DEFINING A MARKETING GENIUS

Banking Frontiers asked 10 BFSI CMOs about their definition of marketing genius. And their views are featured here, dividing them into four parts - (i) definition, (ii) importance of awards & media coverage, (iii) educational background required to be a good marketer, (iv) common marketing errors:

- Ravi Lalwani

Obviously, the key skills of a marketing genius are understanding ‘how and why’ people think and act the way they do. It is difficult to create compelling content marketing, for example, if you do not know why it would be compelling to your audience in the first place. Consumer behavior is difficult to understand, especially considering that customers have different interests and opinions. Looking into the psychology behind consumer behaviour may offer useful responses on questions like ‘Which marketing tactics drive sales?’ and ‘What works on social media?’

Karthi Marshan, President & Chief Marketing Officer, Kotak Mahindra Group, gives the physiological definition of a marketing genius: “The word that interests me is genius, not marketing. It is very telling that the etymology of the word genius can be traced back to the Sanskrit word for mother, birth giver, and compassion. Because, at their best, that is what marketing practitioners do, viz listen to the consumer and engage with compassion.”

Karthi Marshan feels that the real marketing genius is about being a sponge that absorbs everything, from culture, the arts, human psychology, and then creating products and services that not only feed the body but also sustain the soul of the society.