Originality matters far less than what you do with an idea. That can feel dispiriting, particularly in a profession that prizes innovation. But it is also reassuring. If marketing is to be effective, it should make sense.
From time to time, strategic marketing is described as “just common sense”. We try not to bristle - marketing should make sense. But what can appear instinctive is usually something more deliberate: decisions shaped by theory, tested through practice, and refined over time.
One of the most striking things about strategic marketing is how far back its principles reach. Concepts we now see as the bedrock of marketing - like segmentation, targeting, positioning - were being examined long before the language of brands existed. Not in boardrooms or business schools, but by philosophers exploring persuasion, purpose and human behaviour.
When we revisit George Orwell’s essay on clear writing, written more than 80 years ago, its relevance is immediate. Not because Orwell anticipated the internet, but because he understood how people process language.
The same is true of storytelling. Aristotle’s Poetics still surfaces in modern brand conversations for a reason. When ideas recur across centuries, disciplines and contexts, it is usually because they work.
Even apparently playful conversations (see article about Trigger’s Broom/ the Ship of Theseus) lead back to serious strategic questions. Continuity, identity and change sit at the heart of both philosophy and brand strategy.
This is not about dressing marketing up as philosophy. It is about understanding lineage. While tools and channels change, human behaviour remains remarkably predictable. Reach the right audiences, at the right time, with the right message. It may sound like common sense. If so, that’s a good place to start.
