marketing myopia essay

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Marketing Myopia

• Theodore Levitt

At some point in its development, every industry can be considered a growth industry, based on the apparent superiority of its product. But in case after case, industries have fallen under the shadow of mismanagement. What usually gets emphasized is selling, not marketing. This is a mistake, since selling focuses on the needs of the seller, while marketing concentrates on the needs of the buyer.

In this widely quoted and anthologized article, first published in 1980, Theodore Levitt argues that “the history of every dead and dying ‘growth’ industry shows a self-deceiving cycle of bountiful expansion and undetected decay.” But, as he illustrates, memories are short.

The railroads serve as an example of an industry whose failure to grow is due to a limited market view. Those behind the railroads are in trouble not because the need for passenger transportation has declined or even because that need has been filled by cars, airplanes, and other modes of transport. Rather, the industry is failing because those behind it assumed they were in the railroad business rather than the transportation business. They were railroad oriented instead of transportation oriented, product oriented instead of customer oriented.

For companies to ensure continued evolution, they must define their industries broadly to take advantage of growth opportunities. They must ascertain and act on their customers’ needs and desires, not bank on the presumed longevity of their products. In short, the best way for a firm to be lucky is to make its own luck.

An organization must learn to think of itself not as producing goods or services but as doing the things that will make people want to do business with it. And in every case, the chief executive is responsible for creating an environment that reflects this mission.

Sustained growth depends on how broadly you define your business—and how carefully you gauge your customers’ needs.

Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Others that are thought of as seasoned growth industries have actually stopped growing. In every case, the reason growth is threatened, slowed, or stopped is not because the market is saturated. It is because there has been a failure of management.

• TL Theodore Levitt was a professor emeritus of marketing at Harvard Business School and former editor of Harvard Business Review.

Partner Center

What Marketing Myopia Is & Why Every Brand Should Avoid It [+Examples]

Published: August 17, 2022

Most businesses want to grow and be successful, but what they often don't realize is that success doesn't happen overnight. It takes hard work, dedication, and a clear vision of what you want your business to become.

One of the biggest dangers that can prevent a business from achieving its goals is marketing myopia.

In this article, we will discuss what marketing myopia is, what causes it, how to avoid it, and some examples of businesses that have suffered from it.

What is marketing myopia?

Marketing myopia is a short-sighted and inward approach to marketing that focuses on the needs of the business rather than on the needs of the customer.

It often leads to businesses making decisions that are not in the best interests of their customers or that fail to take into account changes in the marketplace.

Top Causes of Marketing Myopia

A disconnect between the business and its customers.

The most common cause is a lack of understanding of what customers really want. This can happen when businesses focus too much on their own products and services and not enough on what customers are actually looking for.

Marketing myopia can also be caused by a lack of investment in marketing research. This can happen when businesses believe they already know everything they need to know about their customers and the marketplace.

An Unwillingness to Adapt

Another common cause is a failure to keep up with changes in the marketplace.

This can happen when businesses become too comfortable with their current products and services and fail to adapt to new trends or technologies.

A Focus on the Past, Instead of Future

Many businesses become myopic because they are too focused on the past.

They may be reluctant to change their products or services, even when it is clear that customer needs have changed.

How to Avoid Marketing Myopia

1. prioritize customer needs..

A few years ago, my favorite color was red, I ate takeout on a regular basis, and the only plants I took care of were artificial ones. Today, I cook 90% of my meals, I’m a new (and successful) plant mom, and orange is more my vibe now.

As individuals, we know our wants and needs change as we grow. But it’s often difficult for brands to expect the same of their customers.

It would be easier if consumers stayed the same – you’d only have to do market research once, identify the strategies that worked and stick with them. Unfortunately, the truth is more complicated than that.

A couple of months can make a world of difference in consumer behavior.

Take 2020 for instance - when the pandemic started in March, brands were forced to pivot their marketing strategies, and in some cases, their entire business models

Those who failed to realize this shift was necessary and relied solely on prior success likely experienced great financial loss.

However, not every shift is this drastic. Some happen over time.

Take the topic of social responsibility. Ten years ago, this wasn’t a major concern for everyday consumers.

However, today, sustainability is a major selling point for consumers and impacts their purchasing decisions.

You can also look at the online landscape and how users are consuming content. Where blogging was 10 years ago podcasting is now.

This is all to say that keeping your finger on the pulse is key to avoiding a myopic business.

2. Foster innovation within your team.

Just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way. That mentality is what leads to marketing myopia.

To break out of that, it’s important to create an environment in which your teams feel inspired to innovate.

What does this look like? It’s a combination of big and small actions like:

• Inviting new ideas.
• Experimenting with various strategies.
• Allowing failure and risk-taking.
• Hiring diverse perspectives.

By staying open-minded and flexible, you'll be in a better position to avoid marketing myopia.

3. Invest in competitive intelligence.

One way to stay on top of your game is by keeping up with others in your industry.

Competitive intelligence is the practice of monitoring and gathering data on your competitors through legal and ethical means. This can look like social media monitoring, setting up Google alerts for specific brands, and downloading offers to review content strategy.

Sites like Crayon , SEMrush , and Kompyte are great tools to help you leverage this intelligence into actionable insights to propel your company forward.

4. Optimize your marketing strategy.

When you get too comfortable in your approach, that’s when you risk marketing myopia.

Even if your marketing strategy is working well, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work on optimization. After all, companies like BlockBuster saw immense success – until they didn’t.

The past doesn’t dictate the future. However, it can help inform it.

With this in mind, review your data, take the time to gain insights, and then come up with ways to improve your performance.

Marketing Myopia Examples

1. blockbuster.

In the early 2000s, Blockbuster was the undisputed king of the video rental industry.

But by 2009, the company had filed for bankruptcy. What went wrong?

Many experts believe that Blockbuster's downfall was due to marketing myopia. The company was so focused on its existing business model that it failed to adapt to the changing marketplace.

As streaming services like Netflix and Hulu became more popular, Blockbuster refused to embrace them. Instead, they clung to their brick-and-mortar stores and DVD rentals, which eventually became obsolete.

Kodak is another example of a company that fell victim to marketing myopia.

For years, Kodak was the leading name in photography. But as digital cameras became more popular, Kodak failed to adapt.

The company focused on film and prints, even as its customer base shifted to digital. As a result, they lost market share and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2012.

3. Old Spice

Old Spice is a good example of a company that was able to avoid marketing myopia.

When the company was first founded, it marketed its products exclusively to men. But as the marketplace changed, Old Spice recognized that there was an opportunity to reach a wider audience.

They began to produce new products specifically for women and shift their marketing strategy. As a result, Old Spice was able to avoid the decline that many other companies have experienced.

By staying focused on its customers and being willing to adapt to change, Old Spice was able to avoid marketing myopia.

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategies & How to Improve Your Digital Presence

Diving Deep Into Marketing in Construction (My Takeaways)

11 Recommendations for Marketers in 2024 [New Data]

The Top 5 B2C Marketing Trends of 2024 [New HubSpot Blog Data + Expert Insights]

5 Marketing Trends That Might Not Survive in 2024 [HubSpot Research + Expert Insights]

Everything You Need to Know About Webinar Marketing

7 Marketing Questions Teams are Asking in 2024 (+Data & Insights)

50 Small Business Marketing Ideas for 2024

How Luxury Brands Market and What You Can Learn

Diving Deep Into Marketing for Dentists (My Takeaways)

Outline your company's marketing strategy in one simple, coherent plan.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

Marketing Myopia’ Term by Theodore Levitt Research Paper

Introduction, relevance of the author’s ideas, individual innovators’ examples, the importance of the complete analytical cycle, sustainable leadership.

For modern business companies, the ability to produce goods and services that uniquely resonate with target consumers is a critical success factor. The marketing tasks facing organizations, as a rule, are not limited to narrow frameworks and imply searching for flexible algorithms for promotion and creation of value propositions. As an article to consider to prove the relevance of a customer-centric approach, the article “Marketing Myopia” by Levitt (1960) will be reviewed, and its key findings will be analyzed. The main success factors influencing the efficiency of marketing campaigns should not be limited to a focus on sales without taking into account client interests. Innovation is one of the central incentives for successful promotion, and this thesis forms the basis of Levitt’s (1960) idea about the inadmissibility of narrow goals in the construction of productive ways of addressing consumer needs.

The topic that Levitt (1960) raises in his article remains relevant to this day, even though this discussion is more than half a century old. While considering the marketing practices typical of the American industries of that time, the researcher draws attention, first of all, to the shortcomings of individual approaches (Levitt, 1960). The limited possibilities of media advertising, carried out, as a rule, through the products of the film industry, were ineffective in assessing the real interests of consumers, which, in turn, did not allow for the restructuring of weak promotion strategies. In today’s marketing environment and customer engagement principles, similar theses are relevant. The inadmissibility of a blind desire to capitalize on sales, ignoring the real demand characteristics, indicates the relevance of the ideas presented, and the myopia metaphor describes the limited advertising potential in the best possible way.

The value of optimization as a strategy to transform market competitiveness is examined with the examples of individual innovators who have made a significant contribution to the history of marketing. For instance, Levitt (1960) mentions Thomas Edison as an inventor who took the energy industry to the next level with his inventions, including the creation of the incandescent lamp, which replaced obsolete kerosene lamps. Such an example is intended to emphasize the importance of an individual idea as a stimulus that can be stronger than traditional practices. Srivastava and Zerrillo (2019) also consider Edison’s personality, but in the context of Asian countries, and evaluate the likelihood of restructuring marketing strategies if this inventor had operated in a different world region. Thus, the idea is proposed that individual developments can be more useful than mass practices if the corresponding proposals are designed to optimize and improve rather than slow down and restrain.

