Liz Coburn, marketing manager at Bonds is a marketing guru who harnesses more than 10 years experience in the industry. She cut her teeth at the Bureau of Meteorology as a marketing and comms intern, working her way to 2XU before landing at Bonds.
She has been with the global retailer since 2022. Now in her role helping lead the Bonds brand, Coburn is focused on earning attention rather than competing for it, while navigating the ever-growing demands of content, AI and an increasingly crowded marketplace.
And while the tools may be changing, Coburn believes one thing still separates the brands that get considered from those that get chosen: a strong brand.
Now into our third season of B&T’s CMOs To Watch, presented by Zenith, Coburn joins the ranks of visionary marketing leaders redefining the playbook. This series celebrates those who balance bold ideas with business impact and have a whole lot of fun along the way.
We sat down with Coburn to discuss her favourite campaign, why brand strength is so vital and how Bonds is earning attention in such a crowded landscape.
B&T: Let’s get to know you… What three things would you take to a desert island?
Liz Coburn: An unlimited supply of matcha, a solar-powered phone (out of office set to “on”) and my adventurous shadow – my 14-month-old bub, Finn.
B&T: What is your passion outside of work? If you weren’t a CMO, what would you be doing?
LC: Outside of work, you’ll find me hanging out with my family and going for long walks along the beach. In my (often non-existent these days) downtime, I love trying a new recipe, listening to Olivia Dean and having a glass of wine.
B&T: What was your favourite campaign of all time?
LC: I’m a sucker for an emotive sport-focused campaign.
Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Us’ in 2020 still gives me all the feels six years later. The way the footage is cut is genius and shows the sheer ubiquity and diversity of these moments. When the world feels uncertain, sport can unite in a way that other mediums can’t.
B&T: Now let’s talk shop. What is your brand’s top priority for the next 12 months?
LC: Our north star is to create content, experiences and stories that people genuinely want to spend time with. In such a saturated market, our goal is to earn attention rather than compete for attention. We’re doing this through sporting partnerships that cut through and create memorable moments, as well as showing up in culture with money can’t buy experiences.
B&T: What channel is exciting you the most and how do you split your marketing budgets between long/short and channels mix?
LC: There’s something so satisfying about rethinking traditional mediums like out-of-home and turning them into memorable brand experiences. We are constantly challenging ourselves to do something that hasn’t been done before. An example of this was interactive billboards for our As Shot by Us campaign – we worked with suppliers to install hundreds of disposable cameras on billboards for passers-by to take and capture their own content. UGC, but make it analogue!
B&T: What is the biggest challenge you currently face in the marketplace?
LC: As so many global brands experience, keeping up with the sheer volume of content required to stay relevant is a consistent challenge. However, it’s exciting to see so many new offerings leveraging new tech and AI to meet this challenge. It’s forced us to work smarter, which naturally filters into everything that we do.
B&T: What are you most excited about in the marketplace?
LC: As above!
B&T: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
LC: In five years, I hope to be leading an amazing team of marketers to greatness for an iconic global brand.
We have so much more to do here at Bonds – the next five years is just the beginning!
B&T: Speaking hypothetically what’s one brand, product or category you’d like to sink your teeth into right now as a marketer?
LC: Having just become a new mum, a category I’m incredibly passionate about right now is all things parent plus baby. Lucky for me, that sits right within the Bonds wheelhouse!
We’ve recently launched our ‘Be the Village’ platform, all about supporting new parents with resources and events that truly make a difference to their wellbeing. We have so much more to do, but it’s incredibly important work.
B&T: Zenith have an unapologetic ambition to be brand marketers’ Most Valuable Partner, delivering optimal ROI in the most meaningful way for every brand. If you could improve just one of these outcomes this year: growth, efficiency, customer experience, or brand strength, which would you choose and why?
LC: Brand strength trumps all in my books. Growth, efficiency and customer experience are all critical success metrics, but a strong brand creates an environment where each of these can thrive. In a world where offerings can be easily replicated, brand often is the key difference between being considered and being chosen.
