A frustrating but unavoidable experience that every marketer has to endure is the continuous stream of unsolicited comments from every Tom, Dick and Harry. It is particularly irksome when these comments come from colleagues, people who do not have any experience and or qualification in marketing.
I haven’t heard or seen such
people comment on what engine technology should be used in a car or what IC or
transistor value should be used in an electronics motherboard. However, these same
people feel free, comfortable and qualified to comment on every small aspect of
marketing. What makes them do this? What expertises do these people believe
they have to make comments?
I have attempted to
rationalize, identify some possible reasons those encourage this behavior. They
are (not in any particular order):
1)
Everybody is a consumer: Marketing is meant for consumers. Since
everybody is a consumer or a potential consumer, every person believes that he
or she has the freedom to comment on what is meant for him. This particular label
of “consumer” is the only license anybody needs to make comments without fear.
2)
We are creative beings: A universal human truth. Though we all
believe we are creative, not all of us end up doing jobs considered to be
creative. People try to make it up by commenting on marketing, considered to be
a creative work, at every opportunity. It’s their way of expressing their
creativity, an exercise for the right brain, though at the cost of the
marketer.
3)
Marketing is an art; not yet a science: Science is objective;
marketing is subjective. There is a universal truth about science that still
eludes marketing. In every country, every language and every context, 1+1 = 2. The
same is yet not true about marketing. Unlike science, there are no universal “right
and wrong” formulas in marketing. What works in a country does not necessarily
work in another. Even within the same country or smallest unit of market, it
differs if the context is different.
This subjectivity about
marketing is an open invitation for anyone to share his opinion, knowing well
that his comment cannot be subjected to a right or wrong formula. It doesn’t
help that there are adequate case studies and examples to endlessly argue
points and counter points and still not reach an agreement.
4)
Marketing is for the heart; not the head: Most marketing
activities are designed to appeal to the heart. Consumers are expected to feel;
not think. It’s therefore, easy for anyone to comment on matters that don’t
require the head to be used.
5)
Seen and spoken: One can talk; comment only about what he
sees the most often. Other functions in the organization do not have the same
visibility that marketing does. R & D is normally conducted behind closed
doors, production plant is usually in a different premise, and account and
finance is way too boring for conversations. Marketing is the only function
that touches every soul, both within and outside an organization. It is therefore,
quite natural that more people talk about it.
