What Marketing Actually Is (and Where It Came From)

Jul 2

The foundation of interest, and how it has evolved over time

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Marketing is the intentional process of moving people through their decision journey by aligning what they need with what a business can uniquely provide, not simply advertising, branding, or persuasion. It has evolved through distinct eras: the production and product concepts of the early 1900s, the sales concept of the 1950s, the customer-first marketing concept of the 1990s, and today's societal marketing approach. Together, these shifts show a steady move toward deeper understanding of the people businesses serve.

Have you ever struggled to explain what marketing actually is, beyond ads and slogans? You need a solid framework if you want to grow your business. Once we agree on what marketing means and how to view it at a fundamental level, we have a solid framework to expand into more advanced principles in future articles.

Marketing is more than the misconceptions that surround it, and it has changed dramatically since the first market stalls of 3000 BCE, moving through eras of production, sales, and customer-first thinking on the way to today’s societal marketing approach.

What is Marketing?

Marketing is the process of moving a target audience through the shopping journey.

Marketing is a process, which means it is an ongoing effort. It acknowledges that people go through a journey when making purchase decisions. And all this is for a target audience, which is a grouping of people with common needs.

In contrast, here’s what marketing is not. Marketing is not only brand awareness that you can’t measure. Marketing is not simply pretty pictures and vague, inspiring language. Marketing is not shouting the loudest or spending the most money. Marketing is not a one-time campaign you can check off a list. Marketing is not tricking people into buying something they don’t need.

Real marketing is about moving people with intention through their decision journey in a way that aligns their needs with what your business can uniquely provide.

Marketing blends art with science. The art side includes inspiration, design, and creative writing. It includes the feelings that a brand evokes. The science side includes measurement, testing, project management, and budgeting. All of this intersects to not only help a business grow, but to let shoppers know that solutions to their problems exist. Without marketing, we would never know about the fashion trend that makes us feel confident or the piece of technology that delivers calming music to our ears. Without marketing, our world would be smaller.

The History of Marketing

The word marketing comes from the 1560s and means “buying and selling, act of transacting business in a market.” Marketing happened because people brought their products to the market—the place where people expect to encounter products and potentially purchase them. The earliest evidence of markets dates back to 3000 BCE in the Middle East.

Marketing is simply the verb form of market. We do this often in language by turning nouns into actions. You don’t just take a skateboard out for a ride. You go skateboarding. You don’t merely visit Google’s website. You google something. In the same way, you’re not only bringing a product to the market. You are marketing.

Over time, people realized that bringing products to the market was only the first step in selling. They began to see that they could shape how shoppers perceived those products and, in turn, boost sales. Picture a fruit stand with bold signs, clear prices, daily specials, and notes about freshness. Each of these small touches draws the eye and invites customers to buy. What began as the simple act of presenting goods soon became a process of influencing, persuading, and ultimately connecting with customers.

This progression mirrors the broader history of marketing. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the production concept dominated. During the Industrial Revolution, the assumption was simple: If goods were affordable and available, people would buy them. Product features mattered little compared to sheer access and price.

By the 1920s, availability was no longer scarce, and the product concept took hold. Businesses learned that quality, performance, and innovation could differentiate offerings. Customers gravitated toward products that promised to be better, not just cheaper.

In the 1950s, the sales concept rose to prominence. The prevailing belief was that customers needed to be convinced or even coaxed into buying. Companies focused on selling what they had already produced, whether or not it truly matched consumer needs. This was the era of the hard sell, where persuasion often outweighed listening.

By the 1990s, a shift occurred. The marketing concept reframed the conversation: Instead of forcing products onto people, businesses found success by starting with the customer. Companies realized they could achieve their goals by first satisfying their audience’s needs and wants. The market was no longer just about supply. It was about empathy and alignment.

Most recently, the societal marketing concept has emerged, blending customer focus with responsibility to the greater good. This approach acknowledges that businesses must balance consumer desires with their own capabilities and society’s long-term interests. Social ventures, like TOMS shoes and the B Corporation movement, made this visible, showing that profit and purpose can coexist.

Even so, the societal marketing concept is not limited to certified social enterprises or mission-led brands. Every business, even those created purely for profit, contributes something meaningful when it puts useful products into the world. A customer’s willingness to pay is proof that value has been created, whether it is the morning coffee that fuels their day, the front door that makes their home feel safe, or the software that helps them complete their work. Businesses succeed when they understand what people need, how they make decisions, and what they genuinely care about.

Seen through this lens, the entire history of marketing becomes a story of increasing attention to people and the role businesses play in their lives. From the early fruit stand to the modern global corporation, marketing has continually evolved toward a deeper effort to understand customers, improve their experiences, and contribute not only to commerce but to the communities we all share.

Wrapping It All Up

Marketing has always been about more than transactions. It’s the intentional process of moving people through their decision journey by aligning what they need with what you can uniquely provide. That hasn’t changed since the first fruit stand; what has changed is how deeply businesses are expected to understand the people they serve.

As you think about your own marketing, are you still leading with what you’re selling? How can you shift to starting with what your customer actually needs?

Interested in more?

This article’s content was adapted from the book Keeping People Interested: How Leaders Use Marketing to Capture and Sustain Attention, available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook today.