Marketing: An art, a science—or a social science?

For as long as I’ve worked in marketing, across industries, brands, and teams of every scale, the same question lingers: is marketing an art or a science?

It’s a seductive dichotomy. On one side is the creative spark, the exhilarating process of shaping campaigns that inspire emotion and capture attention. On the other is the analytical rigour, the spreadsheets, customer insights, A/B testing, and algorithms that now dominate our conversations about growth. Many professionals try to reconcile these opposites: some embrace creativity as the lifeblood of the discipline, while others insist marketing has evolved into a science of metrics, dashboards, and predictive analytics.

But this debate oversimplifies the truth. Marketing has always been more than aesthetic flair or data precision; it is, fundamentally, a social science. At its core, marketing is not about selling products. It is about understanding people, how they make decisions, what they value, and the cultural currents that influence their choices. The real power of marketing lies in shaping relationships between brands and their communities, not simply transactions.

This perspective feels especially urgent in today’s marketplace, where technology and social media have transformed consumer behaviour. In a world of constant connectivity, brands no longer hold a monopoly over narratives. Instead, influence is distributed among digital platforms, content creators, and empowered customers who curate their own experiences. Marketers who cling to the notion that marketing is either an art or a science risk missing this deeper truth: influence now emerges from authentic connection, empathy, and cultural relevance.

The brands that thrive are those that embrace marketing as a social science. They approach campaigns as opportunities to build trust, not just to drive conversions. They study not only demographics but also psychographics, how people feel, what they fear, and what aspirations shape their choices. A social science approach repositions marketing as a driver of societal value, embedding products and services in collective memory and identity.

This is not to diminish the importance of creativity or data. The artistry of storytelling is still essential, especially when attention is the scarcest commodity of all. Likewise, data remains indispensable for navigating an increasingly fragmented marketplace. But creativity and data are tools, not the discipline itself. They are valuable only insofar as they illuminate the dynamics of human relationships.

Customer-centricity is the natural outcome of this approach. When organisations build strategies around the needs, values, and lived experiences of their customers, loyalty ceases to be a byproduct and becomes a competitive advantage. This goes beyond personalisation algorithms or customer feedback forms; it requires embedding empathy into the DNA of every decision, from product design to communications.

Value, too, becomes central. Brands that articulate their value proposition clearly, what they stand for and why they matter, create bonds that outlast market fluctuations. Customers who feel connected to a brand’s values are not just buyers; they become advocates and collaborators in shaping its journey. This alignment transforms marketing from a department into a strategic driver of organisational resilience.

Globally, we see that the most successful brands are those that transcend the “art vs. science” binary. Apple’s design aesthetic is a triumph of artistry, but its customer insights and product development process are deeply rooted in research and analytics. Nike inspires with creativity but builds loyalty through a sophisticated understanding of cultural movements and consumer identity. Even challenger brands in emerging markets now leverage social science principles to craft messages that resonate deeply within their cultural contexts.

Marketing’s evolution demands a mindset shift. It is no longer about flashy campaigns or endless data points in isolation. It is about intentionality, about asking how every interaction strengthens trust, fosters connection, and creates shared meaning. In this way, marketing becomes not simply a revenue engine but a cultural force that shapes how people live, work, and engage with the world.

So, is marketing an art or a science? Perhaps neither. It is social science that blends creativity with insight, empathy with strategy, and data with human understanding. The question is not whether organisations can master this duality, but whether they can embrace marketing as a discipline that illuminates and elevates human experience.

Alero Ladipo, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, United Bank for Africa

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