A lot of marketing work happens in English: briefs, research reports, campaign plans and agency meetings are full of words like target audience, positioning and ROI. This glossary explains the core vocabulary of marketing in plain English and Turkish, with examples from real workplace situations. It is written for marketers, marketing students and anyone who works with agencies or international brands.
100 terms
10 topics
55 core terms
202 example sentences
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Market Research
market research
noun
Meaning
The work of collecting and analysing information about customers, competitors and a market so that a business can make better decisions.
Where you use it
Used across marketing, product and strategy teams. Companies carry out market research themselves or commission it from research agencies. It is uncountable: say “a market research study” or “some market research”, not “a market research”.
Examples
We commissioned market research to find out why young families are choosing our competitors.
The market research shows strong demand in Izmir and Antalya, but price is a big concern.
Common phrases
conduct market research · commission market research · market research agency · market research findings
A study of the main competitors in a market that looks at their products, prices, messages, strengths and weaknesses.
Where you use it
Part of most marketing plans, agency pitches and strategy projects. You carry out, run or update a competitor analysis. It is also called competitive analysis, and the result is often a comparison table or a positioning map.
Examples
The competitor analysis shows that none of the big players offer next-day delivery outside the big cities.
Can you update the competitor analysis with last week's new prices?
Common phrases
carry out a competitor analysis · competitor analysis report · update the competitor analysis · competitive landscape
A deep understanding of why consumers think, feel or act the way they do, which a brand can use to create better products or messages.
Where you use it
A favourite word in agencies and brand teams, and many briefs have a section called “Insight”. An insight is more than a fact: “most commuters listen to podcasts” is data, while “commuters use podcasts to make lost time feel useful” is an insight.
Examples
The key consumer insight behind the campaign is that people feel guilty about wasting food.
We have lots of data but very little real consumer insight.
Common phrases
key consumer insight · uncover a consumer insight · insight-driven · consumer insight team
A set of questions asked to many people, online, by phone or face to face, to collect their opinions, habits or experiences.
Where you use it
One of the main tools of quantitative research. You design, run, send out or fill in a survey, and the people who answer are respondents. As a verb, “to survey customers” means to ask them these questions.
Examples
We surveyed 1,200 customers, and most of them want a refill pack.
The online survey takes about five minutes to complete.
Usage note
The noun is stressed on the first syllable (SUR-vey). The verb is often stressed on the second (sur-VEY), although many speakers use first-syllable stress for both.
Common phrases
run a survey · customer survey · online survey · survey respondents · survey results
A small group of people, usually six to ten, who are guided by a moderator to discuss a product, idea or ad in depth.
Where you use it
A classic qualitative research method. Companies run or hold focus groups to test concepts, packaging or ads before a launch. Clients often watch from behind a one-way mirror or on a video link.
Examples
In the focus groups, people loved the taste but said the bottle looked cheap.
We're holding two focus groups in Ankara next week to test the new ad.
Common phrases
hold a focus group · run focus groups · focus group participants · focus group moderator
Research that explores people's opinions, feelings and reasons in depth, usually with small groups, through interviews, focus groups or observation.
Where you use it
Answers “why” and “how” questions rather than “how many”. Agencies often shorten it to “qual”: “We did some qual first.” The results are quotes, themes and insights rather than percentages.
Examples
The qualitative research showed that people find our app confusing, not slow.
We'll start with qualitative research and then test the ideas in a large survey.
Common phrases
qualitative research methods · in-depth interviews · qualitative findings · conduct qualitative research
Research that collects numerical data from a large number of people, for example through surveys, so that results can be measured and compared.
Where you use it
Answers “how many” and “how much” questions. Agencies shorten it to “quant”. Results are shown as percentages, charts and statistical tests, and the sample size affects how reliable they are.
Examples
The quantitative research confirmed that 64% of buyers compare prices online first.
The focus groups gave us ideas; now we need quantitative research to see how common these views are.
Common phrases
quantitative research methods · large-scale quantitative research · quantitative data · quant study
Research in which a company collects new information itself, for a specific question, through surveys, interviews, focus groups or tests.
Where you use it
Contrasted with secondary research, which uses data that already exists. Primary research takes more time and money, but it answers your exact question. It is also called field research.
Examples
There's no published data on this niche, so we'll have to do our own primary research.
Our primary research included 20 interviews with pharmacy owners.
Common phrases
conduct primary research · primary research data · primary research methods · field research
Research that uses information that already exists, such as official statistics, industry reports, company data or published studies.
Where you use it
Usually the first and cheapest step in a research project. In British English it is often called desk research. Its limits are that the data may be old or may not fit your exact question.
Examples
Before we spend money on a survey, let's do some secondary research on the market size.
The secondary research is based on industry reports from the last three years.
Common phrases
desk research · secondary research sources · secondary data · carry out secondary research
The number of people who take part in a study or survey; a larger sample usually gives more reliable results about the whole group.
Where you use it
Reported with survey results, often as “n = 500”. Researchers talk about a small, large or representative sample and about the margin of error. Results from very small sub-groups are often marked “low base” and read with care.
Examples
With a sample size of only 80, we can't say much about each city separately.
What sample size do we need for a margin of error of about 3%?
Usage note
In marketing, sample can also mean a small free product that people can try, as in “free samples”.
Common phrases
large sample size · representative sample · margin of error · sample size calculation
The particular group of customers that a company decides to focus on and sell its products or services to.
Where you use it
Common in business plans, investor pitches and strategy meetings. You define, identify or expand your target market. It is usually broader and more long-term than the target audience of a single campaign.
Examples
Our target market is small and medium-sized hotels on the Aegean coast.
If everyone is your target market, then nobody really is.
The investors asked how big our target market is in Turkey.
Common phrases
define a target market · identify the target market · expand into a new target market · primary target market
The specific group of people that an advertisement, message or campaign is designed to reach and influence.
Where you use it
One of the first questions in any brief is “Who is the target audience?” Agencies, media planners and content teams use the term every day. You reach, engage or speak to a target audience, and ad platforms let you narrow it by age, location and interests.
Examples
The target audience for this campaign is first-time car buyers aged 25 to 34.
The ad was funny, but it didn't speak to our target audience at all.
Usage note
A product for children may have parents as its target audience, because they make the purchase. That is why the target audience and the target market are not always the same people.
Common phrases
reach the target audience · define the target audience · core target audience · resonate with the target audience
Dividing a large market into smaller groups of customers who share similar needs, characteristics or behaviour, so that each group can be served in a suitable way.
Where you use it
The first step of the STP model (segmentation, targeting, positioning). Markets are segmented by demographics, geography, psychographics or behaviour. In meetings people often just say “segmentation” and call each group a “segment”.
