Part 1
Neil Raybould
Liberty University
BUSI 745: Marketing for Competitive Advantage
October 30, 2022
Introduction
In the following sections, the author reviews three articles, respectively, covering the following th
emes: (1) the present-
day organization’s need to understand and pursue key consumer values, (2) the lack of modern-
day relevance to the traditional 4Ps approach to marketing, and (3) one well-
known company, Levi Strauss, and its emergence from an established, yet troubled, brand into an
innovative juggernaut. Finally, the author concludes with evaluation related to a fourth article that a
ddresses the importance of online product presentation and brand.
Article # 1 - The Elements of Value
Almquist, Senior, and Bloch (2016) discussed how companies should address consumer values
to achieve better performance. First, they proposed a model comprised of 30 key consumer value
elements and categorized them across four aspects of a consumer’s life: (1) social impact, (2) life
changing, (3) emotional, and (4) functional. Second, the researchers related how firms that satisfy t
hese elements for consumers achieve higher revenue through increased loyalty, multi-
element satisfaction, and stackable offerings. Next, they discussed patterns of consumer value, ho
w the importance and weight of each value element often differed among consumers, and their res
ulting relevance to the product and service provider. Finally, after relating the importance of these
elements to business success, the authors provided approaches for how leaders might execute to
best satisfy them.
Almquist, Senior, and Bloch acknowledged that consumers do not necessarily pursue completio
n of these model’s elements in a bottom-
up, serial approach. The researchers noted that consumers likely have needs that differ from one a
nother. They also provided business examples across digital retail, electronics manufacturing, fina
ncial, and apparel, and how their distinct value elements are crucial business considerations. They
acknowledged that management has a significant challenge to accurately identify what the consu
mer values in a product or service. Leaders must anticipate what and how features might be used,
as well as how they truly satisfy various expressed and unexpressed customer preferences while r
emaining profitable.
In sum, the researchers asserted that the organization must collect, evaluate, and act according
to values important to consumers based on their opinions and behaviors. Product offerings that de
monstrate high responsiveness to customer needs fosters increased competitive advantage in the
market and, ultimately, heightened perceived value.
Article # 2 - The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing
Consumer needs and behaviors have undergone a radical shift over recent decades (Constantin
ides, 2010). As the online marketplace has grown, so too has the power of the customer to self-
educate and search the increasing numbers of available products and services. Direct consumer a
ccess has driven demand for personalization of these offerings, pressuring provider-
organizations to respond in kind. The traditional elements of the marketing mix of product, price, pl
ace, and promotion - referred to as the 4Ps -
were deemed by the researchers as arguably inadequate to successfully communicate and provid
e solutions in today’s market.
Constantinides (2010) identified deficiencies in presumptions underlying the traditional 4Ps appr
oach: (1) lack of customer orientation, (2) lack of customer interactivity, and (3) missing strategy. O
rganizations must shift their focus away from discrete transactions toward building long-
term, advocate-
oriented relationships with their customers as the business listens and attempts to find solutions fo
r them. As they listen, leaders must communicate, using convenient, personalized methods at spe
eds cultivating the customer perception that the business is engaged and committed to the consu
mer.
Product strategy and branding are two key concerns as the business shifts its marketing efforts.
For product strategy, considerable thought must be put into what offerings, referred to as product a
ssortment, are presented to the marketplace based on what the consumer has overtly requested.
Savvy organizations must proactively solicit customer feature requests, as well as listen and react t
o indirect customer feedback available through a variety of channels (e.g., online reviews, word-of-
mouth, and customer behaviors), fostering what Constantinides termed as product co-
design. Combined with the relational approach, a feedback loop occurs whereby the initial custom
er need is identified and solved for by the business. The customer uses the product or service and
suggests improvements through the above channels.
Ultimately, Constantinides urged marketing practitioners to look beyond the traditional 4Ps appr
oach. Available technology and empowered consumers demand marketing strategies that provide
greater personalization and more customer-centric approaches.
Article # 3 - The CEO of Levi Strauss on Leading an Iconic Brand Back to Growth
Bergh (2018) shared his experience as the newly hired president and CEO of Levi Strauss in 20
11. Acclimating to the financial, sales, and operational dysfunctions he inherited, Bergh took steps
to discover how consumers perceived Levi’s products and to develop a four-
part strategy to position the company to respond. Levi’s reliance upon its men’s pants lines prompt
ed Bergh to ensure that this area of the business remained a strong foundation from which resultin
g financial revenue could fuel other company efforts. Expansion into women’s clothing and a great
er presence into developing markets became key goals. Bergh also sought a greater proportion of
sales in Levi’s-owned physical stores and its e-
commerce site due to the company’s ability to control its brand’s presence. Finally, operations nee
ded to be optimized to pay its substantial debt and free additional resources for product innovation.
