Don't miss ADWEEK House at Cannes, June 16-19. Join us as we celebrate our 45th anniversary and explore the industry's now and next. RSVP.
Martina Suess Cromer has moved on from her role as U.S. communications chief at WPP and has been named global chief communications officer at FCB, a revived role at the IPG agency. FCB is separating communications and growth into two distinct disciplines. Global chief marketing officer Brandon Cooke, previously responsible for FCB’s reputation practice, will continue to drive new business and growth efforts, as well as leading FCB’s international affiliates.
Suess Cromer is tasked with leading and developing FCB’s collective global communications strategy with an aim to build greater connectivity and collaboration among the agency’s worldwide network of offices and focusing on creative storytelling that transforms brand reputation. She is based in New York and joins FCB’s leadership team reporting to global chief executive officer Tyler Turnbull and global chief creative officer Susan Credle.
Communications, as a profession, is a lot more than just PR.
Martina Suess Cromer. global chief communications, FCB
“It’s really good to be back in an agency, because it’s where I came up. I understand the impact you can have in these roles, and I just want to tell great stories. FCB is an agency that really understands that work can shape culture and culture is what shapes business,” Suess Cromer told Adweek.
For the last four years Suess Cromer led U.S. corporate communications across WPP’s largest market. Prior to WPP, she was the global head of marketing and communications at Hearst-owned agency iCrossing and before that was the vp of global corporate communications at Wunderman. She also held positions at Brand Innovators, Quotidian Ventures, Powell Communications and DDA Public Relations.
Giving comms the attention and funds it deserves
FCB saw the need to split the comms department into two groups after the network’s continued growth and new business wins, including Budweiser, Intuit QuickBooks and the New York Mets.
Cooke will now be able to focus on the growth aspect of the business while Suess Cromer will concentrate on global internal and external communications.
“Both spaces are a lot hotter and come with a lot more opportunity,” Credle told Adweek.
Credle said that when she took the CCO job at Leo Burnett in Chicago, she recalled her predecessor saying that the most important person on your team will be your head of comms, because they will make your mistakes not as painful. They will make your average look good and they will make your great exceptional. “I truly believe that giving comms the attention that it deserves today with everything that’s going on in our agency is going to be another step up for us,” said Credle.
Turnbull told Adweek that he believes FCB’s reputation and product has gotten stronger every year, and he felt now was the right time to separate the two comms disciplines, which both need strong leadership.
“We always say creative is the business and the business is creative. When we met Martina, her passion for not only external comms, but internal was something that really resonated to both of us,” said Turnbull. FCB has more than 8,000 people in 100 offices who need to “speak FCB,” said Turnbull.
Advice for the younger comms generation
Communications and public relations is a wide-ranging field. On the agency side, there are many disciplines that those coming up the ranks need to know, and Suess Cromer has practiced all of them in her time at agencies and holding companies.
She said that those looking for a career in comms need to learn fast, but that climbing the ranks can take time, which can be exhausting, since the job can sometimes be around the clock. Her first suggestion is to spend a few years inside a PR agency, build a network and contact list, and have clients who will advocate for you.
“Communications, as a profession, is a lot more than just PR, so you need to understand the direction you want to go in and what you like doing … you have to pick your poison and then go where you’re going to enjoy your time and the people and continue learning,” said Suess Cromer, adding that those coming up need to be a sponge and learn from great leaders.
Suess Cromer noted that FCB has a mantra: “It’s never finished,” which resonates because the work of a comms person is never finished, because they’re always on, following the news cycles and pitching the right story at the right time.
Of course, being on all the time means that burnout is a possibility, but Suess Cromer suggests that prioritization is key—learning how to say ‘no’ or ‘not yet.’
“If you can’t get to something immediately, just say that and you’ll find a way to do it later… It’s really understanding where your impact can be maximized. You have to understand what opportunities there are and how to make them into something,” which can require creative thinking, said Suess Cromer.
Turnbull added that being intentional is key to comms people, because intention leads to a disciplined approach to the job, which leads to better focus.
“We’ve tried to be really intentional about what we want this role to be, and how we can be successful doing that,” said Turnbull.
Credle took it one point further, saying that strategy and intent lead to impact, which is ultimately what the comms role should entail.
“If you feel like what you’re doing matters and you can feel it having an impact, that’s energy. When you feel like you’re working hard, but it matters, it means something. It actually doesn’t create burnout, it creates excitement and fuel,” said Credle.
Ultimately, Credle and Turnbull want the new comms divisions to help tell the story of FCB, which turned 150 this year.
“If we’ve learned anything over the last few years it’s that great communications work is what drives a brand’s continued growth and success,” said Turnbull.
