Megamarketing Strategies for Health Care Services

Abstract

Megamarketing, as coined by Kotler (1968), is a strategic way of thinking which takes an enlarged view of the skills and resources needed to enter and operate in obstructed or protected markets. The concept of megamarketing emphasizes the mastering and coordination of economic, psychological, political, and public relation skills and suggest that organizations can take a proactive stance in shaping macroenvironmental conditions. As health care delivery is characterized by a highly regulated environment, this marketing approach has definite applications for the health care marketer.

Megamarketing expanded by neo-institutional theory

“…While traditional marketing operates directly to satisfy potential consumers, at the same time seeking to stand out from the competition, megamarketing seeks to obtain the cooperation of third parties such as governments, trade unions and other interest groups (Mobley & Elkins, 1990;Polonsky, 1999) in order to make space for consumption practices. Kotler (1986) thus defines megamarketing as the strategically coordinated application of economic, psychological, political and public relations incentives so as to gain the cooperation of a certain number of parties in order to enter and/or operate in a given market.…”

A neo-institutional analytic grid for extending marketing to institutional dimensions

“…If the classic marketing strategy seeks directly to satisfy potential consumers while seeking to differentiate the company from its competitors, megamarketing tries to obtain cooperation from third parties in order to influence the institutions that determine consumption. By way of example, Mobley and Elkins (1990) show that in the field of health care, which is highly regulated, the implementation of a megamarketing strategy is necessary, because it is a market where success will be determined by a variety of stakeholders such as doctors, patients, hospitals, insurance companies and the health authorities. Kotler (1986) accordingly defines megamarketing as the strategically coordinated application of economic, psychological, political and public relations skills to obtain the cooperation of a number of parties with a view to entering and/or operating in a given market.…”

La grille d’analyse néo-institutionnelle au bénéfice de l’élargissement du marketing à des dimensions institutionnelles

“…Si la stratégie marketing classique oeuvre directement à satisfaire les consommateurs potentiels tout en cherchant à se différencier des concurrents, le mégamarketing cherche à obtenir la coopération de la part de tierces parties afin d'influencer les institutions qui déterminent la consommation. A titre d'exemple, Mobley et Elkins (1990) montrent que dans le domaine de la santé, qui est très réglementé, la mise en place d'une stratégie de mégamarketing est nécessaire puisqu'il s'agit d'un marché dans lequel le succès sera déterminé par de multiples acteurs comme les médecins, les patients, les hôpitaux, les compagnies d'assurance ou encore les administrations de santé. Kotler (1986) définit en conséquence le mégamarketing comme l'application stratégiquement coordonnée de compétences économiques, psychologiques, politiques et de relations publiques afin d'obtenir la coopération d'un certain nombre de parties dans le but d'entrer et / ou d'opérer sur un marché donné.…”