5 reasons why centralised marketing ecosystems deliver more
More, more, more…
It’s the same old story: your marketing department need more! More content, more talent, and more capabilities –– they want it all faster, cheaper, and done better than the competition. But in a world where many brands’ marketing ecosystems have developed naturally over time, marketing departments often come to realise that their decentralised setup is not well-equipped to deliver on their need for more.
Decentralised marketing ecosystems seem like an easy fix. When regional marketing departments don’t have the time or resources to handle campaign development and asset production, they turn to agencies and external suppliers to get the job done. So far, so good. But as brands grow and circumstances shift, the disconnect between marketing HQ and their siloed regional branches increases. Corporate identities lose consistency, budgets become less transparent, and capabilities don’t always match brand ambition.
To tackle these issues, brands need a more control over their marketing ecosystem. But the question remains, how do you achieve this? Procurement is usually left to bring cohesion to the chaos.
Taking control
The answer to these issues might be simpler than you think…
By embracing a centralised approach to marketing production, your marketing teams will be better placed to take control over their output. Assigning all marketing production functions to one external partner means you can leverage the benefits of economies of scale. By consolidating skills, resources, and systems into a single department, brands gain a clear line of sight on marketing budgets and investments. This approach is not only cost-effective, but it also streamlines operations and enhances brand consistency, simplifying processes and delivering greater peace of mind.
Now, let’s dive deeper to see how a centralisation can transform your marketing ecosystem.
- Consistent corporate identity
One of the primary benefits of centralising marketing production is the ability to maintain a consistent corporate design and identity across all regional branches and countries. A centralised production partner acts as a brand guardian, protecting brand assets and enforcing guidelines to maintain brand recognition and credibility.
- Enhanced transparency and control
Centralising marketing production gives procurement and marketing more insight into the marketing activities of each branch and country. By working with a central partner, it becomes easier to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and offers a comprehensive overview of costs, resources, and progress. This level of transparency allows for better decision-making and resource allocation.
- Improved cost management
Through a centralised marketing structure, you can achieve full cost transparency for marketing expenses across the entire organization. By pooling resources and budgets, you can optimize marketing spend and reduce inefficiencies. What’s more, working with a central partner can further improve cost management, ensuring that resources are allocated as needed without relying on unnecessary fixed costs.
- Shared knowledge and collaboration
Centralisation encourages more collaborative workflows. The sharing of knowledge and ideas among marketing departments allows each branch to benefit from the experience and ideas of others. This reduces the need for duplicate or redundant production jobs and ensures campaign executions can be done faster and cheaper than with a decentralised model.
- Scalable and customisable resources
Centralising marketing production allows for better management of resources during periods of variable demand. By working with a central partner, you can access additional resources as needed and empower marketing to effectively handle intensive production tasks without overburdening internal teams or incurring extra overheads.
The bottom line
In today’s demanding market, centralisation is the key to achieving more with your marketing. This tried and tested strategy puts an end to needlessly repetitive strategies, inconsistent output, and uncontrollable costs.
But what is the best way to implement such a strategy? The answer: an expert marketing production partner. They’ll coordinate your campaigns and keep a clear view of your global efforts. This puts your marketing headquarters in control, helping them effectively steer your brand and ensure consistent, high-quality output –– no matter where in the world they are.
Want to know more about how centralisation can transform your marketing ecosystem?
Then let’s talk!
About the author
Ina Niessler, Client Development Director, DE
Ina has spent 17 years in leading marketing roles across global companies from the healthcare and B2B sectors. With a deep understanding of managing centralised and decentralised marketing teams in companies, Ina is well-positioned to consult clients regarding their marketing set-up, how to get the best out of supplier partnerships, that all ultimately enhance the marketing strategies and campaigns.
