Jason Phippen from Emulex, the leader in converged network solutions, talks about his approach to marketing and his vision on what a marketer needs to be successful.
About Emulex
Emulex, the leader in converged networking solutions, provides enterprise-class connectivity for servers, networks and storage devices within the data center. The Company’s product portfolio of Fibre Channel host bus adapters, network interface cards, converged network adapters, controllers, embedded bridges and switches, and connectivity management software are proven, tested and trusted by the worlds’ largest and most demanding IT environments. Emulex solutions are used and offered by the industry’s leading server and storage OEMs including, Apple, Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, Huawei, IBM, LSI, Lenovo, NEC, Oracle, NetApp, Samsung and ZTE. Emulex is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe.
About Jason Phippen
A consistent overachiever, Jason is a senior marketing director with 12 years’ experience in large technology corporations, and 22 years of storage software and hardware industry experience. He has a highly successful record of designing and executing marketing functions and strategies across the EMEA region.
With an extensive knowledge of enterprise software and hardware markets, expertise in OEM, direct, and 1 and 2 tier models, he was also a former Director and Co-Chairman of FCIAE Europe; and former Vice-Chairman of SNIA Europe.
(Sandra Malone , Marketingmoves Director of Marketing, interviews Jason Phippen)
SM: Hi Jason. Tell us about Emulex and Marketing in your company
JP: We’re the leader in converged networking solutions and we provide enterprise-class connectivity for servers, networks and storage devices within the data center. Emulex solutions are used and offered by the industry’s leading server and storage OEMs including, Apple, Cisco, Dell, EMC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, Huawei, IBM, LSI, Lenovo, NEC, Oracle, NetApp, Samsung and ZTE.
We manage EMEA marketing from the UK with a small marketing team and a very focused marketing budget. As we have a rather complex go to market model, the marketing team has to deliver results.
Our parent company (in the US) is focused on quarterly results, so, as in most businesses, this will result in a shorter term focus. Here in EMEA, for us to make the numbers, we need not only baseline 101 Marketing/Classic Marketing skills- we also need marketing people who have the desire and ability to grow. We’ve recently hired someone (Amanda West) with the help of Marketingmoves to manage the EMEA Marketing communications and were impressed with her wide ranging skill set, attitude and aptitude.
SM: Sounds great, but what else, in your opinion, is important for a marketer today to have in their own toolbox which will make a difference in the marke place?
JP: Execution abilities are key and so is being able to honestly measure the impact of the marketing initiative. Driving loyalty and awareness, although important, is now not enough. It’s critical that marketing people know how to use social media in a business sense- we use LinkedIn and we often do eblasts on LinkedIn because we know we can get the attention of key people through this medium – as long as the content is relevant.
SM: Jason, you’re well known in the sector. What are some of the key actions that have made you successful in your space?
JP: For me, it’s all about approach. Understanding, really understanding what drives your channel and their end users is a responsibility and if you get it wrong, your approach to the market is either a ‘me too’ strategy or fails to drive sales. Understanding the market will help you to create the right messages for that market and of course, will deliver the level of influence you need to be successful in this incredible competitive market place.
SM: Thanks Jason.
