Marketing isn’t a dirty word
A reflection by Nikolas Strugar
Marketing. What do you think of when you hear that word? How does it make you feel? It’s right up there with “Sales,” isn’t it?
As creatives, those concepts can feel totally foreign. I know for me, coming from an architecture background, they certainly did. At university, you don’t get taught how to market your work. It’s about ideas, theory, design thinking. The work should speak for itself. So the idea of marketing always felt like a mystified process, something other people did.
Fast forward a few years from architecture and I found myself working in graphic design, web development, and eventually in a marketing department. How did that happen? How did I end up involved in this dark art?
At the time, that’s exactly what it felt like. Marketing seemed like something that happened in boardrooms. Executives in suits talking about growth, revenue, conversion. It felt out of place, and to be honest, I felt out of my depth.
I hadn’t made a conscious decision to work in marketing. I’d jumped into design and production because I loved making things. Beautiful print documents. Interactive websites. Films. Things that connected with people and had meaning. I wanted to work on projects that had purpose, not just increase a company’s quarterly returns.
Marketing is about talking authentically about who you are and what you do, with the intention of connecting with the right people
The deeper I got, the more I understood
Despite never wanting to be a marketer, I began to see how content and communication could be a meaningful way to connect.
At first, I saw content marketing as an extension of storytelling. Some of my earliest forays into it included a video about timber surfboard making. It was bespoke, hands-on, connected to the natural environment. It was emotive. It was personal. The video itself was pretty rough, technically a bit of a mess, but it was a start. It brought feeling into the conversation.
Years later, I found myself back in architectural practice, this time at BVN in Brisbane and Sydney, working on competition submissions, internal comms, events and content production. That’s where I really started to understand the value of communication.
I realised I wasn’t just a good designer, I was also a good communicator. My mantra became: “good design is only as good as the communication”. If nobody understands it, then the design is lost.
I didn’t get into filmmaking to work in marketing. I got into it to make thoughtful things. But what I discovered is that marketing, when done well, isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about using meaningful content to connect with people. To help them see what you see.
And it turns out that’s something I’m good at—and something I can offer others too. That’s where I can bring value.
One of my earliest forays into content marketing, circa 2015
You probably still hate the word...
It feels like selling your soul, or selling out.
But here’s the thing. Marketing isn’t about becoming the most popular account on Instagram. It’s not about being an influencer or posting every day or chasing likes and follows.
Marketing is about talking authentically about who you are and what you do, with the intention of connecting with the right people. It’s about sharing the things you’re passionate about or an expert in, and finding an audience who’s aligned with your values and ethos. That’s it.
If someone’s considering working with you—maybe you’ve already had a chat or been referred—they’ll probably look you up. If they land on your Instagram, they’re not expecting a polished campaign or viral content. They’re certainly not judging you by the number of followers. They just want to see that you’re real. That you’re current and doing work that matters. That your practice has something to say and a way of saying it.
They’re looking to connect through shared values, a similar way of working, and a certain feel that resonates with them.
If you’ve been resisting marketing because it feels shallow, maybe it’s time to reframe it. Start small. Share something you care about. Tell a story from your process. Speak like yourself. Let people in just a little.
It doesn’t need to be loud. It just needs to be true.
Marketing isn’t a dirty word. It’s just communication. With care, clarity, and purpose.
Rebrand and content strategy for Place Design Group, 2022