Episode 15: Achieving Sustainable Business with Philip Kotler, Author, Professor - Father of Modern Marketing

When Philip Kotler signed up to our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto - we were absolutely thrilled to have his esteemed support.

In his 90 years on the planet, Philip has written over 80 books - and there’s not a trained marketer that hasn’t touched at least one of his tomes. Therefore, it’s no surprise that in this episode he reflects on where marketing started - finding, winning, keeping and growing customers and the two key assumptions that were made - and how now, current day, and given the situation we find ourselves in as a collective, how those two key assumptions are now highly questionable.

Philip is candid about the challenges we face and marketing’s role when it comes to really impacting behavioural change. He discusses a potential marketing divide, marketers that want to stop doing marketing as we’ve known it and become what he has termed as ‘de-marketers’ - and those that continue to focus on growth.

Whilst the drive to sustainable business is going to require consumer action, business action and governmental action - marketing does have a significant role to play - social, cause related marketing persuade more companies to do social good and to care more about the planet. If this happens, in Philip’s view, we might then have a chance for real change, especially if technology is playing its inventive role.

Whilst marketing as a profession can’t conquer the sustainability and climate challenge alone, there is still much that marketers can do.

Philip advises how marketing needs to evolve, how marketing training needs to broaden marketing skills to include a wider understanding of the critical commercial aspects and better understanding of where technology fits.

In Philip’s words…

“It’s not enough to be in your marketing head - I want marketers to think about commercial aspects and technology. Broader training in marketing needs to happen”.

Philip’s viewpoints are rich, wise and meaningful. Philip shares how we need to find people, businesses, industries and even countries that are exemplars driving meaningful sustainable change - celebrate those that are doing well and he questions whether those doing well can then collectively put pressure on those that are doing nothing.

“As a marketing field - are we part of the problem and if we’re part of the problem, then we should be changing our objectives to become part of the solution. Our objectives should be de-consumption or more sensible consumption. To this end, marketing has to undergo an identity crisis - and really understand what it’s all about.”

For more information about Philip Kotler visit https://www.pkotler.org/. Philip’s latest book,’ Marketing 5.0 Technology for Humanity’, talks about the role of technology in supporting sustainable business.

Enjoy the podcast - and any comments, questions, ideas, suggestions… get in touch.

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