Sam Daniels
Brand marketing manager
Xero
Sam Daniels joined B2B software firm Xero almost three years ago as brand marketing manager, following a decade-long career which, until 2021, had been spent working in adland, most recently as a senior account director at VCCP.
Daniels played a big role in Xero’s sponsorship of England’s Lionesses and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, leading the brand's activation and sponsorship activity. The accounting software brand first started working with the team in early 2022 – months before England won the Euros, and before many brands started to recognise the power of sponsoring women’s football.
“The opportunity isn’t always the obvious choice,” he tells Marketing Week. “Before the Lionesses won the Euros we saw the potential in the growth of the women’s game – and we committed to a long-term partnership because we saw an opportunity.”
Xero has been on a brand building mission in the last few years, with its football sponsorship activity being one layer of its wider plan to drive brand awareness and be not only a leading B2B brand, but a brand all could look to for inspiration.
Reflecting on his career to date, Daniels is thankful for starting out in creative agencies. “I find it fascinating to combine the research about the importance of creativity and the impact great creative can have on effective marketing, with the building blocks and evidence of how marketing really works, how brands are built and how this can be measured,” he says.
Marketers continually face a range of challenges. The biggest one? Distraction, says Daniels: “Marketers need to take a step back from the noise, understand your market, your brand and your business challenge – and back yourself on a decision and commit to your strategy.”
According to some observers, the marketing industry is in a constant state of flux. Daniels, however, is convinced that the things that won’t charge are as important, “if not more important”, than what will change. While AI and technology will continue to involve, Daniels believes marketers should “still be placing a huge amount of importance on the fundamentals.”
“It has never been more important for marketing leaders to lean into the power of creativity and brand,” he says, “whilst having a strong grip on the performance metrics and commercial outcomes.”
With so many different avenues and career paths for marketers, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. But as Daniels says, the biggest piece of advice he would give anyone considering a career in marketing it to “learn”.
“There are more openly accessible resources than ever before – and more rigour behind the fundamentals of what makes great marketing,” he says.
Daniels studied history at university, and believes marketers don’t need a marketing degree to get ahead in the industry. However, they need “a willingness to learn, an open mind and some strong convictions.” He is a “big believer in diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds coming together to make great teams”.
“Be passionate about something and try to understand your strengths – and what you’re really interested in. Lean into that, and have fun. You’ll be invaluable in no time,” he urges future marketers.
"It has never been more important for marketing leaders to lean into the power of creativity and brand."
