Supply Chain and Marketing: How They Influence Each Other

According to HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing Report, today’s marketers are suffering from a “crisis of disconnection” and an amount of disorganization that may threaten the impact of their work. While we have the opportunity to track more marketing information than ever before, 28% of marketers say that it was either somewhat or very difficult to obtain the data they needed from other teams in their company. Meanwhile, 34% say that it was somewhat or very difficult to share their own data with other teams.

Supply chain management is all about connection and boosting efficiency, and professionals who understand how the supply chain and marketing interact can optimize supply and demand. With App State Online’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Supply Chain Management Flight Path Program, students learn from industry professionals about how supply chain management works and how graduates can utilize its principles in every career.

What Is a Supply Chain?

At its core, a supply chain comprises the people, strategies, and operations needed to take a product from concept to completion. We often attribute supply chains to the process required to take a product from the raw materials stage to getting it into the hands of consumers. However, a supply chain can take many different forms, including a marketing supply chain.

Key Components of a Marketing Supply Chain

Marketing helps drive growth for specific products or services within the supply chain. Marketing professionals may also monitor performance, take stock of customer feedback and recommend strategies to optimize the effectiveness of the supply chain to meet consumer demand.

A marketing supply chain not only comprises physical product distribution, but also all components of the marketing process, such as product ideation and design, manufacturing, distribution, logistics, advertising and retailing. Marketers may also engage in strategic planning, brand development and promotion to increase customer engagement and brand loyalty. When marketing and supply chain professionals collaborate, they can create a more seamless delivery of goods and services that maximizes cost and process efficiencies.

Components of Supply Chain Management in Marketing

If a supply chain is the network of people, strategies and operations needed to create a complete product, then supply chain management is the process required for optimizing this network. Marketing teams that understand the principles of supply chain management can enhance their strategies and ensure that they align with product manufacturing, distribution and promotion. They can also anticipate and avoid potential problems along the way.

Tracking and Utilizing Statistics

Supply chain management often tackles multiple goals, including lowering production costs and increasing production to meet customer demand. To reach these goals, supply chain managers need to set up effective ways to track everything from the time it takes to deliver a product to how a customer rates their experience with the company as a whole.

Marketing teams that leverage statistics can benefit from tracking and utilizing supply chain information. They can track these insights and implement them into future marketing strategies.

Prioritizing Structure

According to McKinsey & Company’s 2023 “The State of Organizations,” 40% of people say that having unclear job duties is a significant factor in their company’s organizational inefficiency. Supply chains benefit from transparency and clear roles for different steps in the manufacturing and distribution process.

Marketers who understand the structure of supply chains can collaborate with other professionals and stakeholders to help ensure efficient handoffs and timely deliveries, keeping their campaigns running smoothly.

Sticking to Standards and Requirements

The supply chain must usually adhere to business standards and legal requirements. Complying with these standards can help a company’s bottom line and reputation. On the other hand, organizations that do not comply with these legal requirements may face fines, and failing to meet certain standards may make customers, vendors or partners wary of doing business with them.

Marketers should remain up to date with product regulations, as well as potential issues within the supply chain. This can help avoid potential legal ramifications.

Become a Supply Chain Management Expert with App State Online

Supply chain management is a critical skillset in today’s business landscape, and the career opportunities go beyond what you might think of when you envision a supply chain. In the world of marketing, introducing a supply chain management mindset can help you lower costs, boost production and build better relationships with vendors and customers alike.

With App State Online’s BSBA in Supply Chain Management Flight Path Program, students gain a future-minded set of skills that prepares them for roles in transportation, logistics, inventory and beyond, including sales and marketing. From supplier sourcing to quality control, these skills transfer to many different industries and across various roles. And with multiple eight-week term starts, App State Online makes it easy to go back to school on your schedule.

Become an expert in the marketing supply chain with App State Online.

Recommended Readings

What Does a Supply Chain Analyst Do?

What Is Supply Chain Data Analytics and Why Does It Matter?

The Importance of Procurement Specialists

Sources:

For the Record, “What Marketers Can Learn From Supply Chain Management”

HubSpot, “The 2025 State of Marketing & Trends Report: Data from 1700+ Global Marketers”

Indeed, “What Is a Supply Chain in Marketing? Definition and Benefits”

Indeed, “What Is Supply Chain Management and Why Is It Important?”

Investopedia, “Optimizing Supply Chains: From Raw Materials to Consumers”

McKinsey & Company, “The State of Organizations 2023”