As an excuse for past marketers, Levitt (1960) mentions various pressures and barriers that were inevitable. For example, the author notes the deterrents in the form of monopolization of individual industries by a narrow circle of companies, which did not allow other market participants to count on the comprehensive development and effectiveness of alternative promotion practices (Levitt, 1960). However, even in such conditions, some businesses were able to develop successfully, and the example of Henry Ford and his automobile concern is proof of this.

In his business strategy, Ford pursued a strategy of manufacturing products that were of interest to the target consumer first, which, as Levitt (1960) states, characterized the innovator as both senseless and, at the same time, a successful marketer of his time. In modern concepts of promotion, the ideas of many of Ford’s principles have been preserved, which testifies to the effectiveness of the approaches that he promoted. Link (2018) argues that along with charismatic leadership as a management principle, Henry Ford adopted a deep market analysis tactic that set his business apart from those competitors and allowed him to gain public confidence, which had always been one of the key goals of marketing. For modern companies, the focus on assessing the prospects for promotion is almost always based on demand planning as an option that determines the success of sales. Therefore, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and other prominent innovators are cited in Levitt’s (1960) article as iconic reformers who moved away from outdated and short-sighted marketing tactics.

In addition to the proposed descriptions of the achievements of individual innovators, Levitt (1960) provides an assessment of a comprehensive marketing analysis that involves planning at all stages, including interaction with the target audience. Functional decisions made by marketers should focus not only on sales but also on creation, delivery, feedback, and other important characteristics. As the researcher argues, customer satisfaction is one of the ultimate goals to achieve, and neglecting this criterion is fraught with a drop in demand and low sales (Levitt, 1960). Examples of transportation, oil, and other industries are provided to show the incompetence of responsible managers and the importance of working to create effective value propositions that address customer needs in the first place.

The effectiveness of marketing models is measured not in the context of available resources but through the strength of leadership control over the flexibility of development strategies, which, according to Levitt (1960), is of greater value than the material base. As support for this idea, Yun et al. (2018) cite the example of the Apple Corporation, particularly the work of Steve Jobs, as the company’s main inspiration and symbol. Through an innovative approach to analyzing the market and customer needs, Jobs and his colleague Wozniak created a business model that served the interests of end users, namely ordinary consumers of digital equipment, which allowed them to build one of the most profitable organizations ever (Yun et al., 2018). This example can be used as evidence in favor of the thesis about the importance of innovation and the risks that stagnation in marketing brings.

As one of the final ideas, Levitt (1960) argues that organizations should regard themselves not as selling units but as addressers of customer needs. This applies to all involved participants, including marketers, managers, and other parties whose activities are aimed at promoting relevant goods and services. As Keller and Alsdorf (2012) note, history shows that individual achievements that changed the world were not only brilliant discoveries but also incentives for further improvement attempts. Therefore, the desire for flexibility and focus on customer needs in marketing are essential success components.

Customer focus in marketing is the main theme of Levitt’s (1960) article, in which the author talks about the low probability of sustainable promotion of goods and services in the case of focusing exclusively on selling tasks. The examples of outstanding innovators and their achievements demonstrate the importance of constantly seeking new solutions. Flexibility and sustainable leadership are essential success factors, and given the ideas presented, one can speak of the relevance of Levitt’s (1960) ideas to today’s marketing sector.

Keller, T. & Alsdorf, K. (2012). Every good endeavor: Connecting your work to God’s work . Penguin Random House.

Levitt, T. (1960). Marketing myopia . Harvard Business Review , 1-14. Web.

Link, S. (2018). The charismatic corporation: Finance, administration, and shop floor management under Henry Ford . Business History Review , 92 (1), 85-115. Web.

Srivastava, R. K., & Zerrillo, P. (2019). Innovation: Does Asia need Newton or Edison? Asian Management Insights , 6 (1). Web.

Yun, J. J., Jung, K., & Yigitcanlar, T. (2018). Open innovation of James Watt and Steve Jobs: Insights for sustainability of economic growth . Sustainability , 10 (5), 1553. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 31). Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-myopia-term-by-theodore-levitt/

"Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt." IvyPanda , 31 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-myopia-term-by-theodore-levitt/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt'. 31 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt." March 31, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-myopia-term-by-theodore-levitt/.

1. IvyPanda . "Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt." March 31, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-myopia-term-by-theodore-levitt/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Marketing Myopia' Term by Theodore Levitt." March 31, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marketing-myopia-term-by-theodore-levitt/.

• "Marketing Myopia" Book by Theodore Levitt
• “Marketing Myopia” by Theodore Levitt
• Marketing Myopia Approach
• Market Myopia, Its Examples and Avoidance
• Myopia ProgressionAfter Contact Lens Wear
• "The Globalization of Markets" by Theodore Levitt
• "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner
• Theodore Levitt: The Globalization of Markets
• Views on Freackonomics by S.Levitt and S.Dubner
• The Transnational Villagers by Peggy Levitt
• The Shelfy Firm's Integrated Marketing Communication
• Insights Into Navigating Customer Service Dynamics
• Video Commercials Analysis with Action Framework
• The KiwiCo Firm's Marketing Communication
• Exotic Pencils: Marketing Communications Plan

What Is Marketing Myopia? The Definition, With Examples

Marketing myopia is a shortsighted approach to business that excludes customer needs. A better understanding of marketing myopia will reveal your potential marketing blind spots.

The term " marketing myopia " was first coined by Theodor Levitt in a 1960 Harvard Business Review marketing paper.

The gist of Levitt's rhetoric described a severe issue that many businesses were experiencing, namely unsustainable commercial practices .

As the term suggests, marketing myopia is a lack of marketing foresight .

When a business overemphasizes selling , it can easily fall into the marketing myopia trap at the cost of marketing research and action.

According to Levitt, businesses should address the practical aspects of their product in a societal context, rather than merely trying to sell things as best as possible.

Simply put, if one neglects their customers' needs without futureproofing their product , they may be selling their business short.

A once-successful company may have been part of a former 'growth industry,' but it eventually became redundant or even failed due to the business owner's marketing myopia.

Levitt used the railway industry as an excellent example of marketing myopia.

The railway industry once believed that people would always rely on trains to get from A to B. But what the railroad bigwigs didn't realize was that they weren't in the railway industry, but the transportation one .

The transportation industry was soon flooded with air travel and other more convenient forms of public transportation . As the urban world began to develop, trains stopped being the primary mode of transport, and the railway business suffered greatly.

Levitt may have opened his marketing myopia discussion more than 60 years ago, but his theory is still highly relevant today.

This article will better explain this potential business failure and how you can avoid it in your practice .

We will also look at some relevant modern marketing myopia examples and the best marketing strategy to ensure your business remains relevant.

Finally, we will examine some growth opportunities to provide your business with the clearest commercial vision possible .

What Is Marketing Myopia? Definition 📚

A closer look at marketing myopia 🔍, marketing myopia examples 👓, the causes of marketing myopia 👀, is marketing myopia still important 💎, how to avoid marketing myopia 🏃‍♀️, marketing myopia in small businesses 🏪, the case of green marketing myopia 💚, enjoying the clearest marketing vision possible 👁‍🗨.

Important disclosure: we're proud affiliates of some tools mentioned in this guide. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra). For more information, read our affiliate disclosure .

Marketing myopia is a term that describes the need for businesses to future-proof their products or services' usefulness instead of merely focusing on selling said offerings.

Each year, a tragic number of product launches fold .

The Harvard Business Review is unsure how many launches fail, but the percentage ranges between 75% and 95% . In any case, too many hopeful long-term goals are never met.

In the context of business, an infinite amount of energy, time, and capital goes into trying to sell products that will not be seen again in a year.

You may be wondering why so many hopeful and well-intended long-term goals are never met.

While some bitter business leaders spend weeks or even months figuring out where they went wrong, the answer often lies with marketing myopia .

Often their failures stem from a narrow obsession with sales instead of taking the broader consumer context into account. Every business owner knows that marketing is essential to any strategy, but how many have a comprehensive timeline planned for their products or services?

Levitt's Lessons

Theodore Levitt may no longer be with us, but his wisdom lives on.

His Harvard Business Review piece on marketing myopia advised a business model that focused more on the consumers' needs than the company's.

Levitt's business theory focused on solving the consumers' needs with a big-picture business strategy .

According to the German American professor and economist, "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill; they want a quarter-inch hole."

Any company's services are only as relevant as the problems they solve .

Sure, the modern consumer's shopping cart is often filled with all manner of objectively low-value products, but they still cater to specific needs , even if they are purely psychological.

According to Levitt, any business leader can incur catastrophic losses without a foolproof marketing strategy . And even if marketing is a crucial factor in a business plan, it could easily have blind spots .

Levitt spoke of the 'self-deceiving cycle' that some companies fall into, which can be summarized with four key points:

• Being confident that growth is secured by a larger and wealthier target segment.
• Believing that potential competitive replacements cannot threaten an industry's key product.
• Misplaced reliance on mass production and the benefits of quickly lowering unit costs and rising output.
• An obsession with a scientifically verified product that has been developed for years, along with affordable manufacturing costs.

👉 We will expand on the self-deceiving cycle in a later section.

A marketing professional might pump out reams of campaign-related data and resources daily, but if they don't answer the pertinent why questions , they might be missing the plot.

Let's now look at some modern examples of marketing myopia to put Levitt's cautionary tale into perspective.

Marketing myopia might sound like a somewhat nebulous term and is probably best understood with a few relevant situations .

Let's now look at some of the most catastrophic examples of conventional marketing gone wrong .

A company struck by marketing myopia will often see its consumer base gradually (or even quickly) shift to another product or service. Sadly, even when a business's customers start to leave, marketing myopia will often remain until it is too late.

