Broadening the Concept of Marketing

-Summary-

Marketing is generally seen as a business activity for most of the people. However; the authors whom Philip Kotler and Sidney J. Leviy have an argument that marketing is not just linked with the business world. Moreover, they think that marketing is a “pervasive societal activity” which also includes the non-business organizations with the marketing functions.

In this article, it is implied that organizational marketing is rising and non-business organizations like University of California and Ford Foundation became effective as much as the business units in USA. It is also said that, both type of organizations have similar functions such as financial, personnel, purchasing or marketing functions. Especially, the marketing functions’ importance is underlined in the article and their effect on the public. For instance; museums and a police department in USA, a nation for its political issue as the Greek junta or the anti-cigarette group in Canada… They all used marketing and tried to be effective on the society.

Apart from these; the article says that; “...All of these organizations are concerned about their ‘product’ in the eyes of certain ‘consumers’ and are seeking to find ‘tools’ for furthering their acceptance” and it examines these three concepts under the headings.

First of all, the product, which has many forms like physical products, services, ideas, organizations or persons, is the first main point that broadens the concept of marketing. Secondly; the consumers, they are the group that is very important to satisfy by the organizations. This group also has four sub-groups which are the clients, trustees or directors, the active publics who take interest in the organization and the general public.
Finally; the third concept, marketing tools which includes the product development, distrubution, the pricing and the consumer communication are also mentioned and examples are given in the article. For example; for the tool of product improvement, a non-business organization like a university changes their curricula and it adds new services.

Also, the article tells about what are the effective marketing concepts for the non-business organizations. There are nine concepts which are overlapping with the business organizations’. First of them is the “generic product definition” which aims to define the products’ esence in emotional, social, political, religious or intellectual terms. The second concept is “target groups definition” which should be determined well by the non-business organizations. Thirdly, “differentiated marketing” concept is underlined. Here, an example is given about the labour unions which gave different messages to different parties. And, the other concepts are “customer behavior analysis”, “differential advantages”, “multiple marketing tools”, “integrated marketing planning”, “continuous marketing feedback” and “marketing audit” which means that if an organization wants to stay viable, it must change when it is needed.

Finally, in the last part of the article, it is touched upon the public opinions about marketing and it can be understood that people have not always considered in the right way. To conclude with; all organizations must develop the right products to the right target audience with the modern tools of communication.

Broadening the Concept of Marketing
Kotler, Philip Sidney J. Levy
Journal of Marketing Volume:33 Jan 1969

Rengin KARAARSLAN