Life begins at 40?: Further thoughts on marketing′s“mid‐life crisis”

Many commentators are contending that modern marketing is in the throes of a “mid‐life crisis”. Although it is appropriate that marketing should be facing such a crisis exactly 40 years after Drucker′s (1954) celebrated statement that “marketing is the distinguishing, the unique function of business”, it is arguable that these declarations of crisis are both premature and unduly pessimistic. Adopts a broader, more historically informed approach to modern marketing, arguing that “crises” in marketing are not new, they are not insurmountable and that they are not necessarily unhealthy. Quite the reverse. Offers an analysis of marketing′s current crisis of representation; outlines ten key points concerning marketing′s past, present and future; and concludes with a simple model of marketing′s 40 year development cycle.