Marketing definitions

2010

Marketing
Definitions
Review and analysis
A review and analysis of different marketing definitions.

By Mohamed Khalifa Ibrahim
ESLSCA - MBA - Marketing Management Assignment # 1
IM05 - 7/28/2010

 Marketing Definitions

Marketing
Each part of the marketing definition defines
what marketing is and how it is practiced. To
explain the marketing definitions, we need to
Definitions examine the following important terms:
needs, wants and demands; products and
Review and analysis services; value, satisfaction and quality;
exchange, transactions and relationships;
Introduction and finally markets as shown in figure 1. (3)

D
efinitions applied to academic
disciplines have important practical
and symbolic implications. For
future and current practitioners, a
definition indicates certain training,
qualifications, and competencies.
A definition also serves to promote the
legitimacy of a scholarly community in the
eyes of other academics. At the societal
level, formal definitions may subtly
influence longer-term trends in commerce,
public perception, and policy making. (1)
Figure 1: shows that these core marketing concepts
A number of attempts have been made to are linked, with each concept building on the one
categorize definitions of “marketing” before it. †

Crosier (1988) for example reviewed over We can distinguish between a social and a
than 50 definitions, placing them in to three managerial definition of marketing, the
broad categories, which are: social definition shows the role marketing
a) Definitions that conceived of marketing plays in society, defined as “It is a societal
as a process connecting the producer with process by which individuals and groups
its market via a marketing channel. obtain what they need and want through
b) Definitions that viewed marketing as a creating, offering and freely exchanging
concept or philosophy of business. products and services of value with others”.
c) Definitions that viewed marketing as an For managerial definition, marketing have
orientation present to some degree in both been mainly described as “the art of selling
consumer and producer the phenomenon products”. (4)
which makes the process and the concept In this essay, I review & analyze some
possible.(2) marketing & marketing management
Marketing could be defined as an definitions based on the 4 Ps, segmentation,
academic discipline with recognizable targeting and positioning (STP) presented in
body of theory in relation to the issues study a chronological manner, in addition to
and processes.(2)

† Adapted from P. Kotler, et al; Principles of Marketing; 4th European edition 2005.

 Page 2


providing a new definition of marketing
management.
Definitions are like belts. The shorter
they are, the more elastic they need to
Definitions and Review
be.
The marketing definition has been —Stephen Toulmin (1961, p. 18)
developed over time, nowadays
marketing is based around providing Levitt – 1960* defined marketing as “Selling
is preoccupied with the seller’s need to convert his
continual benefits to the customer, these
product into cash; marketing with the idea of
benefits will be provided and a
satisfying the needs of the consumer by means of
transactional exchange will take place.
the product and the whole cluster of things
There are many definitions of marketing. associated with creating, delivering and finally
The better definitions are focused upon consuming it”
customer orientation and satisfaction of
This definition shows the evolution in this era
customer needs.
where the marketing concept starts, as it
Fred E. Clark – 1925* defined marketing as: talks about satisfying consumer needs
“those efforts which effects transfer in the
instead of the producer needs,
ownership of goods.”
segmentation, targeting and positioning
This definition illustrates the concept of presented by the word “creating”, also
marketing at that time, not involving product, price and place were presented
customers needs, value or satisfaction, in by the word “delivering”.
addition the term goods and not
Rodger – 1971* defined marketing as
mentioning services, illustrates the concept “Marketing is the primary management function
of this era “production concept”, the which organizes and directs the aggregate of
phrase “transfer the ownership” focuses on business activities involved in converting customer
distribution excluding the rest of the 4 Ps purchase power for a specific product or service
and the segmentation, targeting or into effective demand for specific product or
positioning. service and in moving the product or service to
AMA** – 1948 defined marketing as final consumer or user so as to achieve company
“Marketing is the performance of business set profit or other objectives”
activities that direct the flow of goods and services This definition illustrates the management
from producers to consumers or user” part of the definition as shown in words
This definition focuses on the distribution “management, organizing, and directs”, but the
part of marketing and excluded the rest of planning and controlling part of
the four P’s, here also there is no management are missing here, needs and
mentioning of the segmentation, neither demands of customers are presented in this
targeting nor positioning, reflecting the era definition but from the organization
of selling concept, but in this definition the prospective, the segmentation, targeting
term consumer appeared for the first time. and positioning are mentioned in a general
way under the word “aggregate of business

