With nearly two decades of experience in marketing, Lisa Little-Cain thrives on the adrenaline and camaraderie that come with building impactful campaigns. Her dedication to fostering strong relationships, both within her team and with agency partners, has helped her lead brands like ALDI Australia, Volkswagen, McDonald’s, and Virgin to new heights.
Little-Cain’s passion for storytelling, creativity, and strategic thinking has earned her a reputation as someone who inspires others while delivering award-winning results, as a rare find in the industry.
CMOs to Watch, presented by Zenith, spotlights the visionaries leading the charge. This series delves into the strategies and perspectives of CMOs who are setting new standards, pushing boundaries, and driving impact in ways that redefine what it means to be a leader in marketing today.
Let’s dive in!
B&T: Let’s get to know you…What three things would you take to a desert island?
Little-Cain: Champagne, a fully loaded & charged Kindle and sunscreen.
B&T: Favourite album, movie and book?
Little-Cain:
- Album: Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World instantly takes me back to a core memory of my grandparents dancing in the kitchen.
- Movie: Inside Out & Inside Out 2… if you know you know.
- Book: Breakfast at Tiffany’s
B&T: What is your passion outside of work? (Think hobbies, sports, etc).
Little-Cain: I am a Football (soccer) fanatic; playing, watching, or coaching, I am a self-taught landscaper; I can lay some good turf and great on an excavator and I love exploring my backyard and going for Bush Walks with my kids in the stunning Blue Mountains.
B&T: If you weren’t a CMO, what would you be doing?
Little-Cain: Teaching, I had a scholarship when I finished School to be a PE and Music teacher in England. But my passion for marketing and advertising won me over, so I went to uni instead. No regrets.
B&T: What was your favourite campaign of all time?
Little Cain: Easy choice – John Lewis’ The Bear and the Hare. This campaign is a masterclass in storytelling, combining emotional resonance with the perfect music choice. It brilliantly extended beyond traditional channels, creating a whole experience—from a children’s book and merchandise to an engaging app and stunning in-store window displays. I loved everything about it, and it still captivates me today.
B&T: Now let’s talk shop… What is your brand’s top priority for the next 12 months?
Little-Cain: Our top priority is delivering on our business objectives, and to achieve that, we need an engaged, supported, and motivated team. The ALDI Marketing team brings a diverse range of skills and perspectives. Over the next 12 months, we will continue to develop and nurture our people. Without a sense of trust, security, and safety, we cannot meet our business goals.
B&T: What channel is exciting you the most and how do you split your marketing budgets between long/short and channels mix?
Little-Cain: A channel that continues to excite me is audio, while I love great radio, i think Podcasts are still an underused channel. Podcasts offer a unique and intimate way to connect with audiences, especially when a brand is seamlessly integrated with hosts who have established trust and credibility. The personal nature of podcast listening creates opportunities for authentic and impactful storytelling.
Pairing the right host with your brand can lead to memorable experiences for listeners, especially when the content aligns well with their interests.
Our recent MMM showed us that all channels play a role. Therefore, based on the strategic intent of each brief, we allocate our channel splits based on desired outcomes. But the one channel we are keeping our eye on at the moment as it shows such strong performance for our brand is audio.
It would be pretty obvious for those seeing us in the marketplace that Masterbrand advertising plays a huge role in changing the perceptions of consumers and attracting new shoppers. Along with that, balancing sales/retail is just as important to ensure we deliver on our business targets. We are in the market 52 weeks a year, ensuring Australians know they can get the best quality at the lowest price every day.
B&T: What is the biggest challenge you currently face in the marketplace?
Little-Cain: A key focus is staying consistent with our messaging as the media landscape evolves. We need to leverage each channel’s strengths while ensuring we don’t dilute the core idea or stray from the overarching campaign strategy.
B&T: What campaign are you most proud of?
Little-Cain: That’s like asking which child is my favourite… it changes every day. Today, I’m going to go with our ‘Shop ALDI first’ campaign.
The strongest campaigns are built off a human truth. We knew our customers were seeing other supermarkets, so what would happen if we leaned into that and made it a strength. The campaign was built of such a strong and solid strategy that the creative process flowed.
Every channel has a role, and we ensure that we put the best creative work in every place. From our responsive social content with our hero talent through to the tactical placement of our retail OOH.
B&T: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Little-Cain: Adventuring the world with my girls and Hubby. I will never get bored of watching them discover new countries, cultures, and food. It’s my happy place.
B&T: Zenith is the presenting partner of B&T’s CMOs to Watch list. The agency takes a predictive view when it comes to industry perspectives. They’d like to know your prediction for marketing in the next 12 months.
Little-Cain: In 2025, I suspect we are going to see more acceptance and better use of AI. We should be seeing AI as another tool that is going to help us better understand our customers, enhance our data capabilities, and ultimately give us more time.
Check out the other instalments in the CMOs To Watch series here:
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: How Shad Haehae Is Raising The Marketing Bar & Raising His Daughter Along The Way
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Super Mum & Coles Super Marketer, Alex Piercy
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Telstra’s Alita McMenamin On Brand, Balance & The Power Of Family
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: 28 Group’s Tim White On Storytelling, Social Media & Sport
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Meet Zach Kitschke, Full Time Canva CMO, Part Time Snowboarding Superstar
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Meet Peita Golden, Telco Marketing Boss, Footy Fanatic & Future Pub Owner
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Peter Chapman On Driving Reflections Holidays’ Brand Transformation & Reimagining Camping
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Gardening & Dinner Parties, How Vinyl Group’s Alli Galloway Finds Peace Outside Of The Roaring Live Music Scene
- CMO’s To Watch, Presented By Zenith: The Little Joys Behind Michelle Rowling’s Thrilling Life At Luna Park
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Hawthorn FC’s Dan Hamer’s Next Big Partnership
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: DrinkWise’s Part Time Builder, Part Time Marketer, Nathan Kent
- CMOs To Watch, Presented By Zenith: Mountain Culture’s Out Of This World Bradley Firth
