3 Views of Marketing

I’d love say that marketing’s role is clear-cut and easily defined across all types of companies.  Unfortunately that’s not the case.

The role marketing plays in an organization is largely dictated by the views of the CEO or leadership team.

Over the next few blog posts we’ll take a look at 3 different views of marketing that you might run into in your next position or consulting gig, namely:

• 1P – Marketing with one primary function, usually promotion
• 4P – Marketing is responsible for product, price, place, and promotion
• ME – “Marketing is Everything”

[Philip Kotler covers this and many, many other important topics beautifully in a lecture you can view here. Definitely required viewing!]

For before we dive in, I’d like to comment that none of these philosophies are wrong.  Each has their merit, and each can be useful if implemented pragmatically.

Furthermore, I think it’s natural for a company to shift between different marketing structures as the organization evolves.

For instance, many start-ups will begin with a more integrated, more comprehensive view of marketing and more responsibility falls to the marketing team.

Often, this is out of necessity.  Maybe you only have 2 people in your company.  Chances are, in the early days, one of you will be designated “the marketing guy” and will be responsible for covering all of the 4Ps.

As the company grows, specialization naturally occurs, allowing for other groups to carry some of the burden the individual shouldered in the beginning.

So if you part of leadership, consider what your marketing can and should handle as you set expectations and staff the company.

If you’re a marketing professional, understand how the organization you are hoping to work for views marketing and make sure it matches your goals before joining their ranks.  What type of work do you really want to be doing?  Does the organization view those tasks under marketing’s purview.

Ok – enough context.  Check out Part 1 on 1P marketing structures in the next blog post.