Marketing 7.0: However Many Versions Come Next, the Consumer Remains the Centre
Marketing has evolved through many distinct phases. Each version introduced new tools, new channels, and new frameworks. Yet across every iteration, one principle has remained unchanged. The most effective marketing has always been built around a deep understanding of the people it intends to serve.
Philip Kotler, the theorist behind the Marketing 1.0 through 7.0 framework, has consistently argued that technological evolution in marketing is not about replacing the human dimension. It is about enhancing the ability to connect with it. Each version shifted the tools available. The purpose stayed the same.
The organisations that have thrived across these evolutions are not those that adopted every new tool first. They are the ones that remained most committed to understanding their audiences. As generative AI, real-time personalisation, and immersive digital environments become standard parts of the marketing toolkit, the risk of becoming distracted by capability grows. Brands begin optimising for what the technology can do rather than for what the consumer actually needs.
Apple has never led with specifications. From its earliest campaigns to its current ecosystem, it has led with how its products fit into people's lives, their creativity, and their identity. The technology changed dramatically over decades. The consumer remained at the centre of every decision.
Research reinforces this orientation. According to Salesforce's State of the Connected Customer report, the majority of consumers say the experience a company provides matters as much as its products or services [1]. Edelman's Trust Barometer consistently shows that trust, built through relevance and consistency over time, is among the most significant drivers of long-term brand preference [2].
The version number changes the tools available. It does not change the job. Whatever version of marketing comes next, the consumer will still be at the centre. That is not a limitation of the framework. It is the point of it.
References
[1] Salesforce. State of the Connected Customer, Sixth Edition www.salesforce.com/resources/research-reports/state-of-the-connected-customer
[2] Edelman. Trust Barometer: Brand Trust in 2024 www.edelman.com/trust/2024/trust-barometer