The real 4 P's of the CMO with Susan O'Brien (Just Eat)

**Jon Evans** (0:00)
Hey, everyone, just before we get into the show, I just wanted to give a really big shout out to my founding sponsor, System One. As many of you know, I worked at System One, and before that, I was actually a client of theirs. Now, the thing I love about System One is when I need to make a big decision, they have been there to help me, because what System One does is use the power of emotion to help predict the likely impact of my innovation or advertising. So when I've been stuck in the boardroom needing to justify why we're gonna pick one creative route over another, or launch this innovation over that one, it has been indispensable. It's also really simple to use, very actionable, and incredibly good value too. So if you want to find out more about System One's test your ad or test your innovation, simply go over to systemonegroup.com and find out more. Okay, without further ado, let's go on with the show. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Uncensored CMO. Now one thing people often ask me is, what is it actually like to be a CMO and how do you become successful? And I was asked that question late last year and I replied with a rather different answer, which is you'd be surprised that great CMOs don't do much marketing. In fact, they have a completely different set of 4Ps. And that led to TikTok asking me to write a report called The Real 4Ps for CMO.
And to discuss this report, I got together with one of the most fantastic, most experienced CMOs in the planet, Susan O'Brien, who was formerly the CMO of Just Eat, to talk through the report's finding and get her, particularly to share her experience of managing at the top. There are loads of fascinating insights in the report, and we are discussing why they matter and what you can learn from them. Here we go.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Uncensored CMO. Now we have a returning guest in this episode, none other than Suso O'Brien, the former CMO of Just Eat. And we're here to talk about all things CMO related.

**Susan O'Brien** (1:55)
Wow, listen, it's great to be back. Thanks for having me, John.

**Jon Evans** (1:57)
It's good to have you back.

**Susan O'Brien** (1:58)
Yeah, it's great. It feels like yesterday. It does, doesn't it? Yeah, yeah, it's weird, but it's not yesterday, because it was 2023, from memory.

**Jon Evans** (2:06)
End of 2023, yes.

**Susan O'Brien** (2:07)
Okay, okay.

**Jon Evans** (2:08)
Yeah, we were talking about all the amazing work you did on Just Eat.

**Susan O'Brien** (2:12)
The amazing work that I did with the team.

**Jon Evans** (2:14)
Of course. You're very good at that, Suso, I have to say. You're very, very good. I know. I know.
Share the love. For anyone who doesn't know about your tenure, so you were CMO for about nine years, I think I'm right in saying.

**Susan O'Brien** (2:26)
Well, it's fair to say when I joined Just Eat back in 2016, I was a freelance consultant working on a rebrand. And then fast forward nine years, I left and my role then was the global CMO. So yeah, I was the global CMO for a couple of years. Prior to that, I was VP of global brand. Yeah, and fifth chief exec by the time I left.

**Jon Evans** (2:48)
Oh, wow. So you outlasted five chief execs?

**Susan O'Brien** (2:52)
Yeah.

**Jon Evans** (2:52)
That's impressive. So just take us back to the beginning then, because a lot changed in the category between when you started and when you left. So what was happening in the category when you started?

**Susan O'Brien** (3:02)
Well, it is a long time ago. And in fact, I was talking to someone about this the other day saying, oh, you know, it's kind of what you do. It's part of how people live their lives. And I said, yeah, but it wasn't like that back in 2016 It was a, you know, your classic Friday or Saturday night treat. It was primarily those restaurants who had their own delivery capability. And then the whole world changed, of course. But yeah, now it's a thing. And people kind of demand what they want when they want it. And so the category responded and lots of competition came in. Yeah, and that category was born and then almost reborn during COVID when everything took off.
When lots of people were concerned about their own businesses, our business was flying. That proper hockey stick opportunity for us because, you know, people were looking for things to be delivered to their home and kind of contact free. So yeah, it changed massively. And I was part of all of that. So yeah, kind of humble beginnings into kind of global brand by the time that I left.