A note on the role of cause type in cause-related marketing

This note examines an unexplored area of cause-related marketing: the influence of the cause category on consumer perceptions. The experiment shows that the four cause categories which represent the domain of charitable causes can have a differential effect on attitudes and purchase intention. The health cause category and human services cause category have a greater effect on attitude toward the cause than the animal or environmental cause categories when brand familiarity and cause importance were high. Only the human services category has a greater effect on attitude toward the alliance when brand familiarity and cause importance were high as well as when both were low. For attitude toward the brand and purchase intentions, there were no differences among the cause categories.     

Upstream social marketing strategy: An integrated marketing communications approach

This article provides an organized approach for managers to develop social marketing strategies that target upstream decision and policy makers. A conceptual application model and five-stage process is presented for an upstream social marketing strategy based on integrated marketing communications (IMC). IMC concepts are described in the context of social marketing, as well as specific stages for creating an IMC social marketing strategy; these include target audience research and determination, channel selection and integration, strategic message creation, and measurement and control. A central and novel feature of the IMC social marketing strategy model is the simultaneous targeting of an upstream decision maker and influential peripheral (upstream) audiences in order to triangulate and increase campaign effectiveness. An IMC approach to upstream social marketing ensures consistent, persuasive messages specifically crafted for the selected target audiences and coordinated through precise channels to maximize impact. This multi-channel, multi-audience approach to message creation and channel selection produces synergies that increase the potential to influence an upstream decision/policy maker.     

A comparative analysis of advertising characteristics,strategy, style and form in global and national brand advertising

This paper considers the differences and similarities between national brand and global brand advertising through the use of three analytical frameworks – creative strategies, advertising styles and advertising form. It seeks to identify any differences between national and global brand advertising in terms of creative strategy, advertising style and advertising form. The structural elements of advertisements, such as the length of a commercial, number of camera shots and number or type of characters present, are also examined for a total of 551 television advertisements. A number of significant differences between the advertising of global and national brands have been recorded. In addition, the study identifies a discriminant function, which successfully predicts the advertising strategies, styles and formats for global brands.     

Rethinking the boundaries of social marketing: Activism or advertising?

In some areas of public health concern, corporate marketing activities may negate social marketing messages targeting individuals. Traditional social marketing campaigns may be ineffective when commercial marketing activities create an environment that encourages and maintains unhealthy behaviors. This article explores the role of social marketing in these instances.     

New product success in the consumer packaged goods industry: A shopper marketing approach

Marketing activities that influence shoppers along the various stages of their path-to-purchase are gaining attention from both manufacturers and retailers. Using a dataset with detailed information on 105 new products (NPs) launched in the U.K. by 44 leading brands and sold across 13 major retail banners, we provide strong support for the prominent role of both upper- and lower-funnel marketing actions that influence consumers before (upper) or during (lower) their shopping trip. We show which of these shopper-marketing instruments have the largest effect on NP performance at a retailer, and whether and how their effect is moderated by the retailer's store context. When it comes to NP success, the lifeblood of CPG companies, the lower-funnel marketing actions targeting shoppers directly at the point-of-purchase predominantly decide your fate. Thus, manufacturers should work ever harder to collaborate with retailers and push the store-specific shopper-marketing instruments in a favorable direction through information sharing and tailoring of their marketing program to individual retailers. Indeed, not all news is bleak for brand manufacturers. We identify five pieces of good news that brand manufacturers can use to their advantage.     

The moderating role of religiosity on nonprofit advertising

Nonprofits need to compete for donations now more than ever. Maintaining a socially responsible reputation and developing ads that are emotional and likable are tactics used to encourage donations. This study explores the role of religiosity as a moderator of antecedents to intent to donate to the nonprofit sponsor of pro-social ads and finds that religiosity acts as a moderator in the relationship between liking of the ad, perceived corporate social responsibility of the nonprofit, and intent to donate to the nonprofit. Managerial implications suggest that nonprofits employing negative emotional appeals in advertising should (1) feature real victims (not actors) to generate empathy and (2) target more religious individuals through demographic and psychographic segmentations.     

Integrating online communities within business-to-business marketing communications: an exploratory study

The article provides a conceptual contribution by developing a framework for business-to-business (B2B) marketers seeking to implement online communities (OLCs). Furthermore, the conceptual contribution is augmented by a small-scale exploratory study comprising in-depth interviews with B2B chief marketing officers (CMOs). The findings challenge existing thinking that B2B marketers can follow generic marketing communication frameworks. This is due to the differences in B2B OLCs in terms of multiple stakeholders and two-way information flows and differences in buyer behaviour. For researchers, the contribution is an embryonic model that will facilitate future conceptual development as well as empirical testing through a series of research propositions. A sequential decision-making framework, which identifies key implementation challenges, is provided for B2B managers.     

