Ioanna Papasolomou

Social Media: Marketing Public Relations’ New Best Friend

The organizational long term success of promotional campaigns and the integration of marketing communications are affected by the effective use of information communication technologies, including the use of the Internet. Today, the Internet implementation in the marketing process is inexpensive, delivers instant international reach, offers great real time feedback, and reaches millions of people for whom the web is the center of virtually all communications. With social media on a rise, some may say that traditional marketing practices as we know it is phasing out. However, it may also be assumed that they are not necessarily phasing out, but are rather supported by a stronger sibling—that of social media. The aim of this research is to identify and discuss the growing popularity of social media and explore its potential impact on marketing practices and especially marketing public relations.

The relationship between wine sector and regional competitiveness

Despite the large literature on wine sector and regional competitiveness and their measures, scarce contributions test the existence of a correlation between them. This paper bridges this gap by identifying drivers of sector and regional competitiveness, creating two global indices able to measure them and examining the level of their relationship. The analysis examines the correlation between the regional competitiveness index (RCI) and the wine sector competitiveness index (WSCI), developed by using the Delphi methodology. Data was provided through semi-structured interviews with 40 stakeholders of different provenance. The research findings demonstrate that RCI is affected by ten dimensions and WSCI by four dimensions whilst there is a positive correlation between them. The paper provides a list of recommendations in terms of designing, implementing competitive and differentiation strategies aimed at: adopting contemporary marketing communication practices, as well as developing customer loyalty and positive consumer attitudes towards the consumption of premium wine.

Innovation and cause-related marketing success: a conceptual framework and propositions

Purpose – This paper aims to illustrate how innovation typologies may lead to cause-related marketing (CRM) success when applied to services. Design/methodology/approach – Hence, the paper identifies product/service and brand factors that underpin CRM success, undertakes an innovation theory application in CRM and examines its theoretical and practical significance. Findings – The paper develops a conceptual framework that may serve to facilitate CRM success. Originality/value – Intended contributions include: a critical review of academic research related to CRM success; identification of underdeveloped connections between five innovation types and CRM success; enrichment of the innovation and CRM literature by developing a framework that combines these; managerial guidelines to achieve successful CRM practice in services; and an agenda for future research in CRM via a multi-dimensional concept of innovation.

Cause-related marketing (CRM): Branding financial service organisations in cyprus by aligning CSR with business motivations

The reputation of the corporation is often the most important asset it possesses in gaining a competitive advantage as well as building both financial and social successes. Corporations require more than just the ability to present sustainable corporate reputation stories to stakeholders; they also require proactive planning and the ability to adapt to changing and increasing expectations regarding accountability.Corporate reputation or image depends on how the company conducts or is perceived as conducting its business. Today the ability to build a sustainable corporate reputation is more important than ever before as stakeholders are more educated, more knowledgeable, and more demanding. The paper discusses the efforts of two of the largest financial service organisations in Cyprus, Cyprus Popular Bank and Ernst & Young, to build a sustainable corporate reputation through an emphasis on Cause-Related Marketing (CRM). Cyprus Popular Bank supports Radiomarathon, