Principles of Marketing

Reviewed by Carrie Trimble, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, Millikin University on 12/13/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This text includes all the expected topics for an introduction to marketing–the marketing mix, customer segmentation and targeting, marketing strategy and ethics. The section on segmentation and targeting is titled “Understanding the Marketplace” and includes a strong discussion of diversity in the market as well as the ethical concerns of targeting a diverse customer base that isn’t always included in this type of text. Sections end with knowledge checks (like quick quizzes) so the reader can routinely measure their comprehension.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The definitions of many marketing terms are fairly standard at this time. (Digital marketing terms, because of the recency of their development, may be the exception.) This textbook uses term definitions that are easily recognizable and comparable to what is expected. The branded examples included seem fair and unbiased. Unfortunately, the constant shifting of the social media landscape means that some of the content is now inaccurate–specifically Twitter references.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This text has a 2022 copyright which is fairly recent, yet the previously mentioned constant shifting of social media landscape means that some references (i.e., Twitter or X) are already out-of-date and will need to be addressed. The other branded references are recent, including pandemic references, and should stand the test of time. Most of those references are also in call outs, so if they need to be updated and replaced, they will be easy to find.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is accessibly written for students who are new to this topic and the associated vocabulary.

Consistency rating: 5

As stated above, the text uses definitions that are consistent with standard definitions.

Modularity rating: 5

The text has a solid unit structure with sub-units (chapters) so that the content is divided into easily consumable chunks. Additionally, an instructor wanting to reorder the delivery of topics could easily do so for their own courses. For instance, if an instructor wants to delay the discussion of strategy until students have a better understanding of terms and tactics, the assigned readings could easily be reordered.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The flow of topic coverage matches what is found in most principles of marketing texts. The readings are organized with good use of visuals and embedded videos, but more care could be given to what fits on the standard screen to minimize the need for scrolling and limit confusion about when to proceed to the next screen. This is a minor issue.

Interface rating: 5

I did not look at every page, but the seven or eight chapters I looked through were clean and free from errors. The visuals matched with the text and helped with comprehension of terms and the embedded videos played.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

As mentioned above, I did not read every page, but overall, the text seemed free of proofreading errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This text addresses diversity, inclusion, and representation in marketing as well as the related ethical considerations. The discussion is upfront and repeated so that these topics are not treated like a skippable afterthought to the course content.

Reviewed by Saroja Subrahmanyan, Professor, St. Mary's College of California on 5/30/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book is quite comprehensive. It covers all aspects of what is (and should be) taught in a Core Marketing Class. It covers the relevant theories/ frameworks, provides suitable examples and cases (including video caselets) and offers and links to a variety of resources for students. It also has a good set of discussions questions and "check your knowledge" quizzes.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I skimmed through the book and went through a few chapters in details. The ones I did check in detail were error-free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Book is relevant with relatively recent examples. That is important in a marketing class. I am sure updating any marketing text with recent examples would be laborious, but should be relatively straightforward. It would have helped to add something about marketing during a global pandemic.

Clarity rating: 4

I found the book easy to read and links to resources worked well. The glossary at the end of each chapter should help students with unfamiliar or marketing-specific terms. I would have some explanation for the flow of sub-sections in some chapters. For instance in Chapter 2 (Strategic Planning in Marketing), the strategy looks such as BCG, SWOT are abruptly introduced; it would help to provide some explanation for how marketers view this v someone in Strategy (Management); is it the same thing one is doing or does it have a different nuance? It would have also helped to have examples of Vision & Mission for the same company. Likewise, in chapter 12 (Pricing), I found the 5Cs of pricing too cursory for a useful analysis. The overall flow of this chapter could be better.

Consistency rating: 4

The book is organized around 3 units: Setting the Stage, Understanding the Marketplace, 4Ps (Product, Promotion, Price, and Place). The last chapter on the new paradigm doesn't really fit within the 4Ps. It may be helpful to have had a fourth unit on future directions or one on how the field is evolving. My personal preference is also to have the job related resources at the end as a separate chapter.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is organized as most mainstream marketing texts are and would be easy to adapt to specific courses where the sequence may be different.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Overall organization makes sense and is clear.

Interface rating: 4

It appears that links and images work. I will know better after I start using the book for a class!

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I didn't notice any- but as I said before, I didn't do a proofing of every single line.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I did not notice anything offensive. I liked the section on stereotyping v segmentation.

Comments

Overall, I liked the book and am inclined to adopt this book in the coming year.

Reviewed by Aidin Namin, Associate Professor, Loyola Marymount University on 2/28/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

As someone who has been teaching this course for ten years, I can say that I find this textbook to be highly comprehensive. I think the authors have done a very good job bringing together the topics that students need to learn in this important course. The indexing is also appropriate and easy-to-follow, which supports the comprehensiveness of the textbook.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Examples are not just relevant but also I think they are accurate. I also found a variety of examples in the book, which I think is a plus. From what I understand, the information provided is unbiased, accurate, and error-free.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

I found the content of the book to be up-to-date. While I can see the authors have done a nice job keeping their material "independent from time", Marketing is one of the fastest changing areas in business. Therefore, some material could naturally become obsolete after some time. I think this issue can be easily addressed by issuing a revision and/or a new edition of the book every few years.

Clarity rating: 5

I found the text to be well-written, very easy-to-read, and easy-to-follow. I think the authors maintained a nice balance between using and introducing terms specific to the field, yet not overwhelming the reader. I think this is a fine line and generally not east to do. I congratulate the authors for achieving this goal successfully.

Consistency rating: 5

I think the authors have done a very good job maintaining internally consistency. They use the terms specific to the Marketing field at the right place and coherently throughout the text.

Modularity rating: 5

I think the text is well-structured. It is easy to identify smaller reading sections in the text. I think this helps students with reading the text "in blocks" and it also helps them better learn and retain information.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I think the text is very well-organized. It presents the material in a clear style. I think this is an important factor for students when they read a textbook and impacts how they "like" reading it.

Interface rating: 5

I found the distribution of pictures and charts to be well-done. From my past experience, I think the way the textbook interface is presented is helping students learn without making them get distracted by offering too many pictures and/or putting pictures at locations that may not be helping student learning process.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not find any grammatical issues in the text. From my understating, the text has been proof-read.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I think it is always a good idea to seek opinion from an individual who is an expert in the DEI domain about this question.

Comments

Please see my comments above.