Book Review # 13: Marketing 3.0

Marketing 3.0

“Marketers should target consumers’ minds and spirits simultaneously 

to touch their hearts.” – Philip Kotler 

I just realized that I haven’t done a review on Marketing 3.0, a

impeccable work from the legendary Philip Kotler (with Hermawan Kartajaya

and Iwan Setiawan) . This book, of course, was one of the bestselling

marketing books of our time. I have read it twice already. 

Please do not be mistaken, this is not the best marketing book

ever printed. However, I do believe everyone that have career in marketing or even remotely connected to marketing should have this book on their bookshelf.  Going in to a discussion today without knowledge of Marketing 3.0 is like going to a gym without sneakers. 

In the nut shell, we are entering into the new era of marketing. According to Kotler, our world have seen marketing 1.0 as product based, 2.0 as customer-based and of course we are now in the era marketing 3.0, the value driven marketing.  The traditional way of so called marketing has lost its touch. Change is inevitable. The big question here is “change to what?“

Since the start of the new millennium, consumers have been

bombarded with information. We literally see and/or hear thousands of

commercial a day. Whether it came in form of traditional TV, radio,

billboard, POP, online media etc., it might come directly or indirectly literally too much to care. The point is all of controlled media has losses effectiveness. Word-of-mouth

becomes robust advertising medium.      

The theory of marketing 3.0 has presented fresh new

perspective where the real focus on marketing activity is at the human

spirit. The tools of marketing 3.0 are focusing on trying to be part of consumer’s life by not just to make it better but also to make it more meaningful.  It is about changing the way consumers do things in their lives. In other words, the future of marketing lies on value

management.Consumers are human beings which combined with mind heart and spirit. Therefore, the value proposition will have to cover functional, emotional and spiritual benefits. There is no place for inauthentic brands to stand in market

anymore. 

Only brands with honesty, originality and authenticity will

survive and grow. As you know, consumers actually own the brand not the

company.  

There is also the point of rising of the creative class people

which are now more and more important to the evolvement of the society.

Steve Jobs is definitely one of a very good example of Creative Class

people.  The community, tribes and group will play an important role in

developing any kind of marketing effort. 

Companies will have to strive to create the “character” in

consumers’ mind. Only those who can do will thrive.  

The book also talked about co-creation with other stake holders as well. 

Surprisingly some of the issues Kotler mentioned in this book is something

Chinese people or the Eastern world has been practicing for centuries such as the

philosophy about gratitude with long established suppliers (in this book

they used the term co-creation but the meaning is pretty much the

same.)         

I would like to list the important point Kotler stress on chapter 10 about

10 credo of marketing 3.0

1.       Love your customers , respect your competitors

2.       Be sensitive to change, be ready to transform

3.       Guard your name, be clear about who you are 

4.       Customers are diverse,; go first to those who be benefit most from

you

5.       Always offer a good package at a fair price

6.       Always make yourself available, spread the good news. 

7.       Get your customers, keep and grow then

8.       Whatever your business, it is a service business

9.       Always refine your business process in terms of quality, cost and

delivery 

10.     Gather relevant information but use wisdom in making your final

decision. 

I think all of them are very useful and I also do like no.8 in particular.

In summary, this book is a talked about a cutting edge marketing angle. If you haven’t read it yet, you should definitely do it immediately. 

My take : 9/10

Cheers

Tab