Restore Confidence With Decisive Action

By Andrew Pierce

Prophet, December 15, 2008 — Repairing the damage done to consumer confidence is not going to be easy, and many of the sector’s brands that were once pillars of the community (Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, and others) are beyond the task. But the work starts now, and falls to marketing leaders to draw on all the best thinking and resources at their disposal to get the job done. (Marketing News)

Survey: Wal-Mart Among Best 'Value' Brands†

YouGovPolimetrix places AIG at bottom of insurance heap

Adweek, November 4, 2008 — A recent survey by YouGovPolimetrix revealed that the slumping economy is having a significant impact on how consumers perceive brand value. Budget brands like Wal-Mart and Old Navy were ranked highest by consumers, while more upscale brands and financial services firms ranked lowest, reflecting a loss of consumer confidence.

How to Market During a Downturn†

CMO Roundtable: Execs on Maintaining Budgets, Changing Marketing Mixes and the Challenges of 2009

Advertising Age, October 27, 2008 — Just days before the Dow suffered its largest single-day point drop ever Sept. 29, Ad Age Editor Jonah Bloom sat down with three top CMOs to talk about marketing in a recession. On hand were Ranjana Clark, senior exec VP-CMO of Wachovia Corp.; Tom O'Toole, CMO and chief information officer of Global Hyatt Corp.; and Mark Chmiel, exec VP-chief marketing and innovation officer at Denny's Corp.

Learn From a Master of Marketing†

Q&A: Jim Garrity May Be Retiring From Wachovia, but He Still Has Plenty to Say

Advertising Age, April 23, 2007 — Gim Garrity, exec VP-chief marketing officer of Wachovia Corp. and a high-profile member of the Association of National Advertisers, is retiring July 1 after a decade with the once sleepy bank brand turned national powerhouse following the merger with First Union Corp. Mr. Garrity, 60, is stepping down after a successful career with companies including IBM and Compaq Computer Corp., where he repositioned the brand. Reporter Kate MacArthur talks to the Ad Age Marketing 50 alumnus.

Reworking The Ad Mix

BusinessWeek, October 23, 2006 — The average chief marketing officer has a notoriously short tenure, so the lofty reputation of Wachovia CMO Jim Garrity is perhaps best evidenced by how neatly the word "longstanding" fits in front of his title