Purpose, Passion and the Power of Curiosity: Candid insights from LEGO and Coloplast CMOs on modern marketing leadership

Purpose, Passion and the Power of Curiosity: Candid insights from LEGO and Coloplast CMOs on modern marketing leadership

Working with international brands that operate in some of the world’s most complex stakeholder landscapes, we see every day how CMOs work tirelessly to balance global ambitions with local realities, bold creativity with organizational risk, and data-driven decisions with gut instinct.  

The pressure to innovate while staying deeply customer-centric has never been higher, making it even more important for us, as partners, to understand the realities they face.

That’s why we invited marketing leaders to share what’s on their minds at our Confessions of a CMO event earlier this month. In an open conversation with two of Denmark’s most accomplished CMOs - Lena Dixen (Senior Vice President, The LEGO Group) and Steen Blaabjerg Morvan (Senior Vice President, Coloplast) - we were given candid, generous insights into how they navigate the possibilities and doubts of a notoriously demanding role.

What they shared reminded us of why we love working with The LEGO Group and Coloplast - two of our longest-standing client relations - and challenged us to think about how we can continuously improve how we support all of our clients in staying distinctive, prosperous, and true to their purpose.

The inherent dilemma of playing it safe vs. taking the leap

No role inside an organisation is more tied to the term “disruption” than that of a CMO. Expectations to drive innovation and growth are high, and so are the stakes. How do CMOs balance bold experimentation with organisational risk aversion?

For both Lena and Steen, it starts with getting close to the consumer and trusting your gut. “As an industry leader, we constantly have to think outside the box to keep raising the bar,” says Lena. “This means getting close enough to your audience to understand what really drives their decisions, even when they can’t articulate it themselves. We can’t simply ask people what they want, but we can learn from them, validate that we’re on the right path, and get inspired along the way.”

“We can’t simply ask people what they want, but we can learn from them, validate that we’re on the right path, and get inspired along the way.”

– Lena Dixen

Consumer insights help CMOs bring objectivity to the table - especially when speaking to co-leaders who don’t ‘speak marketing’ as their first language - but both leaders agree that instinct plays an equal role.

“Data can give you guidance, but you have to mix it with your own gut feeling,” says Steen. “When you foster a strong company culture with an experienced team that’s close to both users and sales, you can gain confidence in following what your own stomach tells you.”

Securing global brand coherence while staying locally relevant

For both Lena and Steen, embracing local nuance without losing coherence is one of the biggest ongoing challenges.

“Consistency drives global strength,” says Steen, “and with subsidiaries in 40+ markets and representation in more than 100, it’s our responsibility to aim for one global direction that can be made relevant locally. When differences arise between global and local, we need to focus on what unites us: our shared value and purpose.”

“When differences arise between global and local, we need to focus on what unites us: our shared value and purpose.”

– Steen Blaabjerg Morvan 

Lena adds that, while local differences can create friction, they can also act as a powerful source of growth. “Our global brand team sets the vision and framework, but there are always local nuances,” she says. “Conflicts can be healthy so that we don’t climb too high up in our ivory tower. No matter how much you work to stay connected, you can’t know it all.”

To understand how different norms, cultures, and channels affect global marketing strategies, Lena and Steen point to the importance of cross-market learning. “By measuring brand salience and meaningfulness, we detect brand strengths across markets, understand where brand strength is high, and pinpoint where we need to adjust our approach,” says Lena.

Steen adds, “We continuously evaluate everything that we do to understand what is actually being used and how often it is redone by markets. Sometimes there can be good reasons for changing things up, for example, to comply with local regulations. Other times, changes are based on more subjective views. I have to call that out, and that can be tough, but we need everyone to commit to how we operate as a global team”. 

Continuous development and adaptation to new realities

CMOs sit at the intersection of shifting behaviours, new technologies, and rapidly evolving cultural expectations. How do they stay ahead?

“We have gone through a big transformation from a focus on paid media to also really thinking owned, earned, and shared in our creative development and media planning,” says Lena. “With our brand studies, we can see that when we invest in brand, all boats rise, not just in the long-term, but also quite short-term. So, we do fewer, bigger & better campaigns. And marketing effectiveness goes up.”

For both Lena and Steen, creativity and curiosity are survival tools on the front line of constant change. “Creativity,” says Lena, “is in The LEGO Group’s DNA. We have an extensive creative team in-house - our own LEGO Agency - and combining that with outside partners is a strong model for our creative edge.”

“We have an extensive creative team in-house, and combining that with outside partners is a strong model for our creative edge.”

– Lena Dixen 

Of course, new perspectives still need to be translated into action that drives growth. That’s where vulnerability and a curious mindset come into play. “Stay curious and stay curious longer,” Lena says. “I still tell myself that. I can be a little quick in making decisions. Sometimes you have to, but often you should think again. If possible, always ask for a different perspective and ask to be challenged.”

Steen highlights the importance of reflection and self-compassion in a high-pressure role: “Don’t be too hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned. Some things go really well, and some things don’t. I learned to be more open about that: communicate when things didn’t work as intended and use them as opportunities to learn.”

Finding joy and motivation in a complex job

To help them excel in their careers, both CMOs draw their energy from purpose rather than performance. For Lena, that purpose is crystal clear: “What really matters to me is contributing to the impact we make for children.” She reflects on the long-term journey of empowering more girls to build with LEGO bricks - a mission that Advance helped get started years ago and has now inspired millions. “When I see how many girls today are building confidently with LEGO bricks, that’s the true reward,” she says.

Steen agrees, noting that a focus on impact helps him stay motivated and inspires great work across teams. “With passion comes energy, creativity, and the extra 10% to carry on when things get tough,” he says. “Since many of our users live with difficult and sometimes lifelong health conditions, seeing how our product and service innovations can make a tangible difference is the greatest reward.”

“With passion comes energy, creativity, and the extra 10% to carry on when things get tough.”

– Steen Blaabjerg Morvan 

In the end, both leaders remind us that great marketing isn’t about chasing trends or tools. It’s about empathy, experimentation, and the courage to evolve. For us at Advance, this is where collaboration and partnership become essential, translating business opportunities and customer insights into creative and strategic direction that works globally while staying true to what makes the brand unique.