3rd weekend of Mar'2011

Warfare has enlightened and influenced many a marketing gurus. Infact many principles and practices in Marketing are derived from Warfare. Many books have been written on the said lessons. Prominent ones are The Art of War by Sun Tzu, On War by von Clausewitz, The Little Red Book by Mao Zedong, Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts, Business War Games by Barrie James and Marketing Warfare by Al Ries and Jack Trout. In fact many terms like Guerilla Marketing, Chaos & Confusion strategy, first movers advantage & marketing friction attribute their origins to many of these texts.

I enclose a collation of some marketing warfare strategies (in bullet points) which summarizes most of the learning(s) encompassed in the above-mentioned texts. Interested people may delve deeper into each one of the points; internet after all is so handy, comfortable and helpful in enlightening the interested. Hope you find them interesting.

• Offensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to secure competitive advantages ; market leaders, runner-ups or struggling competitors are usually attacked
• Defensive marketing warfare strategies - are used to defend competitive advantages; lessen risk of being attacked, decrease effects of attacks, strengthen position
• Flanking marketing warfare strategies - Operate in areas of little importance to the competitor.
• Guerrilla marketing warfare strategies - Attack, retreat, hide, then do it again, and again, until the competitor moves on to other markets.
• Deterrence Strategies - Deterrence is a battle won in the minds of the enemy. You convince the competitor that it would be prudent to keep out of your markets.
• Pre-emptive strike - Attack before you are attacked.
• Frontal Attack - A direct head-on confrontation
• Flanking Attack - Attack the competitor’s flank.
• Sequential Strategies - A strategy that consists of a series of sub-strategies that must all be successfully carried out in the right order.
• Alliance Strategies - The use of alliances and partnerships to build strength and stabilize situations.
• Position Defense - The erection of fortifications.
• Mobile defense - Constantly changing positions.
• Encirclement strategy - Envelop the opponents position
• Cumulative strategies - A collection of seemingly random operations that, when complete, obtain your objective.
• Counter-offensive - When you are under attack, launch a counter-offensive at the attacker’s weak point.
• Strategic withdrawal - Retreat and regroup so you can live to fight another day.
• Flank positioning - Strengthen your flank.
• Leapfrog strategy - Avoid confrontation by bypassing enemy or competitive forces.
Companies typically use many strategies concurrently, some defensive, some offensive, and always some deterrents. According to the business literature of the period, offensive strategies were more important that defensive one. Defensive strategies were used when needed, but an offensive strategy was requisite. Only by offensive strategies, were market gains made. Defensive strategies could at best keep you from falling too far behind. The marketing warfare literature also examined leadership and motivation, intelligence gathering, types of marketing weapons, logistics, and communications.
As I always say, bouquets and brickbats welcome!

-Sukhi