Communication and marketing - common theory approach

Andrzej Świątecki

The traditional communication model (Lasswell 1948), could be a metaphor for marketing. The source is the company, the message the product, the channel the distribution system, noise the clutter of competitive products and claims, the receiver the customer, and feedback the information received through customer service, sales, and marketing research. Both marketing and communication theory are in the midst of fundamental changes that are similar in origin, impact, and direction. Paraller paradigm shifts move both fields from a functional, mechanistic, production - oriented model to more humanistic, relationship based model. The paper shows that: 1. there are common theoretical roots of communication theory and marketing theory that are paraller and enrich each other; 2. today's marketing is more communication dependent; 3. communication is the primary integrative element in managing market relationship; 4. the ideas and principles presented in concepts of Integrated Marketing Communication and Relationship Marketing are the best way to describe all mentioned above processes and flows. Therefore we can state: "... marketing is communication, and communication is marketing".

KEYWORDS

cornmunication, change, context, marketing, reiationship, system, theory