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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryStrategy & Frameworks3Cs Model

Strategy & Frameworks

3Cs Model

Kenichi Ohmae's 1982 strategy framework focusing on the Company, its Customers and its Competitors.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The 3Cs model is a strategy framework from Kenichi Ohmae, introduced in 1982, that focuses on the Company, its Customers and its Competitors. It holds that sustainable advantage comes from understanding how a company's strengths meet customer needs better than rivals can. Strategists use it to frame positioning and competitive analysis.