Search results

In “Social media’s slippery slope: challenges, opportunities and future research directions”, Schultz and Peltier (2013) asked “whether or how social media can be used to leverage consumer engagement into highly profitable relationships for both parties”. The purpose of this article is to continue this discussion by reviewing recent literature on consumer engagement and proposing a framework for future research.

The paper reviews the marketing literature on social media, paying particular attention to consumer engagement, which was identified as a primary area of concern in Schultz and Peltier (2013).

A significant amount of research has been conducted on consumer engagement since 2010. Lack of consensus on the definition of the construct has led to fragmentation in the discipline, however. As a result, research related to consumer engagement is often not identified as such, making it difficult for academics and practitioners to stay abreast of developments in this area.

This critical review provides marketing academics and practitioners insights into the antecedents and consequences of consumer engagement and offers a conceptual framework for future research.

The concept of integrated marketing communication (IMC) has now become an apparently integral part of the marketing and corporate communication strategies of many companies. Here, we seek to capture and evaluate perceptions of IMC derived from advertising and public relations executives who are developing integrated approaches and campaigns – as required and mandated by clients. Over and above this mandate, of course, they also have their own views as to what IMC is, and how it can best be operationalised. We commence the paper by reviewing the now extensive literature in this subject area, before tackling four research questions via an exploratory study within UK advertising and public relations agencies. The findings indicate that while IMC is here to stay – at least for the foreseeable future. Yet, there is still a significant developmental process that many businesses have to undertake. We conclude by suggesting that IMC development now needs to be researched in the domain of business practice. Certainly, more evidence needs to be provided concerning IMC and integrated marketing from within businesses.

This paper aims to investigate whether or not ongoing sales promotion contributed to the declines in “no brand preference” (NBP). Part of an ongoing series investigating the growth of US consumer’s responses of NBP for more than 1,500 frequently purchased consumer product brands. Data were drawn from responses to a very large (1.1 million) online longitudinal consumer questionnaire during 2002-2012.

Additional research, combining this data set with two other major US longitudinal studies, confirmed results. This study focused on determining reasons for NBP increase. Initial data set included use of and influence of 23 in-store promotional tools. These were investigated to determine impact and effect.

Four leading sales promotional tools, based on consumer influence, were coupons, home samples, in-store samples and retail shopper cards. Shopper cards had most influence on purchase of secondary, not primary brands in categories. Shopper cards are a clearly underused promotional tool in building brand preference and sales.

Limited to US consumer products only. No attempt made to connect media advertising and in-store media impact or effect.

Future investigation should focus on other geographies, synergy between media advertising and promotional techniques. Also, the study is all aggregated data; individual brand investigations should be made. Shopper cards appear to be a major opportunity for secondary brands. More focus on cooperative activities between brands and retailers would benefit both.

Paucity of longitudinal customer-view research on shopper cards identifies both manufacturer and retailer opportunities, particularly secondary brands.

Marketing value is not an oxymoron. Most, if not all, companies determine strategies and implement them with a common end‐goal—to satisfy customers while maximizing Return on Investment (ROI). It's the whole ballgame. Inning by inning, organizations that are making hefty investments in brand building, marketing, and communication activities want to see measurable returns on those investments.

Increasing trade concentration in retail fields, particularly in consumer products, poses several problems for manufacturers. Among the greatest are (1) increasing retailer control of the marketplace, (2) more intense competition among sellers, (3) lack of brand availability in some markets, (4) increasingly larger promotion budgets required of manufacturers, and (5) changes in sales force personnel and activities. Some of the suggested changes in the marketing mix are (1) market investigation, (2) new distribution systems, (3) revised promotional efforts, and (4) production differentiation.

Academics and the business community are interested in learning how social media can benefit (or harm) consumer‐brand engagement. As more branding activity goes social, marketers are not always welcome in all social media spaces. In this invited commentary, the authors aim to lay out the challenges that social media faces for enhancing consumer‐brand engagement. In doing so, they seek to turn social media challenges into future research directions.

