Do we have a marketing team—or a team that markets?

“Do we have a marketing team—or a team that markets?”

At first glance, it feels like the same thing. But it’s not.
A team that markets is great at execution.

• Campaigns go live on time.
• Content calendars are full.
• Reports have the right metrics.

But a marketing team—the kind that drives growth—is different.
It’s not just about activities.
It’s about thinking critically, challenging assumptions, and asking the hard questions that don’t fit neatly into a campaign brief:

• “Why are we running this campaign in the first place?”
• “Is this the best way to solve the problem—or just the most familiar one?”
• “What’s the business impact of this activity beyond the vanity metrics?”

A team that markets checks the boxes.
A marketing team rewrites them when they no longer make sense.

Which one works when – it depends on where your brand is in its growth journey.

Early-Stage Startups:
You need a team that markets.

• It’s about speed, scrappiness, and execution.
• The goal is to get campaigns out, test fast, and generate traction.
• You’re not optimizing for perfection—you’re optimizing for momentum.
  
  

Growth-Stage Companies:
You need to start building a marketing team.

• This is where critical thinking becomes essential.
• You need people who can connect the dots between marketing activities and business outcomes.
• The focus shifts from “What are we doing?” to “Is what we’re doing actually working?”
  
  

Established Brands:
You need a blend of both.

• Strategic thinkers who shape the vision and strong executors who bring it to life.
• At scale, it’s not just about launching campaigns—it’s about building systems that drive sustainable growth.