These terms are used in different ways. The most common usage of "upstream"
marketing relates to the need to gather information from the market to drive product direction and strategies. Pragmatic Marketing typically uses the term "inbound" marketing to refer to these activities. Downstream marketing is what we would generally label "outbound" -- the marketing activities that influence targeted buyers' attitudes and decision processes.

I have also seen these terms applied to different parts of a channel sales model. A manufacturer who sells through partners but markets directly to buyers would be engaging in upstream marketing, encouraging buyers to "pull" products through the channel. When that manufacturer "pushes" product through the channel, encouraging the partners to sell their product, they are engaging in "downstream" marketing.

Answered by Adele Revella