HIEN VU

As marketers, we are constantly bombarded with noise, the next big platform, the new buzzword, the declaration that everything we know is “dead.” It is easy to be swept away, but this distraction comes at the cost of genuine strategic thinking.

Drawing from Mark Ritson’s powerful and provocative presentation, it’s time for us to cut through the hype, put down the shiny objects, and embrace the fundamentals that actually drive business growth.

The Obsession with New Technology

Don’t be the “jackdaw discipline” chasing every shiny new object. While technologies like AI, VR, and blockchain are fascinating, they are irrelevant to almost every marketer’s strategy for the next year unless you can demonstrate an immediate, massive impact.

Focus on 2025, not 2035. If a technology doesn’t have a significant impact on your market next year, you need to set it aside and focus on your current strategy.

The Premature Death of Everything

We have a morbid obsession with declaring things “dead” like TV, newspapers, advertising, and even marketing itself. This isn’t very smart. Media rarely die; they evolve and blend what Ritson calls “everlution”. The introduction of VHS didn’t kill cinema; they learned to coexist, often with cinema thriving.

Avoid extrapolating tiny, incremental lines into “complete and utter madness”, the famous Elvis impersonators analogy. Everything matures and slows down; it doesn’t just cease to exist.

The Hypocrisy of Empty Brand Purpose

An increasing number of brands are abandoning their core positionings in favour of vague, societal missions to “inspire the human spirit” or “brew a better world”. This “brand purpose” often lacks differentiation, and worse, becomes total corporate nonsense when a company’s actions, such as avoiding taxes, contradict its lofty statements.

Your job is to satisfy customers and make money. The opportunity cost of wasting time on empty purpose is that we ignore the real work: building distinctiveness and brand awareness.

Professional Nihilism and the Lack of Training

There is a worrying trend of marketers being proud of having “no training in the subject”. Marketing is a 100-year-old discipline that deserves respect and study. Training makes a marketer better. We must stop following “gurus” who have never actually studied or practised the discipline professionally and commit to continuous professional development.

Conclusion

It is time for marketers to step out of the dark silos, stop obsessing over distractions, and take the middle path. By focusing on fundamental strategy, continuous training, and an integrated media mix, we can get marketing back on track.