We will look at three former industry leaders , Blockbuster, Kodak, and Nokia.

Netflix's Model Blocked Blockbuster

Before streaming services like Netflix arose as a competitive substitute to Blockbuster, people physically rented videos from Blockbuster for their Friday night entertainment.

The rental chain peaked in the 90s with more than 9,000 outlets within the United States alone, enjoyed 65 million loyal customers , and had an international employee base of 84,000 people.

All empires must fall, however, and Blockbuster's $3 billion value would soon be sapped by late fees of around $800 million . Blockbuster evaporated within ten years after filing for bankruptcy with nearly one billion dollars in debt.

So, how did a business that dominated 50% of the United States' home rental market crumble in such a dramatic fashion? There are many reasons, but marketing myopia is undoubtedly one of the main ones .

He Who Laughs Last - The Rise Of Netflix

Enter Netflix, a tiny upstart with an opposing business model.

Netflix launched its novel DVD renting practice in 1998, halfway through the dot-com boom. Netflix users were delivered DVDs to their front door for a monthly subscription fee, without late fees .

Blockbuster execs ignored Netflix , believing that its online or telephonic booking system would never take off.

But Netflix did, and it was doing incredibly well.

Eventually, Blockbuster finally invited Netflix to the party for an unforeseen meeting. Marc Randolph, Netflix's original CEO, tried to sell his DVD rental business to John Antioco, Blockbuster's CEO, for $50 million .

Antioco could barely contain his laughter, and the two CEOs went their separate ways.

However, Netflix continued to dominate the DVD rental market, while Blockbuster ignored the impending threat.

Fast-forward to the mid-2000s, Netflix surpassed Blockbuster as lord of the rental market with a 36% share.

By 2009, Netflix's online streaming platform was well-established, and the once-humble business reported $116 million in earnings .

On the other hand, Blockbuster was sinking with its numerous legal disputes and business issues.

Blockbuster had tried to imitate Netflix's DVD-by-mail strategy only too late and was eventually delisted from the New York Stock Exchange in 2010.

Blockbuster Turned A Blind Eye To The Future

Blockbuster had failed to acknowledge or even detect the changing of the film-rental guard.

Netflix had introduced an incredibly convenient and freeing way to enjoy movies, while Blockbuster had continued with its ignorant and arrogant belief that its model was untouchable.

Netflix simply made Blockbuster's services obsolete.

Rather than acknowledge Netflix's potential long-term growth back in the late 90s, Randolph had scoffed at Antioco.

Worse, Antioco believed that he was in charge of the film rental industry when, in reality, he dominated VHS tapes , which were rapidly falling out of favor.

Kodak Loses Out To Digital Photography

When was the last time that you used a film camera? Kodak probably remembers.

Our following example of marketing myopia involves a company that, despite having invented digital photography , would eventually be destroyed by it.

You might struggle to find a business disaster as cringeworthy as Kodak's one. After decades of decline, Kodak's film-focused photography model would eventually be trumped by the digital age .

Kodak's Unloved Step-Child

In 1975, a Kodak engineer called Steve Sasson created the first digital camera .

Unfortunately, the good people at Kodak's corporate department were less than impressed with Sasson's technological breakthrough.

The execs patted Sasson on the head and told him to keep his creation to himself.

Clearly, Sasson did not bury his digital camera in his backyard, and the technology soon caught on . But even as digital photography slowly became the norm for everyday people, Kodak continued to cling to film .

The decades following Sasson's discovery saw Kodak's camera market share plummet while competitors like Sony enjoyed long-term growth through digital cameras.

Although the world moved onto digital cameras (Kodak became a relic of the past), Kodak still clings to its film-based glory days. In 2007, Kodak released this weirdly bombastic advert :

The Unshakable State Of Denial

A business has to be fluid, adaptable, and humble to survive. Most importantly, it has to know when it's time to jump ship and board another.

To make sense of Kodak's damning preference for film, let's see what former Kodak market intelligence head Vince Barabba had to say on the matter.

Sony showcased the initial electronic camera in the 1980s.

Suddenly, the technology that Kodak's leadership had spurned was starting to make waves with consumers. As a result, Barabba launched an in-depth marketing research mission with the help of Kodak's CEO of the time.

Barabba's investigation pitted the novel digital medium against the traditional film one. The study's results were mixed, producing both positive and negative conclusions .

Barabba was sure that digital photography had the potential to overtake film and Kodak's products.

Thankfully for Kodak, Barabba established that the business had around a decade to respond to this pivotal market shift .

So, what did Kodak do to prepare for the coming storm?

Well, not much.

Ironically, Kodak's founder, George Eastman , had once taken a chance by investing in color film when black and white was the medium of choice.

But this kind of daring innovation had died with Eastman, as Kodak would not budge . That is not to say that Kodak didn't work in the digital department. It pioneered many of the digital camera technologies that formed the new industry .

Kodak would refuse to allow its cameras to take pictures with anything but film until it was too late.

Kodak Gets Left Behind By The Digital Age

You don't need a marketing degree to know what happened next.

Despite Barabba's oracle-like accuracy, Kodak maintained that digital cameras were something to be feared . Toward the end of the 20th century, consumers began embracing the convenience and high-quality photos that digital cameras provided.

Today, Kodak's market value stands at around $140 million , and the company often edges toward bankruptcy.

In Kodak's case, the company believed that it was part of the photography industry when really, it was in the film industry .

Nokia Gets Knocked Out By Google

The sad irony of Nokia's decay was that it had been one of the freshest and most innovative companies in cellular technology once. Indeed, Levitt would have been proud of how globally aware and connected Nokia was.

During the 90s, Nokia had looked at various countries' cellular usage and capitalized on trends in Asia and Europe. Mobile phones were rapidly becoming a fashion accessory in countries like Japan, beyond their functional uses.

Moreover, Nokia's investigative teams found that cellphones had the potential to replace landlines as our main form of remote communication.

This revolutionary approach to mobile-phone design allowed Nokia to dominate the market and leave its main competitor, Motorolla, in the past.  

Long before phones had large, high-resolution touchscreens and countless apps, Finnish tech company Nokia paved the way for mobile phone innovation. The Northern European Nokia dominated the mobile phone market in 1998 and captured more than half of the associated global market share in 2007.

By 2013, Nokia was on the brink of bankruptcy and was sold for $7.2 billion to Microsoft.

While one cannot blame marketing myopia entirely for Nokia's downfall, the business trap did play a prominent role . Let's look at the factors that knocked Nokia out.

An Overreliance On Hardware

2008 was undoubtedly the best year in Nokia's existence, with 468 million product sales .

The consumer market was growing at an alarming rate as people had more money than ever before to spend on things like mobile phones.

But while Nokia was on top of the world, companies like Apple, Android, and Samsung were unleashing their touchscreen wonders .

Not that Nokia was phased, as its execs failed to see how such experimental technology could threaten its trusted brand and products.

After all, most of us old enough to remember the days before smartphones probably had a Nokia phone at some stage.

Something like the Nokia 3310 is one of the most fondly remembered staples of mobile communication.

But while Nokia continued to worship its physical phones, enormous developments were taking place in the digital realm . Apple and Android were developing their revolutionary respective operating software, iOS, and Android .

That is not to say that Nokia did not have its own operating system, called Symbian.

The key difference was that while Symbian operated through its devices, iOS and Android were app-based . Nokia's foolhardy reliance on device-based software led to a chaotic and conflicting 57 Symbian versions.

Married To Its Operating System

Google's 2008 entry into the mobile phone market was a turning point . Suddenly, competitors like future industry giants like Huawei, Samsung, and Motorola eagerly adopted Android.

At the same time, the smartphone revolution was underway,

With Google's operating system at hand, Nokia's rivals began seizing large chunks of the market from Nokia. Meanwhile, Nokia failed to budge and kept its overly complex operating system as it was until 2011 .

That year, Nokia finally parted ways with its stuffy operating system. Except that it didn't join the Google gang as you might have expected.

Instead, Nokia partnered with Microsoft , and Windows Phone became Nokia's new operating system.

If you haven't ever heard of Windows Phone, that's because it was a titanic failure, and Nokia suffered greatly with this now discontinued operating system.

Nokia then lost its place at the market top, and Android effectively took control of the lion's share of the operating system industry.

By the time 2014 rolled in, Nokia's marketing myopia had finally cleared, and it embraced Android as it should have years passed. Sadly for the Finnish dinosaur, this decision was too little, too late .

All these companies have one thing in common, and that is complacency.

Even when innovative and potentially revolutionary businesses appear, and it is almost certain that their models will soon become industry standard, too many businesses become mired in ignorance and arrogance .

To better understand how these companies failed to survive in the modern world, the next section will unpack why companies suffer from marketing myopia in the first place.

According to Theodore Levitt, "There is no such thing as a growth industry." The economist might have looked down on companies that claim to be so if he was around today.

At a certain point, an industry will stop developing and begin to stagnate . Rather, companies can capitalize on "growth opportunities."

As mentioned earlier, many companies assume that they are members of a growth industry. Companies like Nokia, Kodak, and Blockbusters believed that their products would always be desirable .

Growth isn't assured by profit . A company's relevance is dependent on its ability to meet consumer needs on an ongoing basis.

We discussed Levitt's self-deceiving cycle earlier .

👉🏼 Now, let's unpack it in detail.

When a business is experiencing bountiful expansion and record sales, it might easily ignore the "undetected decay," as Theodore Levitt put it.

As a result of this apparent series of wins, managers can become lazily satisfied.

1. Believing That A Larger And Richer Population Guarantees Better Sales

Industries are always falling in and out of favor. Just because you are selling well today doesn't mean that you will continue to do so indefinitely.

