Updated June 3, 2026. Related: PR Firms directory · Industry Leaders · B2B Marketing pillar.
Today, a Q&A with Amy Scissons, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leadership advisory and search firm. She is a results-delivery marketing executive with an exceptional record of success in leveraging digital and traditional platforms to support business growth objectives. Amy brings over 20 years of experience leading and developing go-to-market strategies for firms across the globe. Prior to her current position, Amy served as Chief Marketing Officer for Mercer's International Region, where she led marketing operations in more than 100 cities and 41 countries for the global HR consulting firm.
What are the top challenges that you expect marcomms professionals to face in 2021?
2020 was an unprecedented year for business processes across the board. But in particular, the pandemic ushered in a fundamental shift to how companies approach marcomms. Right off the bat, priorities switched from new business sales to retention and new channels were embraced to better coordinate teams and reach customers.
One of the greatest impacts will be mounting pressure for marcomms departments to prove their worth and deliver more value. Inevitably, thanks to budget cuts, marcomms professionals will likely be asked to do less with more. According to a Dun & Bradstreet survey, 70% of senior marketers reported their budgets had been cut as a result of COVID-19, and 76% are now confronting an "increasing pressure to deliver leads since the COVID-19 outbreak." In this environment, marcomms professionals must maintain a laser focus on the return on investment for all campaigns and quickly make adjustments to spending as needed.
Another formidable challenge will be proving brand credibility and authority in a saturated marketplace where consumer loyalty levels continue to plummet. Marcomms professionals must cut through more noise than ever before to capture the right audiences' attention. A possible solution, especially during a time when traditional media advertising budgets are being slashed, is to develop an effective content strategy.
Apart from adapting to mass virtualization and volatile economic conditions, what is another lesson that the marcomms industry learned in 2020 that will affect activities in 2021?
2020 sparked the need for brands to be sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful throughout all messaging, whether internally with employees or externally with vendors, customers and communities at large. Companies truly needed to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Perhaps one of the positives of so-called 'cancel culture' is that accountability is being driven in ways we've never seen before. Rhetoric has been replaced with meaningful action.
Brands can no longer fly under the radar and, for many, this was a challenge in 2020. But marcomms professionals have risen to the occasion to conduct "sensitivity audits", comprehensively evaluating all marcomms activities, messaging, customer service practices and business strategies to ensure they are sensitive and align with world events.
The sensitivity audit also serves businesses in navigating a new environment where social interactions remain limited and digital technology is playing a role in our life to replace traditional human interactions. New tools hold great promise for marcomms but they are not a panacea — and they certainly should not function without human guidance. Marcomms professionals must identify the limits of technology, fully understanding what tools can and cannot do.
What changes do you expect for traditional media and non-traditional media strategy in 2021?
Traditional media is expected to remain largely focused on the unfolding timeline of the ubiquitous pandemic, as well as ensuing economic, political and social effects. However, there are still opportunities for marcomms professionals to connect with reporters and fit brand stories into the news cycle.
Notably, the pandemic accelerated marcomms' shift online. Digital channels now accounting for almost 80% of multichannel budgets, according to Gartner's CMO Spend Survey 2020. Customers are not just looking to be assaulted by a slew of irrelevant ads. They're seeking meaningful and personalized engagement, entertainment and education. Social listening will become more important in 2021.
What other trends should marcomms professionals keep a pulse on to stay ahead of the eventual pandemic rebound?
Apart from more digitalization, personalization, data intelligence and purpose-driven marketing campaigns, marcomms should also note other emerging marketplace trends. As we do return to normalcy — whatever the "next normal" looks like — I expect there to be some return to traditional models of marcomms. But some of the new ways of virtualization will never go away. Therefore, harmonizing the old and new will become critical.
Other recent trends will continue to materialize throughout 2021, such as nostalgia marketing. Also, DE&I will arrive at its next phase in 2021, with brands now expected to extend inclusivity beyond just their workforce and also infuse standards of inclusivity and equity into their marcomms activities. In the B2B space, rising trends for 2021 include employer branding, buyer enablement, buyer intent, account-based marketing.
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