Benoît Yèche, CMO at Jedha: “I believe in the fundamental importance of aligning marketing closely with business objectives”

When you work for a company that specialises in training, it’s probably a good idea to embrace new skills. And new technologies. In his rapid rise to CMO at Jedha Bootcamp – having only graduated in 2017 – Benoît Yèche clearly falls into that category.

If you live outside of France, you may not have heard of Jedha, but it’s one of the most highly rated training companies in the country. An average rating of 4.98 out of 5 from 1,900 alumni tells you everything you need to know.

With one course covering generative AI and prompt engineering, it’s no surprise that Benoît is a keen advocate for AI in marketing. “Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the marketing landscape,” he says, “changing the way we work fundamentally.”

But it’s not just AI that is changing things, with Benoît predicting a growing use of organic marketing methods. If you can stay abreast of the Google algorithms: “Keeping an eye on these changes is crucial for staying ahead in AdTech,” he told us.

Read on for the full interview.

Why Dust or Magic? That stems from a quote by legendary American advertising creative director, William Bernbach: “An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.” (And if you’re wondering where you’ve heard the name, Bernbach was the inspiration behind Don Draper of Mad Men fame.)

Could you please introduce yourself to our audience? What motivated you to pursue a career in marketing, and how did you embark on your journey in this field? 

Hello, I’m Benoît Yèche, a graduate of Sciences Po and HEC Paris, class of 2017. My journey in marketing began with an internship at a startup during my business school days. It was there that I discovered my passion for both marketing and the tech world. 

Over the past five years, I’ve had the chance to work across diverse sectors such as fashion, automotive maintenance, SaaS and now education, which has given me a broad perspective on different market dynamics. As CMO, I focus on organic channels and SEO, especially in my position at Jedha Bootcamp.

Recommended reading: AI in education: how it’s already being used and what’s going to happen next

What are your thoughts on the escalating integration of AI in digital marketing and its potential influence on the future of marketing, Martech and social media?

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising the marketing landscape, changing the way we work fundamentally. As we embrace this shift, the main challenge lies in adequately training and retraining our teams. 

Tools like ChatGPT offer immense potential, but they are often underutilised due to a lack of understanding and skill. At Jedha Bootcamp, recognising this, we launched a short course on prompt engineering to empower our team and others in mastering ChatGPT and similar generative AI tools. As a marketing leader, staying ahead means embracing these changes and integrating them into our strategies.

How do you ready yourself for an AI-driven landscape as a marketing leader? What new skills do you need? 

Preparing for an AI-driven future in marketing requires a dual focus. Firstly, understanding the workings of generative AI tools is essential. This knowledge enables us to comprehend their capabilities and limitations. 

Secondly, mastering the art of prompt engineering is crucial. It’s about learning to communicate effectively with AI to harness its full potential. These skills are indispensable for leveraging AI’s advantages in the evolving marketing landscape.

Related reading: AI copyright: should your business be worried?

Looking ahead to 2024, what AdTech trends do you expect to dominate?

Looking towards 2024, I anticipate a significant shift towards organic channels in AdTech. With rising costs, I believe companies will reallocate portions of their ad budgets from paid searches and platforms like Meta and LinkedIn Ads to more organic means. 

However, this trend will also depend heavily on developments with Google and the evolving Search Engine Guidelines (SGE). Keeping an eye on these changes is crucial for staying ahead in AdTech.

What core values have played a pivotal role in shaping your approach to marketing and communication?

In my approach to marketing, the pivotal value is viewing marketing as a key element in revenue generation. I prioritise strategies that build a pipeline of highly qualified leads for the sales team at the lowest possible cost, over focusing on branding. This view may vary across industries, but I believe in the fundamental importance of aligning marketing closely with business objectives.

Related reading: What will the digital landscape look like in 2028?

How do you ensure you’re up to date with the latest marketing trends and technologies, and how do you integrate them into your strategies?

To stay current with marketing trends and technologies, I engage in two main activities. First, I actively follow specific profiles on LinkedIn, which, despite some bragging, offer a wealth of valuable insights. It’s important to have enough experience to discern valuable information from noise. 

Second, I regularly converse with other CMOs and marketing heads, especially those in similar industries or with comparable acquisition channels. This exchange of ideas helps keep my perspective fresh and innovative.

What piece of advice would you offer to fellow marketing leaders that has been particularly beneficial to you personally?

My advice to fellow marketing leaders is twofold: learn to say no and trust your marketing expertise. Working in marketing, you’ll receive plenty of input, especially from customer-facing teams like Sales or Customer Care. 

While this feedback is valuable, it’s crucial that your marketing strategy stems from your own experience and understanding of marketing, tailored specifically to the needs of your organisation. And not only from ideas or requests from other managers. 

What Martech technology has your company recently embraced and what difference has it made to your business?

At Jedha Bootcamp, we’ve recently embraced Restream, a tool I find incredibly powerful, user-friendly and yet very affordable. Its integration into our operations has significantly enhanced our marketing effectiveness, allowing us to organise recurring events every week with high production quality.