Our job titles are getting in the way of marketing transformation

I am beyond excited about the conversations being sparked by my new book Marketing Rebellion. It is moving to me how companies from giant companies like Adidas to small local start-ups are using ideas from the book to transform their marketing.

Last week I did a workshop on the new book at a European agency and I mentioned the fact that television and print advertising as we know it are dying. This should not be a revelation to anybody in the business at this point, but if you have the title of “manager — print advertising” you certainly could be worried.

There was a poignant moment on my European tour when somebody asked me, “but Mark, where do TV ads fit in this new world? Where do we put them? I need to know because I MAKE TV ADS!”

My heart sank a little.

Job titles are in the way

Later in the day I got a chance to hear a brilliant speech by John Hunt, Global Creative Director for TBWA (AdWeek’s Global agency of the year!). John and I see eye to eye on the big issues keeping ad agencies from transforming to meet their customer needs and one comment he made to me nailed it:

“Titles are getting in the way. Who cares if something is called an ad or a video, or an Instagram story? We are all…