Last Updated: November 21, 2025
Hello! This is Watanabe from the uSonar Marketing Team.
In this report, we cover the special lecture titled "New Developments in B2B Marketing" held on October 1st, featuring Philip Kotler, the American marketing scholar known as the "Father of Modern Marketing."
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This seminar is positioned as the third installment of the "DX Forum Accelerated by Data" hosted by uSonar.
We invited approximately 200 sales and marketing representatives from uSonar's client companies. The event was held with a live online broadcast connecting the main venue, the Peacock Room at the Imperial Hotel, to Mr. Kotler's home in Chicago, USA.
Mr. Kotler is 94 years old this year. He is a renowned scholar whom anyone familiar with the early days of marketing has likely heard of at least once. It is also extremely rare for Mr. Kotler to give a lecture on the theme of "B2B Marketing." Due to the time difference, it started at 8:30 PM local time and 10:30 AM Japan time—an unusual time for a business seminar—but the venue was quickly filled to capacity as attendees gathered to hear the latest insights from the esteemed Mr. Kotler, creating an atmosphere of quiet enthusiasm.
What Mr. Kotler spoke about were the latest marketing insights incorporating current trends such as "digitalization and the introduction of AI," as well as "Human to Human (H2H) marketing."
First, Mr. Kotler began by explaining how the nature of B2B marketing has changed significantly over the past few decades.
In the past, companies introduced new products or services even to uninterested prospects, and branding or advertising was rarely conducted.
However, today, new tools and concepts are emerging one after another. Mr. Kotler observes that AI, in particular, is a groundbreaking technology, and its emergence has brought about major changes in marketing. Specifically, these include technologies such as AI, generative AI, machine learning, the metaverse, IoT, robotics, drones, and blockchain.
Building on this, Mr. Kotler introduced the concept of "Transformative Marketing (TM)." He stated that it is important to combine the new-era technologies mentioned earlier with human insight to revolutionize the interaction between companies and customers, thereby creating more personalized and immersive customer experiences.
He also introduced the progress of changes in marketing tools for realizing the customer journey, such as AI-driven targeting, ad creation, and content personalization, and explained the importance of having a perspective on how to incorporate and utilize AI and tools at each phase of the "5A (Aware, Appeal, Ask, Act, Advocate)" framework.
Based on these shifting trends, Mr. Kotler discusses the essential elements for today's companies to remain competitive and ensure long-term survival. Specifically, he highlighted the following points.
To achieve these goals, Kotler emphasizes that it is essential to "properly collect customer data and apply predictive analytics through machine learning and other technologies." To do this, companies must customize their offerings and services to provide more personalized proposals.
Furthermore, he stated that building a "Strategic Data Ecosystem" is critical, requiring the design of systems that collect and update customer data while leveraging AI for analysis.
Kotler noted that a major current trend is that business transactions are becoming increasingly transactional—that is, mechanical and devoid of human interaction.
He emphasized the need to reintroduce empathy as purchasing from large corporations increases and interpersonal relationships decline. By using H2H Marketing, companies can combine advanced technology with personalized human interaction to strengthen customer relationships.
H2H Marketing is based on the concept of "High Tech and High Touch," aiming to balance the use of digital technology with face-to-face human connection. Through these practices, it becomes possible to foster empathy and emotional resonance with customers, building deeper relationships.
Kotler emphasized that H2H Marketing, which balances benefits for both marketers and customers, is essential and requires an ethical approach.
At the end of the seminar, time was set aside for participants to ask Kotler questions directly. Kotler responded positively to every question, saying things like, "That is an interesting question" and "That is an important perspective."
uSonar Co., Ltd. will continue to host events that provide useful insights for your business. We hope you will join us for any events that interest you.
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uSonar Editorial Department
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