The irascible Al Reis let loose today on marketing myopia in the C-suite, using Chrysler as Example A in management's ignorance of the importance of marketing. Arguing that Chrysler's main problem is a branding one (" Name one reason to buy a Chrysler? I can't, can you?"), Reis states that Chrysler's new owner, Cerberus Capital, and CEO, Robert Nardelli, are missing the boat entirely by focusing on cost-cutting and manufacturing efficiency.

More expansively, Reis claims: "Very few companies get in trouble because of marketing mistakes. They get in trouble because of management mistakes that management usually blames on marketing." Hmm, I'm as big a marketing fan as just about anyone, but I don't think I'd go that far.

On the other hand, it's hard to disagree with Reis' emphasis on branding and focusing on what truly differentiates your company from the competition. Especially in these days of overwhelming customer choice, market transparency, and me-too product and service offerings, it's difficult to put too much effort into building your brand -- so long as brand building is understood as an integrated effort to create meaningful customer experience and value, and not simply clever communications programs.

Reis' counter to Chrysler, Federal Express, makes the point, even if Reis himself neglects to explain it.  Citing FedEx's early failure to beat the then-leader in air cargo, Emery Air Freight, by competing on price, Reis notes that it was only when FedEx shifted to a branding approach, narrowed its focus to overnight express, and massively increased advertising spending that it took the dominant position in the sector. True enough, but the real lesson in that story is FedEx's investment in the people, systems, and processes necessary to deliver on their ambitious promise of guaranteed delivery -- which of course was a management decision.

Keeping marketing front and center in the organization is certainly a key to success, but only if that means a lot more than catchy tag line and big advertising (or social media) budgets.