16 Maxims About Marketing That Are Quickly Becoming Moot

If there is one constant in the field of marketing, it’s that its foundations are constantly changing. Ubiquitous tactics that may have seemed set in stone—essential elements of any marketing strategy—can crumble beneath the power of new technologies and unpredictable evolutions in consumer behavior.
In such a fast-paced world, what worked yesterday might not cut it tomorrow, leaving marketers to decide whether traditional maxims still hold true. Below, members of Forbes Agency Council share 16 long-held beliefs about marketing that have been turned on their heads in recent years, and why the conventional wisdom no longer applies.
1. ‘Relationships Are Everything In Marketing’
“Relationships are everything in marketing”—well, not anymore. Previously, who you knew and how you leveraged those relationships were the bread and butter of this industry. However, we’re now shifting toward a world where everyone’s attention is content-based. Today, if you have a compelling message, there is someone out there willing to listen. – Manuel Machado, CCOMGROUP Inc.
2. ‘The Customer Is Always Right’
Younger generations are drawn to brands with strong identities and values. Maintaining these values may mean respectfully disagreeing with customers to uphold brand integrity. The customer’s voice is always important; however, it must be balanced with data, brand values and broader stakeholder interests. – Amy Packard Berry, Sparkpr
3. ‘Content Is King’
The sentiment “content is king” is obsolete in the AI era. With AI flooding the Web with generic content, “community is king” now. We’ve shifted from broadcasting information to fostering engaged communities. AI can create content, but it can’t replicate genuine human connections. Focus on nurturing a loyal community around your brand. These authentic interactions drive real engagement, loyalty and business growth. – Merag Shahzad
4. Promotion Is ‘Driving Demand’
The idea of “driving demand” has changed. Modern marketing emphasizes creating value through personalized experiences, building long-term relationships and allowing target audiences to discover brands and products organically. Informed buyers now expect authenticity, trust and meaningful interactions, making demand generation a result of high-value engagements rather than aggressive promotion. – Renee Yeager, Yeager Marketing
5. We Should ‘Root Our Strategy In Audience Personas’
We’ve always been told to “root our strategy in audience personas,” but personas as we know them are failing us. In addition to being linear when today’s consumers and buyers don’t move logically between “awareness” and “conversion,” personas are also reductive, turning complex people into stereotypes (such as “Frugal Frank”). We need to enrich the way we look at the people we’re marketing to—or be left behind. – Christine Olivas, No Single Individual
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6. ‘Build It, And They Will Come’
The concept “build it, and they will come” no longer works. In today’s fast-paced world, visibility requires more than a great product. You must consistently engage, nurture and meet your audience where they are. Strategic, targeted marketing cuts through the noise and builds lasting partnerships. In a sea of options, proactive, experience-based solutions are key to earning trust. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
7. ‘Price, Speed, Quality—Pick Two’
The maxim “price, speed, quality—pick two” no longer applies. Today’s consumers demand speed and quality at a reasonable price. Our jobs are to help brands provide all three, or to establish their value proposition believably and credibly when they’re not able to. We must work harder to manage consumer expectations. No consultants are better positioned to navigate and triangulate price, speed and quality than we are. – Stephen Rosa, (add)ventures
8. ‘Keep Content Above The Fold’
“Keep content above the fold” is something I still hear from business leaders quite often. I come from an old-school background and remember vividly how this phrase was crushed into my soul when working at the likes of AOL, CompuServe and AIM. The digital world has shifted to more of an emotional experience, and getting the right messages to the visitor at the right time is much more important. – Lee Salisbury, UnitOneNine
9. ‘The Product Sells Itself’
Adhering to the adage “the product sells itself” will leave you in the dust. In a crowded market, brands look and sound alike, time is fleeting and loyalty fades quickly. Sadly, having a great product alone won’t cut it—you must have an equally relevant culture and distinctive marketing to matter. And be loud about it! Even if that’s through “we hate marketing” marketing. You must be interesting, unique and memorable, always. – Shanna Apitz, Hunt Adkins
10. ‘Bigger Is Better’
Size does matter. In a world where micro influencers can have a larger impact on your brand than someone with a larger but broader-interest following, it’s all about knowing your niche and then staying in your lane. Having a news story, for example, on a top-tier site may not be as effective as being featured on a smaller industry site that is read by your potential clients. – Adrian Falk, Believe Advertising & PR
11. ‘Marketing Is A Numbers Game’
In the past, the saying “marketing is a numbers game” was true; you had to “spray and pray” with your advertising budgets. With the rise of ad blockers, changes in consumer behavior and new regulations, like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, marketing has shifted toward more personalized and consent-based strategies. The quality and relevance of advertising is absolutely key these days. – James Bryant, Venture Videos
12. ‘You Can Control Your Brand Message’
These days, the notion that “you can control your brand message” is a little outdated. With social media, reviews and user-generated content, customers now create brand narratives just as much as businesses do. Brands can’t control every aspect of messaging, but they can influence perceptions by focusing on authenticity and transparency and engaging with consumers to shape a positive experience. – Jason Hall, FiveChannels Marketing
13. ‘Marketing Is All About Creativity’
My favorite old maxim is “marketing is all about creativity.” I don’t dispute the fact that creativity is still important, but it’s no longer enough. Without data to inform decisions, creativity alone won’t help you stand out in the marketplace. Marketers must combine creativity with analytics to develop strategies that are not only innovative, but also measurable and optimized for performance. – Dmitrii Kustov, Regex SEO
14. Marketers Should ‘Cast A Wide Net’
The idea that marketers should “cast a wide net” is outdated. With algorithms driving personalized content, targeting niche audiences is now more effective. Specific, tailored campaigns that engage a target audience generate more traction with algorithms than broad, general content, which may get high views, but often lacks meaningful engagement. – Christy Saia-Owenby, MOXY Company
15. ‘All Publicity Is Good Publicity’
The notion that “all publicity is good publicity” is simply not true any more. It was probably always flawed, but today, bad publicity is simply bad. When the saying was coined around a hundred years ago, it was probably true that customers were somewhat deferential to brands, so any mention of a brand could be seen as helpful. But today, that is just not true, and any negative publicity is only going to harm a brand. – Mike Maynard, Napier Partnership Limited
16. ‘Consistency Is Key’
The idea that “consistency is key” is becoming outdated in marketing. Today, adaptability is more important than ever. The rapid evolution of both consumer behavior and Google’s algorithm demands flexibility, not just sticking to a uniform message. Brands that respond to real-time insights are growing, proving that agility now outweighs the old standard of consistency. – Ajay Prasad, GMR Web Team
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