Chief creative officer was the most recent title for Robert Lachky at Anheuser-Busch. Mr. Lachky has stepped down and by many accounts his legacy at Budweiser will be viewed as a good one. He presided over many notable TV campaigns. But he was also a senior officer at a time when many AB properties lost share and relevance. Coming in number one in the USA Today Ad Meter Survey of Super Bowl ads doesn’t necessarily translate into keg sales, it would appear. Mr. Lachky deserves props for establishing Bud Light — I’ll give him that — but in my mind his focus on creative rather than product-based differentiation was his undoing.
The next time you see a consumer packaged good executive with the title of chief creative officer, run. Peace!
