After decades spent in marketing, advertising, and digital transformation, I’ve seen every fad, platform, and “revolution” come and go. Some sparked excitement, others only fatigue. If you’ve ever felt disillusioned, wondering whether real marketing still matters, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too.
And yet, what keeps me here isn’t nostalgia or cynicism. It’s a belief that when marketing is stripped back to its core, genuine human connection, it still has the power to move people, transform businesses, and create lasting value.
From Fatigue to Fulfilment
It is no secret: our industry can feel automated and crowded. Platforms become ever more influential, and originality can seem lost in an avalanche of imitation. But in the midst of this noise, what has kept me motivated is not louder shouting; it is returning to the core purpose of real marketing: making genuine human connections, giving life to relatable situations and experiences that attract meaningful engagement.
The Joy of Human Connection
The greatest fulfilment comes not from clever tricks, but from witnessing brands and businesses light up when they find their voice. Meaningful relationships build loyalty, and customers respond when businesses genuinely listen to their needs and experiences, an approach at the heart of real marketing. When clients break out of template thinking and embrace empathy, they do not merely stand out, they thrive. The core role of marketing is to attract people to take a genuine interest in what you have or do.
Why Marketing Matters More Than Ever
Marketing is more than a process; it is a mindset, one that enables sustainable growth.
✅ Marketing built on empathy and creative problem-solving delivers tangible business value:
✅ Deeper customer understanding leads to solutions that truly solve real problems, forging stronger, longer-lasting relationships and profits.
✅ Relatable human experiences that attract and drive loyalty, referrals, and positive brand perception, leading to sustainable growth.
✅ Collaboration and inclusion energise both teams and customers, creating sustained innovation and a sense of purpose, making our business a great place to thrive, and perhaps a better world for all.
The Opportunity of Relatable Storytelling
Today’s abundance of digital tools and, indeed, artificial intelligence, means more content is created, faster and at lower cost, than ever before. But with this speed comes a unique opportunity: the brands that elevate the human voice, that create for people, not just platforms and algorithms, are the ones who resonate in the market. AI excels at automation, but only relatable marketing ensures what is created is meaningful and memorable.
Telling stories of our experiences, ups, downs, failures, and wins exposes the humanity in all things business and attracts people who can relate to those experiences. Perhaps it also repels some people, too. Working with people who understand your approach makes for better business. Have a read of our thoughts on why “different is better than better” here.
Embracing the Future: Clarity Over Clutter
It is not about being everywhere or saying everything. It is about focus, clarity, and asking: What do people truly want? Who are they, and how can we help? Relatable marketing enables businesses to break free from the hamster wheel, ask the right questions, and discover creative solutions that genuinely matter. Our customers are people, not % or numbers on your spreadsheets or dashboards. If you disagree with the value of empathy, try kindness instead; please don’t use that Canva template again; just use your voice wisely.
Why This Still Matters
I’m staying in this business because I believe marketing, when rooted in empathy and optimism, still changes lives, not by shouting louder, but by creating clarity, trust, and genuine human connection. That’s the work worth doing.
If you’ve felt the same weariness I described at the start, but still believe there’s a better way forward, then you already know why leadership matters here. It takes courage to move past the noise, reject the template thinking, and commit to marketing that actually means something.
👉 That’s the conversation I’d love to have, with business owners and leaders who sense the fatigue, but who want to rebuild with clarity and purpose.
And that’s where I’ll go next: if marketing is still worth believing in, why does so much of it feel the same? The truth is, “better” doesn’t cut through the noise. In the next piece, I’ll share why different is better than better, and how that simple shift changes everything.
