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Definition

Marketing is a specific type of human activity aimed at satisfying human needs and wants through exchange. Its socio-economic foundations are connected with studying consumer needs, creating goods and services, and organizing their movement to the market.

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Basic Concepts of Marketing

Marketing ≠ sales or advertising.

According to Kotler: marketing is a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants

through exchange.

Core categories of marketing:

Need – a state of felt deprivation (food, clothing, safety, recognition).

Want – a need shaped by culture and personality.

Demand – wants backed by purchasing power.

Product – anything that can satisfy a need (goods, services, ideas, places, people).

Exchange – obtaining something desired by offering something in return.

Transaction – a commercial exchange of values between parties.

Market – the set of existing and potential buyers.

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Social Foundations of Marketing

Needs are divided into:

Physiological: food, clothing, warmth, safety.

Social: belonging, recognition, influence.

Personal: self-expression, knowledge, creativity.

Needs are limitless, but resources are limited.

Demands reflect real purchasing ability.

A product in marketing is broader than just a physical item: it may be a

service, a person, an organization, a place, or even an idea.

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Marketing Concepts

Production concept – consumers prefer affordable and widely available goods.
Relevant in cases of scarcity or high production costs.
Product concept – consumers choose the best quality; firms focus on improvement, but risk marketing myopia.
Selling concept – consumers will not buy unless stimulated; aggressive promotion and sales pressure dominate.
Marketing concept – modern approach: identify and satisfy consumer needs in target markets; consumer orientation comes first.
Societal marketing concept – a balance between company profit, consumer satisfaction, and social well-being.

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Goals of Marketing Activities

Achieve maximum consumption – higher production, employment, and welfare.
Achieve maximum consumer satisfaction – focus on quality and long-term relationships.
Provide the widest possible choice – diversity of goods to match different tastes and needs.
Improve quality of life – affordability, variety, ecological responsibility, cultural environment.
Marketing is seen not only as a business tool but also as a factor in societal development.

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Spread of Marketing

In business: consumer goods, services, banks, insurance, IT companies.

On the international arena: global corporations using marketing to compete worldwide.

In the non-profit sector: universities, hospitals, museums, and NGOs applying marketing to promote social ideas (healthcare, anti-smoking, energy-saving campaigns).

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Demand and Supply

Demand – the quantity of goods and services consumers are willing and able to buy at a certain price.

Supply – the quantity of goods and services producers are ready to offer at a certain price.

Market equilibrium is reached at the intersection of demand and supply.

Surplus → price decreases; shortage → price increases.
Marketing plays a role in balancing supply and demand.

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Functions of Marketing

Analytical – studying consumers, market trends, competitors.

Production – developing and producing competitive goods.

Sales (distribution) – forming demand, sales stimulation, advertising, logistics.

Managerial – strategic planning, communication, control, monitoring.

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Conclusion

Marketing is not just advertising or sales but a comprehensive system of market interaction.
Its mission: balance company profit – consumer satisfaction – societal development.
Marketing today is applied universally: in business, international trade, culture, education, and healthcare.

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