People don't have to go anyplace any more, in this era of catalogs, credit cards and phones in every room. On the other hand, when they do decide to go somewhere, it's no longer only to Kroger's. Think beyond those nice, neat distribution channels you've set up over the years. Know how each subsegment of the market prefers to buy and be ubiquitous. The word is communication .
All good advertising creates a dialogue.
That contrast is in fact the fundamental difference between the Four P's, which served so well for so long, and the Four C's, which may be the formula for success as we leave the second millennium. Product, price, place and promotion are passe. Consumer wants and needs, cost to satisfy, convenience to buy and communication are the catechism for our times.