CHALLENGING CONVENTION IN CHALLENGING TIMES

As marketers, we make hundreds of strategic decisions each year, but only rarely do we step back to challenge the underlying assumptions built into our existing marketing models. “We have the money”, “We’ve always done it this way”, “everyone else is doing it” … it’s often too easy for us to fall back on such conventions, especially in a low-risk industry. But challenging times, by necessity, have forced many of us to challenge how we take our brands to market and remain competitive in this zero-growth industry environment. Jim Weber of Comerica Bank will discuss some of the more unique approaches he has taken to solving the daunting challenges facing his function and his company, while also sharing insights gleaned from a career spent mostly outside of the financial services industry.