The Marketing Industry

Being a Marketing Major with some experience in the field it is impossible to not look at how the industry as a whole is run. In general this first rule of marketing is to make yourself marketable. Companies like to hire those that present themselves with unique traits and a go getter attitude. When you walk into a store and meet a salesperson are the good ones miserable and quiet or energetic and helpful? If you do not have the right person about it outlook on the world your will not succeed in the marketing field. While there be many backstage positions in the field, if you don’t not understand the main markets of a company and the way the function in today’s society you will also fail. Marketers need to remain as up to date as possible on the latest websites, social media, technology, and trends. Not keeping a close enough eye to any of these categories could prove fatal to your career. Brand is key in marketing and to succeed you must make a marketable brand of yourself.
Another key concept is that the marketing field is one of the best industries to get into. As long as there are consumers buying products there is advertising and marketing which means job security to people in the field. No matter how trends or products change overtime there will always be marketers to sell more and more of a product. However, when truly looking into the field the future is not certain at all. With how often advertising platforms change there is no guarantee that what works today will work tomorrow or next month a year from now. There are no guarantees in marketing, but those successful marketers who understand the market trends and can predict the future will have very successful and long careers. As talked about in the TED Talk, those who most succeed are the one who create opportunities out of ordinary situations.
The scapegoat for many companies has also been the marketing and advertising department when thing fail. Monster Energy blamed a failed marketing strategy for the Demi’s of it’s Mutant Super Soda Brand. General Motors blames the decline in sales of their sports car line as a failed marketing plan, with the strategy focusing on the looks of the Cameron but not it’s power and performance. Most notably the marketing department of Gillette fell under fire after a controversial razor blade ad. Unfortunately for the company it’s started a political nightmare and boycott of the company. When something fails, especially at a corporate level it seems the marketers are to blame. On the other side of the spectrum when things go well marketers play a huge role but recurve no credit publicly. The best examples of this are large brands such as Apple, Samsung, Coca-Cola, and Disney. These companies have mastered the art of advertising and are very successful because of it.
My final thought is about how important an education is in this field, especially as a new hire. Young adults straight out of college are always hired quickly because they have a better understanding of the trends of today’s society over people who graduated years before. These younger employees bring a whole new level of insight to a marketing team. A majority of companies even pay marketers to go to conferences and further their education as to stay in the loop with trends and changes in the industry. Overall, the future of this field is bright and I am excited to become involved in marketing after graduation.