Especially if your product or service does not develop according to consumers' ever-growing needs . Market penetration is a fickle process, after all.

Take, for example, a watch repair business. Given that more and more people are buying smartwatches, this industry needs to grow with this new and popular technology.

2. Believing That There Is No Substitute For Your Product

Unless your product or service is incredibly niche, you might find that it could be easily replaced by another company that does it better.

Many businesses believe that they are the source of truth in their field. There are countless ways to do the job you claim to do best in today's world.

The Vega Round Brush might be one of the most popular hairbrushes on the market, but that doesn't stop people from buying Shaun Pulfrey's Tangle Teezer .

3. Overestimating Your Capacity To Churn Out Products Quickly

Modern factory-standard production allows us to create many products very quickly. But an enormous supply doesn't always gel with demand.

Too many businesses are under the assumption that their product's demand will meet an ever-rising supply. For example, the Detroit auto industry folded despite its phenomenal growth and churning out of vehicles.

4. Improving A Product Based On Metrics That Exclude Consumer Needs

Products and services are constantly improved according to technical and market standards. What many businesses neglect in their upgrades are the basic needs of customers .

Many consumers did not know how an iPhone worked when it first came out, but that didn't stop it from crushing BlackBerry sales. Often, the psychological needs of a customer are far more important than their physical ones.

5. Obsessing Over Past Successes Rather Than Future Needs

The business world is developing so quickly that any company holding onto the past is bound to join it.

Innovation and ingenuity are two essential traits for any modern business model, and those that still rely on their past successes could face severe backlash.

When eCommerce first took off, people like the astronomer Clifford Stoll infamously expressed their doubts that it would ever replace in-store purchasing.

While these causes of marketing myopia can be seen in the recent past, businesses should still heed Levitt's advice in the 2020s.

Most marketing experts will tell you that marketing myopia is still something businesses and marketing teams need to be aware of today. After all, Levitt's original warnings didn't come with a detailed guide.

Rather, Levitt wished to set a timeless standard, or rather a provocation. Companies should never get too comfortable with their place in the world, especially the modern one.

Speaking of modern business, let's look at one industry that might be suffering from marketing myopia: the publishing one.

Publishing's Shifting Definition

Not too long ago, you might have read a piece like this one in a marketing-related magazine. Today, most people rely on their smartphones , laptops, and computers to stay up-to-date with news, trends, and the world in general.

While the digital age has transformed many age-old human industries and utilities, the publishing industry has a few blocks that need to be overcome.

When was the last time you bought a physical magazine, book, or newspaper?

Most people will read articles published online , and thankfully many newspapers and magazines have made the digital migration.

Those that have yet to make the online transition might find that the new information age leaves them behind.

Then there is the consumers' present expectation of a written piece. As our attention spans begin to shorten as a species, journalists must find ways to better hold the average readers' attention.

Let's now look at one company that seems to have taken Levitt's advice very seriously.

How Companies Avoid Marketing Myopia - IBM's Case

IBM is best known for its technological contributions to society. Another one of IBM's fascinating services is the IBM Interactive Experience (IBM iX) , which is the company's consulting branch.

IBM iX fuses technology, analytics, and design to ensure a very Levitt-oriented kind of longevity for the company.

IBM has stated that this is its way of conceptualizing beyond its main offerings to provide valuable communications beyond information processing.

One of the best ways to remain progressive and innovative as a company is to work with what IBM calls "Renegades and realists" to help "Drive bold change."

Today, IBM iX has almost 60 studios worldwide , staffed by an international network of data architects, strategists, developers, and designers.

How Has Marketing Myopia Changed Today?

Given that Levitt coined the term back in 1960, you might be wondering whether marketers have a different understanding of marketing myopia. While Levitt's posit might have been put forward many decades ago, it still stands true today .

The beauty of Levitt's game-changing article is that it is objectively relevant in today's market, and any attempt to edit his tenets don't seem to have worked.

More than relevant, however, Levitt's rules are today's marketers' doctrine .

Like any religion, marketing myopia was bound to have its heretics. Some marketers went too far with Levitt's influence, with a narrow fixation on the consumer .

This over-emphasis on the consumer's needs not only limits a marketer's broader understanding of a target segment but sidelines stakeholders , too.

Therein lies one of Levitt's initial article's shortcomings. While it is important to focus on a customer's needs, your stakeholders are equally important , like your employees, broader community, suppliers, and competitors.

👉🏼 Hilariously, Levitt regarded consumers as stupid and shortsighted.

While we aren't sure who hurt Levitt, he didn't seem to have the highest opinion of consumers. Another marketing myopia challenge for the modern marketer is the fluidity of modern industries.

It can be challenging to define which field you work in and your customer base. A more relevant term might be ecosystem rather than industry.

Some industries might better be described as unstable than fluid, however.

For example, programmatic ad buying is one ever-changing ecosystem. Those that work in programmatic ad buying will purchase advertising space for any number of companies and industries.

Programmatic ad buyers rarely define their industry and continually deal with new mediums and products. All that matters to them is their customer demands.

Programmatic ad buyers know how to stay ahead of the game. The following section will detail how you can avoid marketing myopia .

Avoiding marketing myopia takes some work and additional research. The following section will detail how you and your business can ensure that you never become irrelevant or outdated in the market.

1. Establish A Clear Vision

While your product or service might be thriving in today's market, that doesn't mean that consumers will always need it. Forging a clear vision means understanding the demand of the present and that of the future .

While knowing just how your relevant customers' needs will shift soon can be challenging, making a difference in their lives should always be your top priority.

2. Customer First, Product Second

Take a look at your product or service's descriptions in your current marketing. Does said content describe your product or the problems it solves ?

Your services should be able to address a consumer's pressing needs. They should be built around solving a common problem rather than a potential or even imaginary one.

3. Marketing As A First Order

One of the main reasons so many product launches fail is insufficient prerequisite marketing . So many bright businesspeople have come up with otherwise great products that didn't have a selling point.

You not only need to establish a related need in the modern context but the future one, too. Learn the potential future issues for your target segment and incorporate those solutions into your product or service's design.

4. Continual Marketing

You should keep marketing even after a successful product launch. Find out where your product or service could be improved, and make those changes.

Take heed of customer complaints and suggestions. Then, you can reissue an optimized product or service in your next launch.

5. Monitor Your Competition

Seeing what the other team is up to is a common tactic in marketing, but monitoring it through the lens of marketing myopia will upgrade your detective work .

See what works for the competition and what doesn't. How do they retain their clients and customers, and will these relationships last?

6. Diversify Your Offerings

You could efficiently address your customers' related needs , as well as the ones that your products or services do.

The more comprehensive your offerings are, the more likely your customers will depend on you, especially if you add mixed and real value to their lives.

7. Don't Be Scared To Experiment

Many companies are afraid to go against the grain and dabble with disruptive innovation . Experimentation is one of the few ways to appeal to consumers refreshingly.

The need for something new and original is a very real one. People are always looking for more straightforward ways to solve their problems, and if you can provide that for them, your consumer loyalty is assured .

There are plenty more ways to avoid marketing myopia, but this is a fantastic start. Now, let's look at the case of marketing myopia in small businesses.

Marketing myopia can affect any business , regardless of its size. If you own a small business, you should still consider whether you are too set in your ways, and whether your customers are still satisfied with your product or service.

Some forces are a bit harder to control, however.

The Impact Of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for business.

While it seems that life is becoming somewhat safer and freer today, the way business is conducted in general has shifted radically. Some small business owners might wonder where they fit in with the current market.

During the pandemic’s peak and its associated lockdown, many restaurant owners switched their physical menus to digital ones.

You might have seen QR codes at your local restaurants and scanned them to see their menus. While this innovation keeps customers and restaurant staff alike safe, will it fall out of use when COVID-19’s threat seems to abate?

Indeed, many countries are beginning to ease their lockdown restrictions , and life seems to be slowly returning to normal. Customers might just wish for their classic paper menus back in the meantime.

Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom for the restaurant industry.

Small businesses leaders can use the following strategy to ensure that their operations remain as relevant and exciting as possible.

1. Understanding Buyer Personas

A company only truly begins flourishing when it knows and has a relationship with its ideal customer .

Like most products and services, your small business’s offers may only suit the needs of a certain kind of person.

Others might find your wares mildly interesting, while others would never think of using them.

The better you understand your target audience, the more apparent their needs will become. A superb customer empathy permits a marketer to see through their eyes.

With this kind of connection, a small business can be in-tune with its customers’ developing needs , even when a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic hits.

2. Verify Your Customer-Related Assumptions

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you know what your consumers need, as Blockbusters or Nokia did years ago.

Never assume that your own needs are the same as customers’ . While you may complete most of your shopping online, that might not be so for your target segments’ consumer behavior.

Many marketers like to place themselves in their customers’ shoes and assume what they would do in a particular situation.

Instead, you should connect with your customers to the point that you can easily predict how they would behave. You can do this through surveys, but a better way would be to have personal connections .

The space for personal connections is one of the advantages of having a small to medium-sized customer base, after all.

Another great way to confirm your customer assumptions is to put a positive spin on complaints. Some markets use grievances as complimentary advice.

3. Keep An Eye On The Competition

Competition is an unavoidable part of business, and a smaller market means that consumer attention is harder to grab.

While you could simply keep your head down and ignore the other side, assessing your competition would be a better strategy. This surveillance lets you calculate how to best competitors’ offerings and pull more customers.

Begin by establishing exactly who your rivals are, specifically those that excel at pleasing your target segment. You can then list these companies’ strengths and weaknesses .

Once you know where your business stands in the market, you can begin redesigning your offerings to win over more customers strategically.

4. Plan For The Future

Flexibility is essential for any business strategy, and proactively dealing with challenges is critical. But what about your long-term plan ?

