Today, marketing has become ubiquitous, no production or service sector can do without promotion. The history of marketing goes back to ancient times. Consider the main stages of the emergence and development of marketing, its evolution and current state.
Marketing concept
It is impossible to consider the history of marketing without a definition of this concept. Literally translated, 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 an activity to meet the needs of people through the production of goods and services, it is a management process for organizing a mutually beneficial exchange between a consumer and a producer. Since marketing is an integral component of market activity, its appearance dates back to very old times.
Early stages of marketing history
The first beginnings of marketing activity arose when a person learned to produce as many goods ascould not consume. Surplus goods had to be sold somehow, and then the first signs of marketing appear. This happened already in the times of Ancient Egypt, there are examples of advertising messages on clay tablets. Already in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, merchants begin to focus on consumer demand, advertising and public relations appear. With the advent of industrial production, the methods of marketing products become more complicated. For the first time in the history of marketing in Japan, a general store appeared in the 17th century, operating strictly in accordance with the demand for goods. It provided guarantees for the goods, used the beginnings of merchandising. However, all these were single 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 too. As far back as 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 a purchase, and conducted product tastings. The history of advertising in Russia of this period is also interesting: merchants competed in the art of designing signboards and shop windows, using touts, which in an original form invited customers to the store.
The Emergence of Marketing
In the 19th century, the preconditions for the emergencesystem marketing. The reasons for its appearance were the saturation of the market with goods, the concentration of commercial and industrial capital, the development of in-line, mass production, unorganized competition, state regulation of markets, monopolies. All this led to a critical situation, which became the beginning of the history of marketing. Theorists are beginning to comprehend the current situation, to offer their own options for getting out of it. In 1901, the discipline "marketing" was introduced for the first time at US universities. In 1908, the first research laboratory dealing with marketing problems was opened. Theorists formulate the concepts of marketing, which 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 reasonable prices. During this period, the markets are not yet crowded with goods, and it is enough to set affordable prices for people to start buying more. But by the beginning of the 1930s, it became clear that the purchasing power of people is not infinite, and it is not enough just to produce a product, you need to think about how to sell it.
Product concept
In the early 1920s, the following concept appears in the history of marketing. It is designed to solvethe problem of overproduction of goods, and the way out is seen in the improvement of goods. It is assumed that consumers will buy a product of the best quality, so manufacturers devote all their efforts to improving their products, to increasing the functionality of the product. At the same time, all improvements are connected with the vision of the manufacturer, the interests of the consumer are in no way taken into account when introducing innovations. Manufacturers are focusing their efforts on creating the "ideal product", on the introduction of new technologies. However, it quickly became clear that even this approach cannot force people to buy endlessly. At a certain stage, this approach bore fruit, but it quickly exhausted its possibilities.
Sales concept
At the beginning of the 1930s, the markets of developed countries were swept by a wave of overproduction, so the idea of intensifying marketing efforts arose. There is an idea that the consumer needs to tell about the product many times in different forms, to push him to buy. Thus begins the history of the marketing mix.
Manufacturers understand that one promotion tool is no longer enough, and complex communication programs are needed. This approach leads to the fact that an avalanche of advertising falls on the consumer, annoying, aggressive, offering him an unnecessary product, which repels him from buying. This leads to a negative consumer reaction, to a refusal to repeat purchases and, as a result, to a decrease in sales.
Consumer concept
OnThe next stage in the development of marketing is an approach related to the needs and requirements of the consumer. This concept is also called traditional marketing. Because it declares the main goal - meeting the needs of the consumer, by releasing a product that meets 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 is not what the company can and wants to produce, but what the consumer wants and can buy. The need to establish long-term relationships with the consumer, the formation of consumer loy alty is recognized. The goal of the manufacturer is now customer satisfaction.
Socio-ethical marketing
In the 1980s, the concept of traditional marketing began to be linked to the demands of society. The product now must not only meet the needs of an individual, but also comply with ethical and environmental standards. In this concept, the marketing mix complex becomes the main promotion tool. The manufacturer is now obliged not only to study the consumer, but also to take into account the conditions for saving resources and protecting the environment. The 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 emerged toestablishing relationships with the consumer. Its appearance is due to the fact that it is not the product that comes to the fore, but the service. Also, a prerequisite for the emergence of this concept was the global expansion of the service market. The manufacturer now has to build a customer service program, the service becomes a tool in the fight against competitors. Products have already reached their peak quality, it is difficult to improve them much, so attention is shifted to communication with the consumer, the importance of the brand increases. The spread of this concept is facilitated by the emergence of Internet marketing. The history and development of marketing are moving to a new level, as communications with the consumer are now becoming closer, more interactive, and more effective. With the penetration of the Internet into sales, new platforms for contact with the consumer appear, the regional boundaries of markets are erased, all this leads to an improvement in marketing communications.
The current stage in the development of marketing
Interaction marketing is the dominant concept around the world today. But the peculiarity of the current state of marketing is that several progressive concepts coexist at the same time. Today, manufacturers are using not only interaction marketing, but also integrated, strategic, innovative, modeling marketing.
