The Age Of The Fractional CMO
Jeremy Liddle examines an important trend regarding how marketing is carried out in today’s businesses and non-profits.
We have seen a recent trend for companies asking us to fulfil the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role.
An outsourced CMO is known as a fractional CMO, and it’s an increasingly common occurrence, especially in rapidly growing startups and scale-ups.
More of our briefs now involve us stepping in and effectively taking on the role as CMO, which is a departure for us, but one which we welcome.
Traditionally, we would join the marketing team as an external resource, and like all members of that team, we take the adopted strategy from the CMO and ensure we put our bits into play. This usually focused on the PR element of the brief.
The PR part of the brief is central to many marketing campaigns and what we have seen over the years is clients increasingly looking to us to advise and implement on far more parts of the mix.
Digital marketing is a prime example of this. We actively run the channels with little operational input from the client. What the client wants is to focus on outcomes and deliverables – how the operational process works from day to day is not important.
So if we are driving key parts of the mix such as digital marketing and PR, it’s not a big leap to see that the agency ends up with the important insights and is able not only to implement but also to strategise, manage, create KPIs and report on outcomes to the C-Suite.
In short, you don’t need an employed CMO.
If we work closely with the C-Suite – notably the CEO, COO and CCO – we can drive all the elements of the mix and ensure that they are working in harmony to achieve the necessary result.
We are now in the hot seat, helping companies set growth targets, optimise budgets, build the brand and grow an in-house team’s internal capabilities.
We also consolidate and coordinate their external vendors so every marketing dollar works harder.
And it’s all done so that a company can focus on what they do best.
It’s also important to appreciate that this is not a fashionable trend, but a response to the tough environment in which most businesses operate today.
Executives of high-growth businesses and non-profits can struggle to scale revenue, access big-ticket funders, or influence governments. With their backs against the wall, they quickly become tired of people who promise the world but don’t then deliver.
Whether it’s a multinational expanding into or across APAC, a well-funded startup scaling nationally and globally, or a non-profit trying to change the world, it’s the same grind.
And I see the same pain patterns every day when it comes to the marketing efforts. They’re burning money and precious time on activities that aren’t getting the results they need.
Here’s the deeper problem for them. They are competing in an increasingly crowded and competitive market; lies and AI are rampant, and it is becoming exponentially harder to cut through and build trust with their audiences.
They know government contracts, grants, or regulatory and policy changes could transform their business, but they have no idea how to reach and influence governments.
They are watching competitors with connections get opportunities that should be theirs.
The truth is, they are not just competing for attention anymore.
They are competing on positioning, relationships, and strategic influence. And most organisations are stuck fighting this battle with outdated tools and fragmented approaches.
For clients that are tired of being stuck, we can help solve the problem. This is why Hannah Moreno, my brilliant wife, founded Third Hemisphere more than a decade ago, and why we have built it into more than just another PR agency.
We’re a full-service global marketing, PR, and government affairs partner that integrates directly into and becomes part of your executive team. We don’t just execute tactical campaigns – we solve the problems that are holding teams back.
Our process is simple: we map essential stakeholders – not just customers – but funders, government officials, industry influencers, potential partners, talent that a company or non-profit has to attract, and the AI and media platforms that drive their opinions.
Yep. The media, influencers, and the machines are also key stakeholders in 2025.
Then we create an integrated marketing campaign, including PR and stakeholder engagement strategy, that positions you as the undisputed leader across all these audiences simultaneously, using our own proprietary technology, processes and partnerships.
And we teach the media, AI agents, and marketing channels how to educate, influence, and inspire your audiences to take action because they trust the entity.
The age of the fractional CMO is here – let’s enjoy it!
Jeremy Liddle is managing director Third Hemisphere, which was founded by CEO Hannah Moreno. She has won multiple awards including B&T’s Woman of the Year and PR Agency of the Year. Her work has been published hundreds of times in tier-1 media globally. They head a global team that combines deep cross-functional and multi-industry expertise. Hannah Moreno has won multiple awards including B&T’s Woman of the Year and PR Agency of the Year. Her work has been published hundreds of times in tier-1 media globally.