We’ve covered many examples of rigid companies that failed or refused pivot. Remember that what works for your business today might not do so tomorrow .

Employing an anchoring business strategy allows for major overhauls with ensuing stability.

On the topic of stability, marketing myopia often occurs to companies with the best intentions in mind.

Modern businesses have an environmental debt, especially the largest and most profitable ones. But while many companies will try to put a green spin on their products , this kind of sustainability doesn't always impress consumers .

For example, the "EarthLight" CFL lightbulb from Philips, launched in 1994.

This innovative lightbulb promised to ease our collective load on the grid and the environment, but its weird shape and perplexing packaging left it in the dark.

EarthLights didn't screw into most lamp sockets, and they cost $15 each . Compared to the 75c cost of ordinary bulbs, most consumers wouldn't spend that much money just to stop the ice caps from melting.

Despite Philips' best efforts to curb our collective impact on the environment, the EarthLight failed to turn consumers on. Needless to say, EarthLight didn't sell very well .

Phillips' example is one of green marketing myopia - when companies put too much emphasis on the environmental design of a product without considering whether it will work for consumers or not.

Philips Reboots Its Green Bulbs

Six years after EarthLight's dim 1994 launch, Philips rebooted its energy-saving lightbulb with a different name and design in 2000.

Philips marketed the "Marathon" lightbulb with a five-year lifespan. The Marathon lightbulb assured consumers more affordable electricity bills ($20 per lightbulb lifetime).

This cost-cutting selling point , coupled with packaging proudly displaying Energy Star stickers, resulted in a 12% sale boost for Phillips.

Despite the original EarthLight's noble design, only the most environmentally concerned consumers bought it.

Even if a person floods their Facebook timeline with endless global warming-related articles, they might be reluctant to buy a green product if they fail to see a personal benefit like improved performance or cost savings.

How To Market Green Products

If your business wants to market its green products better, here are some of the best ways to do it.

• Green products should be designed to match or even outperform alternatives .
• Make sure to market the target segments' needs and the environmental ones, i.e., cost-cutting functionality for cost-conscious customers.
• Find ways to connect the green qualities of your product to consumers' needs . For example, produce grown without pesticides is healthier, or energy-saving lightbulbs result in cheaper electricity bills.
• Create educational and fun resources like apps and websites that educate consumers on your green product while driving engagement .
• Ensure that the research attached to your product is accurate and qualified . You never know when a competitor will challenge your claims!
• While a third-party eco-certification for your products (like Energy Star) is essential, your consumers should also know what they mean .
• Inspire word-of-mouth marketing by generating a social media buzz for your product. Get trusted names in environmentalism on board with your marketing efforts.

Another superb way to avoid marketing myopia is to immerse yourself in global trends.

How To Stay Relevant In An Interconnected World 🔗

One of the biggest marketing myopia no-nos is ignoring global trends . There are plenty of American and European industries that, in their pride, turned a blind eye to what, say, Japan was doing.

Let's take the television industry , for example.

While flat-panel displays were redefining television design and consumer enjoyment in Japan, many businesses in the United States and Europe continued to churn their boxy CRT units.

Many television manufacturing companies picked up on this new design in the Western world and adopted these revolutionary technologies. Sadly, others continued to pump their chunky television sets and faded into obscurity .

In a globalized world, ignoring international trendsetters is a fatal error.

Beyond trends, overseas industry leaders can also provide a wealth of knowledge and opportunities .

Shiseido’s Sweet-Smelling Dilemma

Broadening your horizons not only helps your company dodge marketing myopia, it also acts as a sound resource for innovation .

It’s not always Western companies that look to the East for inspiration, however, as was the case of the Japanese skin care products business, Shiseido .

At one stage, Shiseido discovered that its market share was depleting. The Japanese cosmetics brand’s competitors were gaining more consumer loyalty thanks to their exclusive perfume products.

Shiseido scoured the local industry for relevant resources but found that it was too underdeveloped to be of much help.

This led Shiseido marketers to turn their attention to France, and soon the business acquired Alexandre Zouari and Carita. These Parisian chains, along with a new Gien-based production line, propelled Shiseido out of its rut .

Now, Shiseido execs had an intimate viewpoint for observing and imitating the trendiest French icons of the time.

The Japanese entrepreneurs even assigned a former Yves Saint Laurent Parfums marketing head as the CEO of its new operations.

As a result of this comprehensive overhaul, Shiseido did so much more than revitalize its position in Japan. It became a global industry leader .

How To Gain Global Knowledge

You can only acquire an international learning resource once you enter the global marketing culture and community.

Imagine yourself as an international prospector searching for developing technology and trend resources. You will not make much progress if you solely focus on short-term missions , however.

Google isn’t enough, either. The following guide to becoming internationally acclimatized might end with you booking airline tickets!

1. Partner With Key Customers

A company like STMicroelectronics honed in on Western Digital and Seagate to create tactical partnerships.

With this allegiance at hand, STMicroelectronics was able to reap everything that it needed to know about making HDD systems. These vital technological breakthroughs were sourced from Asia and the United States

2. Depend On Discerning Distributors

Many Korean and Japanese consumer electronics firms rely on United States tech suppliers like Wal-Mart and Sears to maintain industry-standard confidence .

American companies like Wal-Mart also provide feature specifications to their Asian customers. This international relationship also allows Korean and Japanese companies to gain the knowledge needed for new distribution channels.

3. Suppliers Can Also Provide Valuable Knowledge

Suppliers don’t just provide mundane goods and services. Their specific industry knowledge can also develop a business by a few eras.

Tatung , a Taiwanese electronics titan, would not be as powerful as it is today without its capable purchasing system. A tactic that it wields to gain the latest American, Asian, and European technology and opportunities .

4. Collaborate With Academics

The business world and academia are becoming increasingly integrated.

Associating yourself with relevant research organizations and universities opens up whole branches of essential knowledge that would otherwise be closed off.

Eisai , a Japanese pharmaceutical business, leveraged its relationship with local medical schools and hospitals to develop and register potentially revolutionary novel molecules.

Said discoveries are currently being applied to potential Alzheimer’s disease cures .

(null) (null)

5. Laser-Focused Acquisitions

An acquisition should do more than just boost sales and expand your company’s presence.

In the technology industry, an acquisition allows a company to reinforce its existing employee base with new scientists and engineers with fresh ideas and goals.

While international cooperation can be incredibly beneficial, it also runs the risk of running into contention.

When Collaboration Turns Ugly

Not all acquisitions and partnerships across borders yield positive results. Many international agreements have been marred by differences of opinions , particularly on a managerial level.

Many newly allied execs have found their relationships fraught with contradicting insights and goals .

To avoid locking horns with your new allies, a disciplined and focused level of courtesy should be maintained.

Ensure that you are all on the same page regarding objectives. The point is to solve problems and not create new ones. Even when a disagreement arises, the energy produced by solving it can lead to new insights and potential profit.

An age-old product that has been developed for decades can easily be replaced by a more innovative one in a few years.

Reinventing yourself as a business is one of the biggest challenges imaginable. To clear your definition and start again with a white sheet can make or break a company.

But what will certainly dissolve a business is a stubborn state of stagnation .

Marketing myopia might have a rather broad definition, but you will find that its application has precise results in your marketing practices.

You can find out where your business stands by gaining a more comprehensive consumer and market-related perspective .

Take a close look at what your customers really need and what they might in years to come. Other businesses in your industry might have a far more appealing product or service.

Theodore Levitt's contribution to marketing was an invaluable one. How one man managed to set an indisputable maxim in 1960 that still stands true today is phenomenal.

While we might owe Levitt much, we should not solely rely on his teachings. Remember that selling is a well-oiled machine made of many nuts and bolts.

And while customers might be the engine that drives this selling machine, you should always attend to your stakeholders' needs too.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to be notified of new content on marketsplash..

What is Marketing Myopia? Definition and Examples

Marketing Myopia, first expressed in an article by Theodore Levitt in Harvard Business Review, is a short-sighted and inward-looking approach to marketing that focuses on fulfilment of immediate needs of the company rather than focusing on marketing from consumers’ point of view.

When a company focuses more on sales than on marketing or consumers’ needs, that’s when marketing myopia strikes in.

What Is Marketing Myopia?

Marketing myopia is a situation when a company has a narrow-minded marketing approach and it focuses mainly on only one aspect out of many possible marketing attributes.

A brand focusing on the development of high-quality products for customers who disregard quality and only focus on the price is a classic example of marketing myopia.

When Does Marketing Myopia Strike In?

Marketing myopia strikes in when the short term marketing goals are given more importance than the long term goals. Some examples are:

• More focus on selling rather than building relationships with the customers.
• Predicting growth without conducting proper research.
• Mass production without knowing the demand.
• Giving importance to just one aspect of the marketing attributes without focusing on what the customer actually wants.
• Not changing with the dynamic consumer environment.

Business, according to Levitt, is actually a customer satisfying institution and hence should be based on customers’ needs and desires.

Self-Deceiving Cycle

Growth is never assured. The business environment is everchanging and so should be a business. Businesses that don’t assess their own capabilities, competitors, customers’ needs, and changing trends, always tend to get trapped in a self-deceiving cycle.

Conditions That Lead To The Self-Deceiving Cycle

• A belief that growth of the business is guaranteed by growth in population.
• The belief that there is no competitive substitute for the company’s product
• Supply creates its own demand, hence mass production.
• Overestimation of product’s qualities without conducting scientific research.

If you ever think there is an absence of future problems, there can be a problem in your thinking.

Step-Child Treatment

Businesses often treat their product as their own child and customers’ needs as a stepchild. This result in spending most of the resources in the development of their product and the remaining (less or no) resources on conducting research and marketing. This backfires on the businesses as the stepchild always turn out to be the Cinderella of the story.

