[/caption]Marcus's piece is thought-provoking.
Why?
Because he advocates a joint-venture between company and client over either an agency or doing it in house.
Why?
Because in house has too many political hurdles and an agency doesn't get deep enough in the business.
Why?
Because there are too many other distractions.
Why?
Because there has to be; it isn't their job to focus on it, and that is what they require.
I was with a client on Friday who told me, in no uncertain terms, that they didn't do technology. "We're just marketers" she said. "We don't understand that stuff."
Jesus. H. Christ.
"We're just marketers" was quote of the week for me, strong contender for quote of the year. Another boffin from an agency I work with had asked aloud what Flickr was, which in itself is maddening. What really frustrated me though was the lines these people were willing to draw around what they did and didn't do. Apparently being "just a marketer" means you can float through on ignorance and leave "teh interwebs" up to the geeks in the corner.
Can you imagine 50 years ago talking about TV to have someone turn around and say "Oh, I'm just a marketer, I don't understand that TV stuff"?
The mind boggles. Let's get it straight: nothing is off the table. Not digital, not analogue, not experiential, not bespoke, not DM, not TVCs, not PR, not ambient, not out of home, not print, not word of mouth, nothing. Marketers who opt for a career with blinkers on will find themselves swept aside in the eternal race for consumer's hearts and minds. You don't have to be an expert in everything, but you should at least be aware of where everything fits.
And you should also be aware that every waking minute of your day, you are marketing something.
We all are.
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