‘Marketing doesn’t cost, it creates’: How marketers can transform business and culture

Marketers have become increasingly apologetic for the role they play in society and everything they contribute to businesses, and that must stop, according to two industry leaders.

“Somewhere along the line we stopped being proud. We started to get embarrassed. We started apologising for what we do. We started apologising for trying to sell people products that make their lives better, for trying to make advertising that inspires and engages society, for trying out new things and new media channels,” said Eve Sleep CEO and former marketer Cheryl Calverley, speaking at The Festival of Marketing: Transform.

From magpies to the emperor’s new clothes to the colouring-in department, she said the phrases used to describe marketing “make you bristle”. But as a marketer the worst thing to be called is a cost. “Marketing doesn’t cost. Marketing creates,” she stated. And the sooner this is understood by businesses the better.

Marketing’s transformative questions don’t start with ‘how?’

To address marketing’s perception problem, Calverley, talking alongside Marketing Week columnist and director of Passionbrand, Helen Edwards, shared five ways marketers and marketing can transform businesses that will in turn elevate their position within their company and wider society.

From innovation and changing attitudes to creating markets and driving economies, the two marketing heavyweights share how marketers can make a real difference to ensure pride in the profession returns.

“Never forget that [marketing] is about business and that is a wonderful thing. It’s good for society, it’s good for the economy, it’s good for jobs, livelihoods, and it’s good for the world,” added Calverley.

Watch the video above to find out how.