Last night, over a late sushi dinner several friends were discussing marketing.  Some were claiming that it represents a collection of lies, meant to make people buy things.  Of course this is a common misconception about marketing although it sounds to me more like a description of bad sales techniques.  Two of my friends and I defended the noble field in which we work, i.e. marketing, stating that good marketing is actually based on identifying needs/wants and opportunities to fulfill those needs/wants, as well as then getting the word out to relevant parties.

Later in the evening, one of my marketing professional friends was talking about the joys of ballroom dancing.  For her, taking lessons and going to the weekly Friday night dances were a welcomed instant relief from a stressful work day.  To her, it didn’t matter if she was a great dancer as long as she had fun.  She enjoyed the non-judgmental environment and the fact that she could just let go and laugh within 5 minutes of being on the dance floor, every time.

After another hour and more discussions on themes anywhere between the next steps in 3D cinematography and best/worst sibling stories, we said our good byes.  It was then that one of the marketing non-believers asked my dancing friend when he could join her at the dance studio for a trial lesson.  He had been sold on trying ballroom dancing without even knowing it but based on his need to find a relaxing social activity to ease his every day work-related stress.  And that, my friends, is what marketing is all about!