Let's learn about Marketing 4.0! What is the point of Kotler's 5A theory?

Philip Kotler

is known as the “father of modern marketing.”

The title of his latest book is “Marketing 4.0”.

“Marketing 4.0” is generally referred to as “marketing for self-actualization.”

We will explain how “desire for self-actualization” is related to marketing, touch on the 5A theory proposed by Professor Kotler, and explain it from a BtoB marketing perspective.

What is Marketing 4.0?

Although it is called “4.0,” in the marketing world, there used to be “1.0,” “2.0,” and “3.0.”

The steps are explained below.

・Marketing 1.0 “product-oriented”

This is a marketing method used until the 1970s.

The product or service creator takes the lead in product development.

In other words, the basis is not what the customer wants, but what the manufacturer thinks and proposes.

Marketing was based on extensive advertising of new features, novel shapes, superior performance, etc.

・Marketing 2.0 “consumer-oriented”

Since the 1970s, it has been a marketing method known as “customer-oriented” that captures what customers want and turns it into a product.

In the past, marketing was only done from the manufacturer’s perspective, but marketing is now done from the consumer’s perspective, which is the complete opposite.

It became important to be able to understand customer needs.

・Marketing 3.0 “value-driven”

It is a marketing method that emphasizes “value” that has spread since around 2010.

Most products and services are not commoditized, and the selection criteria for consumers is ambiguous.

Therefore, the value of “Can we contribute to society” and “Can we make society better?” is questioned, and marketing methods are aimed at that perspective.

・Marketing 4.0 “Self-actualization”

It is a marketing method that focuses on the self-fulfillment of customers, which is currently becoming mainstream in Europe and America.

Psychologist Maslow classified human needs into seven categories, and it is said that he focused on the fifth of these, the “self-actualization need.”

It is a marketing method that aims to help customers discover and achieve who they want to be and who they want to be through products and services.

Is Marketing 4.0 possible in BtoB?

Is it possible to achieve “self-actualization marketing” as advocated by Marketing 4.0 in the BtoB field, where the customer is a company?

“Self-actualization needs” are positioned at the top of Maslow’s five-level hierarchy.

“The desire to become who you should be and what you can become” can be said to be a desire unique to humans, but it does not seem to apply to companies.

However, it is not uncommon for companies to set forth their own visions of what they want their future to be.

It is also possible to devise

a marketing strategy

in which the company’s own future prospects can be fulfilled by acquiring the company’s products and services.

In addition, in the case of B2B companies, the customer is the company, but if you look at it step by step, many different people will be involved in decision-making.

Even if the involvement is minimal, it will involve the contact person and the decision maker who makes the purchasing decision.

Even if you belong to a company, your personality as an individual will naturally come out.

In particular, the person in charge is the first contact person.

Marketing begins when a single person in charge becomes aware of a product or service.

Even in the BtoB field, Marketing 4.0 is possible as long as individuals are involved in the process.

What is the point of Kotler’s 5A theory?

Originally, in marketing, there is a way of thinking called the “customer journey,” which is used to understand the process from the customer’s perspective until the customer purchases a product or service.

Previously, the following flow was the mainstream as “4A”.

In Marketing 4.0, Mr. Kotler is developing the “5A theory” by adding an A.

The point of this 5A theory is that the end goal of marketing has changed.

The end goal has changed, which means the customer journey has been lengthened.

Up until now, it was just a customer’s “action” of deciding to purchase a product or service, and it would just repeat itself.

However, “recommendation,” or the act of recommending a product or service to someone else, has been added.

It can be said that the ultimate goal of marketing has changed, precisely because we are living in a digital society with the evolution of IT technology and the development of SNS.

There are also changes in the content of the 5A theory.

“Investigation” involves taking action on your own to find out about products and services.

The marketing goal is “recommendation.” It can be said that it is assumed that it will catch recommendations from others such as word of mouth and user ratings.

Until now, the customer journey has been a straight line starting from the customer, but it is expected that each journey will become interconnected and become more complex.

The key to understanding Marketing 4.0 is its context.

It is necessary to take into account the historical background in which Marketing 4.0 was proposed, namely the fact that the digital native generation is occupying the center of the customer base, and that they will create various cultures and influence society in the future.

In his book, Mr. Kotler describes Marketing 4.0 as “a marketing approach that integrates online and offline interactions between companies and customers.”

With the development of SNS, we live in an era where information is transmitted from the customer side, so seamless interaction between online and offline is necessary, and marketing that is in tune with diverse values ​​is required.

summary

◆Marketing 4.0 is a marketing method that focuses on discovering and realizing who you want to be through products and services.

◆Marketing 4.0, which is “marketing for self-actualization”, can be applied even in BtoB.

◆The key point of the 5A theory is that the ultimate purpose of the customer journey is not to purchase a product or service, but to “recommend” it to others.