Does everything in marketing come down to the subjective opinion of the marketer?

Or are there hard and fast rules or axioms in marketing that should always be obeyed?

If the latter, can you tell me a marketing axiom that guides you in your business — and maybe give me an example of how it worked for you?

Thanks!

Full disclosure: I am asking you this question as research for a book I am writing on (what else?) marketing. I won’t use your name in the book unless you permit me to.

Social media evangelists rabidly promote their new medium, apparently unconcerned that it is largely unproven and in many cases ineffective.

I resist them because I live by this adage: “Be not the first to cast the old aside nor the last to accept the new.”

Early adopters are often unwise because they gamble on a technology or methodology that has not demonstrated its value — and therefore the chances of failure are high.

I believe in the old observation: many pioneers have arrows in their backs.

My late father told me never to buy a new car the year the model is introduced. He said: better to wait until the bugs are worked out, and then buy.

This can apply equally to marketing. Let the pioneers test out unproven methods and take the arrows. I’ll wait until they are successful, avoid costly mistakes, and profit from their channel or method using the proven techniques that work.

How about you?

A commercial for the Toyota Corolla proclaims the car has “legendary miles per gallon.”

What does THAT mean?

The viewer takes it to mean that Toyota is not revealing its mpg because it isn’t that good.

The Corolla’s mpg does not have to be the best — mpg isn’t the only factor deciding whether consumers buy a car.

But it should be good … at least 30 mpg or more.

If so, say what the mpg is.

If not, then don’t mention miles per gallon at all; focus on other features.

But “legendary” is Madison Avenue “adspeak” the consumer rightly interprets as B.S.