* The Blackwell encyclopedic dictionary of marketing; Volume 4 September 1997.
** AMA = American Marketing Association
 Page 3


activities”, the McCarthy's 4 Ps not executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and
presented except for the distribution part. distribution of ideas, goods and services to create
exchanges that satisfy individual and
R. Bartles – 1970’s* defined marketing as
organizational objectives”.
“Marketing is the process whereby society, to
supply its consumption needs, evolves distributive In this definition, we can see the
systems composed of participants, who, interacting
management part of marketing present in
under constraints - technical (economic) and
the words “planning and executing”, but the
ethical (social) - create the transactions or flows
controlling, leading and organizing parts of
which resolve market separations and result in
management are missing from this
exchange and consumption.”
definition, McCarthy's Four Ps are
This definition reckons the economic and
presented in a smooth sequence, the
social prospective of marketing. The part of
concept of satisfaction customers &
needs is presented as a whole in “society, to
organizational needs is introduced here for
supply its consumption needs” assuming that
the first time together (Win-Win concept),
needs cannot vary from group of people to
the exchange process is also presented.
another, resulting in excluding the
segmentation part and as a sequent Dennis Adcock –1993 **defined marketing
targeting and positioning. Transaction and as “The right product, in the right place, at the
exchange are presented in a different way right time, at the right price”
that they should be, excluding the 4 P’s, in In this definition Adcock focused only on
my opinion this is the worst and most McCarthy's Four Ps in general but when
difficult to understand definition of digging deep inside it is also considering
marketing I’ve seen till now. segmentation, targeting and positioning in
Kotler – 1980 **defined marketing as addition to satisfaction of needs in the
“Marketing is the human activity directed at phrase “right product & right time”, also
satisfying human needs and wants through an creating demand through adding the word
exchange process”
“the right price”, there is no mentioning to
In this definition Kotler generalized the promotion part from the 4 Ps. Here the
marketing from management or management part of the definition is also
organizational activity to cover all man absent.
kind, satisfaction of needs and want is the
core focus of this definition, the Kotler et al – 1994 **defined marketing as
segmentation, targeting and positioning in "a social and managerial process by which
addition of the McCarthy's 4’Ps are individuals and groups obtain what they need and
generalized under the word “human activity”, want through creating and exchanging products
and value with others”
this definition is short easy to understand
but too general. This definition included both social and
managerial aspects of marketing in
AMA – 1985 defined marketing as
”Marketing is the process of planning and addition to the core concepts of: Needs,

* The Blackwell encyclopedic dictionary of marketing; Volume 4 September 1997.
** Definitions adapted from www.marketingteacher.com

 Page 4


wants and demands with product, value customer relationships in ways that benefit the
and satisfaction, plus exchange and organization and its stakeholders.”
transaction, and finally market and Here in this definition STP is presented
marketing, within this exchange and clearly under the term “creating”, while the
transaction, customers will only exchange idea of CRM is presented clearly by the
what they value, although the 4P’s and the name, also the 4 Ps are presented under
STP are covered by the word “process”, but the words “delivering, and communicating”.
it still needs to be more clear. The management part of the definition is
Roger Palmer – 2000* defined marketing as presented and not only focused on the
“Marketing is essentially about marshalling the marketing department but also it includes
resources of an organization so that they meet the the whole organization but it excluded how
changing needs of the customer on whom the to? As this definition is missing the
organization depends” (planning, organizing, leading and
In this definition Palmer stated that the controlling) parts of the management
needs of customers are changing, focusing concept. The phrase “set of processes” is
on the satisfaction of these needs but he good in that it covers the idea that
omitted the 4 Ps and the STP, the marketing is not a single event but rather a
management component of the definition combination of many activities. The
is also absent. “stakeholder” approach versus the previous
Kotler – 2002** defined marketing as focus on individuals and organizations is
“Marketing management as the art and science of tricky because it enables the definition to
applying core marketing concepts to choose target incorporate a broad number of people or
markets and get, keep, and grow customers firms that interact with marketers or their
through creating, delivering, and communicating offerings.
superior customer value.” AMA – 2007 defined marketing as
Here in this definition, the term “art and “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and
science” is too general, STP is presented processes for creating, communicating, delivering,
clearly, while the idea of CRM is presented and exchanging offerings that have value for
for the first time by the term “get, keep, and customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
grow customers” alarming marketers that In this definition the marketing is defined as
marketing is a continuous process not a an activity, where it surpasses the
single transaction, also the 4 Ps are organizational frame, including the role
presented under the words “delivering, and marketing plays within society at large, or
communicating”. as a broader activity than the previous one
AMA – 2004 defined marketing as did, in addition to the phrase “set of
“Marketing is an organizational function and a set institutions, and processes” , where it includes
of processes for creating, communicating, and
the managerial part of the definition.
delivering value to customers and for managing
This new the term “offering” refers that
marketing is not just a commercial activity
* Definitions adapted from www.marketingteacher.com
** Kotler & Keller; Marketing management
 Page 5


used for products or services, it is also used Customer at the center of business:
by governments or NGOs to raise
awareness or calling for a cause where P. Drucker* defined marketing as
they are not necessarily selling anything. “Marketing is not only much broader than selling,
The STP and the 4Ps are presented under it is not a specialized activity at all It encompasses
the term “creating, communicating and the entire business. It is the whole business seen
delivering”, finally as the previous two from the point of view of the final result, that is,
definitions discussed here satisfaction of from the customer's point of view. Concern and
customers needs is not presented at all responsibility for marketing must therefore
neither mentioning that these needs are permeate all areas of the enterprise.”
dynamic and changing constantly. In this definition Peter Drucker focuses
mainly on the customer as the center of
And here are some common definitions
business, it is too general not covering the
that are focused on just one specific area:
STP or the 4Ps, or the managerial
Profitability: component of the definition.

Barwell*defined marketing as Competitors surpassing:
“This customer focused philosophy is known as the
Jobber* defined marketing as
'marketing concept'. The marketing concept is a
philosophy, not a system of marketing or an “The achievement of corporate goals through
organizational structure. It is founded on the belief meeting and exceeding customer needs better than
that profitable sales and satisfactory returns on the competition.”
investment can only be achieved by identifying,
What is interesting in this definition is that
anticipating and satisfying customer needs and
Jobber is the only one addressed the issue
desires.”
of competitors while defining marketing.
CIM** defined marketing as “Marketing is the
The 4 Ps and the STP also are not
management process that identifies, anticipates
represented in this definition.
and satisfies customer requirements profitably”
In this definition (as with Barwell's definition) My definition
it addresses not only identifying customer “Marketing is a social and managerial set of
needs, but also satisfying them and institutions, and processes for creating,
anticipating them in the future. Also both communicating, delivering, and exchanging
definitions has an emphasis on profitability, offerings that have value for customers, leading to
ignoring that in the 21st century there are a have the right product, in the right place, at the
lot of NGOs and governments that uses right time, at the right price, from the customers
marketing not aiming to profit from it. The 4 point of view, through identifying, anticipating,
Ps and the STP are all not represented in this satisfying and exceeding customers’ dynamic
definition. needs and wants continuously better than the
competition.”

* Definitions adapted from www.marketingteacher.com
** CIM = Chartered Institute of marketing.

 Page 6


In my opinion a successful marketer is the
one who gain more customers more than
competitors, through exceeding
customers’ satisfaction, and anticipating
future changing needs of those customers.
In this definition STP is presented clearly
under the term “creating”, while the 4 Ps are
presented under the words “delivering, and
communicating” , in addition to the phrase
“set of institutions, and processes”, where it
includes the managerial part of the
definition. The term “offering” refers that
marketing is not just a commercial activity
used for products or services; it is also used
by governments or NGOs, the term
”continuously” refers to the building up of
CRM.

References
1- George M. Zinkhan & Brian C. Williams; The
New American Marketing Association Definition
of Marketing: An Alternative Assessment; Journal
of Public Policy & Marketing; Vol. 26 (2) Fall
2007, 284–288.
2- Barbra R. Lewis & Dale littler; The Blackwell
encyclopedic dictionary of marketing; Volume 4
September 1997.
3- P. Kotler, V. Wong, J. Saunders & G. Armstrong;
th
Principles of Marketing; 4 European edition
2005.
4- P. Kotler & K.L. Keller; Marketing management:
th
12 edition 2007

 Page 7

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