Own goal plays into the enemy’s hands

I have generally regarded Marketing Week as an intelligent, well informed publication until I read your Leader (MW April 13).

The lack of value placed upon the marketing profession by other corporate functions, the lack of marketing representation on the executive board in FTSE-listed companies and the prevalence of financial over marketing considerations in the formulation and implementation of corporate strategy have been recurring themes in the magazine’s editorial.

So well done! You have just done irreparable damage to the cause and justified by the lack of professional respect accorded the marketing profession by getting the name of the CEO of Carphone Warehouse, a FTSE 250 company, so spectacularly wrong.

By the way, it’s Charles Dunstone.

To judge by this spectacular own goal, it’s hardly surprising that other corporate functions dismiss marketing as an unaccountable, immeasurable expense of little or no concern to the business that should always be the primary target of expenditure cuts when someone who should unquestionably know better demonstrates such a lamentable lack of easily verifiable business knowledge.

So when I’m trying to explain to the finance people for the umpteenth time why marketing matters, I’ll be thanking God that they don’t read Marketing Week.

Charlotte Armah

armahc2003@yahoo.co.uk

Sorry Charles – Ed