Member Interview with Mark Hull

We are delighted to bring you a Member Interview with Mark Hull, Chief Marketing Officer, Once or Twice

What’s your golden rule?

Be Prepared To Succeed. Put in the preparation and hard work, and when the time comes you're ready to perform and win.

Who has been your biggest influence?

Recently - Mark Ritson. I love his absolute passion for marketing and our industry. But I really love his no-nonsense approach and the ability to get across what he wants to say in such a unique style.  He deserves the fame and notoriety that he has achieved.

What is your most hated business expression?

Let's take this offline.  

What’s the smartest business idea you’ve ever had?

Well, I am going to say setting up Once or Twice because it is the first business idea of my own that I have gone all in on and actually set up for real.  I have had several ideas in the past that never got past the planning stage - the one that I would have loved to make happen was to set up a co-owned bar and restaurant and the plan was to call in Mine - so you could say things like, let's go to Mine for dinner tonight - I still own a load of domain names like cometomine.com. 

Which leader do you admire most and why?

Stephen Van Rooyen who was the Managing Director of Marketing when I joined Sky, and ultimately he went on to be CMO and CEO.
He was smart, really clear on direction and found a way to bring such a huge group of people together and feel as though we were all part of something special, in a way that made success almost inevitable. Even after I left Sky, I could see through connections and just general observations how he drove performance in that business and continually improved the culture ensuring the growth and success of so many others in that team.  

What is on your mind the most right now as a marketing leader?

How we can recapture the amazing things that happened when we were all in an office together pre-covid.  The brilliant ideas and solutions that were achieved just by being around one another and engaging throughout the day. I just don't see the spontaneous creativity happening anymore.  And office days where the whole team is in doesn't work, as it's forced thinking - it's like 'OK today we're going to be creative because we're all in the office' - it's false and doesn't work. 

Why is being part of The Marketing Society important for your career?

Ultimately it's connections and knowledge. Meeting other members and sharing stories and experiences has been really valuable, there is a real sense of wanting to support each other to be the best we can be. And the knowledge that you can gain if you want it is vital - both through great events, but also there are tons of digital articles and support.  

Why does marketing matter to you?

After so many years in this marketing game, that question is a bit like asking why does Oxygen matter to me.  Marketing is part of me, it's who I am and I am not sure what I would do without it.  I love the variety, exploration, creativity, and impact that marketing provides and that we are still all collectively learning and developing our understanding of marketing to make us all better at what we do.

Tell us something that’s not on your CV

I have a Blue Peter badge and it's one of my prized possessions.  I got it when I was 14 and performed with the National Youth Music Theatre on the show.  Now there is a brilliant distinctive asset!

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Published on 25 February 2025