Building bridges: How CMOs and insights leaders can collaborate for growth

As a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) with years of experience in global marketing leadership roles, including at HubSpot and Zappi, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of a strong partnership between marketing and consumer insights. 

This collaboration is no longer optional—it’s essential in today’s complex and competitive environment.

Insights leaders hold the keys to understanding what drives consumer trends, and when CMOs leverage these insights effectively, they unlock significant growth potential for their brands. 

The trick? It’s not always easy to bridge this gap. So, let’s explore four actionable strategies for building bridges between these two critical functions.

Marketing is more complex than ever before. Consumers interact with brands across a growing number of channels, and competition is fierce in virtually every industry. 

In this landscape, the role of insights leaders has evolved. No longer confined to market research, they are now strategic partners who can help CMOs:

• Understand consumer behavior in-depth: Insights teams analyze shifting consumer preferences, uncovering motivations that drive purchasing decisions.

• Navigate fragmented data landscapes: With data coming from various sources, insights leaders play a pivotal role in consolidating and interpreting this information.

• Prioritize marketing initiatives: By identifying what truly matters to consumers, insights teams help marketing allocate resources more effectively.

Here are some specific strategies that CMOs can use to create the bridge they need between consumers and marketing efforts.

One of the most impactful ways to collaborate is by embedding insights teams upstream in the decision-making process. 

Often, insights leaders are brought in after marketing strategies are developed. This reactive approach limits their potential contribution. Instead, involve them early to co-create strategies based on consumer data.

For example, at Zappi, we partner with leading global consumer brands to test concepts and messaging early in the development cycle. By incorporating consumer feedback at the outset, these brands avoid costly missteps and launch campaigns with greater confidence.

Actionable tip: Schedule regular joint planning sessions with insights and marketing teams. Make it standard practice for insights leaders to review campaign briefs to help inform the points at which consumer feedback can be woven into the innovation development process.

Effective collaboration doesn’t happen by accident.

It requires intentional efforts to break down silos and create communication pathways between teams. As someone who has led both global and regional marketing teams, I’ve seen how cross-functional collaboration accelerates decision-making and drives innovation.

Consider organizing quarterly workshops where brand managers, creatives and insights professionals come together to align on goals and share learnings. Insights teams can present consumer data that sparks creative ideas, while marketing teams can provide context on how campaigns are performing.

Actionable tip: Make sure everyone knows what their targets are! Create shared KPIs that encourage teamwork. For instance, you could begin to measure the effectiveness of campaigns based on insights-driven improvements, due to having the consumer in the loop more frequently than before.

A feedback loop ensures that insights don’t just inform marketing but also evolve based on marketing’s impact. For example, if a campaign performs better than expected, insights teams can investigate why and apply these learnings to future initiatives.

In one instance with a customer here at Zappi, we noticed that a brand’s product packaging resonated differently across markets. By analyzing post-campaign data, the insights team discovered regional preferences that informed subsequent packaging designs, improving sales globally.

Actionable tip: Use analytics platforms to track real-time campaign performance and regularly update insights teams on results.

Technology is a critical enabler of collaboration. Advanced insights platforms, such as those we develop at Zappi, allow marketing and insights teams to share data seamlessly and access real-time consumer feedback. These tools empower teams to make data-driven decisions quickly and effectively.

However, technology alone isn’t enough. It’s essential to train teams on how to use these tools and create processes that integrate them into daily workflows.

Actionable tip: Invest in a unified platform (like Zappi!) that supports collaboration, and provide ongoing training to ensure both teams maximize its capabilities.

Despite the benefits of collaboration, challenges remain. 

Insights teams often feel undervalued or disconnected from marketing’s objectives. Similarly, CMOs may struggle to align insights with the fast pace of campaign execution.

The solution lies in creating a culture of mutual respect and shared purpose. Recognize the contributions of insights leaders and highlight their role in driving business success. At the same time, encourage insights teams to think beyond data collection, focusing on actionable recommendations that align with marketing goals.

Actionable tip: Celebrate joint wins routinely—whether it’s a successful product launch or a high-performing campaign—to reinforce the value of collaboration. After all, if there is one thing we marketers know, it’s not only about the short-term wins, but how people feel about the relationship overall. The same applies to your brand!

In summary, building bridges between CMOs and insights leaders isn’t just about improving collaboration—it’s about unlocking the full potential of consumer data to drive business growth. 

As someone who has witnessed the transformative power of these partnerships, I encourage every CMO to prioritize this relationship. By embedding insights upstream, fostering collaboration, and leveraging technology, marketing leaders can navigate today’s complexities with confidence.