Pichlak.com
Advisory and interim CMO work
Direct work with me on marketing strategy, positioning, audit, change roadmap, marketing leadership and board-level support.
Discuss cooperation →Interim CMO / marketing advisor
Maciej Pichlak
I help companies clarify marketing, positioning and growth priorities.
I work with owners, boards, founders, private equity funds and portfolio companies in moments of change, growth, transformation or transaction preparation.
20+ years in marketing: Unilever, Danone, Cadbury/Wedel, Carlsberg, Nest Bank, Semilac, Universal Music and Poczta Polska.
Nest BankCreated and launched a new banking brand; 48% awareness in six months.
SemilacMarketing transformation of a beauty brand; Effie 2020 and Effie 2021.
SomersbyBrand awareness growth from 18% to 45% in two years.
PE / ownersSupport for private businesses, founders, funds and portfolio companies.
Model
Two cooperation routes: direct advisory work and Metascope®.
pichlak.com is primarily for engaging me as an interim CMO or marketing advisor. Metascope® is the related company used when strategy needs to become visible in market-ready materials.
Metascope®
Strategy made visible
Metascope® translates strategic direction into campaign prototypes, films, packaging, product concepts, sales materials, retail media and AI-supported content.
See Metascope® →Articles
Writing and commentary
On LinkedIn I publish articles and comments on strategy, positioning, marketing, brands, AI and the practical work of building growth.
See articles →Scope
What to engage me for
I create the most value when marketing needs clear decisions, experienced leadership and a direct link to business growth.
01
Interim CMO / Interim Marketing Director
Temporary marketing leadership for companies that need an experienced executive during change, vacancy, transformation, launch or preparation for the next stage of growth.
- strategy, team, budget and KPIs
- marketing and agency operating rhythm
- board and sales alignment
02
Marketing strategy and positioning
Defining where the brand should grow, what position it should own, which segments and buying occasions matter most, and which actions have the strongest business logic.
- positioning and brand architecture
- Category Entry Points
- growth priorities and roadmap
03
Marketing audit and action plan
A focused diagnostic of the current marketing model: what works, what needs to change, which actions affect business performance and how to set priorities for the coming months.
- budget, KPI and team review
- communication, channels and media
- 30/60/90-day plan
04
Marketing for portfolio companies
Support for owners, boards and funds when marketing affects company value: pre-deal, post-acquisition, transformation or pre-exit.
- commercial review and growth potential
- marketing transformation after ownership change
- growth story and investor readiness
05
Moving from strategy to market
When a direction needs to be shown quickly, I work with Metascope® on campaign prototypes, films, packaging, sales materials and AI-supported content.
- prototypes for decisions or testing
- market and sales materials
- faster direction validation
Approach
How I think about marketing
Marketing starts with positioning.
I am closest to the Ries and Trout school: a brand needs to know what place it wants to own in the customer’s mind, what it should be associated with and in which situations it should be chosen. From Byron Sharp and marketing science, I take practical discipline: Category Entry Points, mental availability, physical availability, consistency in brand assets and a focus on penetration growth.
PositioningNot a tagline, but a decision about what the brand should mean and where it should win.
Category Entry PointsOccasions, needs and contexts in which the brand should come to mind.
Brand assetsConsistency in the elements that build recognition and make choice easier.
Business impactStrategy should clarify product, price, channel, communication, media and team decisions.
Private equity
For funds, owners and portfolio companies
Marketing can be part of a value creation plan when it is linked to brand position, growth, margin, sales effectiveness and a credible growth narrative.
Commercial review
Assessment of brand position, marketing quality, growth potential, commercial risks and areas requiring transformation.
Marketing transformation
Clarifying strategy, KPIs, budget, team, agencies, communication and execution plan after ownership or strategic change.
Growth story
Strengthening the growth narrative, marketing indicators, brand equity and the readiness of the marketing function for investor or buyer conversations.
Experience
Selected experience
A selection of roles and projects relevant for companies looking for a marketing advisor, interim CMO or portfolio-company support.
Nest Bank
Created and launched a new banking brand
Strategy, positioning, name, communication platform, brand experience and marketing organization. The brand reached 48% awareness within six months of launch.
Semilac
Marketing transformation of a beauty brand
Marketing strategy, e-commerce development, product innovation and campaigns awarded Effie 2020 and Effie 2021 during the company’s preparation for its next ownership stage.
Carlsberg / Somersby
Brand and category growth
Somersby awareness growth from 18% to 45% in two years, with experience across brand, sales, P&L and market execution.
Cadbury / Wedel
Large FMCG brand management
Work with high-equity, highly recognizable brands, including Ptasie Mleczko, and Wedel’s UEFA EURO 2012 sponsorship project.
Unilever / Danone
Classic brand management foundation
Insights, innovation, positioning, execution standards and a view of brand as a growth tool.
Universal Music / Poczta Polska
Culture, partnerships and organizational scale
Experience with culture, partnerships, large organizations, complex stakeholders and change at scale.
Articles
Articles and commentary
I publish on strategy, positioning, marketing, brands, AI and the practical work of building growth.
Articles on LinkedInContact
The best starting point is a short conversation about the company situation, the decision to be made and the expected cooperation model.