Sales Convention and the second is the virtual visit to the Brazilian market by the EVP and CEO of the Americas, Laurent Freixe. The first event will connect more than 11,000 people at the same time on a technological platform adapted for an event of this size, and will rely on many technological resources, both back and front-end, to ensure a stable transmission and participatory engagement of the sales team during the two days of the event.
The second event, the virtual visit, has the challenge that goes far beyond the business status presentations via streaming platform, widely exploited during 2020. We will make market visits, visiting customers from different channels in 3 regions of the country, as well as a very thorough visit to one of our manufacturing units that is installing new lines for new products from one of our segment-leading brands.
Thiego Goularte: We're living through COVID-19, how has it affected you personally?
Frank Pflaumer: It has affected everything my family and I do, in a way that is unprecedented in our lives. From increased hygiene and home protection procedures, a lot of home-office and even living with extended family in a distant and virtual way. It's been a period of a lot of learning and reflection, which is gradually being incorporated into our new routine from now on.
Thiego Goularte: You work for a world-renowned consumer goods company, what was 2020 like for you?
Frank Pflaumer: For the food and beverage sector in general, which has been considered an essential sector of the economy since the beginning of the pandemic, it has been a year of good results, despite the challenges we have had to face every day. It was no different for Nestlé. To name just one daily challenge, it was only possible to implement home-office for people working in offices. Of Nestlé's 30,000 employees in Brazil, the vast majority were on the front line, in their original jobs, whether in factories, Distribution Centers or at our Customers selling, delivering and restocking products on the shelves. In this context, the major mission was to protect the teams with the robust implementation of all the protocols indicated by the Health authorities, such as social distancing, the use of masks and other personal protective equipment, and the strengthening of common area hygiene protocols, already very strict at Nestlé in all our units.
Thiego Goularte: What effect has COVID-19 had on your marketing strategy?
Frank Pflaumer: Very big, making us rethink every aspect of our strategy, whether in form or content, even interfering in some cases in the decision between physical, digital and human.
Thiego Goularte: What has worked for you during the pandemic?
Frank Pflaumer: eCommerce, products that contribute to people's nutrition, health and well-being, the power of Nestlé's iconic brands and the Nestlé Recipes platform in serving people confined to their homes. Last but not least, donations and collaboration between companies for the benefit of small retailers, such as the WE Movement.
https://neofeed.com.br/blog/home/as-10-marcas-que-mais-causaram-impacto-positivo-a-sociedade-durante-a-covid-19/
Thiego Goularte: Are you working with the remote team? If so, how has the exchange with the team been?
Frank Pflaumer: We are working in hybrid mode and rotating staff in the offices in the different cities in which we operate. And, as I mentioned above, working on site in factories, DCs and in sales to the market.
The exchange between people and departments has become much more frequent and collaborative, which is the way we have found to face the opportunities and operational problems that come our way every day. This new way of working will be maintained post-pandemic, as it has brought a lot of flexibility and speed to the work between areas.
Thiego Goularte: After COVID-19, do you think marketers will change their concepts about the market, consumers and the like?
Frank Pflaumer: Yes, they will. And in the case of Nestlé, we already started this change during 2020, as discussions at operational meetings showed us that the lessons learned from the pandemic were just the beginning of a new cycle, and a point of no return.
Thiego Goularte: Consumers are constantly changing their habits and journeys, and 2020 has boosted this with the boom in deliveries and supermarket shopping, how are you measuring this?
Frank Pflaumer: Offline and online sales already warrant daily monitoring by Nestlé, and the KPIs remain the same. In 2020, due to the higher volume of online, we strengthened all of our online operating tools and platforms and went into greater detail about our JBPs (Joint Business Plans) with customers and partners.
Thiego Goularte: Is D2C a trend? And what moves are Nestlé making?
Frank Pflaumer: More than a trend, it's a reality. A reality that is essential for providing people and consumers with a unique and differentiated experience of our products and services. On the other hand, to give our brands direct access to primary data and valuable insights on a daily basis.
At Nestlé we have been experimenting a lot on various fronts and some cases have served to show us that we are on the right track. In 2019, we launched the Kit Kat brand's first physical store, the Kit Kat Chocolatory, which recently gained its online store. Nowhere else does the brand experience come close to what people find in the store at Shopping Morumbi and now also at other addresses, or here: http://www.kitkatchocolatory.com.br/.
Thiego Goularte: You have a CMO position in one of the best-known companies in the world. What's the bravest thing you've ever done that you're proud of?
Frank Pflaumer: The bravest thing I did was to change and face the consequences of those changes head on. As we say, "kick the ball and chase it". It's been 25 years in agencies, and so far 10 years at Nestlé. I've spent periods in the United States, Switzerland and Panama, in global, regional and local positions. All in all, 10 years away from Brazil, years of learning and many personal and professional challenges.
Thiego Goularte: What advice do you have for marketing professionals starting out in their careers?
Frank Pflaumer: Learn the concepts well, what's behind them, so you don't lose sight of the strategy and the long-term results. At the same time, on a day-to-day basis, focus on flawless execution, with a strong pulse on what's happening in the market, and have the courage to change course whenever your instinct shows you a more promising alternative direction.
Thiego Goularte: Since you follow trends, could you give us any tips on books or content you've been consuming?
Frank Pflaumer: I follow trends through a lot of reading, participating in discussions in various forums, always with my antenna on and open to learning. Today, I'm reading my second book by Brené Brown, The Courage to Lead, a topic that couldn't be more pertinent in today's times. I believe she wrote the book in 2018, but some of the concepts she articulated then hit home the pandemic challenges that professionals in our field are facing.
Thiego Goularte: What advice would you give younger Frank?
Frank Pflaumer: Take it easy, everything will work out!
