The Death of Marketing – or the Birth of Something Else?
The Marketing Society Debate 2005
Date: 7 March 2005
Will the 21 st century see the death of marketing as we know it? If so, what will take its place?
All will be revealed at the Marketing Society’s debate to be held for the first time at Research 2005: Reconstructions, the Annual Conference of The Market Research Society (MRS) which runs from 16-18 March at the Barbican, London. Bringing two industry gurus head to head, the debate charts the evolution of marketing in the face of technology and communications advances, questioning whether marketing as we know it will still have a role in years to come.
Martin Hayward, Director of Consumer Strategy and Futures at dunnhumby and previously Executive Chairman at WPP’s The Henley Centre, believes that technology and communications innovations will fundamentally alter marketing. With the variety and availability of interaction tools on the increase, communicating with customers will become more personalised and more ‘one-to-one’ – reshaping the entire role of marketing.
But the fundamental principles of marketing will not change, claims Mark Sherrington, Group Marketing Director at SABMiller. Mark will argue the case for big brands continuing to use mass marketing, claiming that people – who do not change as fast as technology –remain fundamentally the same.
Hugh Burkitt, Chief Executive of the Marketing Society, comments: “This is a debate that we should all be drawn to. The purpose of all market research is to lead to better marketing, and if marketing really is to evolve as much as some predict it will mean some major research industry changes. This year the whole Conference is built around the concept that the market and social research industry needs to reconstruct itself in order to thrive; what better way to mark it than through a critical debate on a subject that affects us all?”
The Marketing Society debate will be introduced and chaired by Hugh Burkitt, Chief Executive of the Marketing Society. It starts at 5.30pm on Thursday 17 March, and the debate is just part of the Research 2005: Reconstructions agenda, which also features high profile speakers including Simon Woodroffe, founder and driving force behind Yo! Sushi, Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE, Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University and presenter of BBC2’s recent hit series ‘Brain Story’, and Jeremy Bullmore CBE, former chairman of J Walter Thompson Co. and current President of The MRS.
For further details and to book a place at Research 2005, contact Elaine Merrins at The MRS on 020 7566 1878 or email conference@mrs.org.uk.
Notes for editors
- The MRS is the world’s largest international membership organisation for professional researchers and others involved or interested in market, social or opinion research.
- ‘Research 2005: Reconstructions’ is taking place at The Barbican, London, on 16, 17 and 18 March, 2005.
- ‘Research 2005: Reconstructions’ is part of a broader range of Research-branded events and products that includes Research - the monthly magazine for the market and social research industry; Research-Live.com – the sister website to Research magazine; Research conferences; the Research Buyer’s Guide; the Research Excellence & Effectiveness Awards; and Research in Business.
- For more details on The MRS and its activities, please visit www.mrs.org.uk
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