About Session

Effectively Managing a Multifunctional Marketing Department

Today’s marketing department is far more than “advertising.” It’s a dynamic ecosystem where strategy, creativity, technology, communications, and business outcomes meet. As leaders and practitioners, we balance brand building, product launches, digital campaigns, budget stewardship, and corporate reputation—every day.

This session is a forum to share practices, exchange experience, and spark new approaches. We’ll cover the key aspects of running a multifunctional marketing team and how to apply them in real-world conditions.

What We’ll Cover

We’ll focus on three core themes:

1. Year-in-Review Analysis – how to conduct a professional, constructive assessment of results.
2. Planning – how to structure the calendar, budget, and priorities.
3. Goal-Setting – how to create clear, realistic, and ambitious objectives for the year ahead.

All topics are grounded in practice, with real examples, challenges, and solutions relevant to the Bulgarian marketing context.

A Practical Model for Structuring Marketing Work

• Brand Marketing – strategic positioning, brand equity, identity, and recognition; making the brand authentic and durable over time.
• Product Marketing – targeting, value messaging, support for commercial execution, and the key moments of product launches.
• Performance Marketing – managing digital channels and optimizing ROI.
• Corporate Communications, CSR & PR – reputation management, partnerships, media visibility, and social impact.

Year-in-Review: Foundation for the Future

Measure what matters and turn insights into action:

• Brand KPIs: awareness, associations, preference.
• Product KPIs: new product success, clarity of communication.
• Performance KPIs: ROAS, CPA, CTR, LTV, top-performing channels.
• Media Buying KPIs: efficiency and effectiveness of paid campaigns.
• CSR KPIs: societal impact, media coverage, employee engagement.

Planning & Goal-Setting

• Define goals that are clear, measurable, and inspiring.
• Build an annual marketing calendar that balances strategic initiatives with tactical execution.
• Budget for both long-term brand investment and short-term performance campaigns.
• Coordinate across teams to avoid duplication of resources and mixed messages.

Channel Management – Paid & Owned Media

Create an integrated strategy across channels:

• Paid Media: digital advertising, ATL, BTL, media planning, buying, and optimization.
• Owned Media: corporate sites, blogs, social profiles, newsletters, internal platforms.
• Content Management: consistent, relevant content that reinforces the overall strategy.

Team Structure: Organizing for Execution

An example structure for a multifunctional department:

• Brand & Product Management
• Corporate Communications, CSR & PR
• Creative Team (in-house or external)
• Research & Analysis / Insights
• Media Planning & Buying
• Owned & Paid Media Content Team

The aim is to design smooth processes that enable fast adaptation and effective delivery.

Outcome

We aim to leave with practical ideas, concrete solutions, and fresh inspiration for new ways of working.