How to Innovate in Marketing (Collection), 2/e

76. The Problem with Marketing

Borrowing from Rodney Dangerfield, I would say the biggest problem in businesses today is “Marketing Gets No Respect.” If marketing is viewed simply as a department that implements campaigns and “creative stuff,” how can the organization possibly hope to align around customer needs? If the purpose of marketing is to understand and meet the needs of customers, what gets in the way of this happening?

It’s the organization’s perception of marketing that needs to change.

In Section I, “Purpose,” I referred to Peter Drucker’s quote that the most important functions in a business are marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation are the drivers to understand and fulfill customer needs, and without satisfied customers ...