How Johnson & Johnson's CMO Drives Innovation in Ophthalmology Marketing
by Kelly Vaupel
What you'll discover
when watching Kelly's story
- Unconventional career paths can lead to success in marketing, as demonstrated by Kelly's transition from engineering to marketing.
- Effective go-to-market strategies involve analyzing market trends, studying competition, and conducting limited releases or pilots.
- Content creation should focus on engaging, attention-grabbing material, with video becoming an increasingly important medium.
- Diverse teams with members who are passionate about their work and personal development tend to achieve better results.
- Metrics are vital for business success, but it's essential to focus on a critical few rather than measuring everything.
- Word-of-mouth referrals and industry events remain powerful channels for lead generation and demand creation.
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with customers is crucial for long-term success in business.
Meet Kelly Vaupel - US Marketing Senior Director Surgical Vision @ Johnson & Johnson
Kelly Vaupel is the US Marketing Senior Director of Surgical Vision at Johnson & Johnson’s MedTech division, focusing on surgical vision in ophthalmology. She began her career as an engineer, transitioning to marketing at J&J in 2003 after working on continuous improvement projects in the commercial field.
With over 20 years of experience, Kelly now oversees marketing strategies for large capital equipment and consumables used in eye surgeries. Her engineering background gives her a unique perspective on analytics and metrics in marketing.
Kelly believes in building diverse teams and fostering a culture where team members can grow personally and professionally. She emphasizes the importance of networking and seizing every opportunity to learn and develop new skills.
At J&J, Kelly continues to drive innovation in ophthalmology marketing, leveraging her technical expertise and people-focused leadership approach.
Check out Kelly Vaupel's thoughts on customer-centric marketing and team building
When it comes to some advice for young marketers:
"Every opportunity is an opportunity to grow and learn. Sometimes, I’ve taken jobs that maybe weren’t the most exciting or glamorous, but they provided tremendous learning opportunities."
She also shares how marketers can build strong customer relationships:
"It's really important for us to understand what's important to our customers—what their priorities are and how we can address any issues, concerns, or even innovative ideas."
And what’s a key channel for lead generation in specialized markets:
"The way we most identify leads is through word-of-mouth—talking with our customers, asking them for references, and finding out where they will either be on the podium."
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