Guinness on the ‘magic’ of intergenerational idea exchange
From talent spotting to prioritising mentoring, Diageo marketers Gráinne Wafer and Lauren McKay believe there’s lots to learn from colleagues at different career stages.
Sharing ideas and experience between different generations is something many businesses fail to prioritise. Received wisdom suggests the vision should be set at the highest levels by senior leadership, who have no intention of consulting anyone further down the career ladder.
That attitude could not be further from the truth at Diageo, explains global category director for beer, Baileys and Smirnoff, Gráinne Wafer.
“For our brands we take strong, simple strategies. Clear KBAs [key brand assets]. We have things that are fixed and we have a lot of flex for people to really run with ideas and run with their own creativity, and that’s what makes a bit of marketing magic,” she told Marketing Week during the Cannes Lions Festival last month.
Diageo hires for potential, which is what the team saw in Lauren McKay when she applied to the graduate scheme eight years ago.
