How the evolution of tech changed the way products are marketed
Like most professions, marketing was hugely impacted by technology. And while some of the fundamental concepts remain the same, it had to change and adapt to stay relevant.
Most people know about the changes in technology, but not many know the changes in marketing. So here’s a timeline of how marketing evolved over the years and how some of those changes reflect what I’ve seen working in tech.
Marketing v1.0: When it was all about the product
“Make a product, price it right, promote it well and distribute it efficiently.”
Philip Kotler’s first book, often called the “bible” of marketing, covers the foundations of commerce and helped turn marketing into a proper discipline. The focus was on the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. There’s no mention of customers or users because Kotler’s book was written in the 60s, when there wasn’t much competition and consumers didn’t have many choices. Also, back then the word “users” had a different meaning. They were just people pushing buttons on machines.
Marketing v2.0: The customer is always right
“Make a good product people actually need, price it right, promote it well and distribute it efficiently.”
This is where the big shift happened, from product-driven to customer-driven marketing. And the reason why today’s companies say things like “we are customer-obsessed”. Businesses realised they couldn’t treat everyone the same, so v2.0 was about the need to segment the market and understand customer needs. This is when solving real problems for real people and making sure customers were happy became strategic goals.
For example:
Before Netflix, people had to pay for cable, record shows, or drive to a video shop and hope the film was still available. Netflix solved a real customer problem by giving people easy, on-demand access to movies and shows from home.
Google did something similar with PageRank. They were the first to rank pages based on relevance and popularity. People needed to find the right information fast, and that’s what Google focused on.
Marketing v3.0: Purpose becomes part of the brand
“Make a good product people believe in, tell your story and build a brand that reflects your values.”
This is when a cultural shift happened. Users now cared about values, purpose and sustainability. Brands were expected to stand for something and help solve global problems, so Kotler proposed that companies had to appeal not just to the mind and heart, but also to the spirit. And from that day on, every single company started sharing their story. Some of them even made it sound convincing. Having a mission was no longer enough, businesses also needed a clear vision, and they had to share it with the world. Something aspirational that could inspire people and give them something to believe in.
For example:
Tesla wasn’t only trying to sell cars, they were aiming to challenge the whole energy and transport system. They gave people something to believe in: a cleaner, smarter future. Owning a Tesla became a symbol of that. That’s the shift Kotler was talking about.
Apple did something similar with its iconic “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” campaign. Owning an Apple computer was about identity, creativity and freedom. Young people didn’t want a laptop to get work done or learn spreadsheets, they wanted something that made them feel different.
Marketing v4.0: Connecting the dots
“Make a great product and make sure it works smoothly across every channel your customers use.”
While people like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos were busy changing the world, Philip Kotler was focusing on digital tools, online engagement, mobile-first strategies and omnichannel marketing. He described how businesses needed to integrate all the different ways customers interact with them and be present across channels. That’s when omnichannel marketing became a thing: web, mobile, VR, physical shops, everything.
For example:
Amazon built a full digital ecosystem where every touchpoint is connected: website, mobile app, Alexa, Kindle, Prime Video and even physical stores like Amazon Go. You can start a purchase on your phone, get notified by Alexa, track it on your laptop, and pick it up at a locker. Quite Impressive what Jeff Bezos built. It’s all one journey.
Netflix did the same with their “Anywhere, Anytime” campaign, built around the idea of giving people access to their full library of movies and shows on a phone, tablet, smart TV or laptop. The experience works the same.
Marketing v5.0: Technology with a human touch
“Make a good product that uses technology to serve people, earn their trust and put their needs first.”
This version started to focus on using advanced technologies, like AI, automation, big data and IoT, to serve human needs in a meaningful, ethical and personalised way. It wasn’t about efficiency anymore, it was also about personalisation and creating user experiences that feel empathetic. Ethics, inclusion and trust became key.
For example:
Apple focuses on privacy by design, gives users control over their data, and builds trust through simplicity and transparency.
Spotify makes music simple, legal and safe to access. They use AI to understand people and personalise recommendations.
Google DeepMind focuses on scientific discovery while maintaining a strong interest in AI Safety. When Geoffrey Hinton left Google, they offered him the chance to lead their AI Safety initiative.
Marketing v6.0: The future is immersive
“Make a good product that learns, adapts and feels personal. Build relationships and connect with people on a deeper level.”
This is where we are now, or at least where we’re heading. Marketing teams are starting to deal with GenAI that feels human, like ChatGPT, BloombergGPT, L’Oreal Beauty Genius and Anthropic Claude. Emotional AI, digital clones and autonomous agents are becoming more common. The challenge is figuring out how to build meaningful, trusted relationships between humans and these new systems. The focus will be on ethics, transparency and emotional intelligence as automation and AI become part of everyday life, as well as designing customer journeys around voice assistants and smart devices.
For example:
Salesforce recently added an autonomous AI agent called Agentforce to their website. It can fetch data, plan, reason, and take action, all within the Salesforce ecosystem.
L’Oreal’s Beauty Genius feels personal. It interacts with customers like a real shop assistant, adapts based on emotional cues, like if you’re smiling or looking tired, and learns from your preferences over time. It’s also trained on diverse skin tones to avoid bias.
H&M, on the other hand, uses AI-generated digital models based on real people. These digital clones appear in campaigns and product pages, showing clothes in a way that’s scalable, diverse and sustainable. The real models still get paid for licensing their image.
Conclusion
What Brian Chesky did at Airbnb influenced the way I think about building products. He made product, design, tech and marketing work as one to simplify decisions and make sure all the departments stayed aligned.
Marketing used to be something you did after the product was built. Now it’s part of every stage of product development. It’s in the vision, the mission, and the strategy. It’s the story people tell, the emails they read, the price they pay, the features they celebrate, and the feeling they’re left with when they try your product. It’s how you get found, how you earn trust and how you stay relevant.
When Joe & The Juice says: “the best things in life aren’t things”, they’re not just selling healthy food, they’re selling the feeling that comes with eating well and taking care of yourself.