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Daily Earth NewsPaper,
E paper  
Let investment in research be the marketing strategy of tomorrow

BY PROGGA DAS

M arketing is an immensely important term in today's modern free-market econo-my. It can be regarded as the pri-mary tool for ensuring a company's survival and securing a place in the hearts of consumers. However, in the context of Bangladesh, the concept of marketing still remains largely con-fined to product display, glamour-driv-en advertisements, and cheap promo-tional tactics. In contrast, in global cor-porate culture, marketing is no longer merely a strategy to increase sales; it has evolved into a form of social and intellectual investment. In developed countries, major corporations allocate a significant portion of their marketing budgets to fundamental research, uni-versity-level innovation, and the patronage of talented students. They understand that today's researcher is tomorrow's technology builder, and that technology will create the markets of the future. More importantly, such innovation reshapes the entire market system. From this perspective, a por-tion of marketing expenditure is directly transformed into an invest-ment in knowledge.

In Bangladesh, the absence of a research-supportive marketing culture is not only preventing the country from utilizing its intellectual resources effectively but also causing a signifi-cant waste of financial resources every year due to superficial marketing strategies. As a result, in the absence of innovation, the corporate and indus-trial sectors are becoming increasingly dependent on external sources-a situ-ation that may soon turn into a nation-al embarrassment. Marketing through support for research is not merely an act of corporate social responsibility; it is a strategic investment. Around the world, many advanced research initia-tives have been made possible through corporate contributions. As a result,

these countries have success-fully transformed industrial funding into market-ready innovations. In such environments, corporate brands sit at the research table themselves and gradually build the bridge to future development with out dependence on others.

Unfortunately, corporate sectors in Bangladesh remain largely uninterest-ed in elevating research investment to the level of a marketing strategy. This reluctance stems from a deep intellec-tual limitation. Many large brands and

A fundamental shift in mindset is urgently needed in Bangladesh's corporate sector: marketing must no longer be limited to flashy advertisements and short-term sales tactics but redefined as a strategic investment in research and innovation. By allocat-ing even a portion of marketing budgets to support universities, laboratories, and talented students, companies can simultaneously build brand value, foster technological advancement, and reduce dependence on foreign solutions. Such research-driven marketing not only creates global recognition for brands but also nurtures the skilled human capital essential for the country's long-term economic growth and competitiveness

companies in the country believe that pouring money into direct advertising yields immediate sales growth. However, they fail to realize that the brand image created through intellec-tual investment cannot be achieved through celebrity endorsements. When a talented but underprivileged student produces a world-class solu-tion with the help of a company's scholarship or laboratory support, the entire world comes to know about that company. At that point, marketing transcends national boundaries and becomes global. Moreover, a deep sense of human respect and trust

keting system in Bangladesh is largely consumption-driven. It teaches people only to spend. But to move society for-ward, what is needed is knowledge-driven marketing. It is deeply unfortu-nate that while students are forced to go abroad due to a lack of research funding, domestic brands are spending millions on meaningless promotional campaigns within the country.

A proper solution could be found through a Campus-to-Corporate model. If a company, as part of its annual pro-motional plan, established a few advanced laboratories in engineering universities, it would become one of

develops among the general public toward that company-something that thousands of billboards can never achieve.

If Bangladeshi companies allocated even 20 percent of their marketing budgets to research, hundreds of patents and innovations could emerge from the country's universities every year. Bangladesh is home to many tal-ented students, but due to the lack of proper opportunities and funding, their innovative potential remains unseen by the world. The current mar-

the greatest marketing strategies in Bangladesh's history. Every innovation developed in those labs would forever be associated with the company's name. In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, survival based on cheap labor is no longer possible; falling behind is inevitable. In the international market, a brand's identity is not defined only by its products but also by its innovative capacity.

Supporting talented students in research should never be viewed as an act of charity. Rather, it is a way to develop skilled human resources. The student who conducts research today with corporate sponsorship may become the leader of that industry in the future. It is a cyclical, mutually ben-eficial process that, unfortunately, remains overlooked by policymakers and business leaders in Bangladesh. If Bangladesh fails to move away

from cheap marketing strategies and adopt research-based marketing in line with the developed world, the econo-my is likely to face serious setbacks in the near future. This situation is not beneficial for the country in any way. To overcome this, the first change must come in our mindset. Marketing should not be seen merely as colorful displays on screens but as a means of building the skilled workforce of the future. Bangladesh's marketing strate-gies must be restructured accordingly. The culture of meaningless promotion must give way to an intellectual and research-supportive marketing frame-work. Through this, marketing will be strengthened, while the country's eco-nomic and social sovereignty will also be ensured. It will pave the way for greater innovation for future genera-tions. If implemented through a Campus-to-Corporate model, Bangladeshi brands could spread across the globe, giving a new direc-tion to the national economy and enabling the country to stand proudly before the world.

Progga Das is a Student, Department of Economics Eden Mohila College She can be reached at proggadas2005@gmail.com