Putting "marketing" back into the American Marketing Association

When I was hiring for the Board of the American Marketing Association at York University (AMA@YorkU), I interviewed this one candidate whom I will never forget. She was a very insightful marketing student who made a very astute observation on her application. She pointed out that we were a marketing organization who could not market ourselves. She became my Vice-President, Membership.

What concerns me is that this problem was not limited to our collegiate chapter. I have seen evidence of the same from the Toronto Chapter and the Professional Chapter. Unless you are fortunate enough to meet a member it is unlikely you would know these organizations even exist! They seem more interested in portraying themselves as a resource than marketing their profession and their association. Why is it that non-marketing organizations like the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers are willing and able to market themselves moreso than the American Marketing Association?

Marketing as a profession has been under constant criticism and scrutiny. Most people do not understand what marketing is, or what role it plays in the overall success of an organization. The majority of people equate marketing with sales and advertising, yet these could not be more different. Most perceive marketing as a waste of time, energy and resources. They could not be more wrong. Why is the American Marketing Association not doing more to market the profession?

Marketing is a highly specialized skill which requires tremendous creativity, ingenuity, insight and attention to detail. I have seen many job postings for marketers which seemingly acknowledge this fact. Yet, for every such job posting, there are a multitude of poorly envisioned and executed marketing campaigns. Marketing positions are more often filled by salesmen, than by marketers with the ability to conceive and implement effective marketing strategies. Perhaps instituting a professional designation would result in greater quality control and a level of capability among those who bear the title of marketer.

With no perceived value of membership to employers, no offer of a professional designation, nor recognition for the vital role of marketing to the success of a firm, there is a great deal more for the AMA to market than its events. Granted, these events can be quite interesting and I enjoy meeting fellow marketers and members, but perhaps it is time we put the "marketing" back into the American Marketing Association!