This is lesson eleven. This is towards one of our missions. Education. You’ll learn everything about marketing — from the basics to the most advanced strategies — for free, thanks to VellumWorks.
In 1960, Harvard professor Theodore Levitt wrote an article that changed marketing forever: “Marketing Myopia.”
His message was simple but radical. Companies fail not because the market disappears, but because they define their business too narrowly.
Levitt argued that the real question isn’t “What do we sell?” — it’s “What customer need do we actually satisfy?”
For charities, this idea is a game-changer. It shifts the focus from what we do (programmes, events, fundraising) to why people care. The human need behind the mission.
What Is Marketing Myopia?
“Marketing myopia” means being short-sighted. It means focusing only on your product or activity instead of the deeper problem it solves.
When organisations define themselves by what they make instead of the value they create, they eventually lose relevance.
Classic Example:
Railroad companies thought they were in the train business, not the transportation business. When cars and planes took over, they declined.
Charity Example:
A food bank that views itself as “distributing food” might miss a bigger opportunity: it’s really in the business of community wellbeing or poverty reduction. That wider vision opens new partnerships, funding, and innovation.
Levitt’s Core Idea: Define Your Business by the Customer, Not the Product
Levitt taught that growth depends on understanding the need behind your offering.
Ask not:
“What do we produce?”
But rather:“What problem do we solve for people?”
For charities, that means shifting from:
“We run education workshops” → to “We help people unlock opportunity through learning.”
“We collect donations” → to “We empower communities to create lasting change.”
When you define your mission around people, not products, your marketing becomes naturally more powerful. Your organisation or charity becomes future-proof.
Why Marketing Myopia Still Matters Today
Even decades later, many organisations, including nonprofits, still fall into this trap:
They prioritise outputs over outcomes.
They measure activity instead of impact.
They talk about what they do instead of why it matters.
Levitt’s lesson reminds us: the moment you stop looking at the world through your audience’s eyes, your relevance begins to fade.
Here is an example:
A wildlife charity focusing only on “saving animals” might overlook that many supporters are motivated by climate action, biodiversity, or legacy giving.
Understanding those deeper motivations keeps your mission connected to what people actually care about.
Why It’s Crucial for Charities
Charities often face the same risk as companies. This means falling in love with their programmes instead of their purpose. And this is where it can really go down hill.
Levitt’s concept helps you:
Reconnect with your why, not just your what.
Build messaging that speaks to emotions and aspirations.
Stay adaptable as needs, technologies, and donor expectations evolve.
When you stop defining your work by your tools and start defining it by human impact, your message becomes timeless.
10-Minute Exercise: Redefine Your Purpose
Take five minutes and complete this sentence in different ways:
“We’re not in the ___ business — we’re in the ___ business.”
Here are some examples:
“We’re not in the fundraising business — we’re in the hope-building business.”
“We’re not in the shelter business — we’re in the safety business.”
“We’re not in the education business — we’re in the empowerment business.”
Then, look at your website or recent campaign. Does your messaging reflect that bigger purpose? If not, that’s your next opportunity.
Why is this important to know?
Levitt’s warning still holds: focus too narrowly on what you do, and you’ll miss why it matters.
When you define your mission through the lens of human need, you stay relevant. No matter how the world changes or what the next big issue is.
At VellumWorks, we believe knowledge should be free. That’s why this series will guide you, step by step, through everything from the basics to the most advanced strategies in marketing: no jargon, no gatekeeping, just education that empowers.
