Marketing Climber: Gatorade’s 37-year old Chief Marketing Officer

Sarah Robb O’Hagan, CMO at Gatorade, was spotlighted today in the Chicago Tribune.   Mrs. O’Hagan, 37,  held numerous roles, each with growing responsibility, in companies such as Nike, Virgin, and Air New Zealand prior to being recruited to Gatorade.   She is the textbook example “Marketing Climber”. 

Learn more about her daily routine, how she came to Gatorade from Nike, her adjustment period at Gatorade  and even a little bit about her personal life. 

Special thanks to Ann Therese Parker for conducting this great interview at The Chicago Tribune.

 

As Nike’s Western region general manager, Sarah Robb O’Hagan thought she was working in her “dream job — like going to the university of sports marketing,” she said.

“The environment there is very conducive to creativity and innovation.” She was in discussions with Nike about her next role, a global marketing position, when she got a call from a headhunter.

Gatorade, she was told, was looking for someone to reinvigorate the business. Comparing the opportunities, “Nike was heavily matrixed, meaning the jobs were similar, but there wasn’t the same level of accountability,” O’Hagan concluded.

“At Gatorade, I’d own all of the marketing and innovation functions. I wanted that chance in my career to put everything on the line and see if I could lead a total team to turn around a brand.”

Still, moving from an apparel-maker to consumer products has had its challenges for O’Hagan, 37.

“Both brands came of age at the same time with a similar marketing approach: leveraging the best athletes you can find in the U.S., bringing emotional stories of athletic achievement to life to consumers,” she said.

“The beverage industry is very different, though. Where apparel is sold on futures and has a seasonal cycle, beverages has an annual selling cycle with real-time, day-to-day results.

“I’ve had to learn a tremendous amount on how we go to market. I’m still learning.”

– — –
Q:  How are you coming up to speed?

A:  When I first got here, I spent a lot of time with the finance folks, sales folks and other peers, trying to understand what’s going on in their world and how their functions contribute to the business.

This is a very fast-paced business. I’ve learned more by osmosis than by sitting and studying.

Q:  At 37, you can be the youngest, but most senior, at the table. How do you deal with that?

A:  When you’re significantly younger, you’re inherently aware you don’t have the same life experiences as the others. It makes you more self-aware that you don’t want to make a mistake.

I lead with a lot of passion. I believe in what I’m doing. I frame my argument with as many data points as I can. I’ve got to bring my A-game to a meeting, stand up there and sell with passion, belief and confidence.

Q:  In 16 years, you’ve worked for six different companies, averaging one company every 2.66 years. What are O’Hagan’s do’s and don’ts when you start with a new company?

A:  My do’s are listen, listen, listen for the first 12 months. If you don’t understand the culture and dynamics and what drives the motivations of your team, it’s hard to get them going.

Don’t assume something that worked in a different industry is going to work in a new one. Bring your new team on board and stress-test your assumption.

Q:  What’s a typical day like?

A:  It starts with a run around 6:30 a.m. Then, I hang out with my three children, 5, 3 and six months.
My husband, Liam, is a Web site producer who’s home-based. I get to work around 9 a.m. My calendar is booked non-stop with meetings from then until 7 p.m.

I like to lead by bringing my teams and my leaders’ teams together to facilitate their thinking and visioning. I can use their insights to create plans and help sell their plans in to senior management.

After work, I spend time with my family. After the children are asleep, I work in front of the TV until around 11 p.m.

Q: How has the current recession impacted how you work?

A: I’m working at least 25 percent more.

What’s causing the huge increase in workload is we’re having to rethink everything we do because suddenly we’re on a new playing field. There’s increased data collection, thinking and strategizing for a new environment.

Consumers don’t have the wealth they had. They’re not buying the same volume of products across every level of every industry.

This environment is something that’s not going to change a couple of years from now.

Step by step

June 2008-present: Chief marketing officer, Gatorade, Chicago

2006-08: General manager, U.S. Western region, Nike, Los Angeles

2004-06: USA marketing director, Nike, Portland, Ore.

2002-04: USA Western region marketing director, Nike, Los Angeles

2000-02: Vice president, U.S. marketing, Atari Infogames/Atari Entertainment, Los Angeles

1999-2000: Group marketing director, Virgin Entertainment Group, Los Angeles

1998-99: Marketing director, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Norwalk, Conn.

1995-98: Marketing director for North America/Latin America, Air New Zealand, Los Angeles

1994-95: Manager, loyalty marketing, Air New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand

1993-94: Marketing graduate trainee, Air New Zealand

1993: Bachelor of Commerce, University of Auckland, Auckland

1993: Market researcher, Artec Abrasives, Auckland

1990-92: Assistant to marketing manager, Allied Liquor, Auckland

1989-92: Minibar restocker, Park Royal Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand

1989-92: Waitress, Yamagen Restaurant, Christchurch

1989: Shop assistant, ESPRIT, Christchurch