Why The Drum believes marketing has the power to change the world
Anyone who has ever tried to explain the nuances of programmatic trading to a bemused parent will know that marketing can, at times, be a tough sell. You’re among the best communicators in the world, but you can still get tongue tied when a taxi driver asks you: “What is it you do then, mate?”
In some people’s eyes, what you do is try to make the unpalatable palatable by force feeding them fast food, diabolical drinks and bullshitting banks. There is a certain irony to being in the branding business and yet getting lumped in with estate agents, politicians and – heaven forbid – journalists in the reputation stakes.
But that is not the marketing industry we recognise. What we see is an industry that has a greater collection of creative minds than perhaps any other on the planet. We see millions of people dreaming up ingenious ideas that will touch billions of people’s lives in ways they don’t even realise. The man in the street might distrust what we do. But would he have the smartphone in his hand, the TV show he’s streaming and the charity he’s backing in his life were it not for the marketer’s alchemical touch?
We believe there has never been a better time to be in marketing. The explosion of media channels has made decisions harder and competition fiercer. But it has also given us an opportunity to paint on a grander canvas than we ever imagined possible. Businesses like Uber, with no physical assets of note, can zoom from startup to $50bn valuation just by making people’s taxi journeys that bit simpler. Hitherto little known charities like the ALS Association can harness social sharing to raise $220m and speed up research that could save lives. Marketing is about selling stuff. But it’s about more than that too.
The Drum has been covering this industry for a long time, and of late we’ve seen marketers and agencies start to realise just how powerful they can be as a force for change. Let’s not kid ourselves, they’re not going to stop being capitalists. But they know that they can also use their creativity to tackle bigger challenges beyond their bottom line – and it is that thinking that has inspired some changes of our own.
This week, we have relaunched our magazine with a new look and a new ethos. Throughout the issue, you’ll see some significant changes to the design which we hope you’ll welcome. But the biggest change of all is spelled out right there on the cover. We believe marketing has the power to change the world, and that’s the story we will be telling in our magazine from here on in.
So next time you’re having that awkward taxi exchange about what you do, say it loud and say it proud. Because who cares what anyone else thinks? Our industry can change the world.