Examples Of Marketing Myopia

Here are some companies that are suffering from or have suffered from marketing myopia

• Kodak lost much of its share to Sony cameras when digital cameras boomed and Kodak didn’t plan for it.
• Nokia losing its marketing share to android and IOS.
• Hollywood didn’t even tap the television market as it was focused just on movies.
• Yahoo! (worth $100 billion dollars in 2000) lost to Google and was bought by Verizon at approx. $5 billion (2016).

Marketing Myopia in future

• Dry cleaners – New types of fiber and chemicals will result in less demand for dry cleaners.
• Grocery stores – A shift to the digital lifestyle will make grocery stores disappear.
• Facebook : With the new GDPR and data privacy laws , Facebook will either need to change its business model or it may lose social media market share to other data-privacy-centric social media platforms.

Go On, Tell Us What You Think!

Did we miss something? Come on! Tell us what you think of  marketing myopia  in the comment section.

A startup consultant, digital marketer, traveller, and philomath. Aashish has worked with over 20 startups and successfully helped them ideate, raise money, and succeed. When not working, he can be found hiking, camping, and stargazing.

Related Posts:

What is Marketing Myopia

Initially, the term ‘‘market myopia’’ was floated by the Theodor Levitt in the marketing paper. It was published in the ‘‘Harvard Business Review’’ in 1960, where he said that business can do better than just selling their products. His main contention was that the marketer should also focus on customer’s needs & satisfaction, not sales and stuffing customers with their products.

Table of Contents

What is Marketing Myopia?

Marketing myopia is the failure & narrow-minded approach of marketing management of a company; which only focuses on certain attributes of the product or service while completely ignoring the long terms goals such as product quality, customers need, demand and satisfaction.

Causes of Marketing Myopia

Now, the question is what causes marketers to adopt narrow-minded strategies and become marketing myopic. However, there are many causes of marketing myopia which may vary from company to company; some of the common causes of marketing myopia are as follows;

‘‘Companies Assume they are in a Growth Industry’’

It doesn’t happen overnight, instead, it takes time to build a reputation and establish the brand . But when a company achieves that status of being successful, then they become a leading growth industry in the market for a long time.

However, this notion of being invincible in the market makes them to falsely assume certain things like whatever they produce, it will sell. Because they are either lead producer or the only manufacturer in the market, instead of building a relationship with customers they just focus on their sale strategies.

‘‘Companies believe there are no Competitive Substitutes’’

When a company remains a sole producer in the market without any competitor, then they believe that things would stay the same forever and they will always be at the top. This self-deceiving belief makes them lazy, and they stop investing their resources in research and development to keep on getting better. In the end, a competitor comes in the market with unique features and takes the entire market share.

‘‘Failure to Consider the Requirements of the Consumer’’

One of the important causes is the failure to consider the requirement of customers as a part of their marketing strategy. They become so overconfident that they stop asking their customers, whether they want our product or not. As a result, the gap between the customer’s requirements and company product becomes so big; whenever a competitor enters the market. People just leave the marketing myopic brand immediately.

‘‘Focusing more on Products and not on Customers’’

The focus of market myopic companies is only on their product, not the needs and requirements of customers. They just keep on producing their products overlooking the demands of the market . Customers only buy their product is because they don’t have another choice.

‘’Failure to Consider Changing Consumer Lifestyle in the Digital Age’’

Technology doesn’t only provide us new products; it also changes our lifestyle along with those products and services by making us more leisure. When marketers don’t keep in mind the changing lifestyle of customers; their product becomes obsolete to meet the requirements of customers. Customers won’t buy any product which doesn’t meet their demands.

How to Avoid Marketing Myopia

There are many ways that the management of a company can avoid market myopia by doing the following steps;

• By designing the customer-oriented strategies 
• Customer’s demand and need should be kept in mind
• Company’s product should be able to add some value in the customer’s life by solving their problems 
• New ideas and approaches should be adopted

Examples of Marketing Myopia

There was a time when Kodak’s cameras were at the peak of the market, they kept on producing the same types of cameras over the years. When Sony introduced its digital cameras in the market, Sony’s cameras were a huge success. Kodak’s cameras were kicked out from the market.

Blackberry’s phones had a 50% market share in the US and 20% world in 2006. When Smartphones were introduced in the market, blackberry’s market started declining. Today, blackberry holds 0% of the market in the smartphone industry.

Back in early 2000 to 2006; Nokia’s button pad phones were at the top of the market and Nokia had the entire market share. Nokia didn’t change its product with the changing technology. In 2016, exactly 10 years later, Nokia’s phones were nowhere to be found in the market. Samsung and iPhones captured the whole market share which was once belonged to Nokia.

Entertainment

Video games, TV series, movies, showbiz, etc, nowadays, all of them fall into the category of entertainment. It is because all of them are targeting the same audience, instead of differentiating themselves from one another, they have decided to agree on one thing and which is to entertain their audience and work in collaboration.

About The Author

Ahsan Ali Shaw

Summary of Marketing Myopia with 10 Examples: Theodore Levitt’s seminal work

Marketing myopia was published in Harvard Business Review in the 1960s by German American Economist and Harvard University Professor Theodore Levitt. Levitt’s advice has been instrumental in understanding the failure of many businesses and his advice to avoid marketing myopia has been taught in almost all business schools as an elementary course to understand businesses in general. The original Classic can be found here

In his article “Marketing Myopia,” Theodore Levitt criticizes the marketing industry for its lack of strategic thinking, which he attributes to the industry’s “myopia.” As a strategy for increasing its share of the market, the company is shifting its focus from product sales to the needs of its customers. Businesses that put the needs of their customers first will be successful. It is said that management is “brand-oriented” when it places an emphasis on the target audience or demographic for the brand.

Agility and Leadership

When a company is not agile enough to adapt quickly to shifting market conditions , placing an excessive amount of emphasis on growing market share causes marketing myopia, which can prove to be fatal. Myopic marketing is a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible given the importance of advertising to the success of any company. According to Levitt’s argument, a myopic culture can be found within any organization because the delusion of progress fuels it.

Levitt contends that the inability of a company’s leadership to take responsibility for the decisions made in the formulation of the company’s strategy is the root cause of the failure of a company. Levitt supports his claim with evidence from the film industry as well as the railroad industry.

The Railroad Industry

According to Levitt, the demise of the railroad industry was not caused by a decrease in the amount of freight or passenger traffic, but rather by the inability of railroads to provide services that were tailored to the requirements of their clientele. The leadership in the railroad industry was not to blame, but they failed to recognize the potential of their industry. Individual railroads were evaluated, as opposed to the rail network as a whole being scrutinized for this study.

According to the theory of marketing myopia, a company is more likely to be successful when its products are able to satisfy the needs of its customers rather than when it focuses solely on satisfying the preferences of its customers to the greatest extent possible. A further illustration of this can be found in the Hollywood film industry; historically speaking, movies have been produced with the film market alone in mind, as opposed to as a component of a larger entertainment package.

Because Hollywood was incapable of comprehending the part it played in the entertainment industry, the television industry stepped in to fill the void left by its absence. This was accomplished by the production of niche shows aimed at particular demographics. The most important thing to take away from this is that in order to solve the issue, you need an all-encompassing approach to digital marketing rather than a specific one.

Marketing Short-sightedness

First, Levitt busts the myth about the population, and then he explains the shortsightedness of the marketing strategy . According to Levitt, it is a common misconception that an increase in the population automatically results in an increase in the demand for goods and services. There is a possibility that, for reasons that are not fully understood, there will be an uptick in interest in a product that is not normally readily available. The petroleum industry made the right choice when it decided to venture into uncharted territories. It is essential, in order to achieve sustained success, to adopt a business model that is centered on the customer and to abandon outdated marketing strategies.

When developing a new product or service, upper management should put the wishes and requirements of customers first. Levitt examines the recently established and service-oriented dry cleaning business as an illustration of the issues that can arise from ideas of obsolescence. He notes that customers want alternative options that are more suited to meet their requirements.

Levitt expands on the idea of marginalization by asserting that marketing is getting the short end of the stick due to businesses emphasizing short-term profits rather than long-term growth. They are so preoccupied with gathering data in order to boost production and sales that they have forgotten to put the requirements of their customers at the forefront of their minds. Levitt uses the petroleum industry as an illustration to illustrate his point. In this industry, production was entirely focused on exploration, but there was no marketing.

Levitt advises high-level executives not to place an excessive amount of weight on R&D’s bottom line. It is foolish to prioritize research and development over preventative safety measures. Companies are increasing the amount of money they invest in research and development in order to develop innovative products that cater more to the wants of consumers than to their requirements . Some businesses operate under the mistaken belief that the simple act of marketing their wares to end users will be sufficient to guarantee their financial success.

According to market research and Levitt’s account, the dry cleaning industry went through a period of stagnation after the introduction of new cleaning chemicals and ultrasonic devices. An increasing number of consumers are drawn to purchase enhanced goods and services, which are produced as a natural consequence of ongoing technological development. The next ten to twenty years of a company’s existence ought to be planned out with SWOT analysis as a primary consideration (SWOT).

Think and Bring Progress

The successful company will “ think and bring progress ” in order to keep its customer base, which, according to Levitt, protects the creator from having to rely on pure intuition or originality in a field that has the potential to be profitable. Illogic is unavoidable when there is no intellectual obstacle to be conquered. Although there is evidence to suggest that the market is expanding, the administration may be getting ready to scrap the logic that underpins its current strategies.