Bergh stressed management’s need to navigate adapting their products to present-
day consumer tastes while supporting Levi’s legacy. The athleisure phenomena drove leadership t
o prioritize comfort and better fit of its apparel across a wider audience. Advertising efforts were ap
plied in areas that effectively reinforced its logo at concerts and NFL stadiums where customers fre
quented to increase advertising exposure. A refined active listening and response approach result
ed in changes to their products every 6 months, so Levi’s marketing arm needed to make updates
quickly across multiple advertising channels. Yet, changing its established company culture has pr
oven challenging. Installation of high-performing, growth-
oriented executives seems to have improved Levi’s lot, but at a slow pace. At time of writing, Berg
h acknowledged there was much to be done, but leadership’s efforts to target younger consumers
could help Levi reach higher, not just as a jeans and overalls producer, but as a fashion powerhou
se.
Conclusion
Almquist, Senior, and Bloch shared their proposed model to help leadership identify consumer d
rivers to better understand and respond to customer needs. Constantinides argued that organizatio
ns must be willing to look beyond simply using the traditional 4Ps marketing mix to one that places
greater emphasis on the customer, available technology, and the current dynamics of commerce.
Bergh’s narrative was the most compelling, taking elements of customer-
centricity, highlighting through one customer encounter how the product affected her life, and infusi
ng his experience back into the business. The author attempted to evaluate whether the details we
re focused on merely sharing his account or subtle self-
promotion. Yet, despite Bergh’s motives, the author perceives that the steps planned and executed
appear to be reasonably useful.
Specific to product strategy and branding, the author appreciated Bergh’s seeming effort to valid
ate consumer behavior and feedback and reinforce its key value proposition, that of being an estab
lished worldwide manufacturer of men’s pants. Yet, Levi’s has sought to move into other spaces, s
uch as women’s apparel and as a dominant clothier to a younger generation. To address the latter,
one important channel in Levi’s product presentation and brand is through its e-
commerce site (Chen-
Yu, Kincade, & Rhee, 2022). Effective approaches include attractive displays, clear product descri
ptions, high quality photography, multiple angle product images, and available product options, en
hanced by the combined depiction of complementary products. Convenient online access also enc
ourages more impulse purchases, an apparent behavior found among today’s consumer base. Bra
nd reinforcement using logo display throughout their e-
commerce site in way that demonstrates its interest to younger buyers helps to promote a comfort-
driven, modern lifestyle embodied by the phrase that so resonated with Bergh: “Live in Levi’s!”
References
Almquist, E., Senior, J., & Bloch, N. (2016). The elements of value. Harvard Business Review, 94(
9), 46-92.
Bergh, C. (2018). The CEO of Levi Strauss on leading an iconic brand back to growth. Harvard Bu
siness Review, 96(4), 33-39.
Chen-
Yu, J. H., Kincade, D. H., & Rhee, Y. (2022). Effects of consumer characteristics and product pres
entations on online apparel impulse buying. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 13(3), 205-
220. https://doi.org/10.1080/20932685.2022.2032793
Constantinides, E. (2010). The marketing mix revisited: Towards the 21st century marketing. Journ
al of Marketing Management, 22(3-4), 407-438. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725706776861190
Part 2
#1 The Marketing Mix Revisited: Towards the 21st Century Marketing
According to Constantinides, when determining the product strategy and the relevant branding, it r
emains imperative to consider the marketing mix due to its relevance. In exploring the 4Ps framew
ork of the marketing mix, Constantinides resonates with the model that has remained largely influe
ntial to both marketing theory and practice. In the paper, Constantinides reviews and analyzes the
strengths and respective limitations of the 4ps model while exploring numerous arguments on mar
keting theory. Notably, Constantinides adopts a dual view when examining the marketing mix sugg
esting the framework helps derive an optimized nature of the 4Ps to maximize consumer buying. T
he author then implies that the 4Ps represent variables independent of the customer and often lack
a firm theoretical foundation suggesting that contrary to the previous view, the mix may be unnece
ssary. Embracing the duality, it remains crucial for ventures to consider both aspects of the signific
ance of the 4Ps marketing mix when developing the product strategy and branding. Constantinide
s notes the shift to relationship marketing in the modern industry, suggesting the marketing mix ne
eds adjustments, changes, or alternatives for organizations to remain competitive (Constantinides,
2006, p. 430). Constantinides’s attempts to explore the marketing mix lead to the conclusion that
marketing in the 21st century remains rather individualized and interactive, eliminating the benefits
of the 4Ps in product strategy and branding.
