TRENDSETTERS: Philip’s CMO Geert van Kuyck talks about “Sense & Simplicity”

In his two short years as CMO of Philips, Geert van Kuyck has created a world of change for the global giant whose businesses span 3 core divisions: healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle. In a recent interview with The Internationalist, van Kuyck admits that the company’s success may be attributed to a single phrase-- "sense and simplicity."

This highly successful brand promise has transformed Philips to insure that a customer-centric ethos and a drive for innovation are at its center.

Geert van Kuyck believes a company’s essential responsibility is being accountable to adding value to its product purchaser--whether in the consumer or business-to-business space. As a result, customers now have come to expect certain qualities from Philips brands. Van Kuyck is convinced that the support, the needs and the ideas of impassioned consumers contribute to the creation of strong, useful companies.

At Philips, "sense and simplicity" is more than a marketing mantra; it is the guiding ideal behind how the company does business in every division and every department. It has now become so infused throughout the culture that employees take it to heart.

The Internationalist has named Geert van Kuyck as an Internationalist of the Year for his ideas about the role of marketing in today's multinational corporation.

He believes that a CMO today has a huge responsibility in directing the constitution of what shapes the brand. And a strong constitution becomes even more critical in light of today’s short CMO tenures. For van Kuyck, “the essence of a global brand is that it is shepherded by a passionate and obsessed owner;” he cites iconic companies with strong leaders like Apple and Starbucks as examples.

An advocate for the role of marketing within the corporation, Geert van Kuyck believes that strategic market entry decisions are as much branding decisions as they are economic and general business ones. “For example, if a company wants to enter a market, but the benefit needed does not connect with the brand promise, then one should not play in that arena.” Many companies will acquire another brand for market entry or expansion, rather than figure out a way to add to value. “A brand promise and a brand executed effectively transcend so many activities.”

Geert van Kuyck has been with Philips for 4 years and was named CMO in January 2008. A native of Belgium, his prior career includes a role as Vice President of Marketing for EMEA at Starbucks and 14 years at Procter & Gamble with various positions in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and the USA.