The 5th P They Don’t Teach You in Marketing School (But Should!)

Every marketer worth their Adobe subscription knows the holy gospel of the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Place, Promotion. It’s the sturdy little table we all set our strategies on:

• Product: The thing you’re offering (hopefully not “meh”).

• Price: The magic number that makes customers say “shut up and take my money.”

• Place: Where your magic number and your thing collide (digital, physical, or both).

• Promotion: How you shout about it without sounding like your uncle’s used car ad.

  
  

Simple. Effective. Textbook. But here’s the part your textbook left out: PEOPLE.

Because here’s the truth—your marketing doesn’t live or die by clever taglines, award-winning logos, or the 16th retargeting ad someone swears they didn’t see. It lives or dies by the people behind it.

People are the wild card. They’re the ones who make your brand feel like a trusted friend instead of a soulless chatbot. They’re also the ones who can torch your brand faster than you can say “reply all.”

The right people? They don’t just execute strategy. They set the tone, elevate the vision, and make customers feel something real. They make your brand human. Personable. Relatable. They’re the difference between “a company that sells stuff” and “a brand you’d introduce to your mom.”

At Kudzu, we believe People are the ultimate P. They’re the multiplier. The game-changer. The reason everything else in the mix works. Remember this: your brand is only as strong as the people who carry it forward. Protect them. Invest in them. And choose them wisely. We do and will. ;)

Logos fade, campaigns end, and algorithms change—but People? People will make or break you.