The Future of Marketing

The Institutes definition of marketing has not changed in 30 years but marketing as a discipline has not stood still. E-marketing and social marketing are just a sample of the developments.

At a meeting in Humber Branch a couple of months ago this topic was discussed. The conclusion was that the fundamentals have been lost sight of and marketers are increasingly focussed on co-ordination and tactics rather than strategy. The impact of technology being cited as a key factor in this as mass above the line marketing is becoming less effective and more emphasis is put on the customer experience.

There was a call to bring new life to marketing and I wonder if we have reached a dawning of that new life?

In our latest Shape the Agenda paper, Tomorrow’s Word: Re-evaluating the Role of Marketing, The Chartered Institute of Marketing is calling on marketers to re-examine how they view themselves - to challenge traditional norms and redefine where the profession is going.

I do a lot of presentations in which I use the existing definition – The management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably. – and there are two points that I like to pick up on:

1) It is a management process not a nice to have that can be cut when money is tight

2) Is sustainably a more appropriate word than profitably in these green conscious days?

I would welcome your thoughts.

You can find out more at our event on 18^th October in Liverpool, to book visit http://www.cim.co.uk/cim/new/html/eveResDet.cfm?objectID=15494