Killing Marketing

A provocative argument that the traditional marketing department should be dismantled and rebuilt as a profit center, drawing on examples from Red Bull, Johnson & Johnson, and Arrow Electronics.

Why This One

Killing Marketing goes further than most content marketing books dare. Pulizzi and Robert Rose, his co-author and the Chief Strategy Advisor at the Content Marketing Institute, argue that marketing should not just attract customers. It should generate revenue on its own. The book examines companies that have turned their content operations into full media businesses: Red Bull Media House produces films and publishes a magazine. Arrow Electronics acquired a portfolio of trade publications. Johnson & Johnson runs one of the largest health content platforms in the world.

The central question is bold: what if your marketing department could be a standalone profit center rather than a cost line? Pulizzi and Rose lay out a framework for how companies can move in that direction, covering audience strategy, paid media, earned media, and the organizational changes required to make it work.

What to Expect

A 272-page book that is more strategic and conceptual than Content Inc. This is not a how-to for beginners. It is best suited for marketing leaders, business strategists, and anyone who wants to rethink what a marketing department can be. The writing is clear and well-structured, with real company examples throughout.