The Best of Both Worlds: A Case for “Ambidextrous” Marketing

Marketing & Media

Only one percent of people are born with the ability to use both hands with equal ease. Brand marketers have much to learn from the lucky ambidextrous few about simultaneously approaching the world from multiple perspectives. We’re at a turning point when companies must either adapt quickly to global ambiguities and technological disruption—or risk an inevitable slide into oblivion. This doesn’t mean we have to burn the binary playbook that drove success for decades; smart marketing in today’s ever-shifting landscape means figuring out which tools to keep, and which need to be totally reimagined.

Maximizing both scaleand personalization. Using both traditional and emergent digital channels. Embracing global efficiencyand local cultural nuances. Drawing on deep experience and embracing the experimental. Working in new ways that are both groundedand agile. Yes, this kind of thinking can take you out of your comfort zone… but it can also expand horizons exponentially. Business is at a turning point where ambidextrous marketing—powered by dataand insight—has the power to deliver truly consumer-centric solutions. We’ll shine a light on the power of ambidextrous marketing with compelling examples from Johnson & Johnson brands including Neutrogena, Listerine, Johnson’s and Nicorette that show how this new duality is redefining brand management for the 21st century.