3.2 Exploring the 5Cs Framework

The 5Cs Framework

When studying marketing, you may hear of many types of 5Cs and 3Cs and other ‘Cs’ frameworks. In this case, we use the 5Cs framework published in “What is marketing?” a short book by Alvin Silk from 2006, which provides a brief but useful summary of a variety of marketing concepts. In Silk’s book, and in various other Harvard Business materials, the 5Cs framework is used as a starting point for marketing planning, specifically to understand the microenvironment surrounding a business. There are other frameworks that can be used, but the 5Cs provides and easy and intuitive way to consider and write about key aspects of the marketing environment.

As with all marketing, the customer is the most important element of analysis. Knowing who is (and who isn’t your customer) helps define how you will implement your marketing. However, for the 5Cs, we look from the broadest macroenvironment down to the most specific aspects of the customer needs and profile.

You should prepare your reports in the following order:

1. Context

Context refers to the greater macroenvironment that surrounds a business. This generally refers to the political, economic, social, technological and ecological conditions in which the company operates. These conditions do change overtime, and reports should focus on how those conditions are changing. It is not usual to dwell on the past, but rather consider how things will change in the future. Also, when discussing context, you should be discussing factors that are purely external to the company, for example the industry in which the company operates.

2. Company

Once you have analysed the Context, you can then move on to analyse the company. This can involve a wide range of data and analyses, but for the purposes of this course, we will look purely at the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company, and the external opportunities and threats the company faces.

3. Competition

Competition analysis refers to the competitive market in which the company and its brands operate. You should know who your competitors are, what their role is within the market, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. You should also be able to make market comparisons between what your competitors offer and what you offer.

4. Collaborators

All businesses require help and support from other people, businesses and organisations. This varies from accountants, banks and other finance providers, personnel agencies, support services, repair services, training services, suppliers, resellers, promotional partners and so on. For the purposes of the marketing plan, we concentrate on just three of these collaborators who have the most impact on the marketing of a business: suppliers, distributors, and promotional partners.

5. Customers

Finally, but most importantly, the last part of the 5Cs is customers. Customers are the core of any business, as no business can succeed without customers. You should be able to briefly describe the characteristics of your most likely customers, but you will undertake a far more detailed analysis of the people (or businesses) who you will to through STP.