Examples
Our market segmentation showed that price-sensitive students and busy professionals want very different things.
We need a clearer market segmentation before we decide where to spend the budget.
A realistic but imaginary profile of a typical customer, based on research, with details such as age, job, goals, habits and problems.
Where you use it
Used by marketing, content and product teams to make the audience feel real. Personas often get names, such as “Office Manager Olivia”. The plural is personas. When reviewing content, people ask “Which persona is this for?”
Examples
We built three buyer personas, and “Ayşe the office manager” is the one who actually signs the contract.
This blog post doesn't match any of our buyer personas.
Common phrases
create a buyer persona · develop buyer personas · primary persona · persona research
Facts about a group of people, such as age, gender, income, education, family status and location, used to describe customers or audiences.
Where you use it
Used in research reports, media plans and ad platforms. Marketers talk about the demographics of an audience, and call one group “a demographic”, as in “the 18–24 demographic”. Demographics are often combined with psychographics.
Examples
The demographics of our customers have changed: more than half are now over 45.
The show is popular with a younger demographic than we expected.
Usage note
Demographics usually takes a plural verb: “The demographics are changing.”
Short for business-to-business: selling products or services to other companies rather than to individual consumers.
Where you use it
Used like an adjective before nouns: B2B marketing, B2B sales, B2B clients. B2B buying usually involves several decision-makers, longer sales cycles and more rational arguments than consumer buying.
Examples
Most of our revenue comes from B2B clients such as hotels and hospitals.
B2B marketing relies heavily on trade shows, LinkedIn and case studies.
Short for business-to-consumer: selling products or services directly to individual people for their own personal use.
Where you use it
Used like B2B and often in contrast with it: B2C brands, B2C e-commerce. B2C marketing usually targets large audiences, uses more emotional messages and depends heavily on brand awareness.
Examples
She moved from a B2C fashion brand to a B2B software company.
Our B2C sales grew after we opened our own online shop.
Usage note
D2C or DTC (direct-to-consumer) means a brand sells to consumers itself, for example through its own website, without going through retailers.
A small, specialised part of a market with particular needs that larger companies often do not serve well.
Where you use it
Used as a noun (find a niche) and before other nouns (niche market, niche brand, niche product). Small brands often grow by focusing on a niche, such as gluten-free bakery products or vegan cosmetics.
Examples
We found a niche in high-protein snacks for athletes.
It's a niche product, so we don't need TV; specialist magazines and forums are enough.
Usage note
Two pronunciations are correct: /niːʃ/ (rhymes with “quiche”) is standard in the UK and common in the US; /nɪtʃ/ (rhymes with “itch”) is also heard in American English.
Information about people's attitudes, values, interests, lifestyles and personality, used to understand why they buy and not just who they are.
Where you use it
Usually paired with demographics in segmentation and persona work. Demographics tell you a customer is 35 and lives in Istanbul; psychographics tell you she loves hiking and cares about sustainability. The adjective is psychographic.
Examples
The two segments have similar demographics but very different psychographics.
We used psychographics to separate “health seekers” from “taste seekers”.
Usage note
The p is silent: psycho- sounds like “sigh-ko”.
Common phrases
psychographic segmentation · psychographic profile · demographics and psychographics · psychographic data
The name, design and reputation that make a company or product recognisable, together with the ideas and feelings people connect with it.
Where you use it
Used constantly in marketing, also before other nouns: brand manager, brand values, brand strategy. You build, launch, grow or protect a brand. Marketers often stress that a brand is much more than a logo.
Examples
We want to build a brand that young people trust, not just a cheaper alternative.
She joined last year as brand manager for the snacks category.
Usage note
“Own brand” (UK) or “private label” (US) means products sold under a supermarket chain's own name, such as its own pasta or detergent.
Common phrases
build a brand · brand manager · brand values · strong brand · own brand
The work of creating and shaping a brand: choosing its name, visual style and voice, and managing how people see it over time.
Where you use it
Used for both the process and its visible result. Agencies offer branding services, and clients talk about strong, consistent or outdated branding. On packaging and in stores, “the branding” often means the logo, colours and design.
Examples
The product is good, but the branding looks ten years old.
We hired a design studio to handle the branding for the new café chain.
Deciding what clear place a brand or product should hold in customers' minds compared with its competitors, and shaping its message around that idea.
Where you use it
A core strategy word in marketing plans and agency presentations. Brands are positioned as premium, affordable, healthy or expert. People discuss clear, strong or weak positioning, and talk about repositioning when a brand changes its place.
Examples
Our positioning is simple: the fastest delivery in the city, not the cheapest.
The brand's positioning became unclear after it started selling discount products.
The one clear benefit or feature that makes a product different from and better than its competitors, in a way that customers care about.
Where you use it
Almost always shortened to USP and said letter by letter. Marketers ask “What's our USP?” when writing briefs, ads or sales pitches. A good USP is specific and easy to say in one sentence.
Examples
Our unique selling proposition is that every vase is handmade in Kütahya.
If we can't explain our unique selling proposition in one sentence, customers won't remember it.
Usage note
A USP is about what makes you different; a value proposition is about the overall value the customer gets. They overlap, but they are not the same thing.
Common phrases
define a USP · strong unique selling proposition · communicate the USP · key USP
How well people in the target market know and recognise a brand, for example whether they can name it without help or recognise its logo.
Where you use it
A common goal for new brands and for TV or outdoor campaigns. Campaigns build, raise or drive brand awareness. Research agencies measure unaided awareness (people name the brand themselves) and aided awareness (they recognise it from a list).
Examples
The main goal of the first year is brand awareness, not sales.
After the TV campaign, unaided brand awareness rose from 12% to 21%.
The way a company wants its brand to look, sound and feel, including its name, logo, colours, fonts, tone of voice and values.
Where you use it
Created by the company or its agency and usually written down in brand guidelines. Designers talk about visual identity; marketers use brand identity more broadly. Identity is what the company sends out, while brand image is what people actually receive.
Examples
The new brand identity uses warmer colours and a friendlier tone of voice.
All franchise stores have to follow the same brand identity.
A short, memorable phrase that sums up a brand's promise or personality and usually appears next to its logo in ads.
Where you use it
Copywriters write and test taglines, and brands often keep a good one for many years. A tagline usually stays the same across campaigns, while a campaign slogan can change each time. In the UK it is also called a strapline.
Examples
The new tagline has to work in both Turkish and English.
We tested five taglines, and the shortest one was the most memorable.
Common phrases
brand tagline · catchy tagline · write a tagline · new tagline
The picture of a brand that exists in customers' minds: what they believe, feel and remember about it, whether positive or negative.
