# Marketing Mix (4Ps)
Confidence: high
Last verified: 2026-05-22
Generation: ai_assisted


## TL;DR

The Marketing Mix (4Ps, McCarthy 1960) is the set of controllable marketing tools: Product (what solves customer's need), Price (value exchange), Place (distribution channels), Promotion (communication). Extended 7Ps adds People, Process, Physical Evidence (for services). All must align for effective strategy.

## Core Explanation

Product: features, quality, branding, packaging. Price: cost-based, competitor-based, value-based. Penetration pricing (low to gain market share) vs. skimming (high initial, then lower). Place: direct (online store) vs. indirect (retailers, Amazon). Promotion: advertising, PR, sales, social media, content. STP: Segmentation (divide market) → Targeting (choose segments) → Positioning (create image).

## Further Reading

- [Principles of Marketing (Kotler & Armstrong, 18th Ed)](https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/principles-of-marketing/P200000009556)