Marketing’s Da Vinci moment: Marc de Swaan Arons on redefining growth

“There were 24 of us in a room,” he recalls. “We asked ourselves, how do we focus on increasing the impact and influence of the chief marketing officer within the firm?”

The unique perspective marketers bring

One of the key challenges, according to de Swaan Arons, is that marketing’s definition varies across companies and sectors. “How do we manage to persuade the C-suite that it’s worth investing in?” he asks. The answer lies in recognizing the unique value marketers bring to an organization.

He illustrates this with a simple scenario: “You show a picture of a guy standing in line for passport control with 20 people ahead of him. Most people calculate the wait time and assume he’s miserable. Only the marketer says, ‘I don’t have enough information. I need to see how many people are behind him.’ If there are 200 people behind, he might feel great.” This, he explains, is the human insight that only marketers can provide.

The marketer introduces the concept of the “Da Vinci growth leader,” developed with Spencer Stuart, embodying left brain, right brain and heart.

“Everyone knows Da Vinci was a scientist and an artist. But he was also one of the founders of the Humanist Movement. That’s what marketers bring – analytical thinking, creativity and empathy.”

He believes marketers should leverage this unique combination to contribute beyond their traditional roles. “It’s about understanding our strength base, our marketing muscle and then stepping back to ask, ‘Where can I put that in service of the overall business strategy?’”

Moving beyond effectiveness metrics

There’s a concern that marketers may be overly reliant on effectiveness metrics to justify their value. Challenging this approach, de Swaan Arons says: “If you have to convince other disciplines that you’re doing your part correctly, efficiently, accountably, then why isn’t HR doing that? Why isn’t investor relations doing that?”

He suggests that instead of getting bogged down in metrics, marketers should help other departments with their expertise. “The marketer can help at three levels: personal impact, business impact and societal impact through the business.”

His vision extends to using marketing as a tool to address societal issues. “My mission is to get companies to play their role in solving the world’s problems,” de Swaan Arons states. He introduces the “four Cs” – colleagues, customers/consumers, community and capital markets – as stakeholders that businesses should create value for.

“We’re the ones that can really help drive how people think, how they feel and what they do,” he emphasizes. He cites examples such as promoting electric vehicles, encouraging eco-friendly laundry habits and supporting gender equality in education. “These are human issues that companies are trying to solve while selling a product.”

The path forward

In an era where marketing’s value is often questioned, de Swaan Arons advocates for a broader, more impactful role. “We need to flaunt our difference. Data can convince the business, but it’s the human insights that truly drive growth.”

As companies navigate complex global challenges, de Swaan Arons believes marketers are uniquely positioned to lead. “Companies have played a massive role in creating some of these problems. It’s time for them – and us as marketers – to be part of the solution.”

Watch the full interview here