Where you use it
Brand image can be built, improved, protected or damaged. Research measures it through the words people link with the brand. It is the receiving side of brand identity, and it can change quickly after a crisis or a badly judged campaign.
Examples
After the product recall, our brand image took a serious hit.
Customers describe our brand image as reliable but a bit old-fashioned.
Common phrases
improve the brand image · damage the brand image · positive brand image · brand image research
The extra value a brand name adds to a product, such as the higher price or stronger loyalty a well-known brand gets compared with an unknown one.
Where you use it
Used in strategy, brand tracking and academic marketing. Brands build, grow or erode brand equity over many years. It is related to brand value, which usually means the financial value of a brand as a business asset.
Examples
Years of strong brand equity let us charge more than supermarket own brands.
Constant price cuts can slowly destroy brand equity.
To change a brand's name, logo, design or image, usually to look more modern, reach new customers or move away from a bad reputation.
Where you use it
Used as a verb and as a noun (a rebrand, rebranding). Companies often rebrand after mergers, expansion abroad or a change in strategy. A rebrand can be a small refresh of the logo or a complete change of name.
Examples
The bank rebranded after the merger and dropped both old names.
The rebrand cost a lot, but customers keep using the old name.
Common phrases
rebrand a company · complete rebrand · rebranding exercise · go through a rebrand
The set of decisions a company makes about its product, price, distribution and promotion in order to reach and win its target customers.
Where you use it
A basic planning framework in textbooks, marketing plans and job interviews. You plan, review or adjust the marketing mix, and people usually describe it through the four Ps. Service businesses often use an extended mix with seven Ps.
Examples
Before we change the price, let's look at the whole marketing mix and see what else is holding sales back.
For the new market, the product stays the same, but the rest of the marketing mix will be localised.
Common phrases
adjust the marketing mix · elements of the marketing mix · marketing mix decisions · extended marketing mix
An easy way to remember the four main parts of the marketing mix: product, price, place (where and how it is sold) and promotion (how it is communicated).
Where you use it
Very common in classes, exams and planning meetings, often written 4Ps. People say “Let's go through the four Ps” to check a plan quickly. For services, people, process and physical evidence are often added to make the 7Ps.
Examples
Let's go through the four Ps one by one before we present the launch plan.
The case study describes a great product that failed because the company ignored the other three of the four Ps.
Usage note
In the four Ps, “place” does not mean a shop's address. It means distribution: the channels and locations where customers can buy the product.
Common phrases
the four Ps of marketing · go through the four Ps · apply the four Ps · the 7Ps
The route a product takes to reach the final customer, for example through wholesalers, retailers, the company's own stores or an online shop.
Where you use it
This is the “place” in the four Ps. Companies choose, expand or add distribution channels. A direct channel sells to customers without intermediaries; an indirect one uses distributors or retailers. Using many channels together is called multichannel or omnichannel.
Examples
Pharmacies remain our most important distribution channel.
Adding a new distribution channel, like discount supermarkets, could hurt our premium image.
Common phrases
direct distribution channel · indirect distribution channel · add a distribution channel · channel partner
All the ways a company communicates with customers to persuade them to buy, such as advertising, PR, social media, special offers and personal selling.
Where you use it
As one of the four Ps it covers all marketing communication. As a countable noun, “a promotion” usually means a short-term offer such as a discount or a free gift, also called a sales promotion. Outside marketing, a promotion is a move to a higher job.
Examples
The summer promotion gives a free beach towel with every two packs.
We have a great product at the right price, but our promotion has been weak.
Usage note
Turkish textbooks translate this P as “tutundurma”. In everyday Turkish, “promosyon” usually means a free gift, which is narrower than the English word.
Common phrases
sales promotion · run a promotion · in-store promotion · promotion mix · price promotion
The stages a product goes through in the market: introduction, growth, maturity and decline, each with typical sales levels and marketing needs.
Where you use it
A classic textbook model, often shortened to PLC. Marketers say a product is “in the growth stage” or “has reached maturity”. Brands try to extend the life cycle with new versions, pack sizes or uses.
Examples
Most of our phone accessories are at the end of their product life cycle.
In the growth stage of the product life cycle, the focus usually moves to distribution.
Common phrases
stages of the product life cycle · extend the product life cycle · maturity stage · decline stage
The box, bottle, bag or wrapper that holds and protects a product, and the design on it that attracts buyers and gives information.
Where you use it
A key part of the product in retail, sometimes called “the silent salesperson” because it sells on the shelf. Brands design, redesign and test packaging, and there is growing focus on recyclable packaging.
Examples
We changed the packaging, and sales went up 8% without any advertising.
The new packaging uses 30% less plastic.
Usage note
Packaging is uncountable: say “the packaging”, not “a packaging”. A single box is a package (US) or a pack (UK).
The place where a customer pays for a product, such as a shop checkout or an online payment page; also the promotional materials placed there.
Where you use it
Shortened to POS. In marketing, POS materials are the displays, shelf signs, stands and posters in stores. A similar term is point of purchase (POP). Before a noun it takes hyphens: point-of-sale display.
Examples
The point-of-sale displays arrive in stores a week before the TV campaign starts.
Most decisions about snacks are made at the point of sale, not at home.
Usage note
In Turkish, POS usually means the card payment machine. In English marketing talk, POS usually means the place of sale and the promotional materials there.
Common phrases
point-of-sale display · POS materials · at the point of sale · point of purchase
A particular price at which a product is offered, often chosen to match what a certain group of customers expects or can afford.
Where you use it
Used in pricing, retail and product planning. Products sit at, launch at or hit a certain price point, and product ranges often have entry-level, mid-range and premium price points.
Examples
We need a model at a lower price point for students.
At this price point, customers expect free delivery.
Common phrases
lower price point · premium price point · entry-level price point · hit a price point
The method a company uses to set and change its prices, based on its costs, its competitors, the value customers see and its business goals.
Where you use it
A core part of the marketing mix. Common pricing strategies include cost-plus, value-based, premium, penetration and skimming pricing. Teams develop, review or change their pricing strategy, often when costs or competitors change.
Examples
Our pricing strategy is to stay slightly below the market leader.
With costs rising every month, we had to rethink our pricing strategy.
Common phrases
develop a pricing strategy · value-based pricing strategy · competitive pricing strategy · review the pricing strategy
A reduction in the usual price of a product or service, often offered for a limited time or only to certain customers.
Where you use it
You offer, give, get or apply a discount. Common forms are “20% off”, “buy one, get one free” (BOGOF), early-bird discounts and volume discounts. Marketers often point out that frequent discounts can teach customers to wait for sales.
Examples
We're offering a 15% discount to customers who order before Friday.
