POV

As I look back on the evolution of marketing over the past 25 years, I still believe that it is a combination of art and science. The ability to demonstrate value for various elements of the marketing mix has improved with technology. This has led in some ways to the discounting of building a consistent brand image and protecting it. This is where the “art” part of marketing comes in and demands a certain amount of belief. I think my time at Visa showed the greatest illustration of the enduring power of the brand and the importance of a well-defined mission, vision and strategy -- and the willingness to evolve to keep up with trends and preferences while maintaining brand integrity. 

Partnership with other partners in the C-Suite is critical to staying attuned to shifting corporate priorities and garnering respect for the role of marketing in the company success. That will never change and I’ve seen consistently in well run companies. Even with some of the non-profits that I’ve helped it is basic to the long-term growth. 

When I look back over the last twenty-five years, the most important change in marketing is not technology, channels, or job titles. It is the expansion of the mandate, and the inconvenient truth that marketing stopped being a function a long time ago. It became a growth lever. Too many organizations, and too many chief executive officers, still have not caught up or fully grasped that reality.