Are You Looking for a Creative Sorcerer or a Growth Architect?

Marketing vs communication

"People often talk about the importance of finding answers, but I've realized that the real power lies in asking the right questions. 'Wander & Wonder' is a series about that very journey: from the days of 'wandering' aimlessly through career crossroads and decisions, to the 'wonder' moment—the moment I dared to ask and began seeking answers to my own deepest questions. Welcome to the first post in this series, and let's ponder this question together." — Jasmine Nguyen

The question I received today is: "What is the difference between marketing and communications?"

Throughout my career, from junior roles to C-level positions, from foundational marketer tasks like writing insights and analyzing retail sales data, to developing concept boards for new products, approving packaging colors, creating TVCs, managing communications, and eventually crafting annual strategies, growth plans, and departmental budgets—across multiple companies and industries, from an employee to a consultant and advisor—I've noticed an "accepted" misconception that quietly persists from SMBs to large corporations, and has even seeped into the consciousness of professionals in the field: the conflation of strategic Marketing with mere communications and advertising activities.

This misunderstanding isn't just a theoretical error; it is directly shaping flawed business decisions and hindering sustainable growth. This reality is starkly evident in the mindset of many business owners. After numerous struggles where my employee's voice couldn't shift this thinking, I understood I had a choice: quietly accept the misconception to stay and work, or hold onto my professional values and ethics and leave. As a side note, if you were to ask if I have any regrets or worries about my profile or reputation after these experiences, the answer is absolutely not. To me, everything is a worthwhile experience to observe and learn from, and most importantly, I had the courage to be curious. And curiosity is a wonderfully creative trait for any marketer. :)

Returning to the issue, many SMBs think, "my product is good, my logo is nice, just get it out there and sell it," completely bypassing the strategic marketing phase. They don't involve the marketing department in meticulously researching the behavior and psychology of their target customer segments, analyzing competitor pricing, or selecting a prime location to see how their marketing strategy aligns with their competitive strategy. Instead, they assign the marketing team a single task: run ads on Facebook/YouTube/TikTok and hire a few influencers/KOLs for PR. The result is often a grand opening that leads to a prolonged struggle, because a massive communications blitz cannot save a product, a price point, or a positioning that doesn't fit the market.

On a larger scale, many corporations in Vietnam are not immune to this pitfall. They spend enormous budgets on "polishing their communications"—organizing lavish events, sponsoring TV shows, or running massive CSR campaigns. These activities create a glittering brand veneer, but often to conceal a weak foundation of products and services. They are using communications as a temporary painkiller instead of using marketing to treat the root disease in their business strategy.

More dangerously, this misconception also comes from within the industry itself. In recent years, I've thought a lot about a familiar trend: the shift of talented individuals from the Communications/Advertising field into general Marketing roles. This is a logical career step, bringing creative energy and fantastic storytelling abilities to marketing teams. Furthermore, with consumer habits changing under the influence of online platforms, the consideration and purchase decision-making process is faster and more easily influenced. This makes having a marketing team strong in execution—with deep experience in directly implementing advertising campaigns, working with agencies, and managing promotional budgets—a great asset for rapid deployment.

However, this trend also inadvertently creates a critical divergence in how we perceive and measure the value of Marketing. These professionals are experts in one P—Promotion—but may lack experience with Product, pricing strategy, break-even analysis, customer price sensitivity, or Place (channel management). It poses a strategic question for every leader: are you looking to hire a "creative sorcerer" or a "growth architect"?

When a labor market is saturated with personnel whose strengths lie in communications and advertising, marketers trained in major corporations (who think in terms of P&L, market share, and data) face significant challenges. A viral ad campaign (Communications) is tangible and easily applauded in a meeting. In contrast, a market research project or a distribution channel optimization project (Marketing) is silent work that is difficult to measure immediately. Instead of being evaluated by ROI, customer acquisition cost (CAC), or sales growth, the marketing team risks being judged by surface-level metrics like engagement, views, or creative awards. This fosters a work environment focused on short-term "noise" instead of sustainable "growth."

Gradually, the strategic role of marketing narrows. Instead of participating in decisions about "what to sell and at what price," they are treated as a service department, receiving "briefs" from other departments and executing promotional activities.

The job market is full of titles like Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or Head of Marketing, but how many truly understand the value and scope of the work they are doing? While there are many individuals who proactively educate themselves and fill the gaps in strategic thinking, data analysis, finance, and product/distribution knowledge to become outstanding, holistic marketers, there are also many holding these titles who are, in reality, advertising or communications specialists. They excel at creating campaigns and managing media but lack core experience in pricing strategy, P&L management, channel development, or new product R&D. This is not a criticism of their skills but a clarification of the nature of the work. This "self-proclamation" creates a "mixed bag" situation, making it even harder for business owners to find a true growth architect and for strategic, holistic marketers to prove their capabilities to a business owner with a communications-only mindset.

