IIST
JOHN 5. WRIGHT, Editor
United States International University
By ROBERT J. HOLLOWAY
Robert J. Keith
School of Business Administration
University of Minnesota
35), and a chapter on "Product Innovation" for Lee
HE CONSUMERS' world is accelerating with
Adler's recently published Plotting Marketing Straideas and changes. Our mission is to produce
tegy. He serves on the board of directors of the
as many ideas as possible to keep in step with and
Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc., the Dayton
ahead of the changes. In this spirit, your new manCorporation, and other firms.
agement will dedicate its energies." With these
words, Robert J. Keith concluded his talk to the
Perhaps as important as Keith's public accomBoard of Directors of the Pillsbury Company when
plishments are his insights into marketing. He has
he became Chairman of the
applied these to the activities
Board last year. These words
of Pillsbury and contributed
in many ways describe Robert
to making this firm a truly
Keith's philosophy and his
market-oriented company.
activities as an active marketThe improvement of the deing person.
cision-making process has alBob Keith began his marways been one of Keith's chief
keting career with the Pillsconcerns. As Chief Executive
bury Company in 1935 as a
Officer, he wants to "further
dismantle decision making: desales merchandiser. He procisions can be made 'by the
gressed through a series of
proper people at the proper
sales and marketing assigntime.'"
ments which culminated in his
election as Vice President in
To facilitate this goal,
1950. He became a Director
Keith's company is progresin 1953, Executive Vice Presising toward the development
dent in 1956, President in
of an advanced information
1965, and Chairman of the
system. At the present time,
Board and Chief Executive
the President of Pillsburj^ is
Officer in September of 1967.
working toward bringing the
Through his contributions
computer into high level corto marketing over a period of
porate planning. This will
more than 30 years. Bob Keith
ROBERT J. KEITH
allow executives to examine
has earned the title of "Leader
data which reflect the present
in Marketing." Keith's publications include the
state of business. It will enable them to withdraw
often quoted Journal of Marketing article "The
from operations to a point where they can observe
Marketing Revolution" (Vol. 24, January, 1960, p.
in true perspective the workings of the entire
enterprise.
Journal of Marketing. Vol. 32 (Jtily^, 1968), pp. 74-75.
The computer has made significant contributions
74
Leaders In Marketing
toward increasing managerial effectiveness at operating levels in Pillsbury. It has substantially reduced the burden of administrative duties which had
previously required a large proportion of managers'
time. They are now able to concentrate more fully
on the productive side of their work—also aided by
the computer by providing more timely information
in a more usable form.
Bob Keith recognizes, however, that information
is not the only ingredient of decision making. An
effective decision-maker must not be overly cautious
or inflexible. For this reason, be places a great
emphasis on youth in his organization. The young
people are encouraged to move directly into important roles as task force members. He believes they
make decisions more easily than older people:
"Change comes easier for them," and it is the ability
to adapt to the changing environment that will mean
the ultimate growth of the firm.
Teaching the value of understanding change has
perhaps been Keith's greatest contribution to marketing. Bob Keith thinks constantly about change
and its meaning to his business today and tomorrow.
He follows in the tradition of Philip Pillsbury, a
man "who dared to change," and who "brought food
research to the company." The same was true for
another predecessor, Paul Gerot, who introduced a
number of new products and brought the consumer
concept and consumerism to Pillsbury.
In his fine Journal of Marketing article on "The
Marketing Revolution," Keith spelled out four eras
of marketing as he saw them with Pillsbury: (1)
production oriented, (2) sales oriented, (3) marketing oriented, and (4) marketing control. The
fourth era—marketing control—will exist "when
marketing will become the basic motivating force for
the entire corporation. Soon it will be true that
every activity of the corporation—from finance to
sales to production—is aimed at satisfying the needs
and desires of the consumer. When that stage of
development is reached, the marketing revolution
will be complete." Last year, Keith spoke to one of
the marketing classes at the University of Minnesota. He was asked to speak on the "Fifth Era of
Marketing" which not surprisingly turned out to
be—change!
Keith's understanding of change is not a superficial one. He does not stop with acknowledging its
presence. He sees change as the essence of business,
moving at an accelerating pace, fueled by our ex-
75
panding technologies, whipped along and channeled
by the growing demands of the consumer. To him,
the biggest single change in business is change itself
—the evolvement of the need to create instead of
waiting for change to come to business. Management must have as much devotion to the implementation of change as it gives to the idea of what to
change.
Keith fully appreciates the necessity of knowing
one's customers. He speaks of understanding and
sharing the customer's values, something which is
difficult to do today as the customer, too, is changing. Keith believes that people want professional
advice in their buying and that companies should
develop better rapport with their customers. Pillsbury approaches this problem through the extensive
use of marketing research, with the goal of developing a more effective dialogue with the many housewives who are searching for new food preparation
ideas.
In conjunction with this effort, Keith feels that
the housewife should be afforded a higher status
than she is presently receiving. His company's attempts in this area are reflected in its advertising
and also are found in its other promotional events.
Perhaps the most visible effort is Pillsbury's Annual
Bake Off, when one hundred finalists from a field of
many thousands who have submitted recipe ideas
compete for prizes.
Keith is concerned with a concept he calls "quality
of life" which he sees as a new dimension of marketing. Keith explains that the acquisition age is over
and the increasing amount of discretionary income
held by the consumer permits him to examine his
purchases carefully. It is no longer the question
"Can we afford it?" but rather "Do we want it?"
Quality in the traditional "premium" sense continues to be one of the dimensions that people will
seek. Other dimensions will be the ways in which
the use of the product or service provides an opportunity for personal self expression or creativity, the
ways in which it frees time, or the ways in which it
minimizes or eliminates unpleasant or difficult aspects of living in this complex world. Keith believes that it is possible to effect some of the change
which is suggested by this "quality of life" concept.
As Chairman of the Pillsbury Company, Bob
Keith will continue as a Leader in Marketing to
make his contributions to the firm, to societj', and
to marketing.