#2 The elements of value.
The authors, in this paper, attempt to elucidate the elements of value that matter to consumers. Alt
hough based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, the analogy presented in the paper upholds the ten
dency for people to adopt varying fulfillment patterns. That means only a proportion of the consum
ers solve the needs at the bottom of the pyramid before progressing upwards. The authors propos
e 30 elements of value to meet functional, emotional, life-
changing, and social needs. The paper examines the patterns of value companies uphold, with hig
h quality and elite interactions among the vital attributes for organizations seeking to develop new t
ypes of value for consumers.
Further, the authors acknowledge that different industries have varying reactions to the elements o
f value, suggesting that firms need to recognize value elements. Crucially, however, the authors su
ggest some key areas for business organizations in developing new products or strategies to enha
nce consumer value (Almquist et al., 2016, p. 51). Besides, the paper acknowledges the significan
ce of pricing, insisting that while high prices tend to earn high profits, organizations must induce ad
ded value elements to accompany the shift upwards. Finally, the paper also acknowledges custom
er segmentation as a key area insisting that organizations seeking to maximize product strategy m
ust understand that the consumer segment needs to promote efficiency while limiting wastage.
#3 The CEO of Levi Strauss on leading an iconic brand back to growth
In the article, the CEO recounts his journey towards refurbishing Levis’s business model and opera
tions, restoring the firm on a growth trajectory. On dedicating his efforts to listening to the executiv
es, the CEO notes some apparent challenges requiring immediate attention. The CEO notes the fir
m lacked a clear strategy, which remains crucial in product strategy and branding, while the incess
ant need for replacement at the top-
level hindered continuity (Bergh, 2018). The CEO then enacted a development strategy around ke
y areas, such as building the profitable core, which means understanding what sells most and dou
bling on it. Expanding the product portfolio Levis offers presented an expansion opportunity that w
ould furnish the expanding Omni channel retail.
Besides, the CEO notes that Levis needs to achieve operational excellence by reducing costs and
dwelling on data. A distant innovation lab compounds Levis’s logistical issues, highlighting the sign
ificance of concentrating activities together to eliminate unnecessary costs. Notably, however, is th
e significance of innovation since it allows the combination of various product factors, allowing org
anizations to focus on specific market categories and customer demographics. Additionally, the CE
O recognizes the significance of progress, insisting on the existence of ‘much room for growth,’ whi
ch often takes time if a culture change is crucial for the shift.
Conclusion
Although “The Marketing Mix Revisited” remains the most insightful article exploring marketing in t
he 21st century against older theoretical foundations, the article presenting the “Elements of Value
” remains enjoyable. Constantinides explores the topic in a dualistic view examining both the adva
ntages and disadvantages of the 4Ps in the marketing mix and when developing the product strate
gy. Implementing such a dual approach eliminates the much-
needed consistency in the elements of value. Notably, however, Constantinides acknowledges the
significance of the industry and environment in the application and, subsequently, the 4Ps. Organiz
ations need to research and isolate the factors that enable them to achieve high customer value, a
nd then increase their efforts while urgently addressing the issues that need solutions (Yi et al., 20
20). Promoting customer value increases the organization’s prospective customers while helping r
etain the existing ones by enhancing their loyalty. Organizations seeking to optimize their product s
trategy and branding need to adopt techniques to increase their offered customer value, which ulti
mately leads to quality ratings and high returns.
References
Almquist, E., Senior, J., & Bloch, N. (2016). The elements of value. Harvard business review. Harv
ard business review, 94(9), 46-53.
Bergh, C. (2018). The CEO of Levi Strauss on leading an iconic brand back to growth. Harvard Bu
siness Review, 96(4), 33-39.
Constantinides, E. (2006). The marketing mix revisited: Towards the 21st century marketing. Journ
al of Marketing Management, 22(3-4), 407-
438. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725706776861190Links to an external site.
