A Passion for Marketing

           

             If you’re like I was, creative, full of ideas, energetic but confused, this article is for you. If you’re into Marketing, Advertising and Business, this article is for you. After exploring the perceptions of marketing, the shifts that are changing these perceptions and what marketing means to me, I hope I can convince a couple of you to use your creativity, your ideas and your energy to explore a new interest. There’s is nothing better than using your creativity and making money off it! “Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life” – Harvey MacKay

In my first Professional Selling class, we had to stand up and talk about our perception on sales and marketing. I was the first to stand, the first to speak and the very last because I had said enough in 3 words; “Used Car Salesman”. I had compared my perception to selling and marketing to Danny DeVito in Matilda. This character to me is the epitome of sleaze. The tacky clothes, the forked tongue, the slick backed hair and the shiny watch was marketing to me. This was the opinion of the majority of the class. 

Right now, there a very interesting shift happening. With things like smart phones, email and social media (ESPECIALLY social media) we are always plugged in to the universe around us. This has forced sales people to answer some very important questions. In answering these questions, sales people and marketers are being part of a conversation. This has been the best thing to ever happen to marketing and business; it has essentially changed perceptions about them. From forked tongues and brainwashing to relationships and conversations, people are adopting brands and services as a lifestyle. If we look at Coca Cola, Starbucks, McDonalds, Nike, people are wearing their symbols and buying their products because they want to be part of the conversation. 

For me, marketing has become a way to release my creativity. I was in a band for 5 or so years and I absolutely loved it. The crowds, the performances, the music and centre stage were home to me. So, I thought I would take a course called Music Industry Arts. During my time taking MIA, I learned two things. Number one was to get the hell out of the music industry. It has collapsed in on itself and its desperately looking for new foundation. The second and the most important was, I had found a new calling in my marketing class. Yes, out of all the music history lessons, out of the audio recording techniques, what stuck with me the most was the marketing. In marketing there is strategy, there is technique and best of all there is room for creativity and innovation. Good marketing is an art form.

I just recently finished my first year of Business-Marketing and hope that I’ll be doing this for years to come. What once was a negative has become a great positive. Marketing is an always changing industry and has so much room for creativity and innovation. Again, if you’re creative, energetic and full of ideas, give marketing a try, it might surprise you.