Core Concepts of Marketing

6 CHAPTER 1 INTRODLCINGMARKETING

NEWSLINE: PICTUREYOURMISSION

ArtistLindaArmantrout,ownerofArmantroutGraphicDesignand

Illustration,workswithbusinessestohelpthempicturetheirgoals-

literally-througha "pictorialmissionstatement."

Asop;:JOsedtothetypicalwrittenmissionstatementthatishanded

downtoemployeesfrommanagement.Armantroutcreatesabright

watercolorpictureofthestatement,afterreceivinginputfromboth

employeesandmanagers,Thefinalresultisusuallya collageofsorts

thatdepictswhatisimportant tothes t affandthebusiness-suchas

clients,products,services,andethics.

ThemissionstatementpicturethatArmantroutdesignsisframed

andhungatthecompanytoremindemployeesoftheirgoals.ThepiC-

torialstatementsalsocanbeputoncoffeemugs,jackets,anddesk-

topposters,orturnedintoscreensavers.

OneofArmantrout'sclients,BancOne LeasingCorporation,came

upwitha colorful imageofa globesurroundedbyimagesrepresent-

ingitsclientsandservices.Drawingsofairplanesandbusesrepre-

sentwhatthecompanyleasesandthegloberepresentsitsnational

presence.

Sources:KatieFord."Picture YourGoalsInColor,"TheDenverBusinessJour-

nal,March 1 7-18, 1999 ,pp.33A, 35A.ShirleenHolt,"MissionPossible, "Busi-

nessWeek,August16.1999,p.F-12.TeriLammers, ''TheEffectiveand

IndispensableMissionStatement,"Inc.,August.1999,p. 75.

JustificationforStudy

Thistaskofdeterminingtheappropriatenessofmarketingfora particularbusinessorinsti-

tutionservesasa majorjustificationforlearningaboutmarketing.Althoughmarketinghas

clearlycomeofageduringthedecadesofthe 19 70,1980s,and1990s,thereis stillagr~at

dealofmisunderstandingaboutthemeaningandusefulnessofmarketing. Formostofthe

globalpublic,marketingis stillequatedwithadvertisingandpersonalselling. Whilemar-

ketingis bothofthose,itisalsomuchmore.

Thebusinesscommunitycanattriouteapartialexplanatior.~orthisgenerallackofunder-

standingaboutmarketingtotheunevenacceptanceandadoptionofmarketing.Somebusi-

nessesstillexistinthedarkageswhenmarketingwasdefinedas" thesalesdepartmentwill

sellwhateverthepiantproduces." Othershaveadvanced abitfurther, inthattheyhavea

marketingofficer andengageinmarketresearch,productdevelopment,promotionandhave

a longlistofmarketingactivities.Moreandmore businessesfirmlybelievethattheaimof

marketingis to makesellingsuperfluous,meaningthatthemarketerknowsandunderstands

thecustomersowellthattheproductorserviceisalreadywhat'swantedandsellsitself.

Thisdoesnotmeanthatmarketeisignoretheengineeringandproductionoftheproductor

theimportanceof;Jfofits.It doessuggest,however,thatattentiontocustomers-whothey

areandwhotheyaregoingtobe-isseento beinthebest10ng-tenn interestofthecom-

pany.Asa studentimerestedinbusiness,itisbeneficialforyoutohaveanaccurateandcom-

pletecomprehensionoftherolemarketingcanandshouldplayintoday's businessworld.

Therearealsoseveral secondaryreasonstostudymarketing.Onewehavealready

alluded toinourdiscussionondefinitions:Theapplicationofmarketingtomorenonprofit