Packaged Goods Marketing — “Pull” Companies Look to Improved “Push”

Consumer packaged goods is an industry long known for its reliance on “pull” marketing strategies, that is, clever brand positioning supported by heavy advertising and couponing. As many product categories have become mature in the 1980's, managers find themselves increasingly concerned with improving the productivity of “push” programs — trade deals and personal selling efforts aimed at retailers and wholesalers. This article reports the results of an in‐depth, descriptive study of “push” marketing techniques among packaged goods companies. Discussed are: (a) specific “push” programs initiated on both the marketing (brand management) and sales force sides of the business, and (b) organizational moves to enhance integration and coordination between the Sales and Marketing groups. A concluding section urges packaged goods marketers to regard the “push” and “pull” components as twin building blocks of a companywide marketing strategy.