The Goalkeepers

I used to dread playing goalie in soccer games. Why? Because no one cares that the ball has to get through 10 other people before it gets to you — and if it goes in the net, it’s your fault. Sales and marketing folks are the goalkeepers of the CG industry. They cannot do their jobs without the support of an entire organization (and vice versa), but consumers don’t care about the journey their products went through to get on the shelf. They don’t know the function of supply chain or R&D. They just know what they see — the coupon on their smartphone, the TV commercial that makes them laugh or cry, or the e-mail alert for a sale. That is why this issue is full of actionable sales and marketing insights from the front lines, starting with Kimberly-Clark on the cover. We’ll continue this conversation at our 2015 Sales & Marketing Summit in June – hope to see you there!