The impact of gender in marketing communications: the role of cognitive and affective cues

Turkey This paper explores the role of gender in the processing of the marketing communications messages of travel agencies operating in the Turkish domestic tourism market. The study focuses on the family holiday information search process and particularly investigates how wives and husbands respond to different marketing communications messages and why. By the use of focus group studies and interviews with tourists it is established that, although there are similarities between wives and husbands in terms of their responses to various advertisements, the underlining reasons are different. While husbands make their decisions through the use of heuristic devices, such as the credibility of the sender and the attractiveness of the sender and or message, wives make their decisions based on the content of the cognitive and affective cues provided in the marketing communications messages. The research also points out that there is a large potential for improving the marketing communications messages of travel agencies operating in the Turkish domestic tourism market.     

Effects of advertising-evoked vicarious nostalgia on brand heritage

Why do people feel emotional attachment to events occurring before they were born? This paper examines ad-evoked vicarious nostalgia‐induced longing for a time period that an individual did not live through. Vicarious nostalgia impacts brand heritage and leads to stronger brand attachment. Qualitative research (Study 1) and a literature review identify two vicarious nostalgia dimensions—fantasies about past eras and emotions. Initial quantitative research (Study 2) refines these measures, while subsequent quantitative research (Study 3) relates vicarious nostalgia to both antecedents (alienation, fantasy proneness, and nostalgia proneness) and consequences (brand heritage and brand attachment). Self-referencing moderates the relationship between nostalgia proneness and fantasies, while vicarious nostalgia partially mediates the relationship between nostalgia proneness and brand heritage. Both individual propensities (nostalgia proneness) and advertising-evoked vicarious nostalgia enhance or build brand heritage perceptions.     

How,why, and when disclosure type matters for influencer marketing

Consumers’ changing media consumption behaviors and skepticism toward traditional forms of advertising have prompted the growth of influencer marketing. Even as regulatory authorities call on brands and influencers to disclose the posts as advertising, no consistent guidelines exist. The distinct effects of self-generated versus platform-initiated disclosures also remain unclear, nor has research addressed the interplay of key influencer characteristics and marketing disclosures. This article reports on findings from the first academic field study of influencer marketing disclosures, as well as three experimental studies, which indicate that disclosure is a double-edged sword. When provided through a platform-initiated branded content tool, disclosure consistently exerts the strongest effect on perceptions of advertising, negatively relating to influencer trustworthiness and consumer engagement. The effects of disclosure type also depend on the number of followers and number of previously endorsed products (i.e., influencer characteristics). Yet, consumers also express appreciation for transparency when influencers disclose posts as advertising, which increases perceived trustworthiness of the influencer and engagement with the post. The implications of these findings should inform choices by public policy makers, brand managers, and influencers.     

Operationalizing the Marketing Concept in the Nonprofit Sector

ABSTRACT

This paper questions the validity of applying the market orientation construct, which was developed ostensibly for and in large multinational organizations, to a sector whose characteristics differ greatly. Instead, this paper argues for a new approach to the operationalization of the marketing concept in the nonprofit sector. The components of this 'societal orientation' are delineated, as are the organizational imperatives, antecedents and the potential consequences and benefits associated therewith.     

The Influence of Reputation and Sector on Perceptions of Brand Alliances of Nonprofit Organizations

Brand alliances long have been used in the private sector and are being more frequently engaged by nonprofit organizations. It is assumed that the alliance benefits both organizations, particularly the focal nonprofit organization that strategically forms the partnership. But care must be taken in selecting partners. A quasi‐experimental design examines the relationship between partner reputation and sector (private or nonprofit) on subject willingness to contribute to a focal nonprofit organization. Partner public reputation was systematically varied using created organizations and a positive reputation enhanced willingness to contribute. Partnering with private sector organizations was only slightly less desirable than nonprofit organizations.     

