Macromarketing is a term used for the way that businesses marketing their products to customers have an effect on the society that they inhabit. This is a concept that has gained increasing importance in a global, interconnected economy where even local marketing decisions can have a significant impact on a wide variety of people who are not in the intended target audience. For this reason, marketers must be conscious of not only how their decisions reflect on the bottom line but also of the societal implications of those decisions. Another way that the term macromarketing is used is to describe a business that wants to market its wares on a national or even international level rather than just on a local level.
The main goal for marketers is to make the best possible impression on potential customers concerning the products and services sold by the parent company, with the ultimate intent of retaining those customers for a long period of time. It is important to note, however, that a single-minded pursuit of consumers can not only reflect poorly on the company but it can also have indirect, negative impact on the society as a whole. Those studying macromarketing watch the interaction between marketers and consumers and impact of that interaction on society beyond the sales numbers.
As an example of a macromarketing issue, imagine a company that sells cereal. It creates a new flavor of cereal that is heavily sugared and markets this product primarily to children via advertising during cartoons and other kids programming. While the strategy might increase sales in the short term, such a suspect technique can damage the company's brand. In addition, it may ultimately contribute to poorer health for the kids who eat the cereal.
Such indirect effects of marketing efforts are the ultimate focus of macromarketing studies. Marketers who think that they are operating in a vacuum are unrealistic and can be detrimental to society with their practices. It is important for marketers who operate on an international level to understand the interconnected nature of economies around the world and how their marketing practices can have implications all over the globe.
On an individual business level, macromarketing can also describe the efforts of a company to market outside of the local level. This strategy is usually attempted by companies wishing to extend its customer base and increase its share of a specific market. Companies that undertake this effort must understand the higher costs that accompany such an initiative.