Marketing
Related: the culture industry - advertising - nobrow - economics
Through advertising, marketing is also related to many of the creative arts.
Nobrow: The Culture of Marketing, The Marketing of Culture (2000) - John Seabrook
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Definition
Marketing is the craft of linking the producers (or potential producers) of a product or service with customers, both existing and potential. It is an inevitable and necessary consequence of capitalism. However marketing is not limited to capitalist countries. Marketing techniques are applied in all political systems, and in many aspects of life.Marketing methods are informed by many of the social sciences, particularly psychology, sociology, and economics. Marketing research underpins these activities. Through advertising, it is also related to many of the creative arts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing [2004]
Criticisms of marketing
Marketing has many legitimate uses including discovering what products people want, informing people about valuable products and services, and generating revenue for charitable organizations. On the other hand however, its techniques have often been used for morally dubious purposes by businesses, governments, and criminals.
Many people feel that marketing, like any other technology, is essentially amoral : it can be used for good or evil, but the technique itself is not ameniable to ethical analysis. But there are many critics of modern marketing and management techniques that see a systemic social evil inherent in the discipline (see No Logo or Marxism). Marketing is accused of creating ruthless exploitation of both consumers and workers. It is claimed that it turns people into commodities, objects whose purpose is to consume (see consumer). --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticisms_of_marketing
Books
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The Power of Cult Branding (2003) - Matthew W. Ragas (Author), BJ Bueno (Author)
[Amazon US]
Like religious cults that can attract thousands of devoted disciples, is it possible for company brands to build legions of loyal followers? In a marketer's dream come true, can certain products—with the right combination of positioning and branding—take on magnetic characteristics and galvanize die-hard customers who become walking, talking viral marketers? Can your company harness the power of cult branding without blowing a fortune on advertising?
According to authors Matthew W. Ragas and Bolivar J. Bueno the answer is yes. In fact, you need not look much farther than a Harley-Davidson rally, a Star Trek convention, or a Jimmy Buffett concert to see the cult branding phenomenon at work: thousands of passionate, faithful fans spreading the good word and spending lots of money. Not all brands have the dash of edginess, the devoted fan base, or the niche positioning to be cult brands. But those that do tend to share similar characteristics that make them successful, what the authors call the Seven Golden Rules of Cult Branding. Through meticulous research and scores of interviews Ragas and Bueno have uncovered the remarkable and oft-untold stories behind nine very successful cult brands:
·Star Trek ·Harley-Davidson ·Oprah Winfrey ·World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly WWF) ·Apple ·Volkswagen Beetle ·Jimmy Buffett ·Vans Shoes ·Linux
These nine brands follow the Seven Golden Rules and have millions of fans and billions of dollars in revenue to show for it. Now you can learn first hand what these special brands did to set themselves apart and how to apply the Seven Golden Rules to your own marketing strategies. Written for advertisers, marketers, sales executives, and business owners who want to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace, The Power of Cult Branding is the ultimate guide to creating a loyal core of repeat customers and winning the positioning battle. --amazon.com
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