Canadian Technology executives do not get Marketing!

There! I said it.

I don't think Canadian technology executives understand anything about Marketing. Seriously, I don't.

Don't get me wrong - there are always a few exceptions. Instead, let's look at the overwhelming majority.

If you're in the technology industry, in Canada, then I want to ask you this simple question.

"What is the role of Marketing within your organization?"

Let me provide you some answers that I've received, or have observed on job boards or in consulting gigs, and tell me if you disagree.

• Marketing - creates hype and awareness
• Marketing - creates collateral
• Marketing - runs tradeshows
• Marketing - spends money

So? Does this sound familiary? Is this what you would have answered? Is this what your company leaders are doing with their Marketing department?

Okay - so let's ask the next question. Is this how American companies treat Marketing? BTW - the answer is "sometimes, but most of the time it is a strategic weapon".

Let me be loud and clear about this. Marketing is a profit-center. Marketing should assess market needs, create products to serve those needs, create channels to distribute those needs, and create brand equity to value those needs. And everything I just said is strategic -- not tactical. Marketing is where strategy meets execution and creates a return for the investors.

Sales is execution. R&D is execution. Operations is execution. Everything else is execution.

By now, many Canadian readers will be rolling their eyes. So let me ask those readers this question. Does Nike or Coke or Dell or IBM or Microsoft or Tim Hortons or Apple win because they have better products, or do they win because they identify or create a new market need (hmmm, iPod anyone?), create products that meet those needs, create channels to distribute those needs (hmmm, iTunes?), and create corporate brand equity to justify a higher selling price than better products from less nimble competitors (don't tell me your iPod is the cheapest or the best player on the market because it's not - yet you probably have an iPod even knowing that)?

And now that you know my opinion on the role of Marketing, and the incredible dearth of talent in Canada to address it, you understand why I created this blog. The good news is that there is a small contingent of home-grown talent slowly stepping up to answer the call.

The real question in all of this is - will Canadian executives get it in time?

Send me your opinions.