Brand building · Episode 61 · Season 4 · ·
Listen, Learn, and Lead
Kimberly Hairston-Hicks, CMO of Gold Bond, on the three-word philosophy learned at Coca-Cola that has guided 25-plus years across CPG and beauty, why the first six months at Gold Bond were spent entirely listening, and why getting the best of both worlds, Sanofi's data and resources with a startup's agility, is the most exciting moment of her career.
Kimberly Hairston-Hicks, CMO, Gold Bond. In conversation with Justin Cooke.
Listen, Learn, and Lead
0:0033:00Why the first six months at any brand should be listening and why the best of both worlds is startup agility inside enterprise resources
Kimberly Hairston-Hicks has built her career entirely in consumer brand marketing, from Diet Coke at Coca-Cola through senior roles at L'Oreal, Coty, Unilever, and Fashion Fair, with an entrepreneurial chapter founding her own skincare brand Good Beauty in between. She joined Gold Bond about 18 months before this episode was recorded and has been transforming the brand with a philosophy refined over more than 25 years: listen, learn, lead.
In this conversation she explains why Coca-Cola is one of the best brand management companies in the world and what it taught her about unwavering commitment to consumers, why she spent her first six months at Gold Bond exclusively listening rather than acting, and why operating like a startup inside the Sanofi group gives her the best of both commercial worlds.
What drew you into brand marketing?
“I fell into marketing almost by accident. My undergraduate degree is in journalism. I was introduced to this new path called brand management at Clark Atlanta University for my MBA and fell in love with it. My first role was at Coca-Cola on Diet Coke, which I still consider one of my all-time love brands. Coca-Cola is probably one of the best brand management companies in the world.”
The journalism background and Coca-Cola as the foundational school.
What did those early years teach you?
“I have an unwavering commitment to consumers. That is what I learned at Coke and it guides my path every step of the way. And I incorporated thinking around three simple steps. I listen to our consumer. I learn what they are really thinking. And then I am able to lead. Those continue to guide my approach.”
The philosophy crystallised early and has never changed.
How did you apply that at Gold Bond?
“When I joined Gold Bond about a year and a half ago, I took the first six months just listening. Listening to the consumers and what they thought about the brand. Current consumers, as well as consumers with no idea about the brand and those who had tried it. What stood out was always very consistent. They would say: it works. That was a very strong equity to build upon.”
The discipline of listening before leading in practice.
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“Gold Bond is owned by Sanofi and we have the privilege of having all their insights, data, and structure. But our team operates like a startup. We are taking more risk. We are doing things we probably had not done in the past. And it is exciting. This is probably the most exciting time of my career.”
The best of both worlds: enterprise resources with startup agility.
What is transferable between big corporates and entrepreneurship?
“My purpose never changes. It is always about the consumer and improving their lives. Whether Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, or my own skincare brand Good Beauty. The differences are in speed and risk appetite. Bigger companies have discipline and structure. Smaller ones can move faster. The best situation is when you get both.”
Consistent purpose across very different organisational contexts.
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Read the full transcript
Lightly edited for readability
Justin Cooke Tell us about your career journey.
Kimberly Hairston-Hicks I fell into marketing almost by accident. Journalism undergrad. Brand management MBA at Clark Atlanta. First role was Diet Coke at Coca-Cola. One of the best brand management companies in the world. Listen. Learn. Lead. Three words I learned there that have guided everything since.
Justin Cooke How did you apply that at Gold Bond?
Kimberly Hairston-Hicks First six months at Gold Bond just listening. Current consumers, lapsed consumers, non-consumers. Consistently they said: it works. That is strong equity to build upon. Now we operate like a startup inside Sanofi. Enterprise resources with startup agility. This is the most exciting time of my career.
