As a chairperson for this year’s Atlanta AMA Marketer of the Year Awards, I was recently in a conversation with someone regarding marketing gurus. In the days before 24 hour news and Web, there seemed to be a clear-cut set of luminaries or experts. Experts were the people that were guest lecturers, had honorary degrees, had at least one book on the best seller list or had consulted with the Japanese.
As Echo Boomers slide into their jobs they have one list of luminaries. Gen X-ers, openly suspect of advertising, secretly tap their feet when they hear Katrina and The Waves on a Fisher Price commercial…and indeed, they have a list. I suspect the Boomers would be in lock step on their list…Ogilvy, every other name from Madison Avenue and perhaps several well-established corporate legends. Who do you consider a marketing guru? Who would you show up to hear speak on the subject of marketing? What becomes a marketing legend most…in your book?
M
