CMO Spotlight | Genefa Murphy - Udemy

The CMO Spotlight is a chance to get an inside look into the minds and journeys of high-performing marketing leaders.

Setup President, Amanda Thompson, virtually sat down with Genefa Murphy, the CMO at Udemy, to discuss the importance of seeking inspiration outside of marketing, Disney’s powerful branding, and more.

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Q1 | Is there any advice you would like to share?

“If you want to be a highly successful marketer, go do a job outside of marketing.”

Murphy advised marketers to expand their perspectives by actually taking some time to do a role outside of marketing. “Go do the job of the internal customer of marketing, sales, partners, and customer success. It's going to give you a whole different perspective on the value that marketing can bring.” She explained that by working in roles outside of marketing, you can “get close” to your customers in a direct way, see how they’re using your product or service, and develop assets to better serve them.

Q2 | What is your superpower?

Murphy is proficient at “context-switching,” a strength that helps her lead teams with different focuses. The ability to go from meeting to meeting switching her focus from one topic to another allows her to be more present and helpful for her team.

Q3 | Where do you find inspiration?

Murphy finds inspiration for her team from her team. “I believe very much that the role of a leader is to provide the framework, the context, and the environment where the team can bring their own passions to the surface.” She believes in creating an environment for her team that fosters creativity and leads to creating “amazing experiences.”

Q4 | What values are important to you?

For Murphy, “Respect is the baseline.” She believes in healthy debates to push boundaries, but they have to be led with respect and kindness.

She also believes in the notion of leveling up to the next degree. The 212 concept challenges people to see what they need to do to go from very hot at 211° C to boiling at 212°, or, in other words, really push the envelope for impactful change. She shared, “I always think that we should be asking ourselves, ‘Could we go that extra degree?’ It doesn't always have to be massive things, but sometimes just that little extra degree, that little extra challenge, that little extra question that we ask ourselves, helps us to unlock an amazing amount of potential.”

Q5 | Tell us about an impactful campaign.

Murphy is particularly proud of a campaign she was a part of at Stage 2 Capital, a B2B Software company. The campaign showcased the full range of their software by putting an employee on the side of a cliff using a product. The campaign was produced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and It was both creative and successful. This campaign tapped into the “social narrative,” while also developing trust and excitement with consumers. Additionally, they executed the campaign in less than 3 months!

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For more marketing leadership advice and a view into the mindset of marketing executives in various industries, be sure to watch the full interview with Genefa Murphy, and keep an eye out for more thought leadership from our CMO Spotlights.

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