Too many discounts have made people think we're a cheap brand.
Common phrases
offer a discount · apply a discount · discount code · volume discount · early-bird discount
The difference between a product's selling price and what it costs, usually shown as a percentage of the selling price.
Where you use it
Marketers watch margins when planning prices and promotions, because discounts reduce them. People talk about high-margin and low-margin products and about protecting or squeezing margins. Gross margin subtracts only the direct cost of the goods sold.
Examples
The new range has a 40% margin, much higher than our standard products.
Free shipping is popular, but it's eating into our margins.
Usage note
Margin and markup are different. If a product costs 60 and sells for 100, the margin is 40% (of the price), but the markup is about 67% (of the cost).
Setting prices higher than competitors on purpose to signal quality, exclusivity or status, so that the high price becomes part of the brand's appeal.
Where you use it
Used for luxury goods, premium cosmetics, technology and speciality food. It depends on customers believing the product is worth more. It is also called prestige pricing.
Examples
Premium pricing only makes sense if the packaging and service feel premium too.
The brand uses premium pricing, so it never joins the big seasonal sales.
Launching a product at a low price to attract many customers quickly and win market share, often with a plan to raise the price later.
Where you use it
Common for subscriptions, apps and new brands entering crowded markets. The risk is that customers may leave when the price goes up. It is the opposite of price skimming.
Examples
The streaming service used penetration pricing: the first year was half price.
Penetration pricing helped us win share, but our margins are very thin.
Launching a new product at a high price for customers who want it first, then lowering the price over time to reach more price-sensitive buyers.
Where you use it
Typical for new technology, game consoles and fashion. It works best when a product is new and hard to copy and when early adopters are willing to pay more. The name comes from skimming the cream off the top of milk.
Examples
The headphones launched at a high price as part of a price skimming strategy, and the price dropped after six months.
Price skimming won't work here; three competitors already sell something similar.
Common phrases
price skimming strategy · use price skimming · skimming pricing · high launch price
Setting prices in ways that affect how customers feel about them, such as 99.90 instead of 100, so that the product seems cheaper than it really is.
Where you use it
Very common in retail. Charm pricing, with prices ending in 9 or 99, is the best-known type. Other tactics include showing a crossed-out original price or adding a middle option so that it looks like the best deal.
Examples
We use psychological pricing on the menu: 249 lira looks much cheaper than 250.
Psychological pricing works less well for luxury products, where round numbers feel more premium.
How much the demand for a product changes when its price changes; if a small price rise causes a big drop in sales, demand is called elastic.
Where you use it
An economics term used in pricing decisions. It is calculated as the percentage change in quantity demanded divided by the percentage change in price. Products with few substitutes, such as basic medicines, tend to have inelastic demand.
Examples
Price elasticity in this category is high: when we raised prices by 5%, volume fell by 12%.
Before the price increase, finance wants a study on the price elasticity of our top ten products.
Common phrases
price elasticity of demand · high price elasticity · measure price elasticity · price-sensitive customers
To sell two or more products or services together as one package, usually for a lower total price than buying them separately.
Where you use it
Used as a verb (bundle products together) and as a noun (a bundle, a bundle offer). Common in telecoms (internet plus TV), software, fast-food menus and cosmetics gift sets. The strategy is called bundling or bundle pricing.
Examples
We bundled the shampoo with a travel-size conditioner, and sales of both went up.
The internet and TV bundle is cheaper than paying for the two services separately.
A planned series of marketing activities, such as ads, posts and events, that share one goal and one message over a set period of time.
Where you use it
Perhaps the most used word in agency life. You plan, launch, run and measure a campaign, and people talk about an ad campaign, a TV campaign or a social media campaign. In English it is not only about discounts.
Examples
The summer campaign goes live on 1 June across TV, outdoor and social media.
How are we going to measure the success of this campaign?
Usage note
The g is silent: campaign sounds like “cam-PAIN”.
Common phrases
launch a campaign · run a campaign · ad campaign · integrated campaign · campaign results
A short instruction in an ad, email or web page that tells people what to do next, such as “Buy now”, “Sign up” or “Call us today”.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to CTA and said letter by letter. Copywriters and designers talk about a clear, strong or weak call to action, and about the CTA button on a web page.
Examples
The poster looks great, but there's no call to action. What do we want people to do?
We tested two calls to action, and “Get my free sample” worked better than “Learn more”.
Usage note
The plural is calls to action, not call to actions.
Common phrases
clear call to action · strong call to action · CTA button · add a call to action
To make a new product, service or campaign available to the public for the first time, usually with planned promotion around it.
Where you use it
Used as a verb (launch a product, launch a campaign) and as a noun (the launch, a product launch, a launch event). In Turkish offices the noun is usually “lansman”. Bringing a product back with a new formula or design is a relaunch.
Examples
We're launching the new flavour in March, starting with Istanbul and Ankara.
The launch event is fully booked, so we'll stream it online as well.
When exactly did the campaign launch?
Common phrases
launch a product · launch a campaign · product launch · soft launch · relaunch
A document that sets out marketing goals for a period, usually a year, and explains the actions, budget, timing and measures needed to reach them.
Where you use it
Teams write, present and update the marketing plan, often in the last quarter for the following year. It usually includes a situation analysis, objectives, the target audience, the marketing mix, a calendar, the budget and KPIs.
Examples
The marketing plan for next year has to be ready before the budget meeting in November.
This event wasn't in the marketing plan, so we need extra approval.
Common phrases
annual marketing plan · write a marketing plan · present the marketing plan · marketing plan template
The amount of money a company sets aside for marketing activities, such as advertising, research, events and content, over a given period.
Where you use it
Discussed in every planning cycle. Budgets are set, allocated, approved, cut or increased, and teams talk about how to split the marketing budget across channels. Some companies set it as a percentage of sales.
Examples
Half of the marketing budget goes on TV, but most of our sales come from online.
Our marketing budget was cut by 15%, so we have to drop the outdoor campaign.
Common phrases
allocate the marketing budget · cut the marketing budget · annual marketing budget · marketing budget approval
A short document from a client or manager that explains a project's goal, target audience, key message, budget and deadline to the people who will do the work.
Where you use it
Central to agency work. Clients write and send a brief; agencies receive it, respond to it or question it. A creative brief guides the ideas, and a media brief guides the media plan. As a verb, “to brief someone” means to give them the information they need.
Examples
The brief says the target audience is students, but the budget is for TV. That doesn't add up.
Can you brief the designers on the new packaging this afternoon?
Usage note
As an adjective, brief simply means short. “A brief meeting” is a short meeting, not a briefing.
