ABSTRACT:- Marketing mix is the fundamentals of marketing, which presently consists of 7P’s.  Over time, the mix had evolved from the 4P’s status around about 1948/9 in relation to goods. Subsequently, this was formalised in 1961.  Later, three more variables emerged in relation to services, which were added to the mix to become 7P’s in 1981. In an increasingly globalised, dynamic, competitive, innovative and technology based 21^st century business environment, it has now made it necessary to consider adding the 9^th Ps  mix elements, which is the Platform of the internet. In fact, there is yet a similar theorization with respect to the 9^th.  As well as reviewing the nascent literature, the purpose of this article is to examine if the 9^th P should be added to the mix. It also seeks to analyse the inherent implications and highlights the justifications for its inclusion or otherwise. The article adopted a reviewing of relevant literature approach as a methodology, back-up with pilot qualitative and quantitative studies.  Drawing heavily from literature evidence and the pilot data outcome, this paper uses descriptive analysis to isolate the variable 9^th mix elements.  This article re-in forces the proposition and argues for the 9^th P to be added, as well as suggesting what roles the 9^thP variables would play in advancing the benefits for marketing, more broadly, whilst the finding revealed the addition would significantly enhance the chances of facilitating quality of marketing in this 21^st century digital age. Importantly, this finding highlights an important shift in paradigm with respect to the 4-9 P’s discourse.

Key words:  Marketing mix; fundamentals of marketing; 4-7Ps and 4-9Ps; Internet Platform, Digital Marketing; Global marketing; Paradigm shift