Page 9 - Strategic Marketing Complete

GLOBAL WRAP

LETTER

from london

Tales of working in another city

products in physical retail outlets For me, one of the most important
before they buy online. aspects of moving to London
was that I immediately felt part
The result of this is, that marketing of a “bigger global world”. The
is now dominated by online and pace is much faster here than
consumer decision journeys, user in Johannesburg. The marketing
experience design, marketing industry is huge, and building a
technology and the alignment network is therefore hard. And,
of brand touchpoints. Hence while you may be good at what
competence in these areas is you do, you are always aware that
not an extra any more – it is a many people are better than you.
requirement. There is a debate Supply in marketing is greater than
as to whether classical marketing demand, unless you are highly
channels such as television will specialised in certain technological
survive, with subscription services areas.

nline and digital technology in marketing jobs, technology
play a huge role in the UK.
This is probably the single now plays a central role.
biggest differentiator to get used
to when one moves here. From
finding someone to mow the lawn, like Netflix and Amazon Prime now
to making a restaurant reservation, even entering the live sports arena. I find South Africa and the US more
finding a dog walker, or getting Hence, entertainment and news have open to new ideas than Europe,
someone to take your dog to the vet become very demand-driven. where an attitude of “we are the old
– there is an online application for it, world, we’ve done and seen it all
and people use it. before” persists at senior levels.
In marketing jobs, technology
Amazon is omni-present and when now plays a central role. Even I believe it will shortly be almost
you run out of something as simple where companies are still totally imperative for anyone to have lived
and small as two batteries, you buy committed to the principles of in another country if they want to
it online and it is delivered either the classical marketing, they expect a progress to a new level in their
same day or the next day (for free). level of competence in technology, careers. Let alone learn new global
Whilst you still visit stores at times regardless of the marketing role one languages!
for emergencies and fresh goods may have. The terminology itself is
(this is also changing now), the becoming difficult and confusing
vast majority of shopping happens for highly experienced executives: r Thomas Oosthuizen
online. Some people claim that this phrases like “digital transformation” is Head of Strategy
reduces impulse buying; I think it are used a lot, but understood at Draper Gain
increases it, as it is just so easy to do. differently by different groups. In Investments. With over 30
Also, the online sites always prompt most instances though, the degree years of experience, he
you with related items that were of actual transformation is low and is a marketing and brand
bought by people buying the items often limited to very particular areas strategy expert working with
you are buying. of a company. many global leaders in their

The UK has the second highest Generalists are not understood or field. Oosthuizen holds a
PhD in Integrated Marketing
online shopping spend at $1 629 even respected; specialists are (so Communications and has been
per year, after the US. In a 2016 to say you are a marketer needs a judge on many marketing
consumer survey, it was found that refinement: in what industry, in what
81.2% of shoppers in the UK look at aspect?). industry award panels.

Strategic Marketing - p7