Today, marketing has become ubiquitous, no production or service sector can do without promotion. The history of marketing is rooted in antiquity. Consider the main stages of the emergence and development of marketing, its evolution and current state.
Marketing concept
To consider the history of marketing is impossible without the definition of this concept. In a literal translation, the term means market activity, work with the market. But in the course of using this word it acquires additional meanings. Today, marketing is understood as the activity to satisfy the needs of people through the production of goods and services, this is a management process for organizing a mutually beneficial exchange between a consumer and a manufacturer. Since marketing is an integral component of market activity, its appearance dates back to very old times.
The early stages of marketing history
The first rudiments of marketing activity arose when a person learned to produce as many goods as he could not consume. Surplus goods had to be sold somehow, and then the first signs of marketing appeared. This happened already in ancient Egypt, there are examples of advertising messages on clay tablets. Already in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, merchants began to focus on consumer demand, advertising and public relations appeared. With the advent of industrial production, marketing methods for products are becoming more complicated. For the first time in the history of the formation of marketing in Japan in the 17th century, a universal store appears, working strictly in accordance with the demand for goods. It provided guarantees for the goods, used the beginning of merchandising. However, all these were the individual achievements of individual sellers, there was no meaningful system for using these techniques, everything was applied at the level of intuition.
Russian experience
There is a history of marketing in Russia. Back in the 18th century, domestic merchants understood that it was necessary to form a pool of regular, loyal customers. And they established close, trusting relationships with their consumers, selling only high-quality goods, giving guarantees, selling goods “with a hike”, that is, with a small weight, giving small souvenirs for the purchase, conducted product tastings. The history of advertising in Russia of this period is also interesting: merchants competed in the art of decorating signboards and display cases, used touts, which in original form invited buyers to the store.
The emergence of marketing
In the 19th century, the prerequisites for the emergence of system marketing were formed. The reasons for its appearance were the saturation of the market for goods, the concentration of commercial and industrial capital, the development of continuous, mass production, unorganized competition, state regulation of markets, monopolies. All this led to a critical situation, which was the beginning of the history of marketing. Theorists begin to comprehend the current situation, to offer their own options for overcoming it. In 1901, the discipline of "marketing" was first introduced at US universities. In 1908, the first marketing research laboratory was opened. Theorists formulate marketing concepts that later add up to the evolution of this phenomenon.
Production concept
The first concept in the history of marketing is traditionally called production. It develops and dominates the markets from 1860 to 1920. Its basic position is the requirement to improve production in order to increase productivity and reduce production costs. It is believed that the market can consume any quantity of goods at affordable prices. During this period, the markets are not yet crowded with goods, and it is enough to set affordable prices so that people begin to buy more. But by the beginning of the 30s, it became clear that the purchasing power of people is not endless, and it’s not enough just to produce a product, you need to think about how to sell it.
Commodity concept
In the early 1920s, the following concept appears in the history of marketing. It is designed to solve the problem of overproduction of goods, and the way out is seen in the improvement of the goods. It is assumed that consumers will buy goods of better quality, therefore manufacturers are putting all their efforts into improving their products and improving the functionality of the product. Moreover, all improvements are related to the manufacturer’s vision, the interests of the consumer are not taken into account in any way when introducing innovations. Manufacturers are focusing their efforts on creating an “ideal product”, on introducing new technologies. However, it quickly became clear that such an approach could not force people to buy endlessly. At a certain stage, this approach paid off, but it quickly exhausted its capabilities.
Sales concept
At the beginning of the 1930s, a wave of overproduction swept the markets of developed countries, so the idea of intensifying sales efforts arises. There is an idea that the consumer needs to tell about the product many times in different forms, push it to purchase. So begins the story of the marketing mix.
Manufacturers understand that one promotion tool is no longer enough, and comprehensive communication programs are needed. This approach leads to the fact that an avalanche of advertising, annoying, aggressive, offering him unnecessary goods, falls on the consumer, which repels him from the purchase. This leads to a negative reaction of consumers, to the rejection of repeat purchases and, as a result, to a decrease in sales.
Consumer concept
At the next stage of marketing development, an approach arises related to the needs and requirements of the consumer. This concept is also called traditional marketing. Because the main goal is declared in it - satisfying the needs of the consumer, through the release of goods that meet the needs of the consumer. The manufacturer, before launching the release of goods, now conducts research on the consumer, his interests and needs. Now it’s not just what the company can and wants to produce, but what the consumer wants and can buy. The necessity of establishing long-term relationships with consumers, the formation of consumer loyalty is recognized. The goal of the manufacturer is now customer satisfaction.
Social and Ethical Marketing
In the 1980s, the concept of traditional marketing began to be linked to the demands of society. The product should now not only meet the needs of the individual, but also comply with ethical, environmental standards. In this concept, the main marketing mix becomes a complex marketing mix. The manufacturer is now obliged not only to study the consumer, but also to take into account the conditions of resource conservation, environmental protection. A modern consumer will buy a product that fully satisfies his needs, and also meets all safety requirements and contributes to the well-being of society as a whole.
Interaction marketing
In the 1980s, a new concept appeared, aimed at establishing relationships with the consumer. Its appearance is due to the fact that not goods, but services come to the fore. Also a prerequisite for the emergence of this concept was the global expansion of the service market. The manufacturer must now build a customer service program, service becomes tools in the fight against competitors. Products have already reached their peak of quality, it is difficult to improve them much, so attention is shifted to communication with the consumer, the brand is growing in importance. The spread of this concept is facilitated by the advent of internet marketing. The history and development of marketing are moving to a new level, as communications with the consumer are now becoming closer, interactive, effective. With the penetration of the Internet in sales, new platforms for contacting consumers appear, the regional borders of markets are erased, all this leads to improved marketing communications.
The modern stage in the development of marketing
Today, the dominant concept around the world is interaction marketing. But the peculiarity of the current state of marketing is that several progressive concepts coexist at the same time. Today, manufacturers use not only interaction marketing, but also integrated, strategic, innovative, modeling marketing.