Passionate about brand management and research, Peita Golden has been smashing it as the CMO of Belong since November last year. But, outside of her day job, Golden is a footy fanatic who dreams of one day owning and refurbing her own pub with her husband.
B&T sat down with Golden to chat shop and a bit about what the next five years look like… inside and outside of work.
B&T: What three things would you take to a desert island?
Golden: A good book, some sunnies and Salt and Vinegar chips
B&T: What is your favourite album, movie, and book?
Golden:
- Book: I just finished A little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, and it haunts me.
- Movie: I can’t remember the last movie I watched but best TV show instead? Ted Lasso and I wish I could watch Schitt’s Creek for the first time again.
- Album: Moon Safari, Air.
B&T: What is your passion outside of work? (Think hobbies, sports, etc)
Golden: I have 2 young boys, Easton & Parker, so I don’t have time for hobbies unless you call drinking wine and picking up things off the floor a hobby! I lovingly spend most my time with them at the footy, a park, sportsground, creek, or riding. And for me, I love reading for the escapism and feels.
B&T: If you weren’t a CMO, what would you be doing?
Golden: My husband and I have started romanticising the idea of refurbing a tired old pub near where we live – partly because of the convenience of having a good pub at the end of the street but also because if makes me feel a little excited to use our skills to do something different. Don’t fancy adding any more pressure to my life right now so happy to put being a publican on hold for a bit longer.
B&T: What was your favourite campaign of all time?
Golden: Tourism New Zealand does the most incredible work. It’s so strong. Translates solid insights into powerful emotions through incredible production. The most recent campaign Stop dreaming about New Zealand and go is a ripper. I spent a lot of my career in travel and know how hard it can be to break the mould of typical advertising, so I have a huge respect for how carefully crafted this is.
… Now let’s talk shop.
B&T: What is your brand’s top priority for the next 12 months?
Golden: Specific to marketing, I’d say it is positioning. How we can be as relevant as possible to our core customer. How we get deliberate on choosing where we play and where we can win as a brand so we can realise the potential of Belong.
B&T: What channel is exciting you the most and how do you split your marketing budgets between long/short and channels mix?
Golden: Belong has been on a growth mission for a while now. Previously, we have invested in great brand campaigns and channels but the reality is, it is so hard for smaller brands to scale that way. And the corporate world often works on a one-year time horizon, adding to the challenge. Right now, we’ve got more activity into mid/ bottom funnel but also focussing on distinctive and relevant messaging that keeps short tracking well and gives us some credibility for brand. I love OOH as a channel for the progress it is making with measurement and the opportunities it affords for attention.
B&T: What is the biggest challenge you currently face in the marketplace?
Golden: As a challenger brand, it’s the number of competitors we are amongst and how that can impact your ability to get more than your fair share of everything – from voice to market. I also think an opportunity for Belong is AI. AI has the potential to take away the effort for businesses and customers and that’s a bit part of our ethos so it would be a great challenge for us to tackle and solve.
B&T: What campaign are you most proud of?
Golden: A campaign I did at ahm health insurance with DDB many, many years ago. I was proud and still am because it was so different from the category norm, and it was part of the trajectory that set the brand on a significant growth path. Following this up with subsequent brand platforms for ahm was where I really cut my teeth to be a strategic marketer.
B&T: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Golden: I’ll still be here at Belong in a customer role where I can add value and be valued. I’m passionate about women growing in leadership roles so that drives me too. But if not, maybe that pub?
Check out the other instalments in the CMOs To Watch series here:
