Cover Story — Issue #1
Is Marketing Down for the Count After AI's Sucker Punch?
We're launching the first edition of our digital magazine Mercadotecnia y Ventas by asking whether the marketing discipline has been knocked out by AI's impact.
Ever since ChatGPT launched in November 2022, with its remarkable ease for creating content, the first thing people said was: "marketers are no longer needed." But that view reduces the entire discipline to just one of its many areas. Marketing is not just content creation. It's true that content is the most visible area, but generally speaking, content comes last in a solid marketing strategy.
A strong strategy starts with research — always with research. Then we define the strategy by analyzing the competition and the target market. After that comes tactics… and one of those tactics is content.
And yes: AI is impacting marketing and sales. One clear impact is resource efficiency, both in human talent and materials. Where there was once a team of five marketers, there may now be one or two supported by AI. That's why marketing became the area of greatest AI adoption within companies — the potential is enormous.
The truth is, by now AI has impacted every discipline. And while it's true that roles that depend more on daily human interaction tend to be less "at risk," that doesn't mean the others will disappear entirely. This is a moment of reinvention — not just for marketing, but for the world at large. AI is impacting all of us, in different ways and to different degrees.
The Challenge for New Professionals
That said, today's recent marketing graduates are struggling to find jobs, partly because companies aren't hiring at the same pace and because many already have experts who know how to use AI to execute. So what's the answer for current marketing students?
Your edge will depend on three things: your human skills, your technological skills (AI, above all), and of course, your marketing skills. Academia recommends strengthening soft skills, your personal branding — both in person and on LinkedIn — and your practical command of AI.
Here's my suggestion: go beyond "giving smart and creative prompts" to AI. Learn to build agents and chatbots; understand how AI integrates into real business processes. The same thing was said about programmers — that they would disappear. Of course not. But it is true that those who master AI will have better opportunities. The same will apply to marketers.
Stunned, Not Knocked Out
So… is marketing knocked out? In my view, no. But it is stunned by AI's heavy blow. Companies demand graduates who know AI; software companies are integrating AI into almost everything; students are learning on their own… and universities?
AI is already everywhere. There is genuine interest in integrating it, but we're all still figuring out the best way. It's already prevalent in the classroom, at conferences, and in professional practice. If you're a student, professor, or professional and you're still not using it, my question is: what are you waiting for?
Don't know where to start? Go to YouTube and search "AI course" — you'll find plenty of options. Or go directly to an AI and say: "teach me how to use AI." There are no more excuses: the resources are there, and so is the technology.
Human Value Remains Essential
This trend didn't just come to stay — it adapts and changes rapidly. That's why we need to constantly learn AI technology… but without neglecting human skills, soft skills. Students who work in professional sales aren't struggling the same way to find jobs: there's always demand, even in times of crisis. And yes, AI affects sales too, but primarily to amplify the work of the professional salesperson. A chatbot or an agent will not fully close complex sales. That still requires people, and I hope human skills will always be needed.
The worst thing we can do — whether we're just starting out, mid-career, or already graduated — is to think AI will do everything, stop exercising critical thinking, and fall into workslope: delivering the output as-is, without reviewing it. Don't do that. AI hallucinates and will continue to hallucinate. Edit and verify. Use your critical thinking, your communication skills, your teamwork.
No matter how tech-savvy we marketers and salespeople become, the human side must always win — that is the connection we seek with our target audience. Remember that in marketing we always work as a team. Even if you're the sole person responsible for marketing in your company, you need to collaborate with other areas to execute the plan.
The Essence of a Brand
At the end of the day, a brand — any brand — is a group of people working toward the same objective and the same mission. That is the true essence of a brand: not the logo, not the name, but the people who represent it, how they behave, how they communicate, how committed they are to their customers, and the value they generate.
Every marketer must be creative and adapt to change: no campaign or plan is ever the same; the market changes. We now have more tools with AI to help us adapt… as long as we use it as a tool, not as a substitute for judgment.
In the age of instant gratification, remember: there are no simple, quick solutions to today's marketing and sales challenges. Take time to think, discuss, brainstorm, and exercise creativity. Let technology be just that: technology that helps you amplify your human and marketing skills — but doesn't guide them or tell you what to do.
If the day comes when we stop thinking and simply ask AI to "do marketing" for us, that's when we would truly knock marketing out. But I trust that won't happen and that we have many rounds left. Many bouts in which this discipline will keep growing. How do you feel: knocked out, stunned, or ready to give it everything you've got?
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Author: Dr. Carlos Valdez
Date: February 2026
Edition: February 2026
Text Editing: Claude Sonnet 4.6 for spelling correction and translation
Image generated with: Gemini 3 Nano Banana
Publication: Mercadotecnia y Ventas Magazine
© All rights reserved Mercadotecnia y Ventas Magazine 2026. Reproduction is prohibited without the author's permission.
Editorial Syndication: This content is available for syndication.
For editorial licensing or collaborations, contact: carlos.valdez@mercadotecniayventas.com
