How do you distinguish yourself from other brands? How do you sell people a product they are not used to? And how do you do all that without a marketing department?
John Schoolcraft, Global Chief Creative Director at Oatly, has the answer. In 2012, John started working with CEO Toni Petersson to turn a 30-year-old oat drink maker into a global movement focused on developing more sustainable lifestyles.
During a speech at the TNW Conference 2022, he explained how by replacing the marketing department with a team of creatives, the company could create a unique voice and succeed in a competitive market.
Why kill the marketing department?
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“We are not just a company with a logo. We’re a group of people here to help other groups of people make some life choices that are good for their bodies and the planet,” Schoolcraft noted.
The focus on Oatly’s human voice was driven by Schoolcraft’s deep skepticism about the traditional client-agency model—and his willingness to throw traditional marketing rules out the window.
He believed that a typical structure with both a marketing and commercial department would not work. He wanted to avoid the endless ebb and flow of instructions, presentations, and required approvals.
So, along with Peterson, he killed Oatly’s marketing department and created the Mind Control division – the team of creative directors – at the core of the company, embedded in other departments.
How does creativity beat marketing?
According to Schoolcraft, Oatly’s different approach has yielded the following benefits:
- The time saved with approvals and briefings allows the company to focus 100% on the details to deliver a world-class product.
- The close cooperation of the departments creates trust.
- They can focus on making products for real people and not on satisfying advertising and PR agencies.
- They are allowed to have an opinion and express themselves freely.
This has allowed the company to develop a unique voice, one that is instantly recognizable for its consistently inconsistent approach to encouraging people to improve their lives and the sustainability of the aircraft.
For example, here’s the video that made Oatly popular. It’s Peterson singing his own song:
The video isn’t the only proof of the company’s personal and humorous commitment to consumers:
Do you want me to repost it on Instagram? I also have a picture of a bus! pic.twitter.com/1qAXgrHn6m
— Tight Skulderknuser (@FancyMcUsername) August 30, 2017
And, most importantly, Oatly wants to make its sustainability message clear:
According to Schoolcraft, “If people want to buy the product, they need to know the environmental impact.” He noted that every box sold is a success for the planet, and he hopes their product and overall strategy will drive social change and challenge industry standards.
Should every company get rid of its marketing department?
I asked Schoolcraft if killing the marketing department is the right thing to do.
It’s a tricky question.
I wouldn’t say that companies should kill the marketing department because we are talking about competent people losing their jobs. Instead, marketing should think outside the box, give more space to creatives and not base its strategy on what PR or advertising agencies want.
The situation with Oatly was different. There were only five people in marketing, who were given emerging roles in other departments.
But his advice for companies starting now is to consider not having a marketing department from the get-go — and instead empower bold, creative minds.