Common phrases
creative brief · write a brief · client brief · brief the agency · respond to a brief
Any point where a customer comes into contact with a brand, such as an ad, the website, a store, a call centre, the packaging or a delivery.
Where you use it
Used in customer experience and campaign planning. Teams map, improve or add touchpoints along the customer journey and try to keep the message consistent across all of them. Sometimes written as two words, touch point.
Examples
The delivery driver is an important touchpoint that we never think about.
We counted 14 touchpoints between seeing the first ad and opening an account.
Common phrases
customer touchpoints · key touchpoint · digital touchpoints · across all touchpoints
To introduce a new product, campaign or service gradually or across a wide area, often after a successful test in one place.
Where you use it
Very common in business English. You roll something out nationally, to all stores or in phases; the noun is rollout (or roll-out in British English). Often used after a pilot: “If the pilot works, we'll roll it out.”
Examples
We're rolling out the new loyalty app in all 120 stores next month.
The campaign was rolled out in Izmir first and then across the country.
Common phrases
roll out nationally · roll out in phases · full rollout · rollout plan
Marketing activities that attract people who are interested in a product and collect their contact details so that the sales team can follow up.
Where you use it
Often shortened to lead gen. Typical tools are webinars, free guides, trade shows, contact forms and demo requests. It is especially important in B2B, where marketing is often judged by the number and quality of the leads it generates.
Examples
Trade shows are still our best channel for lead generation.
The lead generation campaign brought in plenty of names but very few real buyers.
Common phrases
lead generation campaign · B2B lead generation · lead generation form · lead gen
How people choose, buy, use and stop using products and services, and the personal, social and psychological reasons behind those choices.
Where you use it
Both a university subject and a daily concern for marketers. Teams study, track and try to influence consumer behaviour, and reports discuss shifts in consumer behaviour after price rises or new technology.
Examples
Consumer behaviour changed fast when prices went up: people started buying smaller packs more often.
Her thesis is on consumer behaviour in online grocery shopping.
Usage note
The US spelling is consumer behavior. Both spellings are correct; choose one and use it consistently in a document.
Common phrases
study consumer behaviour · shift in consumer behaviour · consumer behaviour research · understand consumer behaviour
All the steps a customer goes through with a brand, from first hearing about it to buying and using the product, and then coming back or leaving.
Where you use it
Very common in marketing, UX and customer experience teams. You map, improve or simplify the customer journey. A customer journey map shows each stage and the touchpoints where the customer meets the brand.
Examples
We mapped the customer journey and found that most people drop out on the delivery options page.
The customer journey for a new car can take several months.
Common phrases
customer journey map · map the customer journey · stages of the customer journey · end-to-end customer journey
A specific problem or frustration that customers have, which a product or service can solve or at least reduce.
Where you use it
Very common in B2B marketing, startups, sales and product teams. You identify, address or solve customers' pain points, and many ads and sales pitches open with one.
Examples
The biggest pain point for our users is waiting on the phone to speak to someone.
Start the ad with the pain point, then show how the app solves it.
Common phrases
customer pain points · address a pain point · identify pain points · solve a pain point
Customers' habit or wish to keep buying the same brand again and again, even when competitors offer similar products or lower prices.
Where you use it
Brands build, earn, reward or lose brand loyalty. Loyalty programmes, good service and an emotional connection all support it. Researchers separate real loyalty (preference) from simple habit or a lack of choice.
Examples
Brand loyalty is very strong in coffee: many people never switch.
When prices rose, we saw how weak brand loyalty in the category really was.
Usage note
British English writes loyalty programme; American English writes loyalty program.
How happy customers are with a product, a service or their overall experience, compared with what they expected.
Where you use it
Measured through surveys, reviews and scores such as CSAT (customer satisfaction score). Companies measure, track and improve customer satisfaction, and it is a common KPI for service and retail teams.
Examples
Customer satisfaction dropped after we changed the delivery company.
We send a short customer satisfaction survey after every order.
Usage note
A customer buys; a consumer uses. A parent who buys breakfast cereal is the customer, and the child who eats it is the consumer.
Information and recommendations about a product that spread from person to person, in conversation or online, rather than through paid advertising.
Where you use it
Very common for small businesses and services such as restaurants and clinics. “We grew through word of mouth” means through recommendations. Before a noun it takes hyphens: word-of-mouth marketing. Reports sometimes shorten it to WOM.
Examples
We've never advertised; all our customers come through word of mouth.
Bad word of mouth spreads much faster than good word of mouth.
Common phrases
through word of mouth · positive word of mouth · word-of-mouth marketing · spread by word of mouth
Buying something suddenly without planning to, often because of a display, a special offer or a strong feeling in the moment.
Where you use it
Studied in consumer behaviour and used in retail planning. Shops place sweets, magazines and small items near the checkout to encourage impulse buying. A single item bought this way is an impulse buy or impulse purchase.
Examples
Chewing gum is a classic impulse buying product, so it sits right next to the till.
The “only 2 left” message is designed to trigger impulse buying.
A customer's choice about whether to buy, what to buy, and where and when to buy it, usually made after comparing options, prices and needs.
Where you use it
Central to consumer behaviour models, which describe stages such as need recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase and post-purchase behaviour. Marketers talk about what influences the purchase decision and who the decision-maker is.
Examples
For family cars, the purchase decision is usually made together by both partners.
Online reviews now play a big role in the purchase decision.
Common phrases
influence the purchase decision · make a purchase decision · purchase decision process · final purchase decision
A person or company that starts using a new product, service or technology soon after it appears, before most other people do.
Where you use it
Comes from the diffusion of innovations model, which groups people as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. Startups often target early adopters first because they accept imperfect products and tell others about them.
Examples
Early adopters were happy to pay more for the first version of the smartwatch.
We're giving early adopters a lifetime discount in return for feedback.
Common phrases
target early adopters · attract early adopters · early adopter programme · early adopter pricing
People's tendency to trust and copy what others do, which marketers use by showing reviews, ratings, customer numbers or testimonials.
Where you use it
A psychology term that is now very common in marketing and e-commerce. Examples include “bestseller” labels, star ratings and lines such as “Trusted by 10,000 companies”. You add, show or use social proof.
Examples
Adding customer reviews to the product page is the simplest form of social proof.
The ad uses social proof: “Over a million families use it every morning.”
Common phrases
use social proof · a form of social proof · social proof on the website · customer testimonials
Paid messages in media such as TV, radio, websites, newspapers or billboards that promote a product, service or brand; also the industry that creates them.
Where you use it
Used for the activity and the industry: “She works in advertising.” It is uncountable, so for one item you say an ad, an advert (UK) or an advertisement. Common partners are advertising budget, advertising agency and online advertising.
Examples
We're spending less on TV advertising and more on digital this year.
He worked in advertising for ten years before moving to the client side.
Usage note
“I saw an advertising on TV” is a common mistake. Say “I saw an ad / an advert / an advertisement on TV.”
The written words in an ad, website, brochure, email or package, especially words written to persuade people to act.
Where you use it
Uncountable in this sense: “Can you check the copy?” The people who write it are copywriters, and the work is copywriting. Teams write, edit, approve and proofread copy; “body copy” is the main text under a headline.
Examples
The design is approved, but the legal team still needs to check the copy.
The copy on the landing page is too long; nobody reads past the first paragraph.
Usage note
In marketing, copy rarely means a duplicate. “Send me the copy” means “send me the text”.
Common phrases
ad copy · write copy · body copy · approve the copy · copywriter
An advertisement broadcast on television, radio or online video, usually lasting from a few seconds to about a minute.
Where you use it
Common in American English; British speakers also say advert or TV ad. You shoot, produce, air or run a commercial. Lengths are given in seconds, as in a 30-second commercial, sometimes written :30.
Examples
We're shooting the commercial in Cappadocia next month.
The 30-second commercial will air during the football match.
Usage note
As an adjective, commercial means “related to business or making money”, as in commercial vehicle. As a noun in media, it means an ad.
Common phrases
TV commercial · shoot a commercial · air a commercial · 30-second commercial · radio commercial
A company that plans, creates and often places advertising for other businesses, which are called its clients.
Where you use it
Often shortened to ad agency or just “the agency”. Brands hire or appoint an agency, often after a pitch in which several agencies compete, and agencies win or lose accounts. Working for the brand rather than the agency is called being client-side.
Examples
We invited three advertising agencies to pitch for the new campaign.
She left the advertising agency to become a brand manager at a bank.
Common phrases
hire an advertising agency · creative agency · full-service advertising agency · agency pitch · media agency
Choosing the best mix of media, such as TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital, and deciding when and how often an ad should appear within a budget.
Where you use it
Done by media agencies or in-house media planners. Media planning decides where and when; media buying negotiates the price and books the space. A media plan usually includes reach, frequency, timing and share of voice.
Examples
Media planning for the launch starts as soon as the budget is approved.
Good media planning puts our ads in front of commuters at the times they're most likely to see them.
Common phrases
media planning agency · media plan · media planning and buying · media planner
A very large outdoor board for advertisements, usually beside roads, on buildings or in busy public places; digital billboards show moving or changing ads.
Where you use it
Part of outdoor or out-of-home (OOH) advertising. You book or rent billboards and put up ads on them. In the UK a billboard is also called a hoarding. Billboard messages are kept short because drivers see them for only a few seconds.
Examples
We've booked 40 billboards along the airport road for the launch.
Keep it short: nobody can read a billboard with three sentences at 90 kilometres an hour.
Common phrases
billboard campaign · digital billboard · book a billboard · roadside billboard
Supporting an event, team, programme or person with money or products in return for showing the brand's name and logo to their audience.
Where you use it
Common in sports, music festivals, TV programmes and cultural events. Brands sign, renew or end a sponsorship deal, and a title sponsor gives its name to the event. Sponsorship usually aims at brand awareness and image rather than direct sales.
Examples
Our sponsorship of the city marathon puts our logo on 10,000 race shirts.
The sponsorship deal with the basketball club runs for three seasons.
Common phrases
sponsorship deal · title sponsorship · event sponsorship · sponsorship rights
Managing how an organisation is seen by the public and the media, mainly through news coverage, events, statements and relationships rather than paid ads.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to PR, said letter by letter. PR teams write press releases, organise launches, deal with journalists and manage crises. The coverage PR wins is called earned media, as opposed to paid media.
Examples
The public relations team managed to get the story into three national newspapers.
After the complaint went viral, public relations became more important than advertising.
Common phrases
public relations agency · PR campaign · PR crisis · press release · earned media
Public support for a product by a well-known person or a trusted expert, usually in ads and often in return for payment.
Where you use it
Most common in the phrase celebrity endorsement. Brands sign athletes, actors or influencers to endorse a product, and that person is the endorser. Endorsements can raise awareness quickly, but the brand can suffer if the celebrity's image is damaged.
Examples
The celebrity endorsement doubled our sales in the first month.
An endorsement from a dentists' association would make the toothpaste more credible.
Usage note
In banking, endorsing a cheque means signing the back of it. In marketing, endorsement means public support.
Paying to have a branded product appear or be used in a film, TV series, music video or show, as part of the content rather than in an ad break.
Where you use it
Common in TV series, films and online video. Brands agree placements with producers. Many countries regulate it, and viewers often have to be told that a programme contains product placement.
Examples
Thanks to the product placement deal, the main character drives our new model in every episode.
Product placement costs less than a TV campaign, but we can't control how the scene looks.
Common phrases
product placement deal · paid product placement · subtle product placement · product placement in TV series
Describes advertising through mass media such as TV, radio, newspapers, cinema and outdoor, aimed at a large and broad audience.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to ATL and contrasted with BTL (below the line). It takes hyphens before a noun: above-the-line advertising. Turkish agencies use “ATL” very often. Campaigns that combine both are called through the line (TTL).
Examples
Most of the budget goes above the line, mainly on TV and outdoor.
Above-the-line advertising builds awareness, but its direct effect on sales is harder to measure.
Common phrases
above-the-line advertising · ATL campaign · ATL and BTL · through the line
Describes marketing that targets specific groups more directly, such as in-store promotions, events, sampling, direct mail and sponsorship, rather than mass media.
Where you use it
Shortened to BTL. Turkish agencies often call event and activation work simply “BTL”. BTL activities are usually easier to measure and closer to the moment of purchase than above-the-line advertising.
Examples
The below-the-line part of the campaign includes tastings in 200 supermarkets.
We moved some money from TV to below the line because we need sales this quarter.
Short for key performance indicator: a measurable number that shows whether a team, campaign or business is reaching its most important goals.
Where you use it
Said letter by letter; the plural is KPIs. Every campaign brief and report has KPIs, such as sales, leads, reach or cost per lead. You set, track, hit or miss your KPIs.
Examples
The main KPI for this campaign is the number of test drives booked.
We hit all our KPIs this quarter except brand awareness.
Common phrases
set KPIs · track KPIs · hit a KPI · main KPI · KPI dashboard
Short for return on investment: how much profit or value you get back compared with what you spent, usually shown as a percentage.
Where you use it
Said letter by letter. Managers ask about the ROI of a campaign, a channel or a new tool before they approve budget. A simple formula is (gain minus cost) divided by cost. Some teams use ROMI, return on marketing investment.
