Marketing Fundamentals

Julie Shaffer

This article appeared in Issue 36 of CreativePro Magazine.

Have you ever told someone you work in marketing only to receive a completely blank stare in return? You can almost see the gears turning in their heads as they respond, “Marketing, huh? … Like sales? Digital? Trade shows and events? Schmoozing on the golf course? Advertising? Proposals? Research? What do you mean by ‘marketing’?”

So, while marketing sometimes seems like the nebulous catchall within an organization, it does have a definition, albeit one that’s broad.

According to the American Marketing Association, “Marketing is 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 bottom line: Marketing supports winning work or selling products for your company or client.

Broad, indeed.

So, rather than try to find a single set of fundamental definitions for what we do, let’s focus on a list of seven traits—think of them as the essential ingredients found in the best marketing. As a designer, these are the core concepts you should be striving to communicate.

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