Tom Mansfield
At Marketing Trends, we are discovering what drives Australia’s top marketers.
Zoomo is the world's leader in light electric vehicles (LEVs) and after-market servicing, built on the experience of thousands of delivery riders across the globe.
We chat with Zoomo's Global Head of Marketing Tom Mansfield about marketing's role on both sides of the delivery chain, scaling up during COVID and successfully leading a team across 5 time zones.
Career & professional background
How did your career in marketing start?
I interned in advertising (M&C Saatchi), PR (Edelman) and events (IMG) while at University. Those experiences opened a lot of doors for me and shortly after graduating I took up a role at Foxtel, focused on bringing fast-tracked US content to Aussie screens. I then spent almost a decade in the US working across tech and payments, before returning to Australia in 2020 to work in the scale-up/start-up world.
If you hadn't pursued a career in marketing, in which other industry do you think you might be in?
I always had an interest in teaching. I come from two generations of proud Aussie school teachers and there is no higher calling in my opinion.
What role does marketing play at Zoomo?
Put simply, marketing is the connective tissue between our customer and our product. On the direct-to-consumer side of our business, marketing is a growth machine / sophisticated digital funnel that allows customers to acquire and maintain the best vehicle possible for last-mile delivery with minimal stress or hassle. Conversely, on the B2B side of our business marketing works hand in hand with our commercial team to ensure that current and prospective customers understand the value that Zoomo provides to their business.
Our tactical remit spans across product positioning, branding (physical and digital), paid and owned channels, growth hacking, lifecycle communications, copywriting, content creation, PR and more.
Marketing & Industry Trends
What type of impact has COVID-19 had on your industry?
COVID-19 was a huge tailwind for the on-demand delivery space (WFH, lockdowns = more delivery), which saw a massive rise in demand for fit-for-purpose electric delivery vehicles like Zoomo. We intentionally scaled up massively over the course of the pandemic to capitalise on this behavioural change.
What is the most exciting trend or innovation happening in your field in terms of growth?
The convergence of customer data and marketing automation is still the most exciting trend in marketing. It's been happening for ages in bits and bobs, but it is rare to see businesses really get it right at scale and the level of sophistication that will be reached in the next 10 years (particularly with the advancement of AI) will be incredible to witness.
As a marketer, what do you believe is the biggest challenge facing your industry in the future?
I'm watching developments in privacy/data protection very closely, as well as keeping tabs on how fragmented the martech industry is becoming.
Tools, recommendations & sources of inspiration
What does a typical day look like for you? How do you structure your week?
Wake up early, meditate, surf or exercise, 60-90 mins of calls with the US, Working time, 60 mins of calls with AU/HQ team, Working Time, 60-90 mins of calls with UK/EU, eat, read, meditate, sleep, repeat!
Leading a team across 5 time zones is demanding, but I anchor myself with my mindfulness practice and exercise.
What brands do you take inspiration from?
Disney, Telsa, Google. Also love seeing the great work coming out of the Aussie team at MILKRUN (one of our customers).
Software and tools recommendations: what is the one software you can’t work without and why?
- Segment & Amplitude: understanding customer experience to the micro level is crucial for any growth-driven marketer
- Slack: Once you go slack, there is no going back.
What are three resources you would recommend to anyone working in your field?
- Measure What Matters by John Doerr
- The Martech Weekly Email Newsletter by Juan Mendoza
- HBS case studies
