The problem with that was that this process was sluggish be a perfect recipe for disaster. Every company should ‘marketize’ (yes, we are stretching the and it is just a plain reality that requirements do change use of this term, but it describes exactly what it should) and personalize the agile methodology. over time. By the time the implementation was over, the software was often already quite outdated. Even worse, So, agile marketing is definitely not a rigid copy of agile development. And while we are at communication with the client was kept to a minimum it, here’s another thing it certainly is NOT: controlled chaos. On the contrary. Agile is a very resulting in a shortage of verification during the devel- process-driven, even orderly methodology that allows its practitioners to respond and adapt opment process. It was not uncommon for developers quickly, in a market dictated by speed. to arrive - beyond happy with themselves - with their nice, shiny software. Only to find the client furious and demanding a re-do, claiming that this was not what he had Agile marketing, a short definition ordered… at all! Before going into more detail about the main characteristics of agile marketing, my The agile approach was a smart answer to this conundrum. team has tried to pull together a definition of how we see it, as there are so many It has a strong customer and quality focus. It works in small different definitions bandied about. iterative steps. It stimulates face-to-face conversation We view it as a clean and simple process-driven manner of marketing that stimulates and collaboration between empowered cross-functional transparent communication, collaboration and the sharing of intelligence and expe- teams and other stakeholders. It is based on the perma- rience. In reality, it does this by utilizing empowered and multidisciplinary teams with nent delivery of small chunks of results. It favors continual a strong sense of individual accountability, regular short meetings, short delivery measuring, review, feedback and ongoing adaptation. And cycles, continuous measuring and a ‘fail fast and learn’ philosophy. Its ultimate goals it tries to keep everything simple. That is how you operate are speedy adaptation and proactive innovation in response to a market that is as when the market changes at the speed of light and your fast as it is unpredictable. Agile marketing is never ‘done’, it is always in flux. 11 customers keep growing more volatile by the day. So much for the ‘history’ lesson. This part has been kept To our team, as well as many others, agile marketing centers on two poles of excellence: deliberately short because we strongly believe that no Adaptation and Collaboration. We will explain how we perceive agile marketing by unifying all marketer should literally copy this IT approach. That would its main characteristics by means of these two main themes.