The foolish actions of industry participants contributed, at least in part, to the current state of the market. Even though the oil industry has been around the longest and has the most dependable track record, legitimate concerns have been raised as a result of its rapid expansion. There is always the possibility that the oil industry will encounter the same difficulties as the railroad industry. To put it succinctly, the primary focus of the industry has been on discovering ways to simplify the process of acquiring and producing its product for paying customers. Lamp oil and gasoline have both found widespread applications, and the petroleum industry is on the cusp of a number of fascinating new breakthroughs.

While businesses are shifting their focus toward mass production in an effort to cut costs, these same businesses are also paying close attention to the requirements of their customer base. If you reduce spending on advertising, you run the risk of missing out on opportunities to form relationships with customers and adapt to the evolving preferences of those customers over time.

Levitt, on the other hand, was certain that there was no industry growth because “ there are only organizations organized and worked to produce and market shares and profit from growth chances ” . In order for businesses to avoid falling victim to “marketing myopia,” Levitt recommends implementing the following four strategies. The first step is to adjust one’s behavior to account for emerging fashions and tastes. The second component of the organization is a group of highly-motivated and visionary leaders who are responsible for establishing the organization’s overall direction.

In conclusion, the company must exert significant effort in order to satisfy the preferences of its clientele. In the end, the company focuses on the organization’s needs to see itself in the role of a purchaser. Customers have more power than store owners do in today’s society. The book written by Levitt titled Marketing Myopia contains ideas that are similar. Now more than ever, in order for businesses to avoid having their products become obsolete, they need to concentrate their efforts not on expanding their base of customers but rather on satisfying the requirements of those customers they already have and predicting the needs they will have in the future.

In addition, Levitt explains how a company can miss out on opportunities for growth industry expansion due to the erroneous belief that increasing the number of customers it serves will automatically result in the company’s success. Levitt used the petroleum industry as an example to illustrate his point, noting that there was no competition in the market because there was no viable alternative to oil, but that there were so many refineries that they did not constitute a threat to the industry.

The Self-Deceiving Cycle

The self-deceiving cycle is comprised of four factors:

• The use of mass production and lower unit costs to boost output;
• The belief that a major product has no substitute;
• Concern over the development of a single product; and
• The growth of the population.

According to Levitt had to say about the matter, “if a rational problem response is based on thinking, then the lack of an issue prompts a lack of thinking.” If the market for your product is expanding on its own, then expanding that market probably won’t require much thought on your part. In recent decades, the role of the oil industry in driving economic expansion has played a less significant role. Given how self-assured they were about their offering, it should not come as a shock that they are part of a sector that is on the decline.

The oil industry placed a greater emphasis on achieving the highest possible level of production efficiency as opposed to improving or marketing their product. If a company’s services are solely focused on the possibility of financial gain, then creative work may be an obstacle to the company’s growth. It is detrimental to the growth of a company to place an excessive amount of emphasis on creative endeavors because this shifts resources away from serving the company’s core market and toward the development of a specialized offering for that market. Because it places more importance on the process than on the result, creativity inherently involves risk.

An overabundance of inventiveness results in a glut of products that serve no useful purpose. Levitt encourages aspiring business owners to put the satisfaction of their customers ahead of the production of their goods. Because of this, every person who is involved in the business is aware of its significance. Customers are the reason for the existence of businesses and they are the ones who define the business environment. If the products can adequately satisfy their requirements, then the sales will improve. Product sales are essential to the continued existence of a serious business owner.

The numerous examples of growth organizations and customer-focused businesses that were used to analyze the social impact of these organizations constituted the article’s strongest point. A significant deficiency in the article was that it did not provide any concrete examples. Apple and Google are two of the world’s most successful companies and serve as examples. Apple’s iPhones are designed with the product, rather than the user, as the primary focus of the company’s design decisions.

10 Marketing Myopia Examples

Marketing myopia, as proposed by Theodore Levitt, refers to the shortsightedness of companies, where they focus on selling their products or services rather than meeting the needs and desires of their customers. Here are 10 examples of marketing and myopia examples, and how Levitt’s theory can be applied to these failures. These are some of the classic marketing myopia examples. Many of them correlate to businesses not adapting to the digital age and lacking concentrated marketing efforts.

Kodak failed to adapt to the digital revolution, focusing on its traditional film products instead of understanding the growing demand for digital photography. Levitt’s theory suggests that Kodak should have paid more attention to customers’ needs for convenient and instant photos through digital cameras rather than pushing film-based cameras. This is a classic case marketing myopia examples today.

Source: Statista

Blockbuster

The company focused on its brick-and-mortar video rental stores rather than embracing the shift toward digital streaming. Levitt’s theory implies that they missed the big picture of on-demand entertainment. Blockbuster should have focused on customers’ desire for convenient and accessible home entertainment instead of relying on their physical store model.

The company focused on its signature physical keyboard and business-oriented devices, ignoring the shift towards touchscreen smartphones and app ecosystems. Levitt’s theory implies that Blackberry should have been more attentive to the growing demand for versatile, consumer-friendly devices and evolved its product line accordingly.

Toys “R” Us

The toy retailer failed to adapt to the rise of e-commerce and continued investing in large, expensive brick-and-mortar stores. According to Levitt’s theory, Toys “R” Us should have focused on customers’ desire for online shopping and convenience, adapting its business model accordingly.

Source: This Incredible Article on Failory. Do read it

Once the world’s largest vendor of mobile phones, Nokia is another example of marketing myopia. Despite having a dominant market position, they were slow to adapt to the rise of smartphones, clinging to their successful feature phone models. By the time they attempted to compete in the smartphone market, companies like Apple and Samsung were too far ahead.

At one point, Yahoo was the leader in internet search engines, but they failed to adapt to changes in the online world. While they continued focusing on becoming a media company, competitors like Google embraced the ‘search’ function and developed superior algorithms, ultimately taking over the market.

Once synonymous with photocopying, Xerox failed to anticipate the rise of a paperless world and digital documents. They held too strongly to their successful past instead of focusing on the future and fell behind companies that embraced digital documents, like Adobe.

This was one of the most successful department stores in history. However, Sears did not adapt to changing consumer behavior and trends. They were slow to acknowledge the shift to online shopping and the threat posed by companies like Amazon. Sears also did not invest adequately in the modernization of their physical stores, thus losing customers to more contemporary and shopper-friendly competitors.

Like Kodak, Polaroid suffered greatly from the rise of digital photography. They had great success with instant film cameras but failed to foresee the implications of the digital revolution, leading to bankruptcy.

A major player in the music and entertainment retail industry, HMV was slow to recognize and respond to the shift towards digital music and video. Despite the rising popularity of platforms like iTunes and Spotify, HMV continued focusing on their physical media products, leading to significant losses and ultimately bankruptcy.

Borders Books

Borders was once a leading book retailer with hundreds of stores worldwide. However, it failed to adapt to the changing landscape of the book industry. Borders outsourced their online sales to Amazon in the early 2000s, essentially handing over a key competitive advantage. They also heavily invested in CDs and DVDs just as digital media was taking off. These missteps led to declining sales and, eventually, bankruptcy in 2011.

Compaq was once a prominent name in the personal computing industry. They focused heavily on making hardware without realizing the importance and potential of software and operating systems, a gap exploited by companies like Microsoft and Apple. In sticking to their original hardware-focused strategy without adapting to changing market dynamics, Compaq lost ground to competitors, leading to their acquisition by HP in 2002.

How to avoid Marketing myopia

As businesses strive to succeed and grow, the shadow of marketing myopia looms large , threatening to derail their dreams. But fear not, for there are strategies that can help you avoid this treacherous pitfall and keep your business soaring to new heights.

Foster a customer-centric mindset: Let your heart be filled with empathy and understanding for your customers. Delve into their desires, needs, and pain points, and shape your products or services around them. Always remember that your customers are the lifeblood of your business, and without them, your endeavors will wither away.

Embrace change and innovation : Change is an unstoppable force, and the only way to thrive is to ride the waves of progress. Be brave and open-minded, always seeking new ways to evolve and adapt your offerings. By staying ahead of the curve, you’ll remain relevant and indispensable to your customers.

Keep an eye on the bigger picture : Don’t let yourself be blinded by short-term gains and immediate success. Instead, focus on the long-term vision, nourishing your business with sustainable growth strategies. By doing so, you’ll create a legacy that stands the test of time.

Encourage a culture of learning and curiosity : Feed your organization’s hunger for knowledge and discovery . Promote a collaborative environment where ideas flourish and innovation is rewarded. This will ensure your business remains agile, adaptive, and ready to face any challenges the future may hold.

Conduct continuous market research : To stay ahead, you must be in tune with the ever-changing landscape of your industry. Engage in regular market research to gain invaluable insights into customer preferences, emerging trends, and potential threats. By staying informed, you’ll be better equipped to make strategic decisions that safeguard your business.

Diversify your offerings : Don’t place all your hopes and dreams on a single product or service. Spread your wings and explore new avenues, diversifying your portfolio to better serve your customers and mitigate risk. This will not only strengthen your business but also help you weather any storms that may come your way.

Maintain open communication with customers : Forge deep, emotional connections with your customers through honest and transparent communication . Listen to their feedback and be responsive to their needs. By nurturing these relationships, you’ll create a loyal customer base that will support your business through thick and thin.

To avoid the devastating consequences of marketing myopia, hold these strategies close to your heart. Nurture your business with love and care, and you’ll find yourself on a path to long-lasting success and prosperity.

What is a current example of marketing myopia?

A current example of marketing myopia is the decline of traditional cable TV providers. With the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, customer preferences have shifted towards on-demand, customized content. Many cable TV providers were slow to adapt to this change, focusing on their existing products and services instead of acknowledging and addressing the evolving needs of their customers. As a result, they’ve experienced a significant loss of subscribers and market share to their more innovative and customer-focused competitors. By not anticipating and embracing the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, these companies fell into the trap of marketing myopia.

