Proctor and Gamble, Skillful Marketers of Consumer Packaged Goods
Babe Ruth was known as the “Sultan of Swat” in baseball, Wayne Gretzky
was known as the “Great One” in hockey, and then, there is Proctor & Gamble, “The
Innovators” of marketing. “Proctor and Gamble (P&G) is one of the most skillful
marketers of consumer packaged goods. It employs 138,000 people in more than 180
countries: is a global leader in the majority of the 22 different product categories in which
it competes; has 23 billion dollar goal brands; and has total worldwide sales of more than
$76 billion a year” (Kolter & Keller, 2009, p. 239).
Currently, there are ten Proctor and Gamble philosophies that directly relate to
marketing. I will choose five of these capabilities: customer knowledge, product
innovation, quality strategy, aggressive sales force, and manufacturing efficiency and
cost cutting.
“P&G studies its customers, both end consumers and trade partners, through
continuous marketing research and intelligence gathering” (Kolter & Keller, 2009, p.
239). Proctor and Gamble understands the importance of customer knowledge and
consumer interaction. Therefore, according to the P&G website, they claim to interact
with over five million customers spanning approximately 100 countries. Proctor and
Gamble also claims that no company devotes as much time into market research as they
do. For example, each year, P&G conducts roughly 20,000 studies that determine exactly
what their customers’ wants and needs are. Its studies like this that help P&G gain an
advantage over the competition and keep them being the leader and the innovator in their
field (P&G, 2011).
To take this a step further Proctor & Gamble’s new President/CEO, Bob
McDonald has acknowledged that his customers are telling his organization that they
need help. Consumers that were once buying P&G products have now begun to purchase
cheaper/generic products instead. Next, as a result of the economy being
was known as the “Great One” in hockey, and then, there is Proctor & Gamble, “The
Innovators” of marketing. “Proctor and Gamble (P&G) is one of the most skillful
marketers of consumer packaged goods. It employs 138,000 people in more than 180
countries: is a global leader in the majority of the 22 different product categories in which
it competes; has 23 billion dollar goal brands; and has total worldwide sales of more than
$76 billion a year” (Kolter & Keller, 2009, p. 239).
Currently, there are ten Proctor and Gamble philosophies that directly relate to
marketing. I will choose five of these capabilities: customer knowledge, product
innovation, quality strategy, aggressive sales force, and manufacturing efficiency and
cost cutting.
“P&G studies its customers, both end consumers and trade partners, through
continuous marketing research and intelligence gathering” (Kolter & Keller, 2009, p.
239). Proctor and Gamble understands the importance of customer knowledge and
consumer interaction. Therefore, according to the P&G website, they claim to interact
with over five million customers spanning approximately 100 countries. Proctor and
Gamble also claims that no company devotes as much time into market research as they
do. For example, each year, P&G conducts roughly 20,000 studies that determine exactly
what their customers’ wants and needs are. Its studies like this that help P&G gain an
advantage over the competition and keep them being the leader and the innovator in their
field (P&G, 2011).
To take this a step further Proctor & Gamble’s new President/CEO, Bob
McDonald has acknowledged that his customers are telling his organization that they
need help. Consumers that were once buying P&G products have now begun to purchase
cheaper/generic products instead. Next, as a result of the economy being
References: Kolter, P., & Keller, K. (2009). Marketing management (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. P&G. (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.pg.com/en_US/index.shtml Kimes, M Tuttle, B. (2010). Why you’ll see tons of “new and improved” products soon. Retrieved from http://www.moneyland.time.com/2010/04/12/why-youll-see-tons-of-new-and-