What is the difference between traditional marketing and growth marketing?

I believe the main difference between traditional marketing and growth marketing lies in the overall approach. Traditional marketing typically relies on tried-and-true methods, while growth marketing tends to be very data-driven, adopting an experiment, iterate, rinse and repeat mindset.

Traditional marketing also boasts a longer legacy and specific methods for measurement. Growth marketing, on the other hand, isn't truly growth marketing without being data-informed. The language used in the two disciplines also varies—traditional marketing typically speaks in marketing funnels, whereas growth marketing speaks in loops.

Lastly, traditional marketing tends to pass the baton at sign-up or marketing-qualified lead (MQL), while growth marketing typically takes a more full-funnel approach.

As you can see, while there are similarities, the philosophy around measurement and approach differs.