Learning activity 1.1: What is marketing?

About the course: Introduction to marketing

Marketing concept surrounded by related terms

In this course, you will learn the fundamental concepts of marketing goods, services, and events, describe the process by which goods and services are exchanged, and explain how marketing influences consumers and competition. You will explore and examine diverse trends, issues, global changes, and the impact of information technology and social media on consumer buying habits. You will be able to explore marketing strategies and tools such as market research, and, in the end, develop a marketing plan for a product of your choice. In the second half of the course, you will be able to explore marketing strategies used by organizations in the not-for-profit sector and compare the factors that influence marketing methods and activities around the globe. Finally, you will examine different pathways in the field of marketing and practice developing and presenting your own marketing plan. Ready? Let's get started!

Marketing philosophy

Explore this!

Do you know who Steve Jobs is? Jobs was the CEO and one of the founders of Apple, and launched the revolutionary iPod and iPhone. Review the following video about Steve Jobs discussing marketing philosophy that works, then answer the questions that follow based on the information in the video.

Throughout this course you will be prompted to share your thinking and deepen your learning by participating in class and group discussions. This is a great way to develop and practice skills like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

Join the discussion

After reviewing the Steve Jobs video, post your response to the following questions by creating a thread in the discussion board.

What do you think marketing is all about?
What examples does Steve Jobs give about “the Greats of the Greats”?

Since this is the first discussion post of the course, it is very important that you review the following tips for online discussion. Be mindful of appropriate online discussion etiquette and be respectful of your online classroom community when posting or replying.

Press the Tips for Online Discussion button to know more.

Join in - Discussions are shared learning spaces. It’s true that the more you participate, the more you will gain in your own learning journey. Invite others to join in by expressing yourself in a comfortable and conversational manner. Consider how you will extend the thinking and learning of others. How will your contribution build on the ideas of others? How can you provide meaningful and helpful feedback to your peers?

All opinions matter - Everyone’s opinions and thoughts count. Be respectful of others when you share your thinking or respond to the thinking of others. Be open to changing your mind and considering new and different ways of understanding.

Use examples from the course - Depending on the discussion topic, it’s always a good idea to relate what you are learning and sharing to the experiences that you have had in the course. It’s a great way to reinforce your learning.

Use examples from your personal experience - Depending on the discussion topic, and your comfort level, you are encouraged to share examples from your own life and lived experience. It’s a great way to make connections and help others understand and develop their own thinking and learning.

Think before you post - Be mindful that discussion posts and replies are visible to others. They are not private chats. Consider the value, relevance, and tone of your post so that it is appropriate for everyone in your class, including your teacher.

Review the following logos and slogans. Do you recognize any of the companies?

Advertising in practice

Nike is one of the world's most recognized brands. Founded in 1964, Nike sponsors high-profile athletes, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lebron James, and sports teams around the world. Nike's known by their "Just Do It" trademark and the Swoosh logo.

Notebook

Conduct some research into Nike’s advertising and use your notebook to respond to the following question.

How does Nike use advertising to market their products?

Nike honours great athletes, and they honour great athletics. These are Nike’s values and that is who they are. In other words, this is how consumers recall them.

So why study marketing?

Review the Steve Jobs video from the Minds On section one more time before attempting the following question.

Notebook

Use your notebook to respond to the following question.

What are the two or three words that first pop into your head when you think of marketing?

Marketing includes advertising, pricing, social media, sales promotion, distribution, research, product development, packaging branding, storage, inventory management, and public relations.

Marketing comes from the word “market.” It is a verb, meaning it refers to an action. Therefore, the word “marketing” means the active process of going to market, or as you will learn in this course, a way to help companies and organizations reach out to and attract the market of consumers with their products, services, and events. Marketing is often perceived through different mediums, including social media. To put it simply, marketing is how you build a long-term relationship with your customers to grow your brand image and to make sure existing customers keep coming back.

What are the role and perceptions of marketing?

The role of marketing

Examine the following five statements describing the objectives of marketing and indicate if you think they are a role of marketing on the following scale (with 1 being definitely not a role of marketing, 2 being probably a role of marketing, and 3 being definitely a role of marketing).

Marketing objective statement	1	2	3
To add value for consumers.
To win customers.
To outperform its competition.
To make a difference to society.
To achieve the firm’s other defined objectives.

The perceptions of marketing

Next, you will explore and examine the perceptions of marketing. Keep in mind that marketing is perceived through different mediums, including social media.

What is your perception of marketing?

Take a few moments to evaluate the following statements about perceptions of marketing. Identify which statements you agree with and which ones you disagree with. Please note that there are no right or wrong answers – this activity is designed to explore the range of perceptions of marketing held by different people.

Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements on the following scale (with 1 being strongly disagree and 4 being strongly agree).

Marketing perception statement	1	2	3	4
Marketing is just another word for advertising.
The main goal of marketing is to get a lot of customers; all other goals are not important.
Successful people in marketing are very creative and outgoing, but are usually not very good with numbers and analytics.
People in marketing don’t usually end up as successful CEOs or leaders in big firms. Marketers usually have arts or history backgrounds.
People in marketing usually don’t interact with people from other departments.
Marketers are perceived to change their mind all the time when making decisions about promoting products or services.
Marketing is mostly about making people buy a product or service they don’t really need or want.
Marketing is regarded as an elite profession in the business world.
Many key marketing decisions are usually taken by the CEO or top firm leader rather than by the marketing team or department.
Marketing tasks are really simple, particularly when compared to those in the finance and IT roles.

Portfolio

While working throughout this course, you will be using the portfolio tool. You should be saving all the work done in this course in the portfolio so that you have everything in one place. A portfolio will be helpful when you need to use the material saved to prepare for and/or complete an assessment.

