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TED Talks is one of the best platforms for industry experts across technology, entertainment, and design industries to come together and present not-for-profit information together at conferences. They are great to watch, not only because the speakers are top-quality, but also because every marketer needs a little fresh inspiration now and again. TED talks are known for making complex information very accessible and easy to understand.
It is a good idea every couple of weeks to take the time to learn something new and get inspired again in the world of marketing. This is not always an easy task, but by watching a video of an inspiring individual who is a wiz at marketing, you can take a step towards getting motivated and passionate about your craft once again. Consider these 5 top videos below:
As a graphic designer and sociologist, Carson talks about the importance of design and contextualizes the ever-changing design landscape. This is especially important in marketing and business, as it is important to consider how your business ultimately interacts with the industry at-large in a visual and productive way. He speaks about what is to come in the field of design, and this forward-thinking outlook can be very illuminating for marketers.
What seems like an unlikely mash-up is actually a fantastic way to conceptualize marketing. Cobley uses various laws of physics and the scientific method to explain and unpack the intricacies of marketing. Moreover, his entire point of merging his interests of physics and marketing is to demonstrate that marketing can connect to your own areas of interests! Physics can not only teach us about “the world around us” more broadly, but also connect to the world in which marketing is situated. A must watch for new and experienced marketers alike.
Joseph Pine really gets to the bottom of “authenticity,” or rather, the illusion of authenticity in marketing. Consumer experience is really at the heart of successful marketing. Pine traces back the importance of price and commoditization, including service industry commoditization to really explore how history and modern content have saved the market today. If you want a well explained and in-depth example of market context in the Western World, look no further.
HIV affects many adults and children all over the world, but especially in parts of Africa, such as the Congo. One of the efforts to help this effort has been to provide free (and/or cheap) condoms, yet they are not being used. So what does this have to do with marketing? Lockwood notes a difference between condom use and sales in different countries and illustrates the importance of marketing to a target audience. Not only is this an interesting watch, but it is also a great example of consumer demands and reactions of marketing professionals.
Godin is good, I mean, really good. This is probably my favorite of all of the awesome TED talks on this list. He starts out by giving examples of products that were initially failures (i.e, sliced bread), until they were correctly marketed, branded, and made to connect with consumers (i.e, wonder bread). This video explores how to get your own ideas as a marketer to spread in a very real and successful way.
Marketers need to be self-motivated and constantly moving forward and setting goals. This TED talk is really about finding meaning in work, which of course is partially money and partially joy. However, Ariely really argues that there is more to feeling good regarding the work you do. You’ll have to watch to see what I mean.
One of the keys to being truly successful is really having a work-life balance. As he points out, leaving balance up to your employer to decide may not be the best course of action. Being able to balance personal relationships, leisure, and work will transform what an “ideal day” looks like. You might be asking, “what does this have to do with marketing?” The truth is that marketers have the possibility to work unlimited hours and a lot of overtime if other aspects of life are not properly taken into account. Listen to Marsh’s guidelines and make balance work in your favor.
Marketers are creatives both in nature and trade. Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray Love, talks about nurturing creativity and more importantly, that “genius” isn’t something restricted to a select few—it is something all of us can have. Her talk is lighthearted but will likely touch and inspire your own creativity and genius, which you can take in to your marketing job with a little effort and thought.
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Malcolm Gladwell: Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce
Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce is on literally every list you’ll see on the best TED talks for marketers, but for good reason. Gladwell looks to the food industry to pursue the illustration of perfect products, consumer choice, and happiness. It is considered both fascinating and informative and is a must-see for marketers.
In our consumer culture, people have to make several choices every day. This is especially true when choosing products and services. Since this is the case, Iyengar argues that businesses can make chasing much easier through marketing strategy. Rather than having customers freeze up from having too many options, marketers can make choosing easier for the clients they serve.
The Takeaway
There are several great TED Talks on marketing and for marketers. They range from being about specific facets and strategies of marketing to ways marketers can improve their own outlook and lives to be more successful at work. Marketers really hold the success of a business in their hand in some ways, and I believe these TED Talks demonstrate that with creativity, dedication, and learning new skills, marketing strategies can be improved and drastic results can be seen.
What TED Talks would you add to the list? Let us know in the comment section below!