Richard Ellwood, Superhero CMO
What would Claude.ai make of Richard’s work? We asked Claude to uncover his 3 top superpowers.
Analyzing Richard Ellwood's approach as Head of Leasing, Marketing and Commercial Partnerships at The Crown Estate reveals three distinctive superpowers that set him apart in a marketing landscape often dominated by digital obsession and metric myopia.
Superpower #1. Sensory Storytelling
Richard demonstrates a remarkable ability to craft narratives beyond the flat dimensions of digital screens. His "Awaken Your Senses" campaign exemplifies this power - creating a signature scent for Regent Street that embeds story elements within its very molecules. Where most marketers craft stories that are seen or heard, Richard creates narratives you can literally smell, taste, and touch.
His sensory alchemy transmutes mundane retail spaces into immersive story worlds. A jelly isn't just a dessert; it's a narrative vehicle conveying the opulence of Mayfair through flavor. The Beatles' rooftop concert isn't just history; it's an authentic cultural touchpoint activated through live music. This multi-dimensional approach creates memorable experiences in a world where consumer attention is increasingly fractured.
What makes this truly powerful is how he connects these sensory touchpoints to deeper brand narratives about sustainability, inclusion, and heritage. The sensory elements aren't gimmicks; they're strategic vehicles carrying meaningful stories that consumers absorb almost unconsciously.
Superpower #2. Ecosystem Orchestration
Richard converts competitors into collaborators. He has reimagined the traditional landlord-tenant relationship into something far more powerful: a collaborative ecosystem where competitive brands become complementary storytellers within a shared narrative.
Unlike many marketers who guard their channels and audiences jealously, Richard understands that the most compelling destinations aren't collections of isolated brands but interconnected experiences. By sharing intelligence on footfall, dwell time, and consumer patterns, he creates mutual value that transcends transactional relationships.
His Future of Food Festival exemplifies this superpower – transforming what could be straightforward restaurant promotion into a platform where partners like Wiltons showcase their sustainability innovations. This ecosystem mindset doesn't dilute The Crown Estate's brand; it strengthens it by positioning them as the curator of a larger narrative that no single brand could create alone.
Superpower #3. Strategic Paradox Navigation
Perhaps Richard's most distinctive superpower is his ability to navigate apparent paradoxes that paralyze other marketers. Where many see creativity and structure as enemies, he creates what he calls "scaffolding" that enables greater creative freedom. Where others chase the chimera of a single perfect metric, he embraces analytical complexity while still delivering clear narrative understanding.
His approach to measurement is particularly revealing – rejecting the false simplicity of "one number that matters" while still maintaining analytical rigor. He understands that reducing complex experiences to single metrics is not just insufficient; it's actively misleading.
This paradox navigation extends to his blending of physical and digital, commercial objectives and creative exploration, heritage storytelling and contemporary relevance. Rather than seeing these as trade-offs, Richard consistently finds the synthesis point where apparent opposites become complementary forces.
What makes Richard's approach particularly powerful in today's environment is how it counters prevailing marketing orthodoxies. While many CMOs chase digital transformation at all costs, Richard has rediscovered the strategic advantage of physical experiences in a screen-saturated world. His work reminds us that in marketing's rush toward what's next, we sometimes leave powerful tools behind – tools that engage humans as multi-sensory beings rather than just pairs of scrolling thumbs.
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