Marketing Compass 2007_EMC_main conclusions

Marketing departments have weaker influence and control on historical “4 Ps” strategies and tactics (pricing, distribution)
European Marketing Confederation presents findings of
“Marketing Compass 2007”

Lisbon, 13 December 2007 – Surveying 630 marketing executives in 12 European countries, the Marketing Compass 2007, shows a decreasing control of the traditional 4 Ps in marketing (product, place, price and promotion), more particularly for the latter two, with respectively 30% and 21% of respondents feeling they exert control. 83% of participants mention brand management as the discipline of the future.
The study shows that the internet has become the primary information source for marketers. The print media loose impact.

Marketing departments start to have weaker influence and control on historical “4 Ps” strategies and tactics (pricing, distribution), and this despite a growing tendency for marketers to participate and be integrated in cross-functional inter-discipline workgroups - an increasing importance of the role of marketing departments.

The study also shows that customer retention and loyalty and customer recruitment and renewal, to be the major concerns for companies. Surprisingly though, a significant number of them do not seem to be interested in the level of satisfaction of their customers. Only 22% declared to regularly measure it; with a mere 19% saying they actively take this feed-back into account.

Heading marketers’ concerns is the requirement of new skills (40%), followed by the need for a better information management (34%) and a higher participation in strategic overall decisions of their companies (32%). 29% plead for a better balance between private life and work. Strategic thinking and a perceptive and insightful posture, are considered the most important characteristics of a marketing executive.

Carlos Manuel de Oliveira, the recently elected new Chairman of the European Marketing Confederation (EMS), presented the main conclusions of the 2007 Edition of the EMC’s “Marketing Compass 2007”. This study was carried out over a period of four months and was promoted directly by EMC’s associations to its members. 630 professionals from twelve countries (*) participated in this study, more than 80% holding senior positions, representing SMEs as well as large corporations and thus covering the global spectrum of economic activities. The main goal of this survey was to measure issues and topics marketers and companies face, evaluating the level of relevance and getting personal viewpoints.

Carlos Manuel de Oliveira stated “The Marketing Compass survey is a very important instrument, to measure the feelings of the market in the areas of marketing, management and sales. The exercise will be repeated in 2009.”

(*) countries participating in the “Marketing Compass 2007”: Portugal, France, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland

Hill & Knowlton, Brussels Office

About EMC
The European Marketing Confederation (EMC) is the umbrella organisation for marketing, sales and communication associations in Europe. Operating since the 1960s, the Brussels headquarter was established in 1993. EMC's membership covers most of the Western European countries and is extending towards the Central & Eastern European countries. Our members are national and regional business and marketing associations and confederations from: BE, CAT, CZ, DE, DK, FI, FR, GR, IE, NL, PT, SE, RU, TR, UK and ZA. This network covers more than 250,000 marketing, sales and communication professionals across Europe.
EMC has recently launched the EMQF, European Marketing Qualifications Framework, the first pan-european accreditation qualifications scheme for the marketing and sales profession.