Rethinking the Language & Practice of Marketing

How might marketing become an exercise of our humanity rather than a tool for extraction?

Marketing is, at its core, a language system. But many of the words and frameworks we’ve inherited – target audience, market capture, user acquisition – are rooted in colonial systems of extraction. They reduce people to metrics and relationships to transactions. And while these terms might seem neutral, they shape how we think, design, and connect.

But what if we could decolonize marketing?

The first step is to take a critical look at the tools we use, and ask, where did they come from, and who do they serve? What assumptions are baked into the language of marketing funnels, strategy decks, research reports, and brand positioning? Indeed, the language of marketing was never designed for relationships – it was designed for control.

Indigenous knowledge systems can offer another way – one grounded in responsibility and attuned to interconnection. These ways of knowing remind us that communication is not just about persuasion, but mutuality and connection.

Decolonizing marketing requires language and practices that are more relational, more embodied, and more rooted in care. Which doesn’t mean sacrificing rigour or effectiveness; nor does it mean pandering. It means widening our lens and our vocabulary – because words shape culture, and culture shapes what’s possible.

There’s no perfect way to do this work. But the starting point is noticing. Taking a step back and asking better questions. Letting go of language that doesn’t feel honest, and trying something new (and of course making sure it’s true).