In the modern world, marketing plays an incredibly important role in absolutely all spheres of life and activity. Competition in any market is very high, so every entrepreneur has to think about how to present their product so that there is a demand for it. Now you can’t just come up with something, put it on the market and enjoy high sales. It is necessary to fight for the market, and this is not so easy to do. However, it is interesting that most people use vertical marketing, which operates within the same market, one target audience. This article will focus on lateral marketing, which is the complete opposite of vertical marketing. Naturally, we will also talk about the book of one of the most famous marketers in the world, Philip Kotler, who wrote in detail about exactly how a marketing specialist should act if he wants to competently promote a product. Lateral marketing is a great way to promote a product or service, but it requires a high level of creative thinking.
What is this?
The first thing people want to know about is what lateral marketing is. If aTo take this term in general, it can be defined as a system of promotion methods that are aimed at effectively combating competition. In fact, the essence of this approach is thinking outside the box, looking at the problem from a completely different angle, in order to understand exactly how to advertise a product or service in order to differ from competitors. The methods used in this type of marketing, in most cases, are not just unconventional, but even unique. That is why not every marketer is able to simply abandon vertical marketing and move on to lateral marketing. However, if you want to be ahead of the curve and succeed, you have to get out of your comfort zone and put in the effort. Rest assured that lateral marketing is something worth spending your time and energy on.
Origin of the concept
Marketing and advertising are fields that require creative thinking. However, it can also have very different levels, which is why there are different types of marketing. If we talk about lateral marketing, then we should start directly with the term itself. What it is? How did this concept come about? As many are well aware, lateral is a word that has roots in Latin. Latus in Latin means "side" - accordingly, lateral is lateral. But what is the connection with the type of marketing? The fact is that this type of marketing is based on lateral thinking, that is, a non-standard and creative approach. Accordingly, the sphere itself is much more creative.even in a creative industry like marketing.
Classic approach
Of course, the definition of the concept is important, but it will not be enough to understand the full depth of this approach. Marketing and advertising are an integral part of the production of any product or the provision of any service. Without them, no one will know about your activities. Accordingly, the essence of marketing is to promote goods and services to the market so that more people learn about them and, accordingly, more people want to purchase a product or service. Vertical marketing operates on the principle of segmentation - a specific market with a specific target audience is selected for a product, then it is segmented according to a suitable principle, and each segment has its own line of activity. This is a classic approach in marketing - and it is also quite limited, as it sets clear boundaries, limits on where you can do business.
New look
Lateral marketing, in turn, suggests looking at the situation from a different angle: not limiting activity to a specific market, divided into segments, but acting in different directions, involving creative thinking. The purpose of such marketing is to provide a product or service in a new context through an unusual sales method, original communication with the target audience, identifying the demand that cannot be taken into account using a vertical approach.
Kotler's book
Philip Kotler is one of the most famous and successful marketers of our time. His highest achievement is the book "Principles of Marketing", which in the advertising field is considered a real Bible. However, this is far from the only book written by this specialist - another work is more suitable for the topic of this article - “Lateral Marketing: Technology for Searching for Revolutionary Ideas”. It is in this book that this approach to advertising is described in detail - what it is, and most importantly - what is needed to use it. Moreover, even more attention is paid to the second topic - the book talks about creative thinking within marketing, about unconventional approaches and creative views. If you want to be a great marketer, then this book is a must read. Yes, The Fundamentals of Marketing is the bible of the marketer, but times change very quickly, so it's important to keep your finger on the pulse. And Kotler's Lateral Marketing is one of the latest and most relevant books on the subject.
First block
Philip Kotler divided the book into three thematic blocks. Each of them will be described separately in the article. It is also immediately worth noting that this book was written in collaboration with another lesser-known marketer - Fernando Trias de Bes helped Kotler write it, but in many cases he is not even mentioned as a co-author. So, the first block is a kind of introduction, whichtalks about how the modern world has changed and what impact this has on marketing. Within the framework of these observations, the traditional vertical model is presented as ineffective in modern conditions. The author criticizes those marketers who suggest that they continue to use only vertical marketing, wage marketing wars and engage exclusively in positioning.
Second block
The second block introduces lateral marketing to the world - the book is literally filled with "cases", that is, practical examples of various life situations. In this case, these situations belong to the field of marketing and cannot be solved using the traditional approach. However, the author demonstrates how easily they can be solved using an unconventional approach, which he himself calls lateral marketing. Kotler sees lateral marketing not as an independent movement, but as an addition to traditional vertical marketing - a new direction should allow to eliminate all the shortcomings that the vertical approach has in its modern form.
Third block
The third block is the most interesting for professional marketers, as in it Kotler demonstrates exactly how to introduce lateral marketing into modern advertising. It is here that a creative, creative approach is described, as well as its combination with traditional vertical methods of conducting advertising activities.
So how does it work?
How does lateral marketing work? If aWithout delving into all the creative complexities of this approach, we can simply present a few examples of its use, which are extremely simple and understandable for everyone. For example, you can take Red Bull energy drinks - they were the first on the market, but then the emphasis was not yet on the fact that they were energy drinks. They were sold like ordinary drinks, and in a crowded market, the competition was incredibly high - it was impossible to promote a product using standard methods. Therefore, manufacturers decided not to try to conquer the market, which was dominated by giants such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi - they simply created their own new market for energy drinks that restore energy, attracting several types of target audience at once - from those who need to stay up all night, to athletes who need to quickly restore energy. Another example is aspirin from Bayer. As a pain reliever, this product was no different from dozens of others, so the competition was high. Then the company's marketers, armed with scientific research that showed that aspirin can reduce the likelihood of a heart attack, and began to promote their product in a completely different direction.
