You are a marketing manager? Pls. behave like one too then.

Marketing managers believe in something, know something else and agree to proceed with a completely different set of strategy and communication. This has become a normal phenomenon in today’s world.

Marketing profile is one of the most aspirational ones, especially to the media and advertising people. It gives a sense of responsibility to better the brand, and to parent the brand.

But what is actually happening? The people who get to this space are already in awe of it. They feel they have accomplished the world, and now the only thing that they should do is to deliver good work.

But who defines this ‘good work’? Ideally it should be this marketing manager himself who should decide what is good for the company and brand, and what his vision for the brand is. And how is it that he’s going to better it, the succession plan, objective, launches etc. And this detailed plan is what is to be presented to the ‘bigger members’ of the company to make it happen.

But what actually happens? The marketing managers think they have won their battle. To save their job, to get better increments, and in case something goes wrong, to have someone to put the blame on, they become people who agree to not what they think but to what their ‘bigger members’ think.

Marketing is a subjective business. I say business deliberately as it involves taking risks as well. Basics being in place, marketing is a battleground with very less rules. And the players who know their way out will win. But to win, there are battles to be fought, and decisions to be made, and risks to be undertaken.

So stop being a marketer who agrees to the boss’ views. Instead take a stance, have faith in your view points and plunge. Max what can happen is that you would go wrong, but the truth is you will learn more and be a better marketer when you do what you think is right, and not what your boss approves of. Bosses are afterall the same people who were in your shoes before, and they would have made some kinds of goof-ups too. They are people whose thoughts and ideologies can be challenged, coz that’s the best part about marketing – no one’s right or wrong and good marketing can make anything work. Disclaimer being that the product / service should be good J

Omni

Story of my Maruti Van:

Dark green coloured Maruti Omni 4895 (I think) was as much as a family member to us as to as anyone else. When the car came to our house for the first time, we had weekend trips for nearly 2 months. And a fully packed car with 9 members. As we grew old, so did it.

The horn never worked, and rarely did the radio too. A khadda would come, and the speakers would suddenly blare. In the next khadda - silence! The vipers worked, and were very enthusiastic ones, they would go complete 360 degrees! There were fans inside which didn't work. They did start once and I think caught hold of my Kaki's hair. From then, never. Dad has driven the car without a driver seats window for almost 2 months. Best part - nothing got stolen. Some say that there was nothing left in the car worth stealing!

One day, our full capacity car came home from after a long day. As my Mami tried to open the back seat door, the door came in her hands! That was the heights of craziness of our car!

I learnt driving on that car. To an extent that Dad once said that I would kill someone the way I drove (obviously I dint. And I think am a good driver now).

I would drive down to my college sometimes (obviously when it had sufficient petrol). And would show it off to my friends. We would go for short drives to carters, and honk at random couples.

When we went for drives, especially to the plush localities and we would spot all sorts of cars there. But never an Omni. Our car was so distinct because of its colour that we never had the need to 'find' our car anywhere, even not in parking lots.

The car was sold and we bought Maruti Swift. We love it too. Its a part of our family too. But its not our Omni for sure.

Last I heard of 4895 was that it had become a taxi, and someone at Borivali had seen it and sat in it (probably).
I miss it. The most. Someday, I will get an Omni for myself too. But its not going to be the 4895 - that one is irreplaceable!