Unit 4: Emerging trends in marketing
Marketing Management notes · PTU syllabus (MCOP204-18)
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Unit summary
Marketing keeps reinventing itself with new channels, causes and technologies. This unit covers green marketing, event marketing, network marketing, social marketing, buzz and viral marketing, customer relationship management, global marketing, rural marketing, and e-commerce and marketing in the digital age.
After this unit you can
- Explain green, event, network, social and viral marketing
- Explain CRM and its process
- Explain global and rural marketing
- Explain e-commerce and digital marketing
PTU syllabus topics
- Green marketing
- event marketing
- network marketing
- social marketing
- buzz/viral marketing
- customer relationship management (CRM)
- global marketing
- rural marketing
- e-commerce and marketing in the digital age
Green marketing
Eco-friendly products and claims
Viral and buzz marketing
Word of mouth online
CRM
Long-term customer relationships
Rural marketing
Tapping rural India
Digital marketing
Search, social, email, e-commerce
Topic 1
Green marketing
Green marketing markets products based on their environmental benefits — eco-friendly products, sustainable packaging, reduced carbon footprint.
- Strategies: eco-design, recyclable packaging, eco-labels (Ecomark), green supply chains, cause-related communication.
- Challenges: higher costs, consumer scepticism, greenwashing (false environmental claims — CCPA guidelines on greenwashing, 2024).
Example
ITC's paper-based packaging and Tata Motors' EV range are marketed partly on environmental benefits.
Topic 2
Event, network, social and buzz/viral marketing
| Approach | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Event marketing | Promoting a brand through events, sponsorships and experiences | IPL sponsorships, product launches, college fests |
| Network marketing (MLM) | Products sold through a network of independent distributors earning on own and downline sales | Amway, Herbalife (Direct Selling Rules, 2021 ban pyramid schemes) |
| Social marketing | Applying marketing to promote social good and behaviour change | Swachh Bharat, polio "Do Boond Zindagi Ki", anti-tobacco campaigns |
| Buzz marketing | Creating word-of-mouth excitement through influencers and surprises | Launch teasers, influencer seeding |
| Viral marketing | Content designed to be shared rapidly online | Zomato's social media posts, memes, short videos |
Exam tip
Distinguish social marketing (cause-driven) from social media marketing (channel-driven) — a common confusion.
Topic 3
Customer relationship management (CRM)
CRM is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior value and satisfaction.
- 1. Acquire customers:
- 2. Collect and integrate customer data: CRM software
- 3. Analyse and segment customers: By value and behaviour
- 4. Personalise offers and service:
- 5. Retain and grow: Loyalty programmes, cross-selling, up-selling
- 6. Measure: Retention rate, CLV, satisfaction
- Types: operational (sales force and service automation), analytical (data mining), collaborative (sharing across channels).
- Benefits: retention (cheaper than acquisition), higher CLV, word of mouth; tools: Salesforce, Zoho CRM, HubSpot.
Topic 4
Global and rural marketing
Global marketing
- Entry modes: exporting (direct/indirect), licensing, franchising, contract manufacturing, joint ventures, wholly owned subsidiaries.
- Standardisation vs adaptation of product, price, promotion (glocalisation — McDonald's McAloo Tikki).
- Challenges: cultural differences, regulations, currency risk, logistics, competition.
Rural marketing
- Features of rural markets: large population (about 65% of India), rising incomes, agriculture dependence, seasonal demand, low literacy, scattered villages, haats and melas.
- 4As framework: Availability, Affordability (sachets), Acceptability, Awareness (wall paintings, vans, local language).
Example
HUL's Project Shakti uses rural women entrepreneurs to distribute products in villages; sachet pricing made shampoos affordable.
Topic 5
E-commerce and marketing in the digital age
- E-commerce models: B2C, B2B, C2C, D2C (direct-to-consumer brands like boAt, Mamaearth), quick commerce, ONDC.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) and search ads
Social media marketing
Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn
Content marketing
Blogs, videos, podcasts
Email and WhatsApp marketing
Influencer marketing
Affiliate marketing
Mobile and app marketing
Marketing analytics and AI personalisation
- Metrics: reach, impressions, CTR, conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), return on ad spend (ROAS).
- Concerns: data privacy (DPDP Act, 2023), dark patterns (CCPA guidelines 2023), ad fatigue.
Key terms
- Green marketing
- Marketing products on their environmental benefits
- Social marketing
- Using marketing to promote social good
- Viral marketing
- Content designed for rapid online sharing
- CRM
- Building and maintaining profitable customer relationships
- 4As of rural marketing
- Availability, affordability, acceptability, awareness
Quick revision
- Green marketing and greenwashing.
- Event, network (MLM), social, buzz and viral marketing.
- CRM: acquire, analyse, personalise, retain; operational, analytical, collaborative.
- Global entry modes; standardisation vs adaptation; rural 4As.
- Digital tools: SEO, social, content, email, influencers; metrics CTR, CAC, ROAS.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is green marketing?
- Q2.What is greenwashing?
- Q3.Distinguish social marketing and social media marketing.
- Q4.What is CRM?
- Q5.State the 4As of rural marketing.
- Q6.What is SEO?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain green, event, network and social marketing.
- Q2.Explain buzz and viral marketing with examples.
- Q3.Explain customer relationship management and its process.
- Q4.Discuss global marketing, rural marketing and digital marketing.
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