Source: Fortune
Summary
AT&T’s CMO, Kellyn Smith Kenny, has been working to transform the company’s brand and marketing strategy since joining in 2020. The company has been focusing on its telecommunications business and has seen a 13-point increase in its “brand love” score over the past five years. This score is measured by asking consumers to rate the brand on a seven-point scale, and AT&T counts respondents who select the two highest ratings as consumers who “love” the brand. The company has found that prospects who love AT&T are 1.6 times more likely to become customers, and existing customers who love the brand are three times less likely to leave.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
AT&T’s transformation is not just about marketing, but about tying brand sentiment to hard business outcomes. Kellyn Smith Kenny’s role as CMO and chief growth officer puts marketing at the center of the company’s product and growth strategy. The company’s research has led to the creation of new products, such as the Build a Plan offering, and has shaped how AT&T handles service failures. Kenny’s data shows that customers who have experienced the AT&T Guarantee report higher satisfaction with the company. The guarantee gives AT&T a point of differentiation in a crowded telecom market.
AT&T is trying to make its infrastructure investments more tangible to customers, alerting them when connectivity in their area has improved. The company’s marketing efforts, including its work on FirstNet, are designed to translate its infrastructure into a more concrete benefit for customers.
The strategy enters a familiar phase: marketing as a key driver of revenue growth.
Author: Evan Null
