When I was a little girl way back in the '80s there was a distinct moment in my tv watching experience.
I remember a commercial had come on tv during my Saturday morning cartoons about a popular cleaner 409. In that commercial, they had placed a "masked" competitor brand that you could clearly figure out which brand it was (even my feeble brain understood what was happening). I remember it because I was like...
that's not nice they are being mean to that other brand of cleaner
I had no concept that one was better than the other just that they were cleaners and in different color bottles. I didn't know how my mom picked out cleaner I just know that we probably had one of them in our cupboard. I thought wow that other company should complain.
Long story short I got some bones with marketing and advertising
So you see I've been carrying this "commercials, advertising, and marketing are MEAN" since my childhood. I equate marketing to trying to make the other guy look bad. Today they don't even mask the other brand they blatantly call them out.
To further my hatred of marketing and advertisement the news channels have started using it to create panic and induce fear in my parents. The sell the "news" so dramatically that my mom worries about everything on the news.
Then there are pharmaceutical company's who literally market to every ailment AND the pill that cures all "could cause suicidal thoughts"
WHAT THE ACTUAL F?
Don't even get me started on political ads...
This mentality has carried over into my professional life. I have never wanted to own a business or become an entrepreneur. I was afraid of the selling part and I would have to sell my soul to make any money. Some of you reading this might think that is just silly but it is a truth for me.
I think though that bad marketing has made me a better consumer in a way. I do tons of research on a topic before I make a decision. This could be good or bad. Everything is a bit much to obsessively research but I at least feel confident in my purchases. I am always looking for generous people who have used the product or service and trust the company. I am loyal to a brand once I find one that works for me.
I constantly wonder why it's ok to do "evil" kind of marketing and advertisement because it sucks
Seth Godin has written several books 19 to be exact. I have read all his books except the ones on marketing. I skipped over them (see above). Until now. I picked up "This is Marketing" because I am a huge learner.
I like to learn about things even if I don't agree with them if only to be able to argue properly about them.
Within the first five to ten minutes of the audiobook, he has me wavering in my hatred of marketing and my feelings that I don't need marketing. Then in the final ten minutes of the audiobook, he also gives me a reason to get behind marketing. He lays out all the ways marketing could be seen as evil and he doesn't make an excuse for that type of "marketing". He makes a case for me to ship my work and share what I have to offer and market it so the right people find it.
What I learned from "This is Marketing" is that I am not my job title or a "fitness junkie". I am a "marketer" of those titles. I haven't simply hated marketing for most of my life...I've been marketing against marketing most of my life.
I now realize that marketing has great power when used in the right way
As I embark on a new journey to build the things I love, ship them into the world and market them to people that need them in a kind and respectful way. It reminds me of when Dorothy lands in OZ and Glenda asks her "Are you a good witch or bad witch?"
Well I'm going to do my best to be the "Good Witch Marketer"
