Florian Haller, CEO of Serviceplan Group, has issued a warning that should make executive offices tremble: marketing is no longer a superficial adornment, but the engine that manages the entire customer journey. Today it combines data, technology, and creativity to decide what you see, when you see it, and why you buy it. The problem is that many executives still believe it's about making pretty ads. For the average person, this means that every click, every search, and every like is part of a mechanism designed to influence their decisions. The conclusion is clear: marketing has evolved and is now the bridge between the company and the consumer.
Data and algorithms: the new backstage of persuasion 🧠
Behind any current campaign lies an ecosystem of data platforms (CDP), predictive models, and automation that segment audiences in real time. Technology allows tracking from a website visit to a three-second pause in a video. With that information, systems adjust messages, channels, and budgets instantly. Creativity is no longer a leap into the void, but a variable controlled by performance indicators. This requires marketing teams to master both statistical analysis and narrative. Those who do not adapt to this intersection of code and storytelling will be left off the board.
Your boss still thinks marketing is making coffee ☕
While marketing orchestrates a symphony of data, creativity, and technology, in many companies the CEO is still asking if the logo looks good in blue or if the slogan fits on a mug. The reality is that modern marketing is more complex than balancing a production budget, but explaining this to certain executives is like trying to teach quantum calculus to a dog. Of course, when sales drop, it's always the marketing department's fault. Good thing they already know how to measure, segment, and persuade. Although, just in case, better keep the coffee maker ready.