Marketing vocabulary

127 vocabulary entries in our Marketing study dataset. These are study definitions, not official wording.

1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

A U.S. law that prohibits American companies from bribing foreign officials to secure business advantages.

4 Ps of Marketing (Marketing Mix)

A model for businesses to use when creating a marketing strategy. The four Ps are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.

A/B testing

A method where two versions of a marketing element are compared to determine which one performs better.

ABC Models of Attitudes

Frameworks that describe attitude formation through three components: Affect (feelings), Behavior (actions), and Cognition (thoughts).

Accordion insert

A folded promotional print piece placed inside publications like magazines.

Account based marketing (ABM)

A focused marketing strategy where key business accounts are targeted with personalized campaigns.

Acculturation

The process of cultural change that occurs when different cultures interact.

Actual Product

The physical item or service that a consumer purchases, including its features and design.

Additions to Existing Product

New variations or items added to an established product line.

Adjusting for discrepancy of assortment

The process of balancing the variety of products a manufacturer makes with the diverse selection consumers want.

Administered VMS (Vertical Marketing System)

A supply chain where a dominant member influences others without formal ownership.

Advanced product quality planning (APQP)

A structured process to ensure a product meets customer requirements through proactive planning and risk management.

Advertising

A marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.

Advertising response function

A model showing the relationship between advertising spending and the resulting sales.

Advertorial

Paid advertising that is designed to look like editorial content.

Advocacy advertising

Advertising that promotes a specific viewpoint on a social or political issue.

Advocacy Campaigns

Strategic initiatives that mobilize supporters to promote a cause, brand, or social issue.

Affiliate Marketing

A performance-based marketing strategy where a business pays affiliates for driving traffic or sales through their marketing efforts.

Affinity Audience

A group of consumers targeted for marketing who share common interests, values, or lifestyles.

Affinity Credit Cards

Co-branded credit cards offered in partnership with an organization, providing brand-related rewards.

Affirmative disclosure

A legal requirement for advertisers to reveal all important information about their products.

Agile product management

An iterative approach to developing and managing products that emphasizes flexibility and continuous improvement.

AIDA Model

A marketing framework outlining the four stages a consumer goes through before a purchase: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.

Aided Awareness

A measure of brand recognition where a consumer confirms familiarity with a brand after being prompted.

Aided Recall

A memory test in which a person is given cues to help them remember information.

All-you-can-afford approach

A marketing budget method where a company allocates all remaining funds to advertising after other expenses are paid.

Ambient Advertising

Unconventional advertising placed in unusual locations to catch people by surprise.

Ansoff Matrix

A strategic planning tool that provides a framework to help executives, senior managers, and marketers devise strategies for future growth.

Artificial time constraints

A marketing tactic that creates urgency by setting a deadline on a promotion.

Aseptic packaging

A sterile packaging method that extends a product's shelf life without refrigeration.

Atomic model

A marketing framework that analyzes customer experiences by breaking them down into the smallest possible interactions.

Attribution

The process of identifying a set of user actions (events) that contribute in some manner to a desired outcome, and then assigning a value to each of these events.

Augmented product

The non-physical benefits and services that come with a product, such as a warranty or customer support.

Avails

The available time slots for commercials in broadcast media like television and radio.

B2B content

Marketing materials created specifically for a business-to-business audience.

B2C content

Marketing materials designed to engage and persuade individual consumers.

Bait advertising

A deceptive practice of luring customers with a low-priced offer, then attempting to sell them a more expensive item.

Bandwagon Effect

A psychological phenomenon where people adopt certain behaviors or beliefs because many others are doing so.

Banner Ads

A form of online advertising that uses rectangular graphic displays on webpages.

BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline)

A sales framework for qualifying leads based on their financial capacity, decision-making power, need, and purchasing schedule.

Behavioral economics

The study of how psychological factors influence the economic decisions of individuals.

Behavioral Targeting

An advertising strategy that uses a user's past browsing behavior to deliver more relevant ads.

Below the line

Targeted marketing activities, such as direct mail or email campaigns, focused on specific customer segments.

BH (Black Hat)

Unethical marketing practices, especially in SEO, that violate search engine guidelines.

Big Data

Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behavior and interactions.

BL (Backlink)

A link from one website to another, which is a key factor in search engine optimization.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix

A corporate planning tool used to portray a firm's brand portfolio on a quadrant along relative market share.

Bottom of the funnel (BOFU)

The final stage in the buying process where a prospect is ready to make a purchase.

BR (Bounce Rate)

The percentage of visitors who navigate away from a website after viewing only one page.

Brand

A name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

Brand Activation

A marketing campaign or event that creates direct engagement between a brand and its consumers.

Brand Ambassadorship

A marketing strategy where individuals represent and promote a brand, embodying its values.

Brand Architecture

The structure of brands within an organization, showing how brands are related to and differentiated from one another.

Brand equity

The commercial value a brand has based on consumer perception, recognition, and loyalty.

Brand extension

Using an existing brand name for a new product or product category.

Brand label

A tag or material attached to a product that displays information about the brand.

Brand licensing

An agreement where one company permits another to use its brand on other products for a fee.

Brand Loyalty

The tendency of consumers to repeatedly purchase one brand's products over another.

Brand mark

The visual part of a brand - such as a symbol or design - that is not pronounceable.

