Marketing Chapter 3: Analyzing the Marketing Environment

Marketing environment

outside forces affecting the ability to build relationships with target customers.

Microenvironment

actors (company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, competitors, publics, customers) close to the company

Macroenvironment

larger societal factors (demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, cultural) that affect the microenvironment

Company

internal departments share responsibility for customer value.

Suppliers

shortages, delays, strikes, disasters, and input prices all hit marketing (IKEA builds close supplier ties).

Marketing intermediaries

resellers, physical distribution firms, marketing services agencies, financial intermediaries.

Competitors

position strongly against them; no single strategy fits all; consider size and industry position.

Publics

any group with an actual or potential interest in or impact on the organization. Financial, media, government, citizen-action, local, general, internal.

types of customer markets

consumer, business, reseller, government, international.

Demographic

age and family structures, geographic shifts, education, diversity.

Baby Boomers (1946-64)

wealthy, fastest-growing online shoppers.

Gen X (1965-80)

less materialistic, skeptical, research heavily.

Millennials (1981-97)

tech-comfortable, value authenticity, shape their own brand relationships.

Gen Z (1997-2016)

digital natives, influence family spending.

Economic

purchasing power and spending patterns; shift to "back to basics" and value marketing.

Natural

raw material shortages, pollution, more government intervention, sustainability concerns.

Technological

creates new markets (e.g., RFID tracking; Disney MagicBand for payments, skipping lines, personalization).

Political

laws, agencies, pressure groups. Laws protect companies from each other, consumers from unfair practices, and society from unrestrained business.

Cultural

(not detailed on slides) society's values, perceptions, and behaviors.

Children's Television Act (1990)

a U.S. federal law enacted to increase educational and informational programming for young viewers and to limit commercial advertising during children’s television broadcasts

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (1990)

detailed nutrition labels.

Telephone Consumer Protection Act (1991)

avoid unwanted telephone solicitation, requires prior written consent, opt-out rights, etc.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1991)

bans disability discrimination

COPPA (2000)

no online data collection from children without parental consent.

Do-Not-Call Implementation Act (2003)

funds the Do-Not-Call Registry.

CAN-SPAM Act (2003)

regulates unsolicited commercial email.

Financial Reform Law (2010)

created the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

Responding to the environment

Reactive firms passively adapt. Proactive firms take action to change it (Apple iPod/iPad, Google search, Amazon marketplace).