As a marketer, you are always learning. With the growing needs of the tech world, customers of today are constantly asking for innovation. We build our legacy on the lessons we learned from those who came and conquered before us. Marketers found quite a legacy indeed because genius minds in this field have been raising the bar high since the 1900’s.

Some lessons are new, while some shared a hundred years ago but are as relevant today as they were then. All of the very best marketers used technology in one way or another to disrupt how things were being done. Whether you’re using tools to create top-notch content or finding creative ways to hook customers via CRM pipeline management, this article will help you take your marketing game to the next level.

Here, we take a look at some of the most important marketers in the world and what they did right with their brands:

David Ogilvy

Known as the Father of advertising, Ogilvy is someone you must look up to for inspiration if you’re a marketer. His most famous quote is; “The customer is not a moron, she’s your wife.”

In all of his innovative marketing campaigns, Ogilvy tried to propagate the idea that customers are not stupid. You don’t have to fool them to sell your product. Ads can be informative and still accomplish the task. That’s why you need to know how Ogilvy started the trend which led to modern marketing.

Ogilvy’s campaigns were innovative and always focused on the unique selling proposition of a product or service. Whenever you look at any of his ads, you will be able to tick off USPs, his focus on the customer, persuasion, in-depth research and great content. Here are some of his iconic campaigns.

Tip from the Master: Customer-centric marketing campaigns are always effective.

Neil Patel

Marketers of today strive hard to create outstanding content. There’s one person who is currently ruling the content marketing game through various mediums. His name is Neil Patel.

If you haven’t heard of Neil Patel, you don’t know your marketing. Patel is a bestselling author, consultant, coach, and entrepreneur who has been featured in almost all major publications including Forbes and the Wall Street Journal.

Neil’s popular blog posts have set a new trend in the industry. Neil charges you for consultation, but his regular contributions to various blogs provide great insights about marketing and how you can make it work for your business.

Tip from the Master: Always strive to improve the quality of your product and be the first one to educate people about it, before someone else does.

Seth Godin

Seth Godin is one of the most pioneering marketers of our time. He follows a simple principle. He thinks that to be successful; a person has to be remarkable in her own way.

A phrase from his book ‘Purple Cow: Transform your business by being remarkable’ became very famous in the marketing world. Godin thinks that to be successful, you have to become a purple cow in a herd of black and white cows. In other words, you must stand out from the crowd.

Another idea propagated by Godin is of permission marketing as opposed to interruption marketing. Customers hate it when an ad pops up when they are watching their favorite show.

Customers have access to your resources, and they can make or break your campaigns. Marketers should work on catering to the needs of their consumers who are ready to buy from them, but only if the package is presented well. Seth Godin is a source of inspiration for many marketers around the world. He also blogs frequently.

Tip from the Master:  Why not present an ad when a customer gives you his consent? It also stops you from overloading the customer with unnecessary information.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was not the first to give priority to design. But he sure made his customers fall in love with his products and turned Apple into one of the highest earning companies in the world.

Customers want to look cool and feel great. Products help them feel those emotions.

Jobs taught us that well-designed products can win the hearts of customers, no matter what the industry. Jobs introduced his Macintosh PC to the world with the famous 1984 commercial.

His ‘Im a Mac’ campaign is still remembered for its unique angle on computers being personified. Apple always followed the right approach and gained the attention and loyal love of its audiences. The sentiments haven’t changed to this day.

Steve Jobs was the mastermind behind this breakthrough. He pushed the boundaries of traditional marketing and achieved greater heights by thinking ‘out of the box.’ In Steve Jobs’ case, there was no box.

Tip from the Master: Simplicity is highly attractive if you execute your campaigns well.

Elon Musk

As long as there are people like Elon Musk in the world, the future of marketing is in good hands. This marketing genius is also popular for his renewable energy products and inventions. Musk has changed the way consumer technology is marketed around the globe.

The marketing of one of his products, the Solar Roof, provides a great example. When marketing this product, Musk got the solar panel fixed in a house where Tesla Model 3 (his renewable energy car) and Powerwall 2 were also kept. Each invention complemented each other in a way that you couldn’t envision a future without any of them.

Through this vision, Musk presented a window to the future where his products will help people lead greener lives through renewable energy. That’s the genius behind each of his products [and his marketing]. Here’s his dream.

Tip from the Master: Keep a unified message in each campaign and don’t stray from it.

Estee Lauder

Estee Lauder was the only woman who made it to the list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century.

The co-founder of Lauder companies was also a genius marketer. She had a vision for her luxury and fashion brand.

Estee Lauder teaches us to focus on the customer. In her case, her customers were savvy and rich. And she made sure that each of them became brand advocates and loyal customers.

Lauder kept her circle of influencers very close. She frequently sent them samples of her products and handbags. These people were known to own the best. And Estee Lauder was known as a popular brand because only the top people owned it.

Tip from the Master:  Influencer marketing can highlight your brand and put it on the map.

The Kardashians

It is a name which must make it to the list of top marketers of all time because the Kardashians managed to ‘break the internet’ through their multiplatform offerings. Starting out as a common American family, the Kardashians are the perfect example of branding and content management.

They have introduced makeup lines, clothing lines, shoes, restaurants, TV shows and emoji packs that revolve around their lives. People are so crazy about this family that as soon as a new product line is launched, its sold out in a matter of hours!

‘Not everything we do can be captured in an Instagram shot,’ said Khloe Kardashian to the New York Times. The family made sure they are available on all social platforms where users can access their content.

Tip from the Master: Create a multi-channel experience for your customers.

Last word

Listen to your audience. They guide your campaigns, and their feedback can make your work all the more impactful.

Customers are always right, so you better pay attention to what they are saying. The examples quoted above are only a few of the hundreds of revolutionary marketers who’ve made waves in the marketing world. Can you recall a marketing campaign that touched you? Tell us in the comments below.

About the Author: Erica Silva is a blogger who loves to discover and explore the world around her. She writes on everything from marketing to technology, science and brain health. She enjoys sharing her discoveries and experiences with readers and believes her blogs can make the world a better place. Find her on Twitter: @ericadsilva1