CMOs, CCOs not collaborating effectively on social

New York—Chief marketing officers and chief communications officers continue to spar over the ownership of social media, according to a study from PR agency Makovsky+Co.

The report found more than 74% of CMOs and CCOs responding cited responsibility for social media as an area in which they fail to collaborate effectively. However, 86% of respondents said that they do work well together on more traditional corporate and brand identity programs.

The online survey, conducted from July through October, drew responses from 174 marketing, PR and corporate communications VPs.

Asked why greater collaboration between corporate marketing and PR departments is being emphasized by companies, almost 79% of respondents said that the “growing impact of reputation on consumers' buying decisions” is the primary motivation; 67% of respondents cited the “increased voice of consumers” due to the growth of conversations on social media.

“If CMOs and CCOs become companywide ambassadors for social, work together to bring an authentic narrative to market, use analytics to gain deeper consumer insights and to measure brand campaigns and reputation, then true collaboration between CMOs and CCOs in the digital age will be achieved,” said Tim Kane, exec VP-head of the digital branding practice at Makovsky, in a statement.