Iwata's Legacy: The IBM Veteran Coming to B2B World Fest
Jon Iwata, the man behind IBM's most legendary work, is coming to Miami for B2B World Fest on November 9. For three decades, his team built 'Smarter Planet,' put Watson on Jeopardy!, and steered IBM to become the second-most valuable brand in the world according to Interbrand.
Iwata's approach began with a question he asked himself: 'What are we marketing?' His answer was not products or services, but IBM as a company to partner with, work for, invest in, and welcome into your community and nation. This reframing lifted the IBM brand above the transaction and product catalog.
Iwata's research at Yale has found that CEOs often didn't fully appreciate their role until they were in the seat, managing stakeholders and creating value for customers, employees, partners, and society. He argues that this is an opening for marketers willing to think bigger than just the customer.