Download Is a Marketing Man Just a Marketing Man?

Is a Marketing Man
Just a Marketing Man?
D. M H 4 I C A N
If "marketing man" is a
stilted, undignified, and archaic term for those engaged in marketing work—
as the author of this article
claims—^what can be done
about it?
How about a new name
for marketing practitioners
and teachers?
Journal of Marketing, Vol. 28 (April,
1964), pp. 8-9.
HEN a person is asked to identify himself in the marketing
WOnefield,
it is difficult to find an adequate designation.
can always say, "I am a marketing man," But this might
imply that one sells fruits and vegetables at some busy intersection. It is no more dignified or professional than to refer to a
physician as a "medicine man" or a lawyer as a "law man,"
Fortunate in this respect are those people associated with fields
of knowledge which end in "y"—such as botany, psychology, or
agronomy. By simply dropping the "j^' and adding "ist," these
names are turned into botanist, psychologist, and agronomist. The
"ist" sufi&x is defined as "one who holds to certain principles or
doctrines,"
The "ing" suffix usually is added to a verb form to show continuous action—as in "do, doing" and in "act, acting," Sometimes it is
added to a noun to make an active term—as in "market" to "marketing," indicating a process or operation. When the individual
conducting the operation is to be defined, the "ing" sufiix has to
be changed, preferably not in the awkward fashion of adding
"man" to it.
But what suffix can replace "ing," and convey the meaning of
one who adheres to certain principles and practices? The use of
"eer" has been suggested, to make "marketeer"; but this suffix
may not have a good connotation because of its kinship with
"privateer," "buccaneer," and "profiteer." On the other hand, it
is eminently respectable in the case of "engineer."
The suflSx "ian" is also used to indicate "pertaining, to" some system or doctrine. In some cases "ian" is used, and in others a
"c" is added, to make "cian"—as in "econometrician," where
"metric" has been added to connote measurement, A purer form
of this suffix is found in "pediatrician," "optician," and "theologian,"
Two suffixes lend themselves readily to words which add "ing"
to describe the function. The agent is here expressed by dropping
the "ing" and adding "er." An example is "singing, singer," one
who sings—hence, "marketing, marketer." This suffix forms a
noun which designates a person by his occupation or labor, as in
"carpenter," "hatter," or "teacher." It is also to designate an
agent, as "employer."
The other sufBx "ant" means a particular function—as in the
case of "accountant." This ending does not lend itself to a combination with the root "market," giving "marketant."
Robert Bartels believes a term more appropriate than "marketing man" should be used to distinguish the student of marketing
8
Is a Marketing Man Just a Marketing Man?
phenomena,^ "Marketing man" is rather descriptive
of the practitioner; but he says, "Those engaged in
the development of the scientific aspects of marketing might better be called 'marketologists,' "^
By the same token they might be called "marketonomists," because of the extent to which economic principles underlie their theories.
By adding various suffixes to the stem, it becomes
obvious that some of them are applicable, although
the result may not be especially euphonious in all
cases:
1. The "or" suffix gives us "Marketor," meaning
one who performs the function of marketing,
2. "er" suffix gives us "Marketer," which designates a person by his occupation or labor.
3. The "ant" suffix gives us "Marketant," again
used to indicate agency.
4. The "ist" ending gives us "Marketist," one
who holds to certain principles or doctrines,
5. The "ian" would have to have interposed "ic"
or "ric" for euphony and thus give us "Marketrician," one pertaining to some system or
doctrine. To add "one concerned with the
application of measurement by the use of
mathematics or statistics," the word would
have to be changed to "Marketmetrician,"
6. Another possibility would be to return to the
Latin origin, selecting the word "mercatus"
(meaning "trading" or "market") and using
an appropriate suffix. The "or" suffix, for
example, would give us "Mercator,"
7. The suggestion of Bartels that of "Marketologist"—is a distinct possibility.
Professional Attitudes
Even though the question may be raised as to
whether or not marketing is a profession, it may be
dealt with in that respect only for purposes of the
present discussion. There are several ways in
which a particular body of knowledge can be judged
a profession or not,*
i Robert Bartels, "Sociologists and Marketologists,"
JOURNAL OP MARKETING, Vol, 24 (October, 1959),
pp. 37-38.
B Same reference as footnote 1, at p. 38.
8 Steuart Henderson Britt, "Advertising—Is It a
Business or Profession?" Printers' Ink, Vol, 255
(May 18, 1956), pp. 27-29,
1, Licensing
2, Prescribed course of study
3, Examinations
4, Professional degree
5, Limitation in numbers
6, Internship
7, Ethics
8, Professional association
9, Accreditation
10, Public attitudes
The traditional professions of law, medicine, and
theology have been accepted as representative. In
recent years the list has been expanded, at least
from the point of view of occupational status, to
include many others such as university professors,
dentists, engineers, and pharmacists.
Professional attitudes always call for a consideration of a particular behavior within the ethical
framework of the society served. For the sake of
marketing, a change in the public image as well as
in that of the academic community is desirable and
probably essential. Any person engaged in marketing, whether as practitioner or academician, must
maintain a professional attitude in his conduct.
This position is essential, whether he is serving a
company or dealing with students. There should be
no apparent difference in these two functions in this
respect.
People engaged in marketing might well do something about the word "marketing," The suggestions
offered should provide some material for thinking
through this question. In any event, the phrase
"marketing man" is a stilted, undignified, and
archaic term for those engaged in marketing work.
•ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Richard D.
Millican is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois. Prior
to entering the academic field he was
a copywriter in newspapers and manufacturing on the West Coast.
He is the author of "How Shall W e
Educate for Advertising?" sponsored by
the Pacific Coast Council of the American Association of Advertising Agencies.