Amy Scissons is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Russell Reynolds Associates, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm. Scissons brings more than 20 years of experience leading go-to-market strategies for professional services firms across the globe. Prior to her current role, she served as Chief Marketing Officer for Mercer's International Region, where she led marketing operations in more than 100 cities and 41 countries.
The Interview
Q: What are the top challenges marcomms professionals face in 2021?
A: 2020 was unprecedented. The pandemic ushered in a fundamental shift to how companies approach marcomms. Priorities switched from new business sales to retention. One of the greatest impacts will be mounting pressure for marcomms departments to prove their worth. 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 confronting increasing pressure to deliver leads. Another challenge is proving brand credibility in a saturated marketplace where consumer loyalty continues to plummet.
Q: What lesson did the marcomms industry learn in 2020 that will affect 2021?
A: 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. Companies truly needed to walk the walk. 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. Marcomms professionals have risen to the occasion to conduct "sensitivity audits" — comprehensively evaluating all marcomms activities, messaging, customer service practices, and business strategies.
Q: What changes do you expect for media strategy in 2021?
A: Traditional media is expected to remain focused on the pandemic and its economic, political, and social effects. The pandemic accelerated marcomms' shift online, with digital channels accounting for almost 80% of multichannel budgets according to Gartner's CMO Spend Survey 2020. Customers are seeking meaningful and personalized engagement, entertainment, and education. Social listening will become more important.
Q: What trends should marcomms professionals watch?
A: More digitalization, personalization, data intelligence, and purpose-driven marketing campaigns. As we return to normalcy, I expect some return to traditional marcomms models — harmonizing the old and new will become critical. Other trends will continue: nostalgia marketing, DE&I extending inclusivity beyond workforce into marcomms activities. In B2B specifically: employer branding, buyer enablement, buyer intent, account-based marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Amy Scissons is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Russell Reynolds Associates , a global leadership advisory and executive search firm. Scissons brings more than 20 years of experience leading go-to-market strategies for professional services firms across the globe. Prior to her current role, she served as Chief Marketing Officer for Mercer's International Region, where she led marketing operations in more than 100 cities and 41 countries. The Interview Q: What are the top challenges marcomms professionals face in 2021?
A: 2020 was unprecedented. The pandemic ushered in a fundamental shift to how companies approach marcomms. Priorities switched from new business sales to retention. One of the greatest impacts will be mounting pressure for marcomms departments to prove their worth. 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 confronting increasing pressure to deliver leads. Another challenge is proving brand credibility in a saturated marketplace where consumer loyalty continues to plummet.
Q: What lesson did the marcomms industry learn in 2020 that will affect 2021?
A: 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. Companies truly needed to walk the walk. 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. Marcomms professionals have risen to the occasion to conduct "sensitivity audits" — comprehensively evaluating all marcomms activities, messaging, customer service practices, and business strategies.
Q: What changes do you expect for media strategy in 2021?
A: Traditional media is expected to remain focused on the pandemic and its economic, political, and social effects. The pandemic accelerated marcomms' shift online, with digital channels accounting for almost 80% of multichannel budgets according to Gartner's CMO Spend Survey 2020. Customers are seeking meaningful and personalized engagement, entertainment, and education. Social listening will become more important.
Q: What trends should marcomms professionals watch?
A: More digitalization, personalization, data intelligence, and purpose-driven marketing campaigns. As we return to normalcy, I expect some return to traditional marcomms models — harmonizing the old and new will become critical. Other trends will continue: nostalgia marketing, DE&I extending inclusivity beyond workforce into marcomms activities. In B2B specifically: employer branding, buyer enablement, buyer intent, account-based marketing.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
