| Analyzing the Marketing Environment 89
Chapter 3 | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 89
Author Rather than simply Comment watching and reacting,
Responding to the Marketing
companies should take proactive steps with respect to the marketing
Environment (pp 89–91)
environment. Someone once observed, “There are three kinds of companies: those who make things hap- pen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what’s happened.” Many companies view the marketing environment as an uncontrollable element to which they must react and adapt. They passively accept the marketing environment and do not try to change it. They analyze environmental forces and design strategies that will help the com- pany avoid the threats and take advantage of the opportunities the environment provides.
Other companies take a proactive stance toward the marketing environment. “Instead of letting the environment define their strategy,” advises one marketing expert, “craft a strat- egy that defines your environment.” 55 Rather than assuming that strategic options are bounded by the current environment, these firms develop strategies to change the environ- ment. “Business history . . . reveals plenty of cases in which firms’ strategies shape industry structure,” says the expert, “from Ford’s Model T to Nintendo’s Wii.”
Even more, rather than simply watching and reacting to environmental events, these firms take aggressive actions to affect the publics and forces in their marketing environment. Such companies hire lobbyists to influence legislation affecting their industries and stage media events to gain favorable press coverage. They run “advertorials” (ads expressing ed- itorial points of view) to shape public opinion. They press lawsuits and file complaints with regulators to keep competitors in line, and they form contractual agreements to better con- trol their distribution channels.
By taking action, companies can often overcome seemingly uncontrollable environ- mental events. For example, whereas some companies view the seemingly ceaseless online rumor mill as something over which they have no control, others work proactively to pre- vent or counter negative word of mouth. Kraft foods did this when its Oscar Mayer brand fell victim to a potentially damaging e-mail hoax: 56
The bogus e-mail, allegedly penned by a Sgt. Howard C. Wright, claimed that Marines in Iraq had written Oscar Mayer saying how much they liked its hot dogs and re- quested that the company send some to the troops there. According to the e-mail, Os- car Mayer refused, saying that it supported neither the war nor anyone in it. The soldier called on all patriotic Americans to forward the e-mail to friends and boycott Oscar Mayer and its products.
As the e-mail circulated widely, rather than waiting and hoping that consumers would see through the hoax, Kraft responded vigorously with its own e-mails, blog en- tries, and a “Rumor and Hoaxes” Web page. It explained that Kraft and Oscar Mayer do, in fact, strongly support American troops, both in Iraq and at home. It works with the military to ensure that Kraft products are available wherever in the world troops are stationed. On the home front, Kraft explained, Oscar Mayer Weinermobiles visit about half of all major U.S. military bases each year, about 70 total. The offending e-mail turned out to be a nearly verbatim copy of a 2004 chain e-mail circulated against Starbucks, signed by the same fictitious soldier but with “Oscar Mayer” and “hot dog” substituted for “Starbucks” and “coffee.” Kraft’s proactive counter campaign quickly squelched the rumor, and Oscar Mayer remains America’s favorite hot dog.
Marketing management cannot always control environmental forces. In many cases, it must settle for simply watching and reacting to the environment. For example, a com- pany would have little success trying to influence geographic population shifts, the eco- nomic environment, or major cultural values. But whenever possible, smart marketing managers will take a proactive rather than reactive approach to the marketing environment (see Real Marketing 3.2).
Parts
» | Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value 3
» | Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value 11
» | Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value 13
» | Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value 25
» | Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value 29
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 37
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 41
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 43
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 51
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 55
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 57
» | Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships 63
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 65
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 71
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 73
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 77
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 79
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 81
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 85
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 87
» | Analyzing the Marketing Environment 89
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 97
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 99
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 103
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 109
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 111
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 113
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 115
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 127
» | Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights 131
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 133
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 137
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 141
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 143
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 159
» | Consumer Markets and Consumer Buyer Behavior 163
» | Business Markets and Business Buyer Behavior 165
» | Business Markets and Business Buyer Behavior 175
» | Business Markets and Business Buyer Behavior 179
» What is Eaton’s value proposition?
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 189
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 193
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 197
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 203
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 205
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 207
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 209
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 211
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 213
» | Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy: Creating Value for Target Customers 219
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 223
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 225
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 229
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 237
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 245
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 247
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 249
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 251
» | Products, Services, and Brands: Building Customer Value 257
» | New Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 259
» | New Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 271
» | New Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 273
» | New Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 279
» | New Product Development and Product Life-Cycle Strategies 281
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 289
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 291
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 295
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 299
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 305
» | Pricing: Understanding and Capturing Customer Value 307
» | Marketing Channels: Delivering Customer Value 339
» | Marketing Channels: Delivering Customer Value 347
» | Marketing Channels: Delivering Customer Value 351
» | Marketing Channels: Delivering Customer Value 367
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 373
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 377
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 379
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 393
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 395
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 397
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 401
» | Retailing and Wholesaling 405
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 407
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 411
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 413
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 415
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 429
» | Communicating Customer Value: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy 433
» | Advertising and Public Relations 435
» | Advertising and Public Relations 439
» | Advertising and Public Relations 441
» | Advertising and Public Relations 443
» | Advertising and Public Relations 445
» | Advertising and Public Relations 447
» | Advertising and Public Relations 449
» | Advertising and Public Relations 453
» | Personal Selling and Sales Promotion 463
» | Personal Selling and Sales Promotion 469
» | Personal Selling and Sales Promotion 471
» | Personal Selling and Sales Promotion 481
» How is the sales force at Nestlé Waters structured? outsells its top competitors.
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 495
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 499
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 507
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 509
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 515
» | Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships 525
» | Creating Competitive Advantage 527
» | Creating Competitive Advantage 529
» | Creating Competitive Advantage 537
» | Creating Competitive Advantage 549
» | The Global Marketplace 551
» | The Global Marketplace 553
» | The Global Marketplace 561
» | The Global Marketplace 573
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 581
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 583
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 587
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 595
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 603
» | Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics 605
» | Marketing by the Numbers A21
» | Marketing by the Numbers A27
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