Marketing, A Definition Of (Real)

The Double-Edged Sword Of Marketing

Author: Mark Seaborn
Date: 1997/03/07
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The Institute of Marketing defines marketing as "the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably".

This definition is, however, a little cagey. A more honest definition of marketing can instead be formulated to define marketing as:

1. the process by which a product is created that people actually want and will in fact buy and use without being forced to or conned into it; and
2. the process by which this product is then sold to people who don't actually want the product, and who would never otherwise think of using it and especially not buying it.

While section (a) of marketing appears to have merit, this is wholly cancelled out by section (b). Indeed, in many cases, section (a) is ignored completely and only (b) heeded; in these cases, the worth of marketing is less than zero, instead of merely being nothing.

Marketing is, in essence, a con.

See also

• Telemarketers, How To Hassle And Deal With
• Multi-Level Marketing