The Marketing Mavens

Citation

Podoshen, J. (2010), "The Marketing Mavens", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 87-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363761011012994

We would think by now that with all that has been written about marketing strategy, firms would be experts in the endeavor of marketing practice. Of course, as firms like General Motors, McDonalds, Toys R Us, and Chrysler sink further into the abyss, we can only wonder – what were they thinking? Were they even paying attention? Many now wonder what it is that caused these one‐time indestructible giants to now have to paddle their way back up to sea level.

For starters, I would suggest that those strategists who have not been paying too much attention to what has been written in the discipline pick up The Marketing Mavens by Noel Capon. Capon's clear and succinct text sums up the major findings and ideas of the past two decades regarding the new rules of marketing strategy. Capon's intent is clear from the opening paragraph: “… globalization has turned business on its head. For almost half a century … the overriding factor that dominated the economic scene was scarcity of supply. Companies did not have to be all that good, much less great” (p. 1). Capon clearly warns managers that this 1950s style mentality will cause agonizing death in today's market, where a competitor can strike from virtually anywhere – from the physical world (different countries) to the virtual world (online‐oriented firms). Choice abounds for today's consumer like never before.

This text, written for marketing managers and marketing MBA students, takes the reader through a series of “five imperatives,” that together, form a framework for creating a competitive strategy. These imperatives are exemplified though the use of highly detailed “war stories”, from the experiences of a diverse array of firms like IBM, United Healthcare, and Verizon. These stories do an excellent job of illuminating Capon's bold, yet “right on the money” assertions. For example, the book opens with the story of IBM's turnaround under Gerstner – a prime example of a firm that was stuck in the “old way” of thinking strategically. Capon details Gerstner's customer‐centric strategy to detail the “new market.” In fact Capon, uses example after example, from the beauty and simplicity of ExxonMobile's “speedpass” to L'Oreal's “Marketing Basics” employee training program, to illustrate firm's that “get it.”

It is not all milk and honey, however, as Capon has no problem discussing the nuts and bolts of strategic marketing failures. The author, in clear verse, uses strategic misses, such as those employed by Royal Dutch Shell and Dell, as teaching tools. With thoughtful analysis and insight, Capon gives MBA‐like post‐mortems on where firms went wrong.

What makes this book so valuable is the fact that it is comprehensive. This is not just a text on positioning, or pricing, or process, but rather a work that incorporates all of the major elements of the marketing mix. Capon discusses customer services processes and systems as well as segmentation strategies. He covers corporate culture and also discusses matching markets with core competencies of the firm.

The author takes us through his framework step by step and then provides a wrap‐up for the reader at the end. It is clear that the underlying theme of the text is that the key to marketing excellence is to be customer‐centric. “… the world's leading companies all understand that customers are the firm's core assets. From the metals industry to consumer electronics and computer software, from cosmetics to health care, from business to business to retail, Marketing Mavens in the CEO's office and in the marketing department are focusing their companies on executing the five customer‐focused marketing imperatives.” (p. 255) While we hear from many authors and so‐called “marketing gurus” that the customer is indeed king, Capon ensures that we fully grasp this concept by overwhelming us with actual examples that clearly discuss the “before and after.”

While this book's intended audience is marketing managers and even CEOs, I myself intend to use it in my MBA strategy classes. This is a fun, easy‐to‐read book that packs a lot in to a small amount of pages. Students and readers will enjoy the huge array of examples from firms that know, and those they may not know. I think all marketing mangers should read this book if they want to get an additional edge – especially if they have largely ignored the past 15 years of the marketing strategy literature. In many respects, this book acts a mini‐MBA primer, taking the major thoughts, ideas and research from marketing science and incorporating them into an overwhelmingly clear and powerful framework that really allows the manager to hit the ground running. The liberal use of examples makes this a real page turner and fast read even for those with limited time.