adding people to the marketing mix

Giving power to the People in the marketing mix. 
Photo by Callie Morgan on Unsplash

I was lucky to study at a good university back in the day of text books and where the fours P - product, place, promotion and price - were the key components in the marketing mix.  

These days there are a plethora of online courses from an array of so-called experts selling everything to do with social media and inventing new Ps - like the four Cs (customer, consumer values, cost and communication). No wonder it gets confusing. I always like the KISS system - keep it simple stupid.  

Why I don't disagree with these principles I question if we need to keep reinventing the wheel. I like the evolution of the four Ps as articulated in this Forbes article "Evolution of the Four Ps".  

The addition of people in the marketing mix is somewhat critical in this digital age. However, I disagree in this article that they stipulate it's just the people in the actual organization.  

First and foremost it should be the end consumer. The staff to a degree are part of the promotion process but the people - the consumer needed to have prominence.

​The whole concept of social media means people have the power and corporations need to listen. The communication process has  become two-way and instant. Surely in the new P the key importance in the marketing mix is that people have the power.