Yi, S., Yu, L., & Zhang, Z. (2020). Research on pricing strategy of dual-
channel supply chain based on customer value and value-
added service. Mathematics, 9(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9010011
1
Discussion Responses: Product
Student’s Name
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Instructor’s Name
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2
Discussion Responses: Product
Part 1
Hello Neil Raybould,
I must confess that your analysis of the three articles is comprehensive and exciting. I
agree with Almquist, Senior, and Bloch that collecting, assessing, and acting on consumer values
based on their behaviour and notions in the marketplace is critical. According to Servera-Francés
& Piqueras-Tomás (2019), giving consumer-responsive product offers may help firms gain a
competitive advantage and, subsequently, a more excellent perceived value. Value elements refer
to everything that influences the product's expenses and the benefits to the client's business.
Although the physical presence of technical, financial, service and social components is possible,
it is not guaranteed. One technical consideration is the ease with which a pigment disperses in a
coating. Psalms 119:36 addresses consumerism and shows the ideal attitude by directing
businesses to steer customers' interests away from their self-interest and toward the business's
rules.
Furthermore, Constantinides is correct in urging marketers to move beyond the traditional
"4Ps" paradigm. Social media marketers, Google Ads, email marketing initiatives, and consumer
education and empowerment programs are all examples of digital marketing (Sinha, 2018).
Companies should consider the "4Ps" when designing marketing plans and strategies to increase
the likelihood that their advertising will reach their target demographic successfully. For
example, thanks to his new approach, Levi Strauss invested in its Eureka Innovation Lab, which
was previously co-located with a Turkish manufacturing site. Philippians 2:4 is an excellent
example of a biblical verse on strategic advertising. It advises businesses to examine not just
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what is beneficial to the businesses themselves but also the interests and desires of their
customers.
References
Servera-Francés, D., & Piqueras-Tomás, L. (2019). The effects of corporate social responsibility
on consumer loyalty through consumer perceived value. Economic research-Ekonomska
istraživanja, 32(1), 66-84.
Sinha, R. (2018). A comparative analysis of traditional marketing vs digital marketing. Journal
of Management Research and Analysis, 5(4), 234-243.
Part 2
I appreciate your detailed and intelligent evaluation of the three articles. Constantinides is
right to emphasize the need to stick to the structure of the marketing mix when analyzing product
strategy and branding. The framework helps determine what a firm may provide customers to
meet their needs. According to Dadzie et al. (2017), this helps organizations create a marketable
product but also helps them develop and execute effective marketing strategies. According to
Luke 19:13, the Lord summoned ten of his servants, handed them ten minas, and told them to
keep the money safe until His return. God will also bless the business that is courteous and fair in
economic deals, according to Psalm 112:5. The former exemplifies why businesses must care
about their customers' values and ideals.
There are four values: social, emotional, transformative, and practical. Some components
are more concerned with the system's inner workings, notably fulfilling individual consumers'
demands and goals (Servera-Francés & Piqueras-Tomás, 2019). Because God has such great
esteem for the Christian community, He has commanded its members to have the same regard
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for one another. According to John 15:12, God has instructed Christians to love one another as
he has loved them. The all-encompassing nature of God's love drives businesses to show concern
for customer satisfaction. When Levi Strauss found that his company lacked a clear plan, he
redeemed it by focusing on crucial areas of improvement, such as strengthening its lucrative
core. Receiving the Lord's blessing, according to Proverbs 10:22, leads to prosperity without the
need for hard work. Unfortunately, some company owners mistake financial success with innate
value. It is not, however, what determines their identity. Work ethic is essential, but a person's
faith in the Lord should come first.
References
Dadzie, K. Q., Amponsah, D. K., Dadzie, C. A., & Winston, E. M. (2017). How firms implement
marketing strategies in emerging markets: An empirical assessment of the 4A marketing
mix framework. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 25(3), 234-256.
Servera-Francés, D., & Piqueras-Tomás, L. (2019). The effects of corporate social responsibility
on consumer loyalty through consumer perceived value. Economic research-Ekonomska
istraživanja, 32(1), 66-84.
1
Outline
Title: Discussion Reponses: Product
Thesis: Responding to discussion posts.
I. Paragraph 1
A. Response to Part 1
a. Response to the analysis on Article 1
II. Paragraph 2
A. Response to the analysis on Article 2 and 3
III. Paragraph 3
A. Response to Part 2
a. Response to the analysis on Article 1
IV. Paragraph 4
A. Response to the analysis on Article 2 and 3