The paper reviews prior literature on social media and brand engagement.

The majority of social media marketing initiatives take the form of communicating sales promotions to already engaged consumers.

Marketers need to find ways to use social media to create lasting brand engagement rather than to merely utilize this communication technology to enhance short‐term revenue.

This critical review provides marketing academics and practitioners avenues for future research and applied considerations. It is an adaptation and extension of Schultz's 2013 paper.

The objective of this paper is to investigate IMC metrics in the lens of an institution-wide change management process, and to do so, the authors develop and test an organizational data quality enhancement model.

Qualitative research was conducted, with a follow-on quantitative pre-test. A subsequent, larger-scale quantitative survey resulted in a total of 128 responses, 124 useable. A regression analysis was conducted using the factor scores of the six organizational dimensions as independent variables and overall data quality as the dependent variable.

The findings show that overcoming poor IMC data quality requires a corporate culture that reduces cross-functional and departmental divides. The authors also support the idea that horizontally organized learning organizations not only have superior IMC data, but they also achieve higher rates of return on their cross-platform IMC efforts.

The research has limitations in terms of substantive generalizability, since it focuses on one industry within the USA. Future research can expand to other industries and expand to a global setting in order to replicate these findings.

Most improvement seems to be needed in the area of sharing customer data. The findings provide a signal to marketing organizations that want to connect with their customers that data quality must be a strategic priority, with appropriate processes in place to manage data at every touch point.

Research is needed that establishes effective methods for measuring the success of data-driven communication efforts to support management.

The purpose of this viewpoint is to raise the issue of the development of marketing communication in and for emerging markets.

This is a conceptual piece which is not supported by formal research. It is based on existing literature and the experience of the author. Previous experience, writings, consulting and teaching are the primary base for the discussion. Suggestions and recommendations for further research and development are made.

This work suggests that present western models are inappropriate, therefore, it provides an alternative view and a new conceptual model. The model developed has been based on the needs and requirements of emerging markets and is presented and discussed.

This viewpoint provides practitioners with a new, practical way to consider and develop marketing communication programs in emerging markets. It also provides the academic community with a conceptual model which can be tested and refined over time. Thus, it serves a dual purpose: it provides a new, unique and relevant view of marketing communications in emerging markets and it also provides a platform for cooperative research among the academic and professional communities.

The concept suggests that consumers now and will in the future control the impact and effect of all forms of marketing communication. There are substantial implications of this shift of marketplace power if the suppositions of the author are accurate.

This viewpoint builds on other research, writing and developmental work by the author. It is the synthesis of several years of research, teaching, consulting and discussion by the author in a number of emerging markets and economies.

The purpose of this paper is to review, critique and develop a research agenda for the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). The model was introduced by Petty and Cacioppo over three decades ago and has been modified, revised and extended. Given modern communication contexts, it is appropriate to question the model’s validity and relevance.

The authors develop a conceptual approach, based on a fully comprehensive and extensive review and critique of ELM and its development since its inception.

This paper focuses on major issues concerning the ELM. These include model assumptions and its descriptive nature; continuum questions, multi-channel processing and mediating variables before turning to the need to replicate the ELM and to offer recommendations for its future development.

This paper offers a series of questions in terms of research implications. These include whether ELM could or should be replicated, its extension, a greater conceptualization of argument quality, an explanation of movement along the continuum and between central and peripheral routes to persuasion, or to use new methodologies and technologies to help better understanding consume thinking and behaviour? All these relate to the current need to explore the relevance of ELM in a more modern context.

It is time to question the validity and relevance of the ELM. The diversity of on- and off-line media options and the variants of consumer choice raise significant issues.

While the ELM model continues to be widely cited and taught as one of the major cornerstones of persuasion, questions are raised concerning its relevance and validity in 21st century communication contexts.