THE EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION OF MARKETING MIX FROM 4P TO 4C TO 4E TO E-MARKETING MIX: A LITERATURE OVERVIEW

Abstract

Marketing mix is an important concept in the world of marketing that was first introduced by an academic named Jerome McCarthy in the 1960s. The marketing mix was created in the early days of the marketing concept when physical products, physical distribution and mass communication were dominant. The marketing mix paradigm, in its famous version of the 4 Ps, went all the way through the evolution of marketing theory being object of discussion both in academic literature as well as in managerial practice. In today’s era of revolutionary change, the digital business represents the more recent of the business contexts and the one with the greater need for a differentiation and upgradation of the mix. Throughout this evolutionary process, researchers have given their views who think the 4 Ps paradigms is able to adapt to the environmental changes by including new elements inside each “P”, and some affirmed that the 4 Ps paradigm is obsolete and propose new paradigms. This paper aims to clarify these two different approaches to marketing mix evolution through a review of the main literature regarding e-marketing mix and its constituents which provides an up gradation to the existing elements of marketing mix as well as focusing on the development of marketing mix theory for the digital context. . In the context of the wars between the upstart internet retailers and the existing brick and mortar retailers, this study would pave the way to consider E-marketing as an innovated way to customer delight. The evolution of 'Product,' 'Price,' 'Place,' and 'Promotion' in the digital era requires a holistic understanding of consumer behavior, technological advancements, and the interconnected nature of the online world.