Charles Patti

Consumer‐based brand equity for Australia as a long‐haul tourism destination in an emerging market

Purpose – Although the branding literature emerged during the 1940s, research relating to tourism destination branding has only gained momentum since the late 1990s. There remains a lack of theory in particular that addresses the measurement of the effectiveness of destination branding over time. The purpose of this paper is to test the effectiveness of a model of consumer‐based brand equity (CBBE) for a country destination.Design/methodology/approach – A model of CBBE was adapted from the marketing literature and applied to a nation context. The model was tested by using structural equation modelling with data from a large Chilean sample (n=845) comprising a mix of previous visitors and non‐visitors. The model fits the data well.Findings – The paper reports the results of an investigation into brand equity for Australia as a long‐haul destination in an emerging market. The research took place just before the launch of the nations fourth new brand campaign in six years. The results indicate Australia is ...

An inside-out approach to integrated marketing communication: An international analysis

The ‘inside-out’ approach used in this paper describes the implied educators’ perceptions of integrated marketing communication (IMC). From an analysis of 87 IMC course syllabi from six countries, and in-depth conversations with IMC programme directors and developers, we sought to determine whether those who teach IMC have reached a consensus on what IMC is; whether they embrace, reject or simply tolerate this new discipline area; and, specifically, how they are presenting IMC to the next generation of practitioners and scholars. The findings suggest that what is being taught around the world continues to be what would traditionally be considered promotions strategy, advertising management or marketing communication with minor IMC theory or content. For the most part, the syllabi we evaluated neither drew from the key constructs of IMC, nor were the key writers and published disciplinary research included in the course offerings. This gap – between what IMC writers have put forth, the established industry practices and what is being taught to the next generation of practitioners and academics – presents a significant challenge. This is a particular challenge to the scholars and teachers who are charged with the responsibility of encouraging best practices, presenting the most current and relevant applications and research approaches, and including the most current theory in their course delivery.

The evolution of IMC: IMC in a customer-driven marketplace

One of the advantages of a long career is that you get to see and experience many changes. Seldom are the changes radical and immediately obvious, but over time, we’ve seen the development of new models of learning, the globalization of higher education, the increased emphasis on research, the call for marketing productivity and the resulting emphasis on marketing metrics. Many of these changes have been profound in that they changed what we do forever. Certainly, earlier periods in marketing, the ‘good old days’, set the stage for the present and the future, but only for those who could accurately see the environment and accurately assess the impact on how we now think about marketing and especially about marketing communications. During the past 50 years, we’ve seen the emergence of many marketing management frameworks, for example, the ‘4Ps’ (product, price, place and promotion), the marketing concept, the product life cycle, positioning and others. Often these frameworks shape the way we think about marketing, stimulate our research questions, influence what we teach and, typically, guide marketing practice. Some of these frameworks influence marketing practice for a long time – others are more short-lived, replaced by new observations. This issue of the Journal of Marketing Communications is about the development, maturity and future of one of these managerial frameworks – integrated marketing communications (IMC). There can be little doubt that IMC is one of the most influential marketing management frameworks of our time. Today, IMC is the subject of professional and textbooks; trade and academic conferences; higher education curricula; academic journals and industry magazines; and an on-going, lively discussion about how to shorten the gap between what is happening with IMC practice and what should happen. How did the IMC evolution happen and where do we go from here?

A multidimensional assessment of ethical codes: The professional business association perspective

This article develops a multidimensional approach for the investigation of the ethical codes of professional associations. The authors: (a) examine various ethical frameworks to identify ethical constructs, (b) select ethical constructs to apply to the assessment of professional codes of ethics, (c) content analyze conceptual and descriptive similarities and differences across a large sample of professional codes of ethics, (d) address organizational variables that affect the development of ethical codes, and (e) investigate through survey research the beliefs and attitudes of association leadership toward ethical code issues. The content analysis and survey research results have implications for association leadership, its membership, public policy makers, the general public and for future research.

Advertising strategy and effective advertising: comparing the USA and Australia

A considerable body of research makes cross-cultural comparisons of advertising content and executional factors. Much of this work compares very different cultures. This study compared the strategic elements found in television commercials that have received industry recognition for effectiveness in two similar cultures, the USA and Australia. The study found that effective messages were similar in terms of selling propositions, tone and positive versus negative appeals. Specifically, the messages were similar in terms of their emphasis on product attributes and performance and a heavy reliance on humour. Effective campaigns differed in their creative strategy, rational versus emotional appeals and the presence of a brand-differentiating message. It is suggested that the differences in advertising arose from differences in the marketplace and cultural environment.

Types of Word-of-Mouth Messages: Information Search and Credence-Based Services

Word-of-mouth communication (WOMC) has been recognized as a powerful marketing communication medium and a credible information-gathering tool. To date, the various types of WOM messages have not been adequately studied, especially in credence-based services (CBS). Using the individual interview technique, this study fills this gap by describing the three types of WOMC messages in CBS information-gathering. The results contribute to the ongoing development of WOMC theory and also advance managements understandings of the types of WOMC messages in the CBS information-gathering process.

In search of a theory of integrated marketing communication

For the most part, the literature base for Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) has developed from an applied or tactical level rather than from an intellectual or theoretical one. Since industry, practitioner and even academic studies have provided little insight into what IMC is and how it operates, our approach has been to investigate that other IMC community, that is, the academic or instructional group responsible for disseminating IMC knowledge. We proposed that the people providing course instruction and directing research activities have some basis for how they organize, consider and therefore instruct in the area of IMC. A syllabi analysis of 87 IMC units in six countries investigated the content of the unit, its delivery both physically and conceptually, and defined the audience of the unit. The study failed to discover any type of latent theoretical foundation that might be used as a base for understanding IMC. The students who are being prepared to extend, expand and enhance IMC concepts do not appear to be well-served by the curriculum we found in our research. The study concludes with a model for further IMC curriculum development.

Buyer information sources in the capital equipment industry

Abstract To maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of industrial marketing communications, industrial marketers should provide product and/or service information to their customers via the communications channel considered most important by industrial buyers. This study attempts to determine if industrial marketers and industrial buyers attach equal importance to five channels of communication. The findings raise some important questions regarding traditional practices in industrial marketing communications.

The evolution of integrated marketing communications: The customer-driven marketplace

1. Introduction: The evolution of IMC: IMC in a customer-driven marketplace Don E. Schultz and Charles H. Patti 2. Integrated marketing communications: From media channels to digital connectivity Frank Mulhern 3. Integrated marketing communications measurement and evaluation Michael T. Ewing 4. Apples, oranges and fruit salad: A Delphi study of the IMC educational mix Gayle Kerr 5. Building strong brands in a modern marketing communications environment Kevin Lane Keller 6. The primacy of the consumer in IMC: Espousing a personalist view and ethical implications Jerry G. Kliatchko 7. Rethinking marketing communication: From integrated marketing communication to relationship communication Ake Finne and Christian Gronroos 8. IMC: New horizon/false dawn for a marketplace in turmoil? Philip J. Kitchen and Don E. Schultz

How advertising message strategies are set

Abstract This paper examines the advertising message strategy practices of business-to-business advertisers. An integrated message strategy framework was developed from several managerial models to provide a framework for analysis. Results from this study suggest that guidelines from managerial models for message strategy development are not often used to develop business-to-business advertising message strategies. In addition, suggestions for improving strategy decisions are provided.