When I was a little boy, my great-grandfather had a scarecrow in his garden. I often wondered if the scarecrow ever really fooled anyone or anything that came near it. According to my great-grandfather, it worked on those creatures that were easily scared, fooled or didn’t know better. Today, I have come to think of certain executive marketing officers in this manner: If they put up a strong front, no one will question what they are doing or why they are doing it.