Killing Marketing: How Innovative Businesses Are Turning Marketing Cost Into Profit by Robert Rose, Joe Pulizzi

Killing Marketing, written by Robert Rose, outlines how businesses are shifting the traditional concepts of marketing to create innovative strategies that turn marketing cost into profit. In the new age of digital technology, the old approach to marketing where companies focus on producing an ad and blasting it out to a wide audience is no longer effective. Instead, innovative businesses are prioritizing understanding consumer needs, building relationships with customers, and creating marketing campaigns that drive both short-term and long-term value.

Rose begins the book by introducing the idea of ‘Killing Marketing’, which is defined as the concept of “transform[ing] marketing from a cost center to a profit center.” The book argues that traditional marketing methods fail to recognize the true value of marketing and the potential of new channels. Rose introduces the idea that companies need to adjust their approach to marketing by understanding the relationships between value, technology and customers in order to create an effective strategy.

To illustrate this concept, Rose provides several case studies of businesses that have successfully implemented innovative marketing strategies and unlocked new levels of profitability. One such example is the direct-to-consumer makeup company, Glossier. Through leveraging data, analytics, and storytelling Glossier was able to create a unique customer journey that encouraged ongoing engagement and in turn generated long-term value.

Rose then discusses the importance of data-driven marketing and how it can be used to determine the effectiveness of campaigns and create adapted strategies. He explains how data-driven marketing can provide companies with insights into customer behaviors and preferences, and suggests that companies use this data to inform their marketing decisions. Rose outlines the different types of data and analytics available to businesses, such as search engine optimization, social media analytics, and web analytics, and how they can help companies personalize their marketing strategies.

From there, Rose provides a detailed overview of the different models businesses can use to create and measure effective campaigns. He outlines models such as the Flywheel, Relationship Model, and Story Driven Model. He explains the benefits of each one and provides ample advice on how to deploy and measure a successful strategy.

In the final part of the book, Rose looks to the future of marketing and suggests ways in which companies can stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive value. He provides advice on the importance of adapting and testing new marketing techniques, improving customer experience, and understanding the impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Killing Marketing is a thought-provoking and actionable guide on how businesses can create and measure effective marketing campaigns. Its lessons, tools and examples provide businesses with the knowledge and skills needed to create profitable marketing strategies in an ever-changing digital landscape. By understanding the relationships between value, technology and customers and utilizing data-driven marketing tactics and campaigns, businesses are better able to turn their marketing costs into profit and create long-term value.