As one of the 10 Organisational Leaders in the CX50 list, First Direct CEO Chris Pitt discusses the role of the C-suite in delivering CX and customer-centric culture, as well as the functions that senior executives look to for strategic CX leadership.

Marketing Week Meets the CX50: Chris Pitt, CEO, First Direct

It's almost time to close the door on 2024, but not before listening to The Marketing Week Podcast's Christmas special and end of-year wrap-up.

Hosts deputy managing editor Charlotte Rogers, managing editor Lucy Tesseras and senior reporter Molly Innes are joined by our very own editor-in-chief Russell Parsons and senior reporter Niamh Carroll to dissect the year that was.

We kick things off with the podcast's inaugural marketing quiz, from Starbucks and Nike to Moo Deng and Wham.

Marketing Week columnists Helen Edwards and Grace Kite, along with Marketing Week Future Marketing Leader Lucky Saint's Emily Laws and marketer of the year, PwC's global CMO Antonia Wade, join to reveal their marketing moments of the year.

We also look back on the big stories of 2024, from a good year for consistency and AI to a bad one for transparent pricing. Plus, which campaigns resonated - from Irn Bru's Euros effort to Charli XCX's Brat.

That's all from The Marketing Week Podcast until the new year. We look forward to seeing you again in January.

The big marketing stories of 2024

Deputy managing editor Charlotte Rogers, managing editor Lucy Tesseras and senior reporters Molly Innes and Niamh Carroll dig into the big marketing stories making headlines this week.

We kick off by analysing the potential fallout for brands and creators after TikTok was briefly banned for US users before being reinstated over the weekend, as well as unpacking the dramatic implications of Aldi's legal loss to cider brand Thatchers and what it could mean for the future of copycat products. 

Niamh shares insights from her reporting on how brands can uncover new avenues for growth, whether they're market leaders or challengers. We explore how brands can grow in 2025, from the role of value to fostering belief in growth. The latter is an idea Munnawar Chishty - recently promoted to CMO of Carlsberg Britvic - discussed with Marketing Week earlier this month. 

Make sure to listen to the entire podcast to get a sneak peek at 2025's Career & Salary Survey results, as Charlotte reveals how often brands and agencies are going into the office and we debate how return-to-office (RTO) policies are impacting marketers. 

How brands can grow in 2025, TikTok fallout and RTO mayhem

Virgin Media O2's marketing director Simon Valcarcel and founder of VCCP, Marketing Week's Agency of the Year, Charles Vallance discuss the importance of honesty, consistency and how they've kept things "fresh" during a 23-year client/agency relationship.

This Much I Learned: Virgin Media O2 and VCCP on their long-lasting relationship

This week on The Marketing Week Podcast, we explore just how widespread imposter syndrome is in the industry.

Marketing Week’s exclusive 2025 Career & Salary Survey reveals a staggering 80.1% of the more than 3,500 marketers we surveyed have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers.

In this episode, deputy managing editor Charlotte Rogers, managing editor Lucy Tesseras, and senior reporter Molly Innes unpack the findings, discussing why so many marketers struggle with self-doubt and what can be done to tackle it.

We are joined by Nishma Patel Robb, founder of the female-focused personal brand accelerator Glittersphere and former senior director of brand and reputation marketing at Google. She shares her perspective on why imposter syndrome isn’t just an individual issue but a structural industry challenge and how fostering open conversations and support can make a difference.

Plus, we look at Asda’s return to its value roots and M&S’s latest move to strengthen its value proposition.

Inside marketing's imposter syndrome crisis

This week on The Marketing Week Podcast we’re tackling marketing’s early talent problem.

With fewer routes into the industry and a lack of support for apprenticeships, are aspiring marketers being shut out before they even get started?

Marketing Week's 2025 Career & Salary Survey revealed just 15.9% of companies operate a marketing apprenticeship, citing the level of resource required and a lack of senior buy-in as key barriers.

In this episode, deputy managing editor and head of insight Charlotte Rogers and senior reporter Molly Innes are joined by editor-in-chief Russell Parsons to dig into what is holding the industry back from opening up different ways of entering the industry and its problem with representation.

The episode features an interview with Cerys Gardiner, former apprentice and marketing manager at Medichecks, who details the benefits to businesses of hiring marketing apprentices.

We also speak to Brixton Finishing School's head of adventure Jo Royce and Simone Johnson, head of new business and strategic partnerships, who discuss the work they're doing to support early talent pathways.

Does marketing have an early talent problem?

Marketing has a big pay gap problem and for many people it's getting worse.

Exclusive new data from Marketing Week’s 2025 Career & Salary Survey shows the marketing profession has an ethnicity pay gap for full-time workers of 13.3%, up sharply from 8.5% in 2024 – based on a sample 82.9% of whom identify as white.

Marketing's gender pay gap has also widened. Female marketers are paid on average 17.8% less than their male peers. This figure is based on a sample of more than 3,500 marketers – 59.9% of whom are female – and is up on the 16% pay gap revealed in 2024.

Analysis of the data also finds a socio-economic pay gap for full-time workers of 15.3%, flat compared to last year’s figure at 15.9%. Furthermore, 74% of the sample identify as middle-class, up on the 70.1% figure reported in 2024.

On this week's podcast, deputy managing editor and head of insight Charlotte Rogers, managing editor Lucy Tesseras and senior reporter Molly Innes dig into what is causing these pay gaps to be so persistent.

Meanwhile, marketing's recruitment challenges continue. From drawn out interview processes to ghosting and mental health pressures, the jobs wheel isn't turning as it used to and is having a detrimental impact on many. Listen to find out more.

Marketing's pay gap problem and recruitment challenges

In this latest episode, we explore the rate of marketing team restructures, debate what's next for WHSmith as the chain prepares to disappear from UK high streets and explore the value of personalisation following the return of Coca-Cola's 'Share a Coke'. 

WHSmith disappears, 'Share a Coke' returns and restructures

In the latest episode, we explore why mothers are being pushed out of the workforce in increasing numbers, from the rollback of flexible policies to poor company culture. We are joined by Jess Heagren, founder and CEO of parenting organisation Careers After Babies, and Sophie Maunder, former VCCP CEO turned founder of maternity coaching business Matri. 

The Marketing Week Podcast: Exploring the reality for working mums

Recent data from Marketing Week's 2025 Career & Salary Survey revealed marketing effectiveness is the major core marketing skills gap.

Three in five (60.5%) of the more than 3,500 respondents identified knowledge of marketing effectiveness as a skills gap within their business.

In this episode of The Marketing Week Podcast, deputy managing editor Charlotte Rogers, senior reporter Molly Innes and senior reporter Niamh Carroll discuss why effectiveness is such a pronounced skills gap, as well diving into the other skills gaps marketers identified, including social media.

We are joined by Rachel Moss, head of marketing strategy as National Lottery licensee Allywn, who expresses her surprise at marketing effectiveness being the biggest perceived skills gap and questions the industry's understanding of effectiveness beyond advertising.

How can marketing fix its effectiveness skills gap?

Marketing Week is one of the UK’s most respected business titles and a trusted and authoritative voice on the marketing industry. Listen to our award-winning editorial team discuss key topics with leading industry voices. From exploring what's next in career development and leadership, to the future of B2B, Marketing Week takes listeners behind the scenes of the world's most effective marketing. 

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