Marketing? Come again?

I took a tour of Chevron's headquarters in San Ramon and met with their global marketing director and internal creative director. Big stuff. They had both been involved with changing the architecture and environment of the Chevron headquarters from a cubicle forest into a branded space, complete with gorgeous murals, posters, old gas pumps, Chevron toy cars, and a service center/gas station. That could never come from an ad agency. That's client-side marketing and brand management.

After being a copywriter, art director, creative director, and planner, maybe its time for me to take up marketing. It seems to be the upstream (new jargon for me) strategic decision-making.

Sure, I might have to glimpse numbers and wear pants occasionally. But I like pants. When I'm not at home, anyway.

If I end up in marketing as a client-side account planner, at least I'll know how to work with advertising agencies and creative teams.  But is there a way to have the best of both worlds -- the creative energy of an ad agency and the strategic prowess of marketing? Ultimately, who decides how a brand lives?