Changing paradigms of marketers in 2022

Over the years, the definition of marketing and what it encompasses under its purview has evolved and grown

For decades, an organization’s marketing function has been unidimensional, focusing on the customer and customer alone. Over the years, the definition of marketing and what it encompasses under its purview has evolved and grown. With access to digital media, today’s customers are discerning and come with changing mindsets and demands. Furthermore, crucial stakeholders such as shareholders, investors, employees, partners, industry associations will play an equally crucial role in an organization’s success. Adding a layer of complexity to these changing paradigms has been the pandemic, thereby challenging the status quo and disrupting how organizations function and therefore the marketers as well. Read on as I share my views on how marketers today are experiencing a significant change in their roles and responsibilities.

1. Working at the intersection of tech

Technology is now omnipresent. As different industries and functions rapidly adapt to technological changes, so has been the marketing function. Automation, for instance, has become a constant across functions – from the most complex to the most basic of functions. Further, cutting-edge technology like AI, ML, coupled with access to quality data analytics, can provide marketers with deep insights into customer behavior and preferences, thereby enabling more targeted and customized communications. It is also interesting to note that now customers have increased access to technologies like virtual and AR and building business expectations to leverage this in delivering experiential storytelling.

The case for tech in marketing is strong, and several studies show its impact on greater sales productivity, reduction in overheads, better roIe etc. As we advance, marketers will undoubtedly benefit from adapting to and leveraging technology to drive targets and serve customers better.

2. Internal communication & Talent branding

Fostering an organization’s reputation and being advocates for the organizational culture has been the mainstay of the Human Resources department for a long time. As ace communicators and researchers, marketers have the tools to gauge the effectiveness of internal communications and employer branding initiatives, and can provide strategic inputs to help fulfill HR objectives of attracting the best talent.

Post pandemic, Employer and Talent Branding has become an equal responsibility of every marketer thereby communicating the organizational values and what it means to be a part of the organization to both external and internal audiences and to foster its reputation. Greater investments will be made in strengthening the organization’s intranet to deliver seamless internal communication and employee engagement, instead of merely updating the website. This will gain more importance at the back of hybrid work models coming into play and the need to keep employees engaged.

3. Strategic Advisors to the CEO

Branding is the core of marketing function, hence the scope of branding is much broader than acknowledged. From the CEO, right down to the bottom of the organizational pyramid, everybody embodies the brand and what it stands for. Marketers can be very effective mediators and work closely with the leadership to draw up the future roadmap of the brand and foster positive brand equity.

The CEO – the head of the organization – is the face and ambassador of the brand. Every piece of communication that goes out from their desk, anything they say, directly reflects on the brand. ‘CEO Marketing, encompassing their image and reputation management, is here to stay – a defining strategy for an organization and to infuse life into the brand purpose.

4. Living the Brand Purpose

What does your organization stand for? Be it an existing or prospective customer or employee, everyone associated with a brand or organization wants to feel like they belong to something greater than themselves. A brand without purpose has little to no equity in today’s world, and those with a higher purpose are destined to thrive. The world is increasingly headed that way, and a brand can only demonstrate this through honest, authentic, and transparent communications. By striking the right chord, marketers will be more sensitized towards delivering a wholesome customer experience.

5. End User Impact

B2B marketers can no longer limit their messaging and communications to the buyer community alone. At the end of the day, what a B2B company has to offer will invariably impact the daily lives of end consumers. The value chain (especially B2B) goes beyond the buyer and going that extra mile will fortify the brand’s salience and deepen its positioning beyond its assigned audiences. Increasingly B2B marketers will have to become cognizant of products’ broader picture and impact cycle. Investing in websites to become content rich with blogs, video format information, creatives, etc. with an emphasis on ensuring that the content is universally understood, is a prudent approach.

Over the years, particularly the last decade, the roles and responsibilities of marketers have evolved. It has become apparent that a marketer can be seen as a business partner, who understands business challenges, solves them, builds momentum in the external world, and most importantly, supports other functions within the organization to drive business growth. The marketer of the future, working at the intersection of branding, HR, Mar-Tech, etc., – will be wearing multiple hats!

 

 

 

 

 

[author title=”” image=”http://”]Authored by Arvind Saxena, Head – Marketing & Corporate Communications, NEC Corporation.[/author]

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Times – ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members

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