Better than it needs to be
Every element of the organization has a spec, a minimum required performance. Accounting has standards, so does the department that measures the air quality.
Everything beyond spec is marketing.
That’s an interesting definition, but I think it’s true: All the money, effort and time that an organization puts into making anything better than it has to be is a marketing expense.
Because the extra is there to help change minds, to spread the word, to earn trust and loyalty.
The head of marketing is the person in charge of what’s extra. Because if you want to grow, nothing is actually extra. It’s simply an investment.