traditional marketing mix

Jackie Huba and Ben McConnell asked me to share the "marketing mix" for method in my recent interview with them.  And I've been in the throws of 2009 marketing planning lately.  So, I've had "marketing mix" on the mind, which always makes me think of a mixing bowl for some reason.

I've worked with large traditional brands and small challenger brands, and I started thinking about marketing planning for each.  I played around with cooking as a metaphor, and this cartoon idea popped out.

In traditional marketing planning, I think far too often there's a product that isn't that differentiated but that you try to save with heavy media spending.  With so much advertising clutter, media spending is becoming less and less effective.  So, it's harder and harder to save a mediocre product and lackluster ideas just with media spending alone.

The answer isn't too add more dough, of course.  It's to start with something worth sharing and not to skimp on the yeast.  I think that brands that have a remarkable product and a remarkable message get shared no matter what they're spending.

Comments

[Success Professor]

Excellent. It is vital that the focus is on the product. Having an excellent product, is what allows the rest of the marketing mix to come together.

[Jon Moss]

Remarkable product first :-)

Just like your bread Tom!

[jcohen]

You could also add some "new media/website" marketing to the mix and still get the same poor results.

Joel Cohen
www.RestaurantMarketing.com

[Catherine Resek]

I couldn't agree more! A very good product is what actually motivates repetition. It is the foundation for everything else...

[Ron]

Great insight.

Someone really needs to forward this to all our friends at Microsoft ... :O

[patzarella]

I post a link into my bloh and take your cartoon. I love it! Thank's !! lp