Your teacher will provide specific instructions when portfolio items need to be shared for progress checks or for assessment and evaluation.

To begin, create a tag in your portfolio titled “Marketing.” To assist in the organization of the portfolio, when you are required to complete a task, be sure to include the learning activity title and number along with completed task.

Review the scores you assigned to the previous statements regarding the role of marketing, and the perceptions of marketing. You might also need to share the scores with your teacher, if required. Now, respond to the following question in your portfolio.

How would you describe the role of marketing in your own words?

Conclusion

Many people often think of marketing simply as sales and advertising. However, marketing is more than that. Marketing is a concept that requires a multitude of functions and activities to deliver a product, service, or event to consumers. In the next several learning activities, you will learn about important marketing concepts and explore how each concept is used in the realm of marketing goods, services, and events.

The word Marketing surrounded by a multitude functions and activities related to the concept. These are: promotion, target, needs, price, concept, strategy, product, advertising, process, wants, customers, services, branding — Press here for a long description(Open in new window)

Connecting to transferable skills

Recently, Ontario worked with other provinces in Canada to outline a set of competencies that are requirements to thrive. Ontario then developed its transferable skills framework as a set of skills for students to develop over time. These competencies are ones that are important to have in order to be successful in today’s world.

Read through the framework and the student look-fors (Opens in new window). Copy this document into your notes - you'll refer to it in each unit.

Definition

Critical thinking and problem solving involve examining complex issues and problems from a variety of different points of view in order to make informed judgments and decisions. Learning is deeper when the experiences are meaningful, real world, and authentic.

Look fors

Students consistently:

solve meaningful, real-life problems;
take steps to organize, design, and manage projects using inquiry processes;
analyze information to make informed decisions;
see patterns, make connections, and transfer learning from one situation to another;
see the connections between social, economic, and ecological systems.

Definition

Innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship involve the ability to turn ideas into action to meet the needs of a community. The ability to contribute new-to-the-world thinking and solutions to solve complex problems involves leadership, risk taking, and independent/unconventional thinking. Experimenting with new strategies, techniques, and perspectives through research is part of this skill set.

Look fors

Students consistently:

formulate insightful questions to generate opinions;
take risks in thinking; experiment to find new ways of doing things;
demonstrate leadership in a range of creative projects;
motivate others in an ethical and entrepreneurial spirit.

Definition

Self-directed learning means: becoming aware and demonstrating ownership in your learning. Belief in your ability to learn (growth mindset), combined with strategies for planning, monitoring, and reflecting on your past, present, and future goals promote lifelong learning, well-being, and adaptability in an ever-changing world.

Look fors

Students consistently:

are aware of how they learn best;
ask for support when needed;
set goals and make a plan to achieve their goals;
practice new skills they want to improve;
reflect on their own learning to determine strengths;
learn to adapt to change and become resilient in the face of adversity;
become managers of different aspects of their lives to enhance their health and overall well being.

Definition

Collaboration involves participating ethically and effectively in teams. Being versatile across different situations, roles, groups, and perspectives allows you to co-construct knowledge, meaning, content, and learn from, and with others in physical and online spaces.

Look fors

Students consistently:

participate in teams in respectful and positive ways;
learn from others; contribute to the learning of others;
assume various roles on a team as needed being respectful of a diversity of perspectives including Indigenous ways of knowing;
address disagreements and manage conflict in sensitive and constructive ways;
network with a variety of people and groups on an ongoing basis.

Definition

Communication involves receiving and expressing meaning (e.g., reading and writing, viewing and creating, listening and speaking) in different contexts and with different audiences and purposes. Effective communication increasingly involves understanding both local and global perspectives, including using a variety of media appropriately, responsibly, and safely with regard to your digital footprint.

Look fors

Students consistently:

communicate effectively in a variety of media;
use digital tools appropriately to create a positive digital footprint;
listen to understand;
ask effective questions;
understand the cultural importance of language.

Definition

Global citizenship and sustainability involve understanding diverse worldviews and perspectives in order to address political, ecological, social, and economic issues that are crucial to living in a in a sustainable world. Being aware of what it means to be an engaged citizen and how the appreciation for the diversity of people and perspectives contributes to a sustainable world are part of this skill set.

Look fors

Students consistently:

take actions and make responsible decisions to support the quality of life for all;
understand the histories, knowledge, contributions, and inherent rights of Indigenous people;
recognize discrimination and work to promote the principles of equity;
contribute to their local and global community;
participate in an inclusive, accountable, sustainable, and ethical manner, both in groups and in online networks.

Definition

Digital literacy involves the ability to solve problems using technology in a safe, legal, and ethically responsible manner. Digitally literate students recognize the rights and responsibilities, as well as the opportunities, that come with living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

Look fors

Students consistently:

select and use appropriate digital tools to collaborate, communicate, create, innovate, and solve problems;
use technology in a way that is consistent with supporting their mental health and well-being;
use digital tools effectively to solve problems and inform decisions;
demonstrate a willingness and confidence to explore new or unfamiliar digital tools and emerging technologies;
manage their digital footprint by engaging in social media and online communities respectfully, inclusively, safely, legally, and ethically.

The transferable skills described in these videos have been adapted from the ministry‘s definitions and descriptions that are available for viewing on the Ministry of Education‘s Curriculum and Resources site: Transferable skills(Opens in a new window)

Note the indicators that you think you will develop in this course. At the end of the course you will revisit these skills to see which ones you actually developed and if your original predictions were correct.

As you continue through this unit and the rest of the course, keep your notebook updated and be mindful of opportunities to apply and develop transferable skills.