There’s a paradox in marketing…
As a discipline, it’s about understanding what people want, and making money out of it. To figure this out, we need to know how they think, feel, and behave. And who works in marketing? It tends to be… someone who’s interested in how others think, feel, and behave!
Our industry is a subgroup, removed from the general population. Picture someone from a relatively affluent background, with a humanities or social sciences degree from a Russell Group university, who found a job at an agency in London or Manchester, and worked their way up. Sound familiar?
Excoriating ourselves for being out of touch isn’t new — Thinkbox’s ‘Ad Nation’ study, the All In census, and the great minds at Everyday People have all explored this. But I can offer some additional insights into just how different marketers are from the UK as a whole. To introduce myself — I’m a data journalist at GWI, a consumer insights firm. Marketers the world over use our platform to learn more about their target audiences. But what if we used this data to turn the spotlight back on ourselves? What if we made an audience of marketers, and put ourselves under the microscope for a change? Well — that’s exactly what we did. We created an audience of people in the UK who work in marketing and identified our defining characteristics. Here’s what we learned…
Marketer, analyse thyself
Let’s start with a demographic roll call: compared to the average Brit, we’re younger, richer, and more likely to have a degree. It almost goes without saying we’re more likely to live in London.
Talking about demographics means we should address diversity and inclusion. But it has to be said, but by sheer numbers, Black British and LBGTQ+ people are over-represented among marketing professionals.
Now to be clear — I know these are complex topics, which touch on more variables than just ‘number of employees in the workforce’. But we probably talk about race and sexuality issues more than most, simply because those groups have more advocates in our industry. The calls are coming from inside the house.
There are other groups, with their own challenges, who we’re less likely to hear from. Next time you’re thinking about how to improve representation, either in your office or your creative work, think more about older people, the Welsh and the Cornish, the working class, and divorcées.
All is vanity
One of the most powerful insights in Everyday People’s research is that marketers are more individualistic than the average person. Our data shows similar patterns. Marketers are more likely to be money-driven, to want brands to improve their image, and they love to stand out. We’re more likely to think personal success is important, but we’re less likely to want to help others. We’re more likely to donate to charity — but that’s because we have the money to give away.
Trending or just trendy?
We’re also less likely to describe ourselves as traditional. We love novelty. Marketers consistently engage with shiny new brands and apps more than the average. Part of this is because we’re an industry full of young people. But it’s striking how zeitgeisty these brands are. Compared to the average Brit, we’re much more likely to use ChatGPT, log onto BeReal, drive a Tesla, and drink PRIME.
Patagonia is one of the most over-represented brands among marketers, which should amuse anyone who’s sat through their fair share of brand purpose decks. Is Patagonia a signpost for ethical capitalism practices of the future, or a company whose unique business model is upheld by its premium pricing? We have to watch out for a feedback loop — highlighting some brands as case studies simply because we’re surrounded by other people who buy from them. Just because we’re early adopters doesn’t mean that the rest of the population will follow.
Marketers are also conspicuously absent from things that are popular, but not trendy. Metal music, soap operas, and radio programming are all things we consume less than the average Brit.
Out of touch, but not out of time
Marketers will always be different, and that’s OK. The industry will always attract those interested in brands and human behaviour. We won’t solve our problems through rigorous replication of the UK’s broader demographics (‘Sorry, we’ve hit our quota of Scots for the year’).
But we can at least be more aware of where we differ most from the general population. Despite years of talking about ‘doing better’ on bias and inclusion, there are a lot of gaps we still overlook.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, there are some things we have in common with the average person. A personal favourite: we’re just as likely to be interested in outdoor activities. Perhaps a camping trip is the great unifier.
Featured image: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels