One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in nearly two decades of building brands is this: being a marketer is a privilege, not a right.

That wisdom was first taught to me by the ever-brilliant Barbara Williams, who will retire this year after more than 40 years shaping the television and content industry in Canada. A true game changer, Barbara left an indelible mark on Canadian culture, and I was privileged to learn from her.

Her teaching was simple, but profound: when we market, we step into people’s most valuable, non-renewable resource,  their time and attention. That comes with enormous responsibility.

Every time we decide how to tell our stories, we make a choice:

• Will we disrupt in a way that adds meaning, delight, or value?
• Or will we interrupt in a way that wastes, annoys, or erodes trust?
  
  

That choice is the difference between brands that are welcomed into people’s lives and those that get tuned out.

As marketers, we hold the keys to powerful cultural platforms, creative ecosystems, and entire media channels. But power without care quickly becomes noise. Every impression is borrowed time. Every scroll, every glance, every moment of attention comes with a silent question: Was this worth it?

Our job,  our duty,  is to ensure the answer is yes. Yes, it was worth it. Yes, it reflected who I am and what I care about. Yes, it gave me something: a laugh, a story, an idea, a spark.

That’s what makes marketing such a privilege. Not the budgets, not the stages, not the headlines. The privilege lies in being invited, however briefly, into someone’s life. And that invitation comes with the responsibility to handle it with care.

Because in the end, marketing isn’t just about reach or ROI,  it’s about respect. And if we can’t respect the people we’re marketing to, then we haven’t earned the privilege of their attention in the first place.