Canadian Ad Insider

How did you get your start in marketing?  Why have you stayed in the industry?

Esther - I actually started my career in marketing as a summer intern at P&G before finishing my MBA. I was attracted by the balance between problem-solving/analytics and creativity. I have always been really curious about people and business problems. Marketing taps into both. I would say, I didn’t realize that it would be the industry for me until I started managing people. I love to do great work and grow businesses, but I get my energy from developing great people and teams to deliver that work. I love seeing people become the best version of themselves!

Who is Esther Benzie?  We only met once, but you don’t strike me as someone who says “I’m on stage, look at me.”

Esther - You called it, I am definitely not a “look at me” person so I am humbled by the response I got on my post.  I’d say I built my name and personal brand by being naturally curious about the business problems and marketing challenges in front of me, the consumer I am trying to delight and the team that is facing the challenge. I truly want the people around me to learn and grow and if I can play a small part in their development, that is what I do.  I am more interested in working with great people on great work than in titles or self-promotion. My team always valued that they knew where they stood with me, I had their back and I was there with the positive feedback and the constructive feedback. People also appreciate my humour (or maybe I just tell myself that!)

What would you do differently in the first few years of your career?

Esther - That's a great question. There are two things I would do differently earlier in my career. One is to take advantage of going internationally. I had those opportunities but for life reasons chose to stay in Canada for my career. I feel like I missed out on some learning in doing that although I did take some “riskier” roles at P&G Canada which helped accelerate my growth.  The second is to ask for and be open to getting more help. I was speaking with a Business school colleague the other day and we talked that as women in business, we felt like we needed to figure it all out ourselves. I know now that having people you can ask for help to fill in the gaps for you is a superpower.

What have been your (3) favourite projects over your career (so far)?

Esther - 

• The first would be the rebrand of CIBC. It touched so many areas of the bank and so many different stakeholders including our current clients and new clients. Our leadership team for it was incredible - there was such mutual respect and support to ensure we had the most flawless execution, one that would delight all the stakeholders. We had to get 55000 employees excited, millions of clients to be comfortable with the change, and millions of Canadians to be convinced that CIBC was a different bank, and we did it!
• The second would be launching the Brand Operations team at P&G.  It was a time when we were trying to think about how we could operate our marketing differently to get a different result. It got P&G Canada back focused on the consumer at a time when we had become more trade-driven. We delivered some great marketing work. We had a great vision and, again, I had a great team to make it happen.
• Third would be the marketing project still to come. I just know there is going to be another favourite in my future. Like all the others, it will probably be something complex, with no clear path to follow, but a great team to help make it happen.

23 years at PG - Is that still possible in today’s culture?

Esther - I stayed at P&G as long as I did because the people were amazing and I felt like I was still learning and growing. I used to look at my roles through the lens of “Is this building my external resume as well as my internal resume”. If the answer was yes, it was worth staying.  There aren't many organizations where you can stay a long time without getting stagnant.

PG seems to be like a club, it is a badge of honour to have worked there - what is it about that company?  

Esther - As I mentioned, the people at P&G were great. Smart, curious and committed. There was a rigour in training on marketing and business that people valued. It was consumer-centric and data-driven so it meant that as an ABM or BM, you could lead the thinking on your business with the right data. That was super empowering. P&G is also constantly changing and looking for better ways to market. If you follow Marc Pritchard, he is continuously challenging P&Gers and the marketing community at large to think differently. That desire to continue to do better is what makes P&G an inspiring company.

The world has drastically changed over the last 5 years - What makes a great work culture today/ tomorrow?

Esther - The world has drastically changed. There is a much bigger focus on work-life integration and hybrid working models. While I like the hybrid model, I did miss seeing my team more in person and some of the informal learning that comes with being in an office more than one day a week.  Great work environments give a good balance of having a collective purpose, enabling people to grow their mastery and empowering teams to have enough autonomy to deliver. 

Marketing is constantly changing - What makes a ‘great marketer’?

Esther - At P&G we used to talk about the who, what and how of building a marketing plan. The who - knowing the target consumer, the what - the brand promise for that consumer - are the parts of marketing that have not changed. What has changed is the how -the tactics to reach the consumer with your message.

Great marketers are consumer-centric, curious and choiceful. They care about delivering the end goal and they measure and adjust. They are constantly learning about new ways to reach consumers but they don’t want to use them just because they are cool, they use them because they will deliver against the marketing and business objectives. 

What advice do you have for the next generation?

Esther - Stay curious and keep learning

What advice do you have for women who want to have a long and fulfilled career in marketing?

Esther - I don't know if my advice is gender specific. Keep learning and be fearless in looking for new marketing challenges that will help you grow and develop. Be a good people leader because, the more senior you get, the more you get done through your team. People like working with good humans. Finally, deliver business results. As a profession, marketers can get a bad rap if we don't keep in mind how a business grows and makes money.

What is your theme song? /What does Esther groove to? 

Esther - It's an older one but “I’ve Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas always gets me dancing. I like the optimism and positivity about the future.

They are making a movie about your life - who would you want to play you?

Esther - Julia Louis-Dreyfus would be my pick. She is smart, funny, authentic, and doesn't need to be centre stage to have her presence felt.

What is next for you?

Esther - In the short term, I am taking a bit of a break. I have some great trips planned, I am doing the ICD Course at Rotman as there is a need for BIPOC representation on Corporate Boards, and I am going to stay involved with the Commercial Advisory Board on Project 8, the aspiring Professional soccer league. In the long term, I see myself tackling a  new marketing challenge that involves growing marketing talent, Not sure what form that will take yet!