Perreault−McCarthy: Basic
Marketing: A
Global−Managerial
Approach, 14/e- Developing Innovative
Marketing Plans
Text © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2002610 Chapter 21
marketing mix. (3) The other dimensions of the marketing environment may be
changing—which may require more changes in marketing mixes. These points
warrant further consideration.Even if you don’t or can’t know all you would like to about a potential target
market, you usually know enough to decide whether the product is a consumer prod-
uct or a business product and which product class is most relevant (Exhibit 9-3
summarizes the consumer product classes, and Exhibit 9-4 summarizes the business
product classes).
Identifying the proper product class helps because it suggests how a typical prod-
uct should be distributed and promoted. So if you don’t know as much as you’d like
about potential customers’ needs and attitudes, at least knowing how theywould view
the company’s product can give you a head start on developing a marketing mix. A
convenience product, for example, usually needs more intensive distribution, and the
producer usually takes on more responsibility for promotion. A specialty product
needs a clear brand identity—which may require a more extensive positioning effort.
A new unsought product, like Maytag’s front-load Neptune washing machine, will
need a mix that leads customers through the adoption process.
It’s reassuring to see that product classes do summarize some of what you would
like to know about target markets and what marketing mixes are relevant. After all,
knowing what others have done in similar situations can serve as a guide to get
started. From that base you may see a better way to meet needs that is nottypical
and that provides a competitive advantage.The typical marketing mix for a given product class is not necessarily right for
all situations. To the contrary, some marketing mixes are profitable because they
depart from the typical—to satisfy some target markets better.
A marketing manager may have to develop a mix that is nottypical because of
various market realities—including special characteristics of the product or target
market, the competitive environment, and each firm’s capabilities and limitations.
In fact, it is often through differentiation of the firm’s product and/or other ele-
ments of the marketing mix that the marketing manager can offer target customers
unique value.Product classes
suggest typical
marketing mixes
Treif’s marketing mix, targeted at
firms that process meat, includes
this ad for its high-quality slicing
equipment, which uses the brand
name Zebra-CE. The brand name
and the picture of zebras with
thick and thin stripes are
intended to highlight the thick
and thin cutting technology of the
equipment but a potential
customer might miss the point
and instead be distracted with
thoughts of sliced zebra meat.
Typical is not
necessarily right