Dr. Ihab Muslim: Marketing Starts with Creating Real Value, Not Just Promotion

Dr. Ihab Muslim, a marketing consultant and trainer in management sciences and skills, offered a practical explanation of the marketing concept using a real-world model. He showed how to build value in the market, stressing that marketing isn't just about promotion or content. Instead, it starts with creating genuine value for a specific customer and ensuring profit for the company.

He defined marketing as “finding and creating value that is offered to targeted customers in a way that solves their problems better than competitors, then communicating this value and delivering it through distribution channels.”

Dr. Ihab Muslim clarified that Value Creation consists of several interconnected elements, including the product, brand, price, incentives, and identifying target customers.

He presented a practical example: a small, 1.5-meter long adhesive tape designed for use in tight spaces. It's sold in packaging that looks like candy and carries a common name among technicians, “Balliya,” produced by iLock company.

He noted that the price is 3 Egyptian Pounds (EGP), with a promotional offer of two pieces for 5 EGP instead of 6 EGP, primarily targeting electricians as the main customer segment.

Regarding Value Communication, he explained that promotion relies on social media and a catchy slogan like “خد بالباقي لحام” (Take the change, get tape), in addition to direct recommendations among technicians (Word of Mouth).

For Value Delivery, the product is distributed through major wholesalers and distribution networks that end up in electrical shops, where it's displayed directly to customers.

Ihab Muslim confirmed that this model directly reflects the practical application of strategic marketing concepts as presented in Kotler's “Marketing Management” 17th edition for 2026. He also mentioned the G-STIC framework, which is built on the 4Ps model (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) and is still used globally today.

He concluded by stressing that marketing is much broader than just content, advertisements, or marketing messages. He clarified that these tools are merely a small part of a system that first begins with creating genuine value for a specific customer.