Marketing has always been prone to lingo that many people don’t understand. But in the world of digital marketing, it feels like we’re getting into “emperor has no clothes” territory.
A friend told me recently about sitting in a marketing plan where everyone nodded along in agreement to a stream of digital marketing buzzwords. It later became clear that many in the room didn’t understood the meanings of the buzzwords, but were hesitant to ask.
By relying on buzzwords, marketers risk breathing their own exhaust. The emphasis gets placed on the tactic rather than on the business goal that should be driving the tactic.
I like this quote from Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes:
“It is not about doing ‘digital marketing.’ It is about marketing effectively in a digital world.”
We are fortunate to work in marketing in a time when there constant new tools at our disposal. But too frequently I think we chase the buzzwords for the sake of the buzzwords. It becomes a lazy crutch that gets in the way of creative marketing.
If it’s a marketing idea worth doing, it’s worth articulating in plain English.
Here’s another cartoon from last year making fun of marketers’ affinity for buzzwords.
