How to Become a Marketing Superhero | Giuseppe Stigliano | TEDxRoma

Summary

The speaker addresses the paradox of a world where more people have access to smartphones than toilets, highlighting the pervasive influence of marketing. They argue that marketing is not just about selling but is essential for communication, identity, and making choices. However, the speaker criticizes the unsustainable and unequal growth driven by marketing and calls for a return to the ancient Greek concept of 'Harmony' (Harmonia) as a way to reconcile contradictions in modern society. The speaker envisions a future where marketers embrace ambiguity and create products that are profitable, ethical, and sustainable, positioning marketers as superheroes capable of inspiring positive change.

Takeaways

• 📱 The world has more mobile phones than toilets, highlighting the prevalence of technology and marketing's role in society.
• 🎉 Marketing is a universal activity, not just limited to professionals but also inherent in everyday personal branding and choices.
• 🌐 Technology has enabled marketers to reach a global audience, making it crucial to understand and engage with diverse cultures and preferences.
• 🦚 Nature itself exhibits marketing strategies, as seen in the behaviors of peacocks and bears, emphasizing the natural instinct for promotion.
• 🛍️ Marketing helps consumers navigate through a sea of similar products by creating memorable packaging and brand names.
• 🌱 The roots of marketing, as defined by Philip Kotler, suggest that marketing is not only useful but also ethical, challenging modern perceptions.
• 💡 The speaker calls for a reevaluation of marketing practices, recognizing the finite resources of the planet and the need for sustainable growth.
• 🔄 The speaker criticizes the current state of marketing, which has led to inequality and environmental damage due to a focus on growth above all else.
• 🧩 The speaker suggests that we need to reconcile contradictions in marketing, such as balancing profit with social and environmental responsibility.
• 🦸‍♀️ The concept of 'Harmonia' or harmony from ancient Greek mythology is proposed as a solution to reconcile the contradictions in modern marketing.
• 🛑 The speaker emphasizes the need for marketers to unlearn and relearn, embracing ambiguity and creating products that are designed with harmony in mind.

Q & A

What significant disparity does the speaker highlight between access to mobile phones and toilets globally?

The speaker points out that there are 6 billion people with access to mobile phones compared to only 4.5 billion with access to toilets, indicating a greater number of smartphones than toilets worldwide.

What role does the speaker believe marketers play in society beyond just selling products?

The speaker believes that marketers help the world by reaching out to billions of people, interacting with them, and recommending products, which was not possible just a few years ago.

How does the speaker define marketing and its importance in our daily lives?

The speaker defines marketing as a necessary tool for making sense of our existence, communicating with others, building our identity, and choosing the right products and services.

What is the ethical stance on marketing according to Philip Kotler, as mentioned in the script?

Philip Kotler, considered the father of marketing, implies that marketing is not only useful but also ethical, as it helps in the exchange of products and services and in building identity.

What are the negative consequences of the current marketing practices as described by the speaker?

The speaker criticizes the current marketing practices for acting as if resources are infinite, prioritizing growth without considering collateral damages, creating an unequal society, and contributing to a toxic mix of globalization, capitalism, and consumerism.

What is the speaker's epiphany regarding the reconciliation of contradictions in marketing?

The speaker's epiphany is the concept of 'armonia' or harmony from ancient Greek mythology, which represents the reconciliation of contradictions and the idea that we need to find a compromise between the interests of companies and the societal and environmental consequences.

What does the speaker suggest as a solution to the problems caused by marketing and globalization?

The speaker suggests that we need to leverage technology such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to create a new approach to marketing that reconciles the contradictions and inequalities caused by current practices.

What is the speaker's view on the relationship between marketing and the ancient Greek concept of 'armonia'?

The speaker believes that 'armonia', the ancient Greek concept of harmony, can be a guiding principle for marketers to create products and services that are good for the company, the customer, and the planet.

How does the speaker propose to address the challenges of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in today's world?

The speaker proposes that marketers and the business community need to relearn to accept ambiguity and ambivalence, and start making products that are harmonic by design, considering 'harmonia' as a new modus operandi.

What is the speaker's final dream for the role of marketers and the business community?

The speaker dreams of a world where marketers and the business community can relearn to deal with contradictions, where 'harmonia' becomes a superpower, and where marketing can inspire the next generation of products and services, with marketers becoming the superheroes the world needs.