I first wanted to ask, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” but could not build on that as a Marketing Morsel. So, I chose this one instead - “Is marketing an art or a science?” I guess the answer depends on which side of your brain dominates your thinking.
So let us prepare for the debate. In this corner stands the CEO. He or she is the science person. “All decisions must be based on solid data.” Left brain rules here. They conclude that the purpose of marketing is to influence the behaviors of other people. So, we rely on data about human psychology and how people react to stimuli determined by facts and figures. Data, they conclude, drives marketing decisions that are strategically more effective. Since the CEO is “the buck stops here” person, it is a good idea to listen to what is being said.
As for myself, I lean more to the “art” side. Science, albeit important to structing a campaign strategy, and helps identify consumer motivation, takes a back seat to stimulating storytelling and the use of our language skills. Nike used the right three words, “Just do it” to define what its target audience needed to hear vis-a vis the use of the product.
In the end, there should be no debate at all. The best work a marketer can create relies on some combination of art and science Tools like SEO, costs per click, cost per thousand, and measured behavior patterns, the use of social media and email marketing (both measurable) all support the legitimacy of the talented storytelling guru.
Ok…here is the real answer…it is a combination of both. I hope we all find our own groove and prosper.
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