Delta Air Lines’ CMO Alicia Tillman is leading the powerful brand to reach new altitudes. As the airline industry evolves, Delta is positioning itself not just as a transportation provider but as an experiential brand that connects with customers throughout their lives – whether that’s on the ground or at 35,000 feet.
Tillman brings a distinctive perspective to her job, shaped by previous leadership roles across finance, technology, and startups. Joining Delta in 2023, she is responsible for shaping the airline’s brand strategy and overseeing its world-class global marketing, creative services, and community engagement teams while serving on Delta’s Leadership Committee.
In this insightful and wide-ranging conversation, Tillman discusses Delta’s vision, brand building, AI in marketing, and how organizations can gain cultural relevance.
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What makes Delta different in the airline category?
Alicia Tillman: “Delta is a leader in the airline category. We’re the number one airline in operations and financial strength. Delta is a brand that’s also known as an experiential brand in the sense that we put tremendous emphasis on the service experience we provide. Time and time again when I meet someone and tell them my professional role, everyone wants to share with me their story of a fantastic Delta service experience.”
“We’re 100,000 people strong, and our focus is to deliver exactly what our customers expect, and more. We don’t just get them from point A to point B, although we must do that well and consistently. It’s also about offering a premium product anchored in welcoming and elevated service – and then providing that experience again and again. That’s what we continuously strive for; to not only be the most admired airline in the world, but to be admired for delivering a personal service experience that makes flying special.”
How do you approach balancing brand building with revenue generation?
Alicia Tillman: “First, you’ve got to have a clear vision. As marketers, we are often drowning in a sea of activities. There is not an area of any company that is not dependent on marketing in some way. And, so, it’s important that you understand first and foremost where marketing can truly add the greatest value in your company because you can’t be all things.
“I believe Delta can be the leading consumer brand in the world. There’s no reason for us not to aim for that, and we are well on our way. We are already the leader in our category, and we have the best people and investments to maintain our leadership. And if we think about what it takes to get there, consistency, creativity, and more and more value for our customers to be where they are, across all facets of their lifestyle.”
“In addition to our vision, we have two very clear and distinct goals: To protect the health and grow the affinity of our brand, and to also drive increased revenue and engagement. As marketers we have a responsibility for both.”
How are you extending Delta’s presence beyond just the flight experience?
Alicia Tillman: “Our role is to make the Delta brand an active part of people’s lives. It’s not just when you fly with us. But where else is Delta present in your life? We invest significantly in the journey: It’s not just about getting people to their destination, but how do we make that the most unbelievable journey? And what surrounds that journey as well? For instance, when you’re not flying with us but you’re in your destination, how can Delta be part of that?”
How do you approach growing and maintaining Delta’s cultural relevance?
Alicia Tillman: “We spend a lot of time ensuring our brand is culturally relevant, and showing up in places where our customers are at all times. And that’s evolving, and varies by audience segments. But it’s important, as we see a continuous blur between professional and personal lives, that your brand is always on within both of those areas of people’s lives.”
“Our partnership with Team USA and the Olympics is something we hold very special to us and our brand. The Olympics are a great unifier of people. There are very few things in life that really transcend borders and differences. The Olympics are representative of what we all endure as human beings. It’s the ultimate display of hard work, overcoming adversity, teamwork and collaboration, and we are honored to be the airline of Team USA.”
How is AI transforming marketing at Delta?
Alicia Tillman: “At an enterprise level, we’re using AI from a customer service perspective and to gain process efficiencies. That’s the main way we think about it from a Delta-wide perspective. As it relates to my team and marketing, there are several use cases. How does AI help you as a team run better, how does it improve workflows in particular?”
“The second area is our ability to measure the impact of our campaigns, and know who’s touching them and what actions they’re taking. The use of Gen AI allows us to see that attribution to campaigns. We are exploring that, we’re deploying it, and I think that it will completely revolutionize marketing in so many ways.”
What advice do you have for marketing leaders engaging with senior leadership?
Alicia Tillman: “Everybody is busy and time is very, very precious. When you interact with your leaders or leaders of other functions, spend that time focusing on unique insights you can deliver. Oftentimes we get very focused on showing up with our list of activities that we’re working on, and we start drilling through that list. Step away from that. Talk about impact and the insights that you’ve gathered that may be useful to the person that you’re speaking with.”
“Provide a perspective that you think is worthy of sharing or offer a different way of thinking about an issue or opportunity. I love it when my people engage with me at that level. We all know there’s lots and lots of stuff going on, and using our time with each other to just review all those things is not the best use of that time.” “Email is always there for you to give activity updates, but lean into the time that you have individually with people to share an insight or share a point of view. Those are the moments in the interactions that really set you apart as a leader or contributor.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Interview by Kathy Hollenhorst, Marketers That Matter® Advisor & Chief Community Officer
About the Visionaries
Alicia Tillman, CMO, Delta Airlines
Alicia Tillman, an executive leader with more than two decades of experience in global marketing, sales and strategy, is Delta’s Chief Marketing Officer and a member of the Delta Leadership Committee. Tillman leads Delta’s brand strategy overseeing the airline’s world-class global marketing, creative services and community engagement teams, bringing its story to life and deepening its relationship with customers and the world as a trusted consumer brand. As a member of the DLC, she influences the airline’s vision and strategy.
Tillman’s marketing credentials include leadership experience as the Global Chief Marketing Officer at SAP and an 11-year tenure at American Express, where she led the travel division’s Marketing, Public Affairs and Business Services. Prior to Delta, she was Chief Revenue Officer of Capitolis, a leading fintech company and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies.
Tillman holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and mass communication from Lycoming College. She also graduated from the Chief Marketing Officer program at The Kellogg School of Management. Tillman is a board member of Gates Industrial Corporation and RainFocus, and a board trustee and chair of the education committee for The Hun School of Princeton. Forbes has named her one of the Most Influential CMO’s in the World.
Interview by Kathy Hollenhorst, Marketers That Matter® Advisor & Chief Community Officer
Visionaries airs live on Zoom every month and is brought to you in partnership with The Wall Street Journal. In each episode, two new Visionaries share their game plan and how that impacts today’s teams, talent, and you.
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