The marketing industry is experiencing a phenomenon some are calling the "Tech Bro-ification," characterized by the adoption of technical language and tools that may not always reflect genuine technical evolution. This trend, detailed by Miranda Shanahan, involves using terms like "engineer" and adopting automation tools, leading to a situation where the true nature of the work can be obscured by corporate fiction.
While some marketing roles are indeed becoming more technical, the current trend often stretches the definition of technical proficiency. The comparison is made that using a calculator does not make one a mathematician, just as utilizing automation tools does not equate to being an engineer. Marketing has historically blended art and science, but the rapid automation of its technical aspects by AI is highlighting the enduring value of creative intuition, human judgment, and taste—qualities that remain difficult to replicate.
This shift could potentially lead to higher salaries and increased respect for marketing professionals if job titles gain a technical veneer. However, there is a concern that an overemphasis on equating value with technological advancement could devalue the artistic and strategic aspects of marketing and the professionals who practice them. Shanahan notes that the tech industry has a history of rebranding familiar concepts as new breakthroughs, with marketing now being the latest area to undergo this transformation.