Task 8. Translate into English.

1) Наружная реклама — наиболее быстро рас­тущий сегмент рынка. 2) США тратят на рекламу более 100 миллиардов долларов в год. Это больше, чем в любой другой стране. 3) Телевидение — наи­более распространенное средство рекламы. 4) Тра­диционный вид работы рекламных фирм — орга­низация рекламных кампаний. 5) Основная обя­занность мерчендайзеров — следить за выкладкой на месте покупки. 6) Специалисты по маркетингу считают, что объем продаж не всегда зависит от рекламы. 7) Компания «Вим-Билль-Данн», круп­нейший производитель молочных продуктов и со­ков в стране, приобрела несколько пивоваренных заводов.

What Is Marketing?

Marketing can be defined as human activity which is directed at satisfying needs and wants by creating and exchanging goods or services. The mar­keting concept has replaced the selling concept. The "selling concept" means that consumers have to be persuaded by selling techniques to buy non-essen­tial goods and services. The "marketing concept", on the contrary, means that the producer should pro­duce the products which the customers need.

Marketing can be approached in terms of mar­keting mix. Its components are four Ps — product, price, place, promotion, that is selling the right product, at the right price, through the right chan­nels, with the right support and communication.

Let's consider the case of the company "Harley-Davidson", the company in the USA which produced bikes. For a number of years the company had serious problems. Its profits decreased, and the company was facing a possibility of bankruptcy. In its operation the company was orienting to a rather narrow market, that is young people in "black leather jackets".

In order to survive, the company had to use the main principles of marketing. 1. Determine the cus­tomer groups or segments. 2. Determine their needs. 3. Position the product in a proper way. While the company was trying to determine a new group of customers, it identified a numerous group of baby-boomers, born after World War II. At that time they were in their forties. The second stage of this work was determination if these rather grown-up and con­servative people could become buyers of bikes. The company studied this group and the features of its buying behavior and came to a conclusion that it was possible. These people were experiencing the cri­sis typical for people of their age, and they had to get new opportunities, new experience and relaxation.

The company decided to launch a new model and position it in such a way it could meet the needs of the target group. The new model was meant for top-end, or upmarket (Am. upscale) instead of mid-range market. The motorcycle was made large and reliable. The company realized that new buyers would not repair the motorcycle themselves, so it used a new motor "V-twin". A lot was done to improve the image of the motorcycle. A shift was made from "hard metal" to a softer variant. Such famous personalities as Kurt Russell and Elizabeth Tailor were advertising the new model. The company was successful. Its sales have risen, and its profit margins have grown more than three times. Now the company is looking for new markets at home and internationally. It didn't suffer from foreign compe­tition, as many automobile and electronic companies did. The company survived and began to prosper as it followed the principles of marketing.

Marketing has become a key factor in the success of western business. In the 20th century, marketing has played an increasingly larger role in determining company policy, influencing product development, pricing, methods of distribution, advertising and promotion techniques.

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