Calling All Brandrunners™: Defining the Essential Role for Every Modern Commerce Organization
Operating in today’s retail environment is fast-paced, complex and interconnected:
GROWING DIGITAL PENETRATION requires new capabilities and cohesion across functions spanning fulfillment, digital catalog, marketing, and much more.
HIGHLY FRAGMENTED MARKET due to an ever-growing number of retailers, marketplaces and emerging commerce platforms.
THE PATH TO PURCHASE is increasingly blurry, condensed and unpredictable.
SHIFTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR suggests reduced brand loyalty and retailer loyalty, while expectations around value, service and authenticity increase.
PRIVACY REGULATION CHANGES impact the trajectory of marketing and amplify the need for new types of data.
MORE OPERATIONAL DATA than ever before at brands’ fingertips, driving a shift towards data-driven decisions and performance-based models.
These trends are just a small sampling of what brands are navigating today. Tomorrow, the world of retail will only move faster and offer even more complexity. In order to thrive in this dynamic environment, brands need something entirely different from the historical model within the organization. Brands need a Brandrunner.
Introducing the modern commerce BRANDRUNNER
FEARLESS LEADER moving beyond the traditional model, relentlessly pursuing growth in the modern commerce world.
HOLISTIC STRATEGIST piecing together all the interconnected aspects of retail and pulling the organization into the future.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY DOER managing a diverse set of growth levers with a bias towards action.
EFFECTIVE EDUCATOR AND FACILITATOR inside the organization, bridging internal gaps to elevate the brand.
CHAMPION FOR THE CONNECTED CONSUMER, understanding that consumers are everywhere, connecting everything.
DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKER, using performance-based systems to invest wisely.
By turning their ecommerce leaders into Brandrunners, brands have the opportunity to build connected teams and capabilities geared towards ultimately better serving the increasingly connected consumer. This pursuit will maximize growth today and tomorrow by helping the brand to operate today’s business seamlessly while developing a competitive edge for tomorrow’s business that will continue to grow in complexity.
What’s at stake without a Brandrunner? Siloed teams and capabilities. A disconnected consumer experience. A chase for the wrong metrics. Inadequate investment in modern growth levers. Sales left on the table. Data left on the table.
“There is still a bit of ‘old guard meet new guard’ that is happening inside brand organizations. And historically, or even today still, it’s the old guard that makes all the decisions. This is where we see a shift towards the age of the Brandrunner. That’s the new leader of the future.”
The term “brandrunner” stems from the “showrunner,” a role that has also emerged over the last several years to become one of the top jobs in TV.
In TV, the showrunner’s job is to “keep the show running” by ensuring it is delivered on time and on budget while protecting its creative vision. The job is a mix of working with the TV network, hiring department heads, managing writers and actors, making budgeting decisions, and much more.
Similarly, in a modern commerce organization, Brandrunners keep the brand running, pursuing growth daily in the dynamic retail environment. This requires making countless decisions every day, and often includes strategizing and building capabilities for the future, managing budgets, analyzing data, working with a variety of teams powering the day-to-day business, and more.
The role requires fluency in marketplaces, DTC, omnichannel, supply chain, content and creative, search and social, finance, retail media and … well, the list goes on.
Common Responsibilities & Objectives
Brandrunner Priorities
GROWTH MINDSET > optimization mindset
PERFORMANCE-BASED METRICS > measuring success through retail relationships
Increasing END CUSTOMER VALUE > retail customer value
COMPREHENSIVE TOOLSET > siloed functional responsibilities
DAILY and WEEKLY CADENCE > quarterly and annual reviews
CUSTOMER TOUCHPOINTS > channel promotion logic
Strategy and actions driven by CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUE > broad personas
ASKING WHY > following the traditional ways
PURSUING ANSWERS > relying on reporting
ACTION > waiting
At Netrush, we help turn ecommerce leaders into modern commerce Brandrunners. We’ve had a front-row seat to this show, and have been pulled on stage at times, as we work hand-in-hand with our brand partners’ Brandrunners. We’ve created Brandrunners inside Netrush, as well. And we’ve watched this dynamic role emerge. Now, we’re ready to give it a name, celebrate today’s Brandrunners, and provide them with the tools, insights and support needed to get running and keep running.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?
Join our mailing list for upcoming interviews, insights, webinars and more, all aimed at providing Brandrunners with the tools and perspectives needed for the relentless pursuit of growth in the modern commerce world.
Connect with us directly to learn more and become a part of the Brandrunner movement.
Written by Claire McBrideClaire McBride leads Research, Insights and Education for Netrush. Claire’s entire career has been centered in the consumer and retail space, spending the last five years helping brands grow and optimize their ecommerce businesses through written research, events, share group discussions and one-on-one consulting.
