Finding a definition for Marketing

The marketing term means different things to different people. Some people for marketing as a practice manipulative attempt to get people to buy things that do not need. Others see it as part of a global consumer trend that is damaging the environment. Still others think of it as a set of sophisticated intellectual technologies that allow suppliers of goods and services to communicate the value of their product or service to buyers.

Here I offer a definition of marketing and then summarize some of the most prevalent views of marketing.

A definition of marketing: I define marketing as: any activity involved in facilitating the sale of goods or services, excluding (but constantly feeds information back into) the actual production of the goods or providing the service itself.

Three seemingly prevalent views of marketing:

Intrusive Manipulator: Telemarketing, spam, junk mail, browser and pop-ups are all marketing practices, and none of them are all too popular among the general population. For some people, marketing is simply a set of ethically questionable practices that deal to get people's attention at any cost and in every way possible. They see marketing as essentially a distraction from their lives and something to avoid.

Instrument of global consumerism: A growing number of people around the world have for the last decades are resistant to the global trend towards consumerism. With billions of dollars on products that flow across national borders each week, consumerism is seen as a threat to the environment and traditional ways of life. For some of these people, marketing is seen as only an increasingly sophisticated global consumer trend, pushing products that are useless or even harmful to the environment.

Communicator Value: Yet another view of marketing (often held by entrepreneurs themselves or marketing) is one of a series of sophisticated tools and methods to communicate the value of a product or service to prospective buyers. This view argues that marketing is doing a service to society because it is to bridge the communication gap between buyer and seller, making the buyer aware of goods or services that could give value to him or her.

I think there are elements of truth in all these points of view of marketing. I think it is undeniable that the practices and marketing tactics are becoming more and more sophisticated than ever. The increasing sophistication of marketing can be both surprising to observe and, at the same time I feel a bit 'menacing on a personal level. Its pervasiveness raises questions as: who has influence on my thoughts? He is manipulated on a daily basis from people who either know me?

Yet, in the end I think how marketing is practiced and how it affects society as a whole is determined by the marketing practices of individual rather than something inherently wrong with the marketing itself. Marketing is here to stay and indeed I think that plays a very valuable service, time as it is ethical. It is up to us as sellers, traders and buyers continue to improve marketing practices and pay attention to its effects on society and the environment .......