Most leaders blame weak campaigns or bad agencies when marketing falls flat.
But the truth is, marketing rarely fails because of creativity.
It fails because of leadership misalignment.
If the CEO, COO, and CMO aren’t in sync, the message gets diluted, priorities conflict, and teams waste energy pulling in different directions.
The Hidden Problem Behind Marketing Failure
- Mixed Messages: The CEO says one thing, the COO another, and marketing scrambles to make sense of it.
- Shifting Priorities: Without alignment, campaigns start but don’t finish.
- Operational Bottlenecks: If marketing promises what operations can’t deliver, customers lose trust.
- Budget Battles: Marketing spend gets questioned when leadership isn’t aligned on goals.
What Aligned Marketing Looks Like
When leadership is aligned, marketing becomes a growth engine:
- The CEO sets the big vision and brand story.
- The COO ensures operations can deliver on the promise.
- The CMO translates both into campaigns that land with customers.
This alignment creates consistency — and consistency is what builds trust with the market.
How to Create Alignment
- Start With Vision
Your Vivid Vision® becomes the north star for every campaign. - Build Cross-Functional Rhythms
Weekly syncs between CEO, COO, and CMO keep strategy and execution connected. - Define Accountability
Who owns what? Clear swim lanes prevent conflict and duplication. - Measure What Matters
Agree on KPIs that link marketing success to business outcomes — not vanity metrics.
Marketing isn’t just about ads, campaigns, or funnels.
It’s about alignment at the leadership level.
When the CEO, COO, and CMO row in the same direction, marketing has the clarity and consistency it needs to drive real growth.
Want to connect with other COOs who are aligning teams and scaling smarter?
Join me at the COO Alliance — the only private community for seconds-in-command, where leaders learn how to drive clarity, alignment, and execution across every department.