Growth hacking credibility in PR and marketing

There’s an interesting debate currently taking shape online following remarks made by the columnist Mark Ritson in the pages of Marketing Week suggesting that all marketers should have a formal marketing qualification.

Opinion is divided (and as fiercely contested as the recent Brexit referendum) with a Twitter Poll following publication of the article suggesting that 43% of respondents agree with Mark while 57% disagree.

Those marketing professional who disagree with Ritson’s comments are quick to highlight the many other skillsets required by a modern day marketer such as data and digital literacy which they suggest cannot be learned from a book.

Addison Lee chief commercial officer, Peter Boucher (who has a degree in Geography) told journalists that when recruiting new marketers he looks for people with instinct and commercial flair rather than focusing too much on the need for a formal qualification.

Boucher also felt that many formal qualifications where “too lightweight” and lacked “scale and grit”.

Creative England chief marketing and strategy officer, Dawn Paine (who does have a degree in marketing) agrees with Boucher and stated: “Look at the success of Pokémon Go. I worked at Nintendo for 10 years and I know that no formally trained marketers will have launched that product, but they deeply understand how to surprise and delight consumers. You can’t learn transformational marketing in a textbook.”

Perhaps the most interesting comment comes from OpenJaw Technologies CMO, Colin Lewis who said: “Nowadays the status of marketing is no longer determined by passing an exam, but by the fake digital credibility measured by views and tweets. There is a creeping unprofessionalism.”

The question this comment raises is: Does the changing face of marketing represent “unprofessionalism” in the industry or simply highlight how skilled marketers have adapted to engage their public in a socially-enabled environment?

Are these opinions on marketing qualifications reflected in the PR industry? Do formal qualifications make for better PR pros or should the industry embrace other skill sets? Share your comments below: