What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO?

Some smart-ass (like me) will probably say “1 letter”….but let’s dive into that question a little more deeply.

Last week, in an article titled “CIO’s vs. CMO’s – what’s the real problem?“, I shared the following 2010 goals/projects that CIO’s and CMO’s are reportedly working on.   In that article I also promised a discussion of what the real issues between CIO’s and CMO’s are…but I wanted to get this little tidbit out of the way first. Come back next week for the deeper leadership/communication discussion I promised.

To reiterate, they top 5 goals/projects for CIO’s and CMO’s are:

CIO’s:

  1. Improve end-user workforce productivity
  2. Lower the company’s overall operating costs
  3. Re-engineer core business processes
  4. Improve quality of products and/or processes
  5. Innovative new market offerings or business practices

CMO’s:

  1. Digital marketing makeover – platforms, programs, people
  2. Sales and marketing organization alignment
  3. Customer data integration and analytics
  4. Marketing performance measurement
  5. Lead qualification and harvesting system

See anything there that jumps out at you to highlight the difference between a CIO and a CMO?

Anything at all?

I do….and it just hit me while thinking about this article.

The CIO’s goals/projects are very operationally focused.  Words like ‘improve’, ‘lower’, ‘re-engineer’ start the top 4 goals/projects.

The CMO’s goals/projects at first seem operational too.  Data integration. Performance measurement.  Systems. Platforms.

Interesting stuff….but after digging a little deeper into each goal and thinking about them for a few minutes, something jumped out at me.

It seems to me that the CIO is focused on deep organizational issues.  It seems that CIO’s are starting to focus on the business rather than technology.

What about the CMO?  I see a bunch of projects and goals focused on tactics.  I see a lot of projects focused on technology.

Is this a good thing?  Bad thing?

I can’t really say….but maybe we are seeing a shift towards the Marketing Technologist now.  Mitch Joel just pointed out that the time is ripe for the Chief Marketing Technologist and Scott Brinker has been talking about the marketing technologist and chief marketing technologist roles for year and is also talking about the role(s) of the CMO & CIO in the future organization.

I just hope the CMO and Marketing teams don’t focus too much on the technology and lose track of what that technology is to be used for.

That’s the reason CIO’s and IT groups have been in trouble over the last few years, isn’t it?

Back to my original question: What’s the difference between the CMO and the CIO?  In today’s world…not a whole heck of a lot….and that doesn’t bode well for the CIO of the future.  Makes me wonder how much a real CIO and IT group  matter to organizations.

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12 years ago

And i'm a CKO (knowledge) even more difference. RT @ericdbrown: Whats the difference between the CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ #cio #cmo

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12 years ago

Whats the difference between the CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ #cio #cmo

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12 years ago

What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://restwrx.com/daxc7D via @EricDBrown

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12 years ago

#baot Reading: What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://ht.ly/19rNqb

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12 years ago

RT @ericdbrown: Whats the difference between the CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ #cio #cmo

Scott Brinker
12 years ago

Hi, Eric — thanks for the thought-provoking question (and the kind mentions!). One of the points you make, which I think is very important, is that just because marketing is using more and more technology in the execution of its mission, it shouldn’t lose focus of its real mission. At its best, the technology is purely an enabler of marketing strategies and tactics. When marketing — well, frankly, any group — gets too tech-happy and starts chasing technology without a clear purpose, it’s generally not going to end well. The underlying premise for my advocacy of a “chief marketing technologist”… Read more »

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12 years ago

What's the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ by @ericdbrown — just asking for a punchline, eh? 🙂

Matthew Hooper
12 years ago

As a CIO and CMO I still think there is a huge difference in these two roles. The challenge is it is going to change with each organizations vertical business segment, size, and growth strategy. The 10 goals add up to one common goal. Engagement! What CMO’s are focused on is engaging the external markets for direction and traction. What CIO’s are focused on is engaging business operations at every level of the enterprise to ensure they are supporting the market direction and gaining momentum on the traction at the appropriate scale. I’ve been told I am a rare bird,… Read more »

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12 years ago

RT @chiefmartec: What's the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ @ericdbrown >> A lot… see my comment.

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12 years ago

RT @ericdbrown: What's the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ

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12 years ago

RT @ericdbrown: What's the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ

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12 years ago

RT @andrewtuson: RT @carlhaggerty: What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://j.mp/b4M23u < interesting review and observations #CIO #socitm #in

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12 years ago

RT @carlhaggerty: What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://j.mp/b4M23u < interesting review and observations #CIO #socitm #in

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12 years ago

What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://j.mp/b4M23u < interesting review and observations #CIO #socitm

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12 years ago

RT @andrewtuson: RT @carlhaggerty: What’s the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://j.mp/b4M23u < interesting review and observati …

Olin Hyde
12 years ago

There are only two functions in business that create competitive advantage: Marketing and Innovation. This timeless mantra from Peter Drucker is the key to deciphering your riddle… CIOs are NOT operationally focused… that is the role of people with titles that don’t start with a “C”. Moreover, CMOs are strategic. The notion of adding “technologist” to the title is absurd. Technology is a tool — not a strategy. CMOs have always adapted to changes in technology and society — from the use of mass outbound media to the internet… and now tech enabled social commerce. All the name changes are… Read more »

Sue McKittrick
12 years ago

Eric,
I was troubled by your characterization of CMOs as focused on tactical components. So I went back to the CMO Council report where you pulled the “goals.” In fact, the question asked was, “what projects do you have planned” not “what goals do you have.” I think you are mixing apples and oranges.

CMOs lead the growth agenda for the company. No need to worry if they are getting too focused on the technology. Their focus is the business.

Best,

Sue

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12 years ago

What’s the diff between a CIO & CMO? http://ow.ly/2Yxat | uh, maybe brand evangelism, passion for consumer, market insight, creativity…?

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12 years ago

RT @ericdbrown: What's the difference between a CIO and CMO? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ

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[…] promised in earlier posts (here and here), its time to talk about the two main issues that cause problems between the CIO and the […]

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12 years ago

What's the difference between a #CIO and #CMO ? http://bit.ly/9OXwDJ via @ericdbrown