The buzz around emerging technologies like AI continues to dominate marketing conversations. But, for Michelle Taite, CMO at email marketing platform Intuit Mailchimp, the key to successful marketing isn’t found in the latest tech tools but in fostering genuine human connections.
“We talk a lot about AI, but I really believe marketers’ core job is to connect,” Taite says. The focus should not only be on building relationships with customers but on helping brands form deeper, more meaningful connections. This philosophy shapes every aspect of Taite’s work at Mailchimp – from the campaigns her team creates to the talent she recruits.
The three attributes young marketers need
Storytelling is a powerful way for marketers to connect with their customers and it is one of three key values Taite looks for when recruiting. She often recommends young marketers read Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar’s Greatest Films by Dean Movshovitz, a screenwriter and author, who attempts to break down the storytelling techniques that have helped make Pixar’s animated films and characters so memorable.
“It makes you think about how you tell your own story,” she says. “When I interview people, I want people to be able to tell stories about their career and the challenges they’ve overcome. Can they build narratives that are compelling?”
Taite also values humility and curiosity in potential employees, which she claims can be powerful qualities when combined. “When you recognise that you don’t know a lot about something, but you have the curiosity to learn, it drives growth and development and demonstrates adaptability and a willingness to continuously experiment.”
How to build and support creative teams
Hiring great talent alone is not sufficient to create great work. Leaders must create an environment where they can thrive. Taite emphasises the importance of industry experience and marketing know-how, which she refers to as ‘craft’, as well as the ability to work effectively in a team.
“I believe in building craft in service of connection and connection in service of craft,” she says. “If you look at our leadership team, they’re best-in-class experts at what they do but most of them are also very good friends.”
To foster closer team connection, Taite stresses the importance of establishing psychological safety and adopting a “coach-player” approach. This requires leaders to be actively involved in day-to-day work alongside staff, while retaining their role as a tutor and instructor.
With AI and new marketing technologies changing the way people work, leaders who adopt this approach will be better able to understand how their employees are adapting and help them to work through challenges more effectively.
Approaching B2B marketing differently
Creating a supportive working environment has enabled Taite’s team to take bold creative risks in their campaigns. For example, Mailchimp’s interactive exhibition at London’s Design Museum, called “Email is Dead”, saw visitors enter through a giant yellow envelope and used sound and scent to “replicate the sense of connection that email can generate”.
Mailchimp’s target audience of marketers value creativity highly, according to Taite. “Marketers care about two things,” she says, “business results and creativity.”
How the CMO role is changing
The collection of first-party data is a key consideration when designing marketing campaigns. This allows brands to make connections with potential customers and nurture them over time, Taite explains.
This reflects a shift in priorities for CMOs. Taite says, where advertising budgets once determined the effectiveness of a campaign, access to data is now just as important.
Marketing leaders must understand how to make the best use of the data they have. This means collaborating with product teams, analytics departments and the CTO. This has required CMOs to develop new skills. “You need to know how to implement your product so you can expand, retain and engage customers,” says Taite.
While combining data and creativity is crucial, for Taite, connection – both with customers and with team members – remains at the heart of successful marketing.