Brand name

The unique name given to a product or service to distinguish it in the market.

Brand Personality

A set of human characteristics that are attributed to a brand name.

Brand Positioning

Creating a distinct and desirable image of a brand in the minds of consumers.

Brand Promotion

Activities designed to increase brand awareness, improve brand perception, and drive sales.

Brand Recognition

The extent to which the public can identify a brand by its attributes.

Brand Strategy

A long-term plan for developing a successful brand to achieve specific goals.

Branding

The process of creating a strong, positive perception of a company and its products in the customer's mind.

Break-even pricing

A pricing strategy where the price is set to cover total costs of production, resulting in no profit.

Brick and mortar

A business with a physical storefront, as opposed to an online-only business.

Bulk-breaking

Dividing large quantities of goods into smaller lots for sale.

Bulldog edition

An early edition of a newspaper printed for delivery to key clients or subscribers.

Buy classes

Categories describing different purchasing situations a business buyer faces (e.g., new buy, modified rebuy).

Buy-one-get-one (BOGO)

A promotion where a customer gets a second item free with the purchase of the first.

Buyer persona

A semi-fictional representation of an ideal customer based on market research and data.

Buyer's black box

The unobservable mental processes a consumer goes through before making a purchase.

Buyer's journey

The process a potential customer follows from initial awareness to final purchase.

Call to Action (CTA)

A prompt in marketing materials designed to encourage an immediate response or sale.

Campaign

A coordinated series of marketing activities aimed at achieving a specific objective.

CAN-SPAM

A U.S. law regulating commercial email messages (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act).

Cannibalization

A reduction in sales of one product due to the introduction of a new product by the same company.

CAPTCHA

A security test used to determine if a user is human (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).

Cash-and-carry wholesalers

Wholesalers who require customers to pay in cash and transport the goods themselves.

CASL

Canada’s law that regulates commercial electronic messages (Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation).

Category management

A retail approach where product categories are managed as strategic business units.

Cause Marketing

A partnership between a for-profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit.

Cause Packaging

Product packaging that promotes a social or environmental cause.

Cause-Related Marketing

Linking product sales to a specific social cause or charity.

Charitable Promotions

Campaigns where a business partners with a charity to donate sales proceeds or raise funds.

Chatbots

AI-powered programs that simulate human conversation, often used in customer service.

Check sheet

A simple form used to systematically collect and organize data.

Churn Rate

The percentage of customers who stop using a product or service over a specific period.

Cialdini's 6 Principles of Persuasion

Six psychological principles - Reciprocity, Commitment/Consistency, Social Proof, Authority, Liking, Scarcity - used to influence behavior.

Clickbait

Content designed primarily to attract attention and encourage clicks.

Client management

Overseeing and coordinating interactions with clients to ensure needs are met and satisfaction is maintained.

Co-Branding

A strategy where two or more brands collaborate on a single product or service.

Co-branding partnerships

Strategic alliances in which brands create a joint product or service.

Co-Marketing

Two non-competing brands working together on a promotional campaign.

Cognitive dissonance

The mental discomfort after a purchase that may lead consumers to question their decision.

Cold Calling

Contacting potential customers who have not previously expressed interest.

Community Consultation

Engaging with community members to gather relevant insights for a project.

Community Engagement

Initiatives to connect with and support local communities.

Competition

Rivalry among companies seeking to attract customers and gain market share.

Competitive analysis

Evaluating competitors’ strengths and weaknesses to identify opportunities and threats.

Competitive-parity approach

Setting a marketing budget to match that of competitors.

Conglomerate diversification

A growth strategy where a business expands into markets and products unrelated to current offerings.

Conjoint analysis

A research technique to determine how consumers value different product attributes.

Consumer

An individual or entity that buys goods or services for personal use.

Consumer Advertising

Advertising targeted directly at end users of a product or service.

Consumer behavior

The study of how individuals and groups select, buy, use, and dispose of products to satisfy needs.

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Items used daily by consumers that require routine replacement or replenishment.

Consumer Reports

Independent evaluations of products and services from a consumer’s perspective.

Content Distribution

Sharing and promoting content across channels to increase reach.

Content Marketing

Creating and sharing valuable content to attract and retain a specific audience.

Content Strategy

A plan for creation, distribution, and management of content to achieve goals.

Content Syndication

Republishing content on third-party websites to reach a wider audience.

Contextual Advertising

Targeted ads displayed based on the content of the page being viewed.

Contextual Marketing

Personalized marketing that delivers content based on a user's behavior and context.

Continuous innovation

Ongoing incremental improvements to existing products.

Convenience products

Low-effort, frequently purchased consumer goods.

Conversation Qualified Lead

A lead showing strong interest by engaging in a meaningful conversation with the company.

Conversational Marketing

Using real-time conversations to engage and guide customers.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as a purchase.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action.

Cooperative advertising

An arrangement where a manufacturer and retailer share advertising costs.

Core product

The primary benefit or service that satisfies a basic need.

Corruption Perceptions Index

An index ranking countries by perceived levels of public-sector corruption.

Cost Per Lead (CPL)

An online pricing model where the advertiser pays for each qualified lead generated.

Coupons

Vouchers offering a discount on a product or service.

Other clusters

• Finance341 entries
• Business Management and Administration264 entries
• Hospitality and Tourism149 entries
• Entrepreneurship137 entries
• General93 entries