The depicted service employee in marketing communications: An empirical assessment of the impact of facial happiness

Employees are often depicted in service firms’ marketing communications material. This study examines one particular aspect of such depictions: the signaling of happiness in terms of the employees’ facial expressions. It is assumed that depicted faces transmit emotional signals, that receivers are hardwired to react to such signals, and that the emotional signals influence the outcomes of the receivers’ information processing activities. Our empirical results show that this was indeed the case: employee display of happiness was positively and significantly associated with employee evaluations. The contribution of employee happiness remained significant when other characteristics of the depicted face (e.g., attractiveness) were controlled for. Our results also show that employee evaluations had a positive impact on the overall evaluation of the offer of the employee's firm, and that the employee evaluations mediated the association between employee display of happiness and the evaluation of the offer.     

The impact of entrepreneurial marketing on innovative marketing performance in small- and medium-sized companies

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of entrepreneurial marketing on innovative marketing in small- and medium-sized companies producing industrial tools and mechanical parts. The statistical population of this study consisted of all owners and workers of industrial tools and mechanical parts around the world. The sample size includes 195 people who were chosen through simple random sampling method and Cochran formula. This is a correlational research and the data were collected using a questionnaire designed by theoretical foundations and Likert scale. The validity of the tool was confirmed using the opinions of experts and specialists and the reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha (0.891). Data were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results show that value creation that includes creating value for customers through the products and services, and marketing activities and technology has the greatest impact on innovative performance. Also, innovation, which includes innovative strategy, management believes in innovation, and using new methods to carry out activities, is in the next place. Among the factors, the leverage of resources, which include the financial and human forces, has the least effect on innovative performance.     

Placements as mediators of brand salience within a UK cinema audience

Brand placements have assumed a somewhat mythical reputation as communicators of the advertising message. This reputation seems to be perpetuated by a dearth of empirical research, particularly concerning effects upon brand salience. This paper attempts to address this situation through an exploratory analysis of placement effects within a UK cinema audience. The quantitative approach allows insight into those key mediating variables which impinge upon the process. The results suggest that placements do increase levels of brand salience. Further, these levels may be significantly increased in individuals who like (or attend to) the film and who are high self-monitors. Prior exposure and product category familiarity provided less significant results but, on the whole, the implications for marketers are positive. Methodological issues are considered in the light of these results and directions for future research are suggested.     

Word-of-mouth marketing influence on offline and online communications: Evidence from case study research

This case study reports results from three research studies conducted over 12 weeks as part of a product seeding campaign. Partnering with a word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) agency for this research, studies 1 and 2 report agency-conducted surveys of campaign participants' online and offline word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviors. Study 3 deployed an innovative web-based methodology to map and visualize WOM communication patterns, to reveal how campaign-related conversations spread within and across offline friendship networks and the role played by tie strength in that process. We find that agency reports of WOMM campaign results overstate reach and understate frequency. Our results have implications for the measurement of reach and frequency of WOMM campaigns.     

试论国际市场营销环境中的文化因素及其作用

传统观念认为,市场营销特别是国际市场营销是一种经济活动,经济因素是唯一的决定因素。但是,文化因素在国际市场营销中更起着非常重要的作用,使文化的构成要素在国际市场营销活动中有各自的影响和作用。     

Advances in strategic marketing and the advancement of the marketing discipline: the promise of theory

ABSTRACT

Hunt (2018, Advancing marketing strategy in the marketing discipline and beyond: From promise, to neglect, to prominence, to fragment, (to promise?). Journal of Marketing Management, 34, 16–51. doi:10.1080/0267257X.2017.1326973) provides a synthesis and critical review of over 100 years of marketing literature organised into four eras. In his prognosis of the outlook for Era V, Hunt notes that there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for both the marketing discipline, broadly, and the field of strategic marketing, specifically. However, he also draws attention to the concerns voiced by a number of marketing scholars regarding the current state of the field and the future outlook for the field. Hunt argues that the prospects for the marketing discipline and the field of strategic marketing are closely intertwined, and that the health of the latter contributes significantly to that of the former. Against this backdrop, this commentary focuses on the promise of theory for advances in strategic marketing and the advancement of the marketing discipline.     

Stakeholder theory and internal marketing communications: a framework for analysing the influence of new media

Effective two‐way communication is widely viewed as an essential component of successful internal marketing strategies, yet little research has so far been conducted on the relative merits of different communication media in an internal marketing context. Since the mid‐1990s Internet technologies have revolutionized internal communications in many organizations. However, the impact of these new forms of electronic media on internal marketing communication remains relatively unexamined. This paper draws on stakeholder and communication theories to provide a framework for understanding the dimensions of effective internal marketing communications and presents the results of an empirical study on the relationship between these dimensions and the use of new media in the workplace.