What is marketing myopia and how can it be avoided?

Marketing myopia is a term coined by Theodore Levitt in a 1960 Harvard Business Review article. It refers to a short-sighted and inward-looking approach to marketing that focuses on the needs of the company instead of defining the company and its products in terms of the customers’ needs and wants. This narrow-minded view often leads to a company’s inability to adapt to changing market conditions, ultimately resulting in the loss of market share and growth opportunities.

To avoid marketing myopia, companies can follow these strategies:

Focus on customer needs Embrace change and innovation Conduct regular market research Diversify product offerings Develop a long-term vision Cultivate a customer-centric culture

What is the characteristic of marketing myopia?

Product-centric focus Resistance to change Short-term orientation Overemphasis on existing markets Complacency Limited market research

What are Theodore Levitt’s significant works?

Theodore Levitt was an influential economist and professor at Harvard Business School, best known for his groundbreaking work on marketing myopia. Besides this seminal concept, Levitt contributed to other significant works in the fields of marketing and economics. Some of his notable publications and ideas include: “The Globalization of Markets” (1983): In this article published in the Harvard Business Review, Levitt argued that advances in technology, communication, and transportation were creating a global market where companies needed to develop standardized products and marketing strategies to cater to the converging consumer preferences worldwide. “Innovation in Marketing” (1962): Levitt’s book examined the importance of innovation in marketing practices and emphasized that companies must continually adapt their marketing strategies to stay relevant and competitive in the ever-changing business environment. “The Marketing Mode” (1969): This book explored the concept of the “marketing mode,” which posited that successful businesses must adopt a marketing-oriented mindset, putting the needs and wants of customers at the center of their decision-making process. “The Marketing Imagination” (1983): In this influential book, Levitt discussed the role of creativity and imagination in marketing, urging companies to break free from traditional marketing practices and embrace innovative approaches to connect with customers and create value.

Samrat is a Delhi-based MBA from the Indian Institute of Management. He is a Strategy, AI, and Marketing Enthusiast and passionately writes about core and emerging topics in Management studies. Reach out to his LinkedIn for a discussion or follow his Quora Page

Home — Essay Samples — Business — Marketing Strategy — Marketing Myopia

Marketing Myopia

• Categories: Business Analysis Marketing and Advertising Marketing Strategy

About this sample

Words: 1750 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 1750 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Works Cited:

• Bronte, E. (2002). Wuthering Heights. Penguin Classics.
• Chadwick, E. (1996). Romantic individualism and gendered power: The paradox of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Studies in the Novel, 28(4), 533-556.
• Eagleton, T. (1992). Wuthering Heights: A Marxist study. The English Review, 2(4), 8-11.
• Gilbert, S. M., & Gubar, S. (2000). The madwoman in the attic: The woman writer and the nineteenth-century literary imagination. Yale University Press.
• Johnson, B. (1981). My Emily Bronte. The Hudson Review, 34(2), 189-198.
• Jones, K. R. (2004). Nelly Dean and the production of an imperialist Gothic in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction, 37(2), 130-148.
• Maynard, J. (1997). Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Explicator, 55(3), 136-139.
• Miller, J. H. (1983). Emily Bronte's poetry and Wuthering Heights. Critical Inquiry, 9(3), 443-456.
• Poole, A. (1989). The representation of reality in Wuthering Heights. Critical Quarterly, 31(1), 1-18.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Business Sociology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 555 words

1 pages / 626 words

1 pages / 327 words

1 pages / 539 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Marketing Strategy

The marketing strategy of Sunsweet Prune Juice is an interesting topic to explore, given the increasing emphasis on health and wellness in today's society. As consumers become more conscious of the nutritional value of the [...]

In a world saturated with sports drinks, Gatorade stands out as a pioneer in the industry, known for its innovative marketing strategies that have solidified its position as a powerhouse brand. From catchy commercials featuring [...]

Netflix, the world's leading streaming entertainment service, has revolutionized the way people consume media content. The company's success can be attributed to its innovative IT strategy, which has enabled it to stay ahead of [...]

Four Loko, a malt beverage that gained popularity in the early 2010s, has been the subject of controversy and scrutiny due to its high alcohol content and caffeine content. The combination of alcohol and caffeine in Four Loko [...]

In Recent ages cupcakes became famous. Which is easy to make really tasty cupcakes, which are simple products and made up of primitive ingredients. Baking cupcake won’t require a high amount of capital investment and it is [...]

Running an airline business is unavoidable costly. In order to cover these expenses, airlines forced to markup their airfares. However, AirAsia challenged the norms and they attempted to offer the lowest prices compared to other [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• Free Samples
• Premium Essays
• Editing Services Editing Proofreading Rewriting
• Extra Tools Essay Topic Generator Thesis Generator Citation Generator GPA Calculator Study Guides Donate Paper
• Essay Writing Help
• About Us About Us Testimonials FAQ
• Studentshare
• Analysis of Marketing Myopia Article by Theodore Levitt

Analysis of Marketing Myopia Article by Theodore Levitt - Essay Example

• Subject: Marketing
• Type: Essay
• Level: Masters
• Pages: 4 (1000 words)
• Downloads: 2
• Author: lbernier

Extract of sample "Analysis of Marketing Myopia Article by Theodore Levitt"

• Cited: 0 times
• Copy Citation Citation is copied Copy Citation Citation is copied Copy Citation Citation is copied

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Analysis of Marketing Myopia Article by Theodore Levitt

Managing relationship with customer, analysis of article about marketing myopia authored by theodore levitt, marketing myopia article critique, marketing myopia critique, globalisation of markets, context of marketing myopia, marketing myopia phenomenon, re-defining markets.

• TERMS & CONDITIONS
• PRIVACY POLICY
• COOKIES POLICY

Marketing Myopia Examples: A Closer Look at Short-Sighted Marketing

• January 30, 2024

Uzair Zubair

In the fast-paced world of business, staying ahead of the curve is essential. Unfortunately, many companies fall into the trap of marketing myopia – a short-sighted focus that hinders long-term growth and success. In this article, we will delve into the concept of marketing myopia, explore its causes, and examine real-life examples of companies that succumbed to this detrimental mindset. Join us as we uncover the lessons learned and strategies to avoid marketing myopia.

Understanding Marketing Myopia

Marketing myopia refers to a narrow-minded approach to marketing that focuses solely on the company’s products and short-term profits, rather than understanding and meeting customer needs and desires. This concept was first introduced by Theodore Levitt in 1960, highlighting the dangers of companies defining their businesses too narrowly.

Common causes of marketing myopia include a lack of customer-centricity, over-reliance on existing products, failure to adapt to changing market dynamics, and complacency in the face of emerging trends.

Examples of Marketing Myopia

Let’s explore some compelling examples of marketing myopia that shaped the fate of well-known companies:

• Kodak and the decline of film photography: Despite being a pioneer in the photography industry, Kodak failed to anticipate and adapt to the digital revolution. Blinded by their success in the film market, they overlooked the rising demand for digital cameras, ultimately leading to their downfall.
• Blockbuster and the rise of streaming services: Blockbuster, once a household name in the video rental industry, failed to recognize the potential of streaming services like Netflix. Their focus on physical stores and late entry into online rentals led to their demise, while Netflix embraced the digital age and revolutionized the way we consume media.
• Nokia’s failure to adapt to the smartphone era: Nokia, a dominant player in the mobile phone industry, underestimated the impact of smartphones. Their reluctance to embrace touchscreens and app ecosystems resulted in a significant decline in market share, ultimately leading to their acquisition by Microsoft.

These examples serve as cautionary tales, highlighting the importance of staying alert, adaptable, and customer-centric in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Lessons Learned

From these examples, several vital lessons can be drawn:

• Importance of customer-centricity and market orientation: Companies that prioritize understanding and meeting customer needs are more likely to thrive in a competitive landscape.
• Need for continuous innovation and adaptation: Businesses must foster a culture of innovation and proactively adapt to emerging technologies and changing market dynamics.
• Embracing digital transformation and emerging trends: Companies that embrace digital transformation and capitalize on emerging trends have a higher chance of survival and growth.

Strategies to Avoid Marketing Myopia

To avoid falling into the trap of marketing myopia, businesses should consider the following strategies:

• Conducting market research and staying updated on consumer needs: Regularly gather and analyze market data to identify evolving customer demands and preferences.
• Encouraging a culture of innovation and outside-the-box thinking: Foster an environment that promotes creativity, experimentation, and the exploration of new ideas.
• Embracing a long-term perspective and avoiding complacency: Maintain a forward-thinking mindset and avoid becoming complacent with past achievements. Continually evaluate and adjust strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

Marketing myopia can blind companies to the ever-changing needs and desires of their customers, leading to missed opportunities and eventual decline. By learning from the mistakes of companies that have succumbed to marketing myopia, businesses can adopt a customer-centric approach, embrace innovation, and avoid falling into the trap of short-sightedness.

As marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, and business students, it is crucial to recognize the dangers of marketing myopia and actively work towards avoiding it. By staying adaptable, forward-thinking, and focused on customer needs, we can ensure long-term success and growth in the ever-evolving world of business.

Remember, the key to success lies in understanding and addressing customer demands, embracing innovation, and continuously adapting to changing market dynamics. Let’s strive for strategic marketing that transcends short-sightedness and paves the way for lasting success and profitability.

Uzair Bin Zubair is a content writer, trend up to date, digital marketer, market analyst, and brand strategy maker. He is passionate about helping businesses grow and succeed online. He has a deep understanding of the latest digital marketing trends and technologies, and he uses his skills to create and execute effective marketing strategies and brand growth strategies.