Examples
The event was expensive, so the CFO wants to see the ROI before we book it again.
Email gives us the highest ROI of all our channels.
Common phrases
measure ROI · deliver a strong ROI · positive ROI · ROI on marketing spend
The percentage of all sales in a market that one company or brand makes, measured either by sales value or by the number of units sold.
Where you use it
A key number in board meetings, annual reports and business news. Companies gain, lose, grow or defend market share. Figures can be by value (money) or by volume (units), and the two can be very different.
Examples
We gained two points of market share in the detergent category this year.
Our market share by volume is 18%, but by value it's closer to 25% because our products are more expensive.
Usage note
Turkish puts the percent sign before the number (%18); English puts it after (18%).
Common phrases
gain market share · lose market share · market share by value · market share by volume
A model of the stages people pass through, from first hearing about a brand to buying, with fewer people at each stage, like liquid in a funnel.
Where you use it
Marketers talk about the top, middle and bottom of the funnel (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU) and about full-funnel campaigns. Awareness ads work at the top; offers and retargeting work at the bottom. Also called the marketing funnel or sales funnel.
Examples
We get plenty of visitors at the top of the funnel, but very few reach the checkout.
This video is for awareness; it isn't meant to work at the bottom of the funnel.
Common phrases
marketing funnel · sales funnel · top of the funnel · bottom of the funnel · full-funnel
The percentage of people who take a wanted action, such as buying, signing up or calling, out of all the people who had the chance to do it.
Where you use it
A key metric online and in stores. If 2,000 people visit a page and 50 buy, the conversion rate is 2.5%. Teams work to improve or optimise the conversion rate, and each completed action is called a conversion.
Examples
Our conversion rate went up after we added free returns.
Traffic is high, but the conversion rate on mobile is below 1%.
Common phrases
improve the conversion rate · high conversion rate · conversion rate optimisation · landing page conversion rate
A person or company that has shown interest in a product, for example by filling in a form, and might become a customer.
Where you use it
Very common in B2B, real estate, insurance and education. Marketing generates leads and passes them to sales. People talk about qualified leads (likely to buy), cold, warm and hot leads, and cost per lead (CPL).
Examples
The webinar brought in 300 leads, and sales has already called the top fifty.
These leads are too cold; most of them only wanted the free e-book.
Usage note
In this meaning lead is pronounced /liːd/, like “need”. Lead pronounced /led/ is a different word: the heavy metal.
Common phrases
generate leads · qualified lead · sales lead · cost per lead · nurture leads
How much people actively interact with a brand or its content, for example by liking, commenting, sharing, clicking or spending time with it.
Where you use it
Used constantly in social media and content reports. Posts get, drive or boost engagement, and teams track the engagement rate. In wider marketing it can also mean emotional involvement with a brand.
Examples
The video had fewer views but much higher engagement than the photo post.
Engagement drops when we post more than twice a day.
Usage note
In everyday English, engagement also means an agreement to marry. The context makes the meaning clear.
The number or percentage of different people who see an ad or campaign at least once during a certain period of time.
Where you use it
A basic media metric in TV, outdoor and digital planning. Reach counts each person once, while frequency shows how many times on average they saw the ad. Campaigns aim to increase or extend reach. As a verb, you reach an audience.
Examples
The campaign had a reach of 4 million people, with an average frequency of three.
Organic reach on social media has fallen, so we need some paid support.
Usage note
Reach is not the same as impressions: one person who sees an ad five times counts once in reach but five times in impressions.
Common phrases
reach and frequency · organic reach · extend reach · paid reach
An experiment that shows two versions of an ad, email or web page to similar groups of people to find out which one performs better.
Where you use it
Very common in digital marketing and product teams. You run or set up an A/B test, usually changing one thing at a time, such as the headline, image or button colour. It is also called a split test, and “to A/B test something” is used as a verb.
Examples
We ran an A/B test on the subject line, and the shorter one got 20% more opens.
Let's A/B test the two banners for a week before we decide.
Common phrases
run an A/B test · A/B test results · split test · A/B test the headline
One single display of an ad on a screen or page; if an ad is shown 1,000 times, it has 1,000 impressions, even if fewer people saw it.
Where you use it
A basic unit in digital and outdoor advertising. Ads are often bought by cost per thousand impressions, called CPM (M is the Roman numeral for 1,000). An impression does not mean that the person noticed, clicked or remembered the ad.
Examples
The banner got 2 million impressions but only 900 clicks.
We're paying much more per thousand impressions on this platform than last year.
Usage note
In everyday English, an impression is the feeling or opinion you form about someone, as in “first impression”. In ad reports, it is simply a count.
Common phrases
cost per thousand impressions · number of impressions · ad impressions · deliver impressions
The average amount a company spends on marketing and sales to win one new customer, found by dividing total costs by the number of new customers.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to CAC. Very common in startups, e-commerce and subscription businesses, where it is compared with customer lifetime value to see whether growth is profitable.
Examples
Our customer acquisition cost on social media has almost doubled this year.
If each customer only spends 300 lira with us, a customer acquisition cost of 500 lira doesn't work.
Common phrases
reduce customer acquisition cost · CAC payback period · blended CAC · high customer acquisition cost
An estimate of the total profit or revenue a company can expect from one customer for the whole time that person keeps buying from it.
Where you use it
Shortened to CLV, CLTV or LTV. It shows how much a company can sensibly spend to win and keep a customer. Many companies compare LTV with CAC, and an LTV much higher than CAC is usually read as a sign of healthy growth.
Examples
Customers who join through referrals have a higher customer lifetime value.
We can accept a higher acquisition cost because the customer lifetime value is around 4,000 lira.
Common phrases
increase customer lifetime value · LTV to CAC ratio · average customer lifetime value · calculate CLV
The percentage of customers who stop using a product or cancel a subscription during a certain period, such as a month or a year.
Where you use it
A key number for subscription businesses such as telecoms, streaming, software and gyms. Teams track, analyse and try to reduce churn, and customers who leave are said to churn. If 30 of 1,000 customers cancel in a month, monthly churn is 3%.
Examples
Our churn rate jumped after the price increase in January.
A monthly churn rate of 5% means we lose almost half of our customers in a year.
Keeping existing customers buying from you over time, and the methods a company uses to stop them from leaving for competitors.
Where you use it
Often measured as a retention rate, which is the other side of churn. Loyalty programmes, good service and personalised offers support retention. Marketers often say that keeping a customer costs less than finding a new one.
Examples
This year we're moving budget from acquisition to customer retention.
Customer retention improved after we started calling clients every quarter.
A score based on one question, “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?”, answered from 0 to 10 and used to measure customer loyalty.
