For the past 25 years, we marketers have been cheerleaders for own demise. We bemoan our lack of influence at the Board and attribute it to not speaking the language of the Board, that is, short term financial measures. We say that we are unworthy of leadership roles because we are unaccountable, the Department of Spending. Naturally, other functional groups are only too happy to oblige us and further reduce our ability to lead strategic development.

Cranfield School of Management’s Professor Malcolm McDonald has established ten guidelines which you should consider for excellent, profitable marketing.

Apple didn’t kill the music industry. They just invented ways of making life easier and more enjoyable for music consumers, ending the need to buy full-length albums. It wasn’t Netflix that killed Blockbusters; it was their focus on retail to the virtual exclusion of on-line convenience. It wasn’t UBER that adversely affected the taxi business; it was fare control and the difficulty of ordering a taxi. Amazon didn’t wipe out retailers. Bad customer service, limited stock, poor size ranging...