In this episode of The Lead Creative, Mongezi Mtati sits down with marketing visionary Seth Godin to discuss his latest book, This Is Strategy. Seth dives into why so many brands—big and small—think they have a marketing or advertising problem when, in fact, the issue lies in their strategy.
Seth breaks down how even giants like Procter & Gamble (@ProcterGamble), who spend billions on mass advertising, face challenges in adapting to the evolving market. “P&G’s strategy has always been about mass market, but that approach isn’t growing anymore,” Seth explains. Brands must focus on building authentic communities rather than pouring money into ads.
Key insights to lookout for:
• The difference between marketing, advertising and strategy problems.
• Why pouring more money into ads isn’t the solution.
• Building trust and meaningful connections with audiences.
• How legacy brands like P&G struggle to pivot their strategies.
• The concept of the “smallest viable audience” for brand growth.
• Avoiding the trap of false proxies like followers and likes.
Watch this conversation if you want to fix your brand’s strategy and understand what really drives success.