Question

Topic: Research/Metrics

Estimate No. Of Marketing Professionals Worldwide

Posted by Anonymous on 6/28/2012 at 5:37 AM ET 250 Points
Hello,

I'd like to understand how many marketing professionals work in the U.S. and worldwide. I've researched the BLS data and looked at occupations like "marketing manager" but the numbers seem too low. I'm not sure they are categorized appropriately.

Does anyone know of a study that estimates the number of marketing professionals ideally by country? Or let's say for the Fortune 500? Very much appreciate any help.


Thank you
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by mgoodman on 6/28/2012 at 8:55 AM Accepted
    How would you use this information? WHY do you need this? It may help us come up with an answer ... or at least an approach to getting an estimate.
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 6/28/2012 at 9:00 AM Accepted
    Based on what the average person claims I would say 7 Billion :-)

    Not sure where this info would be but it does seem like every other person you meet says they are in marketing.

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 6/28/2012 at 11:39 AM Accepted
    You might be able to find info on how many people have marketing degrees from accredited colleges.

    Or you can do as you tried before, and search on titles (but to get marketing professionals, you will have to widen the title search well beyond Marketing Manager). Marketing Communications, CMO, VP Marketing, some Product Managers, Marketing Research Manager, etc.
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 6/28/2012 at 2:57 PM Accepted
    I think Peter has provided you with some good direction. Obviously, it really depends on how you qualify and define "marketing professionals". To Phil's point, are marketing professionals only practitioners, or since marketing professors receive salaries, are they professional as well. Perhaps there is some ratio of marketing professors to marketing practitioners, or marketing professionals to pres/ceo. In any case, any number is going to be a very broad estimate, especially for a global estimate.

    A much easier question to ask is "how many lawyers in the usa/world" because with lawyers the definition is much more precise and the numbers are recorded in databases. Perhaps the methodology and breakdowns in this link will provide some insights into your search for marketing professional numbers.

    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_country_in_the_world_has_most_lawyers_per_ca...
  • Posted on 6/28/2012 at 3:41 PM Author
    Well I need this info because I'm trying to create a market sizing for a product that would be used by marketers. So I'm trying to understand the total population of marketers out there.

    I agree that I'm not interested in sales just marketing. I am also not interested in professors, etc. Ideally I'd like to focus on working marketers in the private and public sector. The problem with broadening the titles is that BLS only has so many titles. I think that many marketers are classified under generic manager titles but it is hard to say.

    Does anyone know of any case studies or research that studies marketing headcount for let's say a smaller population or industry? That would also be helpful for me.

    Thank you so much.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/28/2012 at 5:00 PM Accepted
    Define the term "marketing professional".

    Anyone involved in creating, directing, reviewing, advising, managing, or securing "market" share could call themselves a "marketing professional".

    Refine, define, and target your audience and you'll come up with a more tightly focused group to appeal to.

    Whatever your product to be "used by marketers" is, it's NOT going to appeal to EVERYONE—the term "marketers" is simply too broad.

    Could you be more specific?
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