I’m a marketer. I find myself singing jingles. I spout tag-lines and remember ad copy. I look at the “About” section of every website. In stores, I compare packaging and read displays. That’s the way my brain works — it’s DNA as much as it is a career’s worth of experience. I’m seeking, and assessing, ideas and stories.
But marketing is much maligned, and often for good reason. So much of it is lowest-common-denominator. It often fails to make an impression, misses its opportunity to engage, annoys instead of connects. And so many marketing practitioners are playing it not-to-lose, vs. playing to win. Or view marketing as a risk to managed more than an opportunity to seize.
Great marketing, though, is a celebration of ideas. It creates new connections between disparate concepts and contexts. And it can be a demonstration of empathy for a brand’s users – with that empathy and understanding leading to unique and valuable storytelling. And it can drive disproportionate growth.
So, if you are like me, get out there and start telling your brand’s story. And seize on your marketing opportunity.