What happens when one of the most beloved product-led growth (PLG) companies in the world starts thinking like an enterprise software giant?
In this episode of That’s What I Call Marketing, I sit down with Emma R, Global Head of Demand at Canva, to explore the company's fascinating evolution—from a self-serve tool for creatives to a serious enterprise-grade platform used by the world’s biggest brands.
We discuss:
*Why B2B marketing needs more emotion and less jargon
*How Canva blends fun with functionality (yes, even for the C-Suite)
*The role AI is playing across both product and marketing workflows
*How the team is navigating the shift from bottom-up adoption to top-down enterprise sales
*What marketers can learn about testing, localisation, and scaling with culture
*This one’s packed with sharp thinking, practical lessons, and a few great stories
02:32 – Intro: Canva, Creativity, and Conor’s Fan Moment
04:32 – Emma’s Tech & Marketing Journey (From Salesforce to Canva)
06:32 – Falling in Love with the Product: Why it Matters in Marketing
08:17 – From Rap Launches to Enterprise Strategy: Bold Moves in B2B
10:32 – Why B2B Marketing Needs a Human Touch
12:02 – Understanding the Modern Buyer Journey (Gen Z, Self-Serve, TikTok)
13:32 – Test, Learn, Scale: What Works and What Doesn't
15:32 – How Canva Uses AI Internally (And Where It Adds Real Value)
18:32 – The Shift to Enterprise: New Teams, Skills & Sales Models
21:17 – Product-Led Growth vs Enterprise Motion: Why Both Matter
24:32 – Changing Perceptions: Canva as a Serious Enterprise Tool
26:32 – KPIs, Pipeline, and the Role of Brand in Driving Growth
28:02 – Local vs Global: Cultural Nuance and International Rollout
32:32 – Why Localisation Really Matters