At the leadership level, there is also a difference in mindset. Leaders with a "Holistic Marketing" mindset view Marketing as an "investment center" to drive growth. They understand that promotion is the final step after a solid product-price-place strategy is established. They will ask: "What is the ROI of this marketing investment?" "Is our market share growing?" They value a data analysis report that points to a new opportunity, even if it isn't flashy. The marketing team is empowered as a strategic partner. A "by-the-book" marketer has room to operate, and they use communications experts as a sharp weapon to execute that strategic vision.

Meanwhile, leaders with a "Communications-is-Key" mindset see Marketing as a "cost center," primarily for image-building and promotion. They are easily persuaded by creative ideas and "sensational" campaigns. They will ask: "Will this campaign go viral?" "Did we get a lot of press coverage?" They can become impatient with research and analysis, believing it slows down progress. The marketing team becomes an "event machine." The company might win many creative awards but struggle with profitability because the product may be unsuitable, the price wrong, or the distribution channels ineffective.

"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large." — American Marketing Association (AMA), 2017

"Marketing communications are the means by which firms attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers—directly or indirectly—about the products and brands they sell." — Philip Kotler, Marketing Management, 2006

The core difference is this: Marketing is The Whole. It is the entire strategic engine that answers the question, "How do we create value and earn a profit?" It includes product development, pricing, choosing distribution channels, and finally, promotion. Communications is a part. It is a crucial gear in that engine, the tool for executing the "P" for Promotion. It answers the question, "What do we say and how do we say it to inform, persuade, and remind customers?"

Simply put: Marketing decides what to sell, while communications decides what to say about it.

No matter how perfect a formula is, it becomes meaningless if the initial strategic thinking is flawed. And no recent example demonstrates the power of holistic marketing thinking more clearly than the success story of the movie "Barbie" (2023).

If Mattel and Warner Bros. had followed the well-worn path of many businesses I've mentioned, the story would have been very different. They might have seen Barbie as simply an old brand needing a "communications polish." They would have hired a "CMO" who was actually a top promotions expert and given them a simple brief: "Create a huge campaign for the Barbie movie." Undoubtedly, with such creative talent, we would still have seen a pink world, lavish events, and viral campaigns. But all that effort would have been to promote a superficial script, an outdated prince-and-princess story. That team, even calling themselves "marketers," would still only be doing the work of communications: decorating a house whose foundation they never inspected.

But the billion-dollar success of "Barbie" actually stemmed from that "wonder" moment I mentioned at the beginning. The project leaders didn't ask, "How do we promote Barbie?" They started with a much more strategic marketing question: "In today's cultural context, what does Barbie mean, and what story will make both old and new generations of audiences care?"

The answer to that question became the foundation for the entire strategy. Marketing stepped in with the role of a growth architect.

First and foremost was the Product: Instead of just producing a new doll model, Mattel's marketing team decided to do something far riskier: develop an entirely new Product—a feature film. They realized that for this 77-year-old brand to be revived, it needed a narrative, a cultural jolt, not just another toy. They decided not to make a simple movie, but to create a deep cultural product with a smart, humorous script imbued with a modern feminist spirit. This was the most critical marketing decision, shaping the entire project. It was a strategic decision about product lifecycle renewal and extension.

Next came Price and Place: They set a huge investment budget and a global summer release strategy (from cinemas to streaming platforms) to maximize opportunity.

The film's success proved one thing: Mattel's greatest asset isn't its toy factories, but its Intellectual Property (IP). This IP creation mindset is a fresh marketing perspective I gained during my years at TikTok; the TikTok Awards was an IP I created, with Vietnam being the first country on TikTok globally to launch it in 2020.

Only after that strategic blueprint was solidly completed did the communications team truly step into the role of a creative sorcerer. Their power was now amplified tenfold. The pink fever, the brand collaborations, the social media trends... these were no longer isolated promotional activities, but the final, dazzling, and persuasive expression of a profoundly thoughtful marketing strategy. They didn't have to "force" the sale of a product; they simply told the world a story that everyone wanted to hear.

The story of "Barbie" is the most vivid testament to the difference in leadership thinking. It affirms that great success doesn't come from noisy promotional campaigns. It comes from quiet strategic questions and the courage to redefine your own product. Communications can help you win a battle, but only holistic, strategic marketing can help you win the war, creating a legacy of sustainable value over time.

A creative sorcerer will build you a magnificent sandcastle, but a growth architect will lay the foundation for a sustainable empire, one that stands long after they are gone.

Jasmine Nguyen.

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