Who Stole the 4 Ps?

Lately I’ve been wondering if brand marketers are still in charge of branding... because let’s face it: the four Ps aren’t ours anymore.

• Product? R&D.

• Price? Finance.

• Place? Trade.

• Promotion? Procurement.

Brand managers are stuck navigating a system that no longer gives them the levers. And yet, they’re still measured on fluff like awareness while everyone else is chasing revenue.

Welcome to the Post-Kotler Era

We’re in the third marketing revolution. First, markets went global. Then digital flipped the table. Now, we’re in the post-Kotler era, where success depends on understanding behavior, not just shouting brand values. Here’s the shift: we have to stop obsessing over perception. We need to to move people. .

Why Behavior Beats Branding

• Involvement: How much people care.

• Commitment: Whether they intend to act.

• Action: If they actually do it.

Forget the old 4Ps. These three are where the power is now. People don’t make rational decisions, they follow emotion, bias, and momentum. If we build for that, we win. We need to measure real engagement and truly connect.

Marketing isn’t dead, but the old playbook is. In this 'new' era, the real influencer wins.