Marketing
Marketing’ s Strategic Seat At The Table: Reframing What Marketing Really Does For The Organization
By Alice Ngatia
I once had a boss who, half-jokingly, referred to our marketing department as“ X Outfitters”, X being the name of the company. It wasn’ t meant to be unkind, just his way of describing what most people thought we did. Whenever someone needed branded T-shirts, a pull-up banner, or an event backdrop, they’ d call us. To many across the organization, marketing was the team that made things look good, the ones who handled the décor, giveaways, and photo moments.
The joke stuck, but it also revealed something deeper about how marketing is often misunderstood. Behind the colours, the merchandise, and the event glitz lies a function that is far more strategic than it is cosmetic.
Marketing is not the department that dresses the company; it’ s the one that defines how the company shows up in the world. It is the bridge between the market and the boardroom, the translator between customer expectations and business direction, and the architect of growth in an era where perception can be as powerful as performance.
When positioned strategically, marketing becomes a growth engine, fuelled by data, guided by customer insight, and aligned with business vision. Yet in many organizations, it’ s still seen as a support service rather than a strategic partner. That mindset not only limits marketing’ s impact; it limits the organisation’ s own ability to grow and adapt.
Marketing as a Strategic Driver
At its best, marketing is not a function, it’ s a mindset. It’ s the discipline that ensures every business decision starts and ends with the customer. When executives gather to discuss where growth will come from, how to differentiate in a crowded market, or how to strengthen the company’ s reputation, marketing should be at the table because it holds many of the answers.
Strategic marketing looks outward and forward. It asks the right questions: Which markets hold the most potential? How are customer needs evolving? What new technologies or sustainability trends are reshaping the competitive landscape? How can our brand earn both trust and preference?
When marketing informs strategic decisions, it helps leadership see the business through the customer’ s eyes. It translates insight into direction guiding product innovation, pricing, go-to-market planning, and even organizational culture.
Without that lens, strategy risks becoming inward-looking: built on assumptions rather than on the real dynamics of the market.
The Unseen Work That Drives Real Value
So much of marketing’ s real value is invisible. Behind every campaign are months of analysis, experimentation, and strategic alignment that the public never sees. Marketing teams map customer journeys, interpret behavioural data, monitor competitors, and identify opportunities long before a single advert goes live.
This“ unseen” work is what gives the organization its radar. It helps leaders sense changes early, anticipate risks, and respond before competitors do. As disruption today is the only constant, that kind of foresight is invaluable.
Marketing is also the custodian of brand and reputation, the intangible assets that often outlast any product or service. A strong brand earns trust, creates emotional connection, and supports pricing power. It opens doors to partnerships and talent, and it provides resilience when markets falter.
Marketing is not the department that dresses the company; it’ s the one that defines how the company shows up in the world. It is the bridge between the market and the boardroom, the translator between customer expectations and business direction, and the architect of growth in an era where perception can be as powerful as performance.
Beyond that, marketing is the engine behind every go-to-market initiative. Whether launching a new product, entering a new region, or repositioning the business, marketing defines how the organization tells its story and competes for attention. It ensures the right message reaches the right audience at the right time, and that all internal teams, from sales to operations, move in sync with that message.
Perhaps marketing’ s most underappreciated role is as the internal advocate for the customer. By constantly feeding market insights into the organisation, marketing
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