It's hard to navigate the web or social media these days without running into a 'spaghetti marketer'. They're pretty easy to spot. Many of these folk will bombard you with guru-speak as they 'market' to you. Many have cookie cutter template websites so lengthy it would make Charles Dickens roll his eyes.
Their method is to produce as much content as possible and shotgun the communication out to the masses, hoping to hit as many people as they can. 'There's gotta be one person who wants my [fill in the blank] in the herd' they think.
The definition of marketing
I wonder if the word 'marketing' itself is beginning to lose it's meaning. This type of thing happens to words that have been overused or lose their potency - 'hooker' used to mean 'a small fishing boat.' As communicators, we adapt to these changes, find new words, and move on.
The methods of use and speed in which the word 'marketing' is being recklessly thrown around these days, it's certainly possible that it's definition is shifting. Whatever the case, the word's meaning is becoming diluted.
Merriam-Webster defines marketing as:
The act or process of selling or purchasing in a market. The process or technique of promoting, selling, and distributing a product or service. An aggregate of functions involved in moving goods from producer to consumer.
The American Marketing Association defines marketing as:
"...the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large."
The Spaghetti Marketer's definition:
"The act of throwing spaghetti against a wall."
Just like any other tool of communication, if it no longer serves it's primary function it is no longer a tool.
If a knife loses it's sharpness, is it still a knife?
Why is all of this important?
There are a lot of companies using this style of marketing or hiring the spaghetti slingers and consequently not seeing positive results. In our modern era, we've come to accept that advertising and marketing are a part of our life, but how do we react when our senses are being attacked in such a way? In fact, this type of approach can actually damage a company brand or product.
Imagine that.
Companies spending money to produce media that could slow their sales or worsen their brand reputation. Sad, but true.
