It all sounds very familiar. Pre-1950s the relationship with the consumer was generally on a local level, with little functional marketing. However the marketing function drove the rise to power of consumer goods companies. Everybody else was swept along as manufacturer's brand fought manufacturer's brand for dominance. During this period marketing drew its power from two principal sources: innovation and a company's relationship with customers and consumers. In parallel the spread of television and the introduction of com- mercial channels allowed manufacturers to develop a new kind of relationship with consumers.
MARKETING AS INNOVATION
The marketers, especially in FMCG markets, began to see the retailer as the customer at the expense of the end consumer and user. This reached a peak in the early 1990s, and is described in the seminal article, "Marketing's Mid-Life Crisis", by John Brady and Ian Davis: In the old days, marketing concentrated on the consumer; today its attention is on the trade. Consumer goods companies spend large chunks of their marketing budgets on providing trade promotions and doing trade deals. Overlooked in this process, the consumer is often short-changed. Tomorrow's marketers will be known for their focus on both parties, as they identify and support the link- ages between consumers and retail outlets, and attend to the whole shopping experience. Equally important will be their ability to interpret consumer and retailer needs, and to keep tabs on how - and how far - their products meet those needs.