The Marketers Creed
I was having lunch yesterday with the VP of Marketing for a pretty famous craft brewery here in Southern California. The type of brewery that has an amazing story and a great name, but at times lacks in brand direction. The gentleman I was having lunch with comes from big beer marketing. You know, the brand with the horses, or maybe it’s the one with the mountains…
Regardless, a very intelligent marketer with years of experience. We met about 6 months ago when we were both on a branding panel at one of the local universities. We instantly hit it off. I am pretty sure it was his stance of “video’s suck” that caught my attention. This was then coupled with his “F#$! Social media” attitude made me instantly appreciate his viewpoint, even if I didn’t agree with it.
Of course I want to try and do some work with them. Who doesn’t want to add creative to a brewery? Especially a brewery that I feel has so much opportunity to make a national, even international splash.
But they are so anti. Anti-agency. Anti-social (even though they have great numbers, engagement is a different story). Anti-media. Anti-video. But pro-guerrilla. Pro-grassroots. Pro-ambassador.
It is actually quite refreshing to hear his viewpoints. Less focus on the intangibles, more focus on the people and the products. As a marketer, it is sometimes hard to remember that our purpose, our ethos if you will is to sell product. We all get so ingrained with the granular that we lose sight of the goals.
“Obviously you need to show ROI, but don’t you think there is more than just ROI when talking about digital outputs?” I asked. The look on his face was priceless. Part “you fool”, part “you’re right” but all “remember young buck, all marketers have different paths they pursue to foster different results.” I knew automatically what he was saying, even though I didn’t agree.
It really got me thinking about the juxtaposition of marketing. We use technology and digital trends to essentially connect with our audience/consumers on a personal “old school” level. It seems amazing to me that some marketers, especially those that are swayed by shiny bright new products and services forget this. Their usage of buzzwords is only out shadowed by the innate ability to sell the “latest and greatest”.
But as marketers, this is wrong. I think it may be time we adopt a mission statement like the US Post Office.
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”
Obviously Newman from Seinfeld didn’t adhere to their creed, but who wants to be like Newman in the first place?
Complacent with mediocrity and the work ethic of a buffoon, he lived a life that many want nothing to do with.
As marketers, we need to remember that: We are marketers. We are visionaries. We are doers. Basically the enigma of the business world.
So as we move forward, let’s all adopt a creed that sums up what it is we do and why we do it. Let’s put forth this marketing creed to better the industry, the businesses we work with and the next generation of great marketers.
“From digital to traditional, guerrilla to word of mouth; the stories we tell and tales we share take shape by the ultimate goal of using the smartest and most authentic mix of marketing possible”
Blog originally posted here: The Marketers Creed