Where you use it
Shortened to NPS. People who answer 9–10 are promoters, 7–8 are passives and 0–6 are detractors. The score is the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors, so it can range from −100 to +100.
Examples
Our Net Promoter Score went from 22 to 41 after we fixed the delivery problems.
The Net Promoter Score survey goes out seven days after each purchase.
Usage note
NPS is a score, not a percentage: say “an NPS of 40”, not “40%”.
Common phrases
measure NPS · NPS survey · high Net Promoter Score · promoters and detractors
A brand's share of all the advertising or media attention in its category compared with competitors, often measured by ad spend or by mentions.
Where you use it
Shortened to SOV. Media agencies compare share of voice with market share, and a brand whose SOV is higher than its market share is often expected to grow. Online, it can also mean a brand's share of social media mentions.
Examples
During the holiday season, our share of voice fell to 8% because competitors doubled their TV spend.
We have 15% market share but only 9% share of voice.
Common phrases
increase share of voice · excess share of voice · SOV analysis · share of voice versus market share
A company's long-term plan for reaching the right customers, standing out from competitors and achieving its business goals through marketing.
Where you use it
Strategy answers “Where and how do we compete?”, while the marketing plan and campaigns turn it into actions. You develop, define or review a marketing strategy, usually once a year or before entering a new market.
Examples
Our marketing strategy for next year focuses on winning back customers who stopped buying.
A discount is a tactic, not a marketing strategy.
Common phrases
develop a marketing strategy · overall marketing strategy · marketing strategy document · align with the marketing strategy
A short statement of the benefits a customer gets from a product or service and why it is worth choosing over the alternatives.
Where you use it
Common in startups, B2B marketing, websites and investor pitches. You define, test, sharpen or communicate a value proposition. It often appears at the very top of a company's home page.
Examples
Our value proposition for small shops is simple: accept card payments from day one with no monthly fee.
The landing page doesn't make the value proposition clear enough.
Common phrases
clear value proposition · customer value proposition · strengthen the value proposition · value proposition canvas
A simple planning tool that lists a company's internal strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats it faces.
Where you use it
Used in business plans, marketing plans, case studies and workshops. SWOT is said as one word, not letter by letter. You do, carry out or present a SWOT analysis, usually as a grid of four boxes.
Examples
Let's start the workshop with a quick SWOT analysis of the brand.
In our SWOT analysis, the new competitor from Europe is the biggest threat.
Common phrases
carry out a SWOT analysis · SWOT matrix · strengths and weaknesses · opportunities and threats
Something that lets a company serve customers better or more cheaply than its rivals, such as lower costs, better technology or a stronger brand.
Where you use it
A strategy term in business plans, MBA classes and annual reports. Companies gain, build, keep or lose a competitive advantage. A sustainable competitive advantage is one that rivals cannot easily copy.
Examples
Our local delivery network is a real competitive advantage in smaller cities.
Low prices alone are not a lasting competitive advantage; anyone can cut prices.
Common phrases
gain a competitive advantage · sustainable competitive advantage · key competitive advantage · lose a competitive advantage
Making a product or brand clearly different from competitors in ways that customers value, such as quality, design, service or experience.
Where you use it
A central idea in strategy and positioning. In strategy textbooks it is often contrasted with cost leadership, which means competing on low cost. Brands look for points of differentiation, and the verb is “differentiate from” competitors.
Examples
In a crowded market like bottled water, differentiation is very hard.
Our main point of differentiation is 24-hour customer service.
Common phrases
product differentiation · point of differentiation · differentiation strategy · lack of differentiation
A plan for bringing a new product to market or entering a new market, covering the target customers, value proposition, pricing, channels and launch activities.
Where you use it
Common in technology, B2B and startups, and usually shortened to GTM, said letter by letter. Product, marketing and sales teams build the go-to-market strategy together before a launch.
Examples
Our go-to-market strategy for Germany starts with partners, not our own sales team.
The product is ready, but the go-to-market strategy still has gaps in pricing.
Common phrases
GTM plan · go-to-market team · build a go-to-market strategy · go-to-market motion
A situation in which a company's new product takes sales away from its own existing products instead of from competitors.
Where you use it
Discussed when launching new flavours, sizes, cheaper versions or online channels. Teams estimate, accept or try to limit cannibalization. The verb is cannibalize, as in “The new pack cannibalized sales of the old one.” The British spelling is cannibalisation.
Examples
The cheaper model sold well, but much of it was cannibalization of our premium range.
Some cannibalization is acceptable if the new product also brings in new customers.
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn marketing vocabulary
Learn terms in pairs that are easy to mix up: target market and target audience, brand identity and brand image, reach and impressions. Meetings and job interviews often show whether you know the difference.
Read real marketing texts in English, such as case studies, trade magazines, research reports and agency briefs, and notice which verbs go with each term: launch a campaign, build brand awareness, generate leads.
Practise the abbreviations out loud. Marketers say KPI, ROI, B2B and CTA letter by letter, while SWOT is said as one word, and you will hear these in almost every meeting.
Keep a phrase bank for presentations and reports, with sentences like “Our target audience is…” or “The campaign increased brand awareness by 9 points.” You can reuse them again and again.
When your team uses an English word inside Turkish, such as brief, insight or lead, check its full English meaning and pronunciation too; the Turkish office usage is sometimes narrower.
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish marketers use the English terms or the Turkish ones?
Both. In agencies and international companies, many English words are used as they are in Turkish sentences: brief, insight, KPI, lead, launch. Textbooks, academic work and official documents prefer Turkish equivalents such as hedef kitle, konumlandırma and tutundurma. Knowing both helps you in meetings and in written reports.
What is the difference between marketing and advertising?
Advertising is one part of marketing: paid messages in media such as TV, outdoor or online. Marketing is much wider. It includes research, choosing the target market, designing the product, setting prices, choosing distribution channels and all forms of communication, including advertising.
What are the 4Ps of marketing?
Product, price, place and promotion. Together they make up the marketing mix. 'Place' means distribution, and 'promotion' means all marketing communication. For services, three more Ps are often added: people, process and physical evidence, giving the 7Ps.
What is the difference between a target market and a target audience?
The target market is the wider group of customers a company wants to sell to over the long term. The target audience is the specific group a particular campaign or message is aimed at. It can be narrower, or it can include people who influence the purchase, such as parents buying for their children.
How do I say marketing abbreviations like KPI, ROI and CTA?
Most are said letter by letter in English: K-P-I, R-O-I, C-T-A, B-2-B (“B to B”). The plural adds a small s: KPIs. A few are read as words, such as SWOT. Use English letter names, not Turkish ones, when you speak English.
