Interview: Asos marketer and Engage Awards Rising Star Fiona Marshall

Marketing Week’s Rising Star 2012 explains what the award meant to her and some tips on crafting a winning entry.

rising star

There’s still time to enter this year’s Marketing Week Engage Awards Rising Star category but if you still need convincing, then last year’s winner, Asos.com’s head of womenswear marketing Fiona Marshall has some words of wisdom.

Since taking home the gong at the 2012 Engage Awards, Marshall, then senior global brand manager at Asos, has been promoted to head up marketing for the online fashion retailer’s global womenswear division, showing that recognition of an award like this can open up new career opportunities.

She was persuaded to enter by her boss after dedicating six months of her life to one campaign. She remembers: “I was excited by what we attempted. I never win anything, not even a raffle, so it was a total shock when my name was called out, especially given the competition.”

Her advice to potential rising stars is to be proud of your achievements and keep your entry factual and to the point, so that your accomplishments can speak for themselves.

 As a result of being named Marketing Week’s Rising Star, the marketing activity that Asos does has become much more on the radar within the industry.

“It was a well-timed confidence boost and it has opened up some other opportunities. I’m proud of the work we’re doing but because so much of it isn’t traditional marketing, I don’t think many people in the industry were really aware of what we were up to,” she says.

Heading up marketing for Asos womenswear means Marshall is constantly challenged to understand what its young female audience wants from the brand, and how technology can help deliver it.

As well as being inspired by the story behind the phenomenal growth of the Asos business, Marshall finds inspiration comes from smaller, entrepreneurial brands such as Made.com and Fab.com that she says are “breaking traditional boundaries and disrupting the marketing place”.

“I’m passionate about the business. It’s brave and innovative, which makes Asos an amazing place to work. The pace at which the business operates and the speed at which it’s growing, means there are always new and exciting challenges. Within marketing we’re always testing and learning which is empowering, rewarding and sometimes nail biting!”

If you think your work and contribution to your business deserves recognition make sure you nominate yourself for the Marketing Week Engage Awards Rising Star 2013, in association with YouGov. The deadline to enter has been extended until the 29 January so there’s still time. More information here.

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