Entre 2004 y 2015 se publicaron un promedio de 52 documentos por año relacionados con los conceptos de simbiosis y marketing. Estas publicaciones se han incrementado año tras año, estableciendo una importante producción académica sobre el tema.
Utilizando el método sistemático de evaluación de tendencias a partir de la información existente, que se apoya en el análisis de tendencias a partir de la información disponible en diversos canales académicos, se construyen terminologías útiles para la vida combinando dos conceptos de diferentes áreas. Se trata de un método versátil, adaptable y flexible que permite un análisis integral del estado del arte a través de cuatro fases que se explican a continuación:
- Definición de necesidades: Se organiza la investigación y se identifican los principales objetivos de búsqueda.
- Búsqueda y depuración: Se busca y descarga información, luego se depura y se evalúan los documentos más importantes.
- Consolidación conceptual: Se revisan temas y conceptos de análisis para consolidar la conceptualización.
- Presentación de resultados: Se presentan los principales resultados encontrados durante el proceso.
Así nace y se difunde el concepto de “ Marketing Simbiótico ”, un concepto novedoso, al menos para mí, pues quedé maravillado cuando leí la idea de combinar dos conceptos de forma seria y metódica con base en escritos documentados y fundamentados en conceptos ya establecidos como Simbiosis, una metáfora biológica aplicada al entendimiento organizacional, el co-marketing y la alianza estratégica.
Del artículo escrito por Laura, que les invito a leer: “ Todos somos científicos ”, Laura menciona que “la ciencia está en todas partes, y a veces necesitamos un pequeño recordatorio”. Aquí les traigo un resumen del término que nos enseñaron en la escuela y que ahora aplica a la vida, al trabajo, a la vocación y a la profesión:
Simbiosis : palabra griega que significa “vivir juntos”. En biología, describe a individuos de especies diferentes que forman asociaciones permanentes y beneficiosas. Estos vínculos, interespecíficos, estrechos y persistentes, implican un contacto directo y de larga duración. La esencia de esta relación es que ambas partes se benefician mutuamente. Es la naturaleza trabajando en equipo para lograr el éxito compartido.
Un ejemplo serían las anémonas de mar y los peces payaso:
- Anémonas de mar: Estas criaturas marinas tienen tentáculos venenosos que utilizan para capturar su comida y defenderse de los depredadores.
- Pez payaso: Estos pequeños y coloridos peces viven entre los tentáculos de las anémonas.
Relación simbiótica:
- Protección: Los peces payaso son inmunes al veneno de las anémonas, por lo que utilizan los tentáculos como refugio seguro contra los depredadores.
- Limpieza y alimentación: A cambio, los peces payaso ayudan a mantener limpias a las anémonas al ingerir parásitos y restos de comida que podrían perjudicarlas. Además, atraen a otros peces hacia las anémonas, que podrían convertirse en presas de las anémonas.
Esta relación simbiótica permite que ambos organismos se beneficien y sobrevivan en su entorno marino.
Now, let's define the concept of Marketing: it is the process of promoting and selling products or services, with one of its main objectives being to satisfy customer needs profitably. Here's a daily example: Imagine you own a small bakery. Your marketing starts from the moment you decide what types of bread to bake. You know your neighbors love fresh bread, so you decide to make a variety of loaves, from crispy baguettes to soft sourdough.
Once you have your products, you think about how to attract customers. You put up a colorful sign outside the shop that says "Fresh bread every morning!" and post pictures of your delicious breads on social media. You might even offer free samples for people to try your breads.
Additionally, you decide to offer special discounts for customers who buy more than two loaves, encouraging them to buy more. You also listen to your customers and take their feedback into account, such as introducing a gluten-free option if you notice a demand for it.
All this, from choosing the products to how you promote them and listen to your customers, is marketing. It’s about understanding your audience, providing them with what they need, and communicating it in an attractive and effective way.
Combining both concepts, what is Symbiotic Marketing?
Symbiotic marketing refers to a network of cooperation between companies that seek to work together to establish trust and proximity relationships. These co-creation value processes strengthen brands and consolidate markets, transcending marketing functions and strategic business units to include financial and development cooperation. Using the biological metaphor of Montoya et al. (2012), it is understood that these cooperative processes, especially in complex virtual environments, offer more opportunities and improve organizational processes. The future of symbiotic marketing is envisioned as an online symbiosis, with immense possibilities to improve organizational processes.
An example of symbiotic marketing is the collaboration between Apple and Starbucks in 2007. During this time, Starbucks customers could access Apple's iTunes Store from their device charging stations in Starbucks stores. This partnership allowed both companies to benefit from the relationship: Starbucks offered an additional service to its customers, while Apple increased its visibility and potentially attracted new users to its platform.
Another great example of symbiotic marketing is the collaboration between Nike and Apple with the Nike+iPod product. In this case, Nike developed sports shoes that could communicate with Apple's iPod through a built-in sensor in the shoes. This sensor recorded exercise data, such as distance traveled and calories burned, and sent it to the iPod so users could monitor their performance.
Benefits for Nike:
- Attracted fitness enthusiasts who were already iPod users.
- Was able to offer innovative technology in its products, differentiating them from the competition.
Benefits for Apple:
- Accessed a new market segment: athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
- Increased iPod sales thanks to the added functionality of the Nike+ accessory.
This collaboration was a clear example of how two strong brands can come together to offer something unique that benefits both parties and, most importantly, their customers.
In conclusion, while the concepts of symbiotic marketing have not developed as much as other marketing topics, they have remained constant since the 1960s. Its application in various scenarios has demonstrated that cooperation, collaboration, and joint work processes are more efficient than isolated organizational work. The benefits of these integrative processes are highlighted, although important challenges are also mentioned, such as the need to ensure gains for all involved and maintain their independence and integrity to achieve true symbiosis.
They are also known as mutualistic marketing as an emerging strategy or horizontal marketing. Have you heard of them before? Do you have different examples? Write them down…
Susan
