I have often wondered about how marketing planning works. It is indeed a very serious business. But, to me, it has its lighter sides. And it is enjoyable!

Have you ever wondered why there are so many 2 by 2 matrices in marketing planning? Any advertising planner or the strategic planner or the Marketing Manager planning the marketing activities and presenting to management almost always comes up with a 2 X 2 matrix. “Market share vs Category size” can be one matrix. You make a high vs low on both the parameters, there you are. You have a 2 X 2 matrix. I have seen very little of the higher order matrices. There is one Mckinsey matrix that I am aware of which is 3 X 3. But a 4 X 4matrix is unheard of. Higher order matrices dont’ really exist in marketing.

Is it that the marketing people are matrix challenged?!!