The standard product marketing mix includes four parts: product, placement, price and promotion. The right balance of all four parts of the marketing mix ensures that the marketing plan for any one product will be productive and enduring. Philip Morris USA’s marketing mix for their Marlboro brand tobacco products is an excellent example of how a perfectly implemented marketing mix can effectively create demand for a product, and help it to endure the test of changing social influences. Although the marketing mix for this product line is not perfect, it is one of the better marketing mixes in existence.
This paper will analyze the Marlboro brand, placement of the products, pricing of the products, and promotion techniques as implemented by Philip Morris USA in relation to their Marlboro product line. Marlboro brand cigarettes were developed by Philip Morris USA in 1902. By 1983, the company had grown to become the largest tobacco company in the country. The year
2002 marked the one hundred year anniversary of the company. (Wikipedia, 2008, Para. 1) The Marlboro brand is available at most convenience stores, and requires relatively little effort to obtain. Marlboro product items are considered to be a premium product within the smoking community. Most Marlboro product users remain relatively loyal to the brand. Other, more value-minded, consumers prefer to buy the cheaper brands. Because of this mix of consumer attitudes, the product is considered to be both a convenience and shopping product. The Marlboro line has great product depth. Product items within the line offer different tastes and potencies in order to satisfy a number of different consumer tastes. Marlboro reds have a more robust flavour. They are the stronger of the product items within the line. The more preferred product item is the Marlboro lights, which are a medium flavoured brand item. The Marlboro ultra lights appeal to consumers who prefer a lighter tobacco taste. The basic