forumforfuturemarketing

Summary of Chapter 3 – Marketing the Mission to the consumer

Consumers become the new owners of a brand
When a new brand enters the market, the consumers automatically decide if the new products/services are sophisticated enough to fulfill their expectations and needs. When the expectations are met, consumers will identify with the brand and they are going to protect “their brand” in order to keep it the way it was. Prior examples of successful brands, such as IKEA demonstrated that their modifications were rejected by their consumers as they were already strongly connected with the original.

By Marc Grau and Laura Tschentscher

At the moment, the Coca-Cola Company is celebrating its 125th anniversary. The legend says that on May 8, 1886 the pharmacist John Pemberton invented the formula of Coca-Cola. He just sold 9 glasses of Coca-Cola a day in the first year. Today, the Coca-Cola Company has a revenue of $38 billion and a net income of more than $12 billion. For many years, Interbrand has been listing Coca-Cola as the most valuable brand in the world with a brand value that is worth more than $70 billion.

By Stephanie Krömer and Kathrin Maulbetsch

“Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.”
Starbucks Mission Statement

This quote is the first sentence of the Starbucks Mission Statement and shows that human beings are the center of attention at Starbucks. In this article we want to analyze to which extent a company, that claims to love the human spirit, is an example for Human Spirit Marketing. First of all we want to have a closer look at Kotler’s definition. According to Kotler “Marketing should no longer be considered as only selling and using tool to generate demand” (Kotler 2010, p. 45). Instead marketers should approach costumers “as whole human beings with mind, hearts, and spirits” (Kotler 2010, p. 4), because “consumers are looking for solutions to their anxieties about making the globalized world a better place”. (ibid).

by Katharina Michailov and Inna Mayer

This article will discuss whether LIDL operates Marketing 3.0 or whether they try to merely inflate their brand.

LIDL is a German retail store chain in the discount segment. It was founded in 1930s and is headquartered in Neckarsulm. LIDL has 88,000 stores in 22 countries and employs 150,000 people worldwide, of which 50,000 work in Germany. The discount chain is part of the Schwarz-Group-Companies, which includes Kaufland and Handelshof.

by Sarah Brecht, Marc Vogelsang and Adrian Saile

Marketing 3.0: From Products to Customers to the Human Spirit.
Marketing Values to Channel Partners (Chapter 5)
Philip Kotler (et. al.)

The trend of globalization is interrelated with the need to enter undeveloped markets to generate profit or value. Traditional kinds of distribution might not work in those markets since social, economical and ecological matters differ from those in developed markets. Furthermore, there are no developed consumer interfaces, which have to be developed in cooperation with regular channel partners, who offer the know-how and contacts for the respective market.

On the other side, there are the developed markets in industrialized countries, where the societies become more sophisticated and demanding, which requires new kinds of distribution but on another level. Basic needs of consumers lose importance and are replaced by higher customer needs, which require consideration of social and ecological factors. In this „era of post-growth society“ (James Speth) customization as a result of technologically advanced distribution becomes less important, while channel partners, who can communicate certain aspects to the customers, rise in importance. Channel partners also offer customer service and most importantly give the companies access to new clienteles.

by Sarah Brecht, Marc Vogelsang and Adrian Saile

Marketing 3.0: From Products to Customers to the Human Spirit.
Marketing the Vision to the Shareholders (Chapter 6)
Philip Kotler (et. al.)

In Order to look inside a possibility to change the goals of companies and the way they are presented, it is important to show the status quo of thinking in many companies: the alignment of goals according to the profit of shareholders.
In most cases, the purpose of a company is to fulfill short term expectations of shareholders, even if this happens at the expense of value-adding investments.