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

GlossaryStrategy & FrameworksPorter's Five Forces

Strategy & Frameworks

Porter's Five Forces

Michael Porter's 1979 model of industry competitiveness: rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, buyer power and supplier power.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Porter's Five Forces is Michael Porter's 1979 model of industry competitiveness, covering rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, buyer power and supplier power. Together these forces determine how attractive and profitable an industry is. Strategists use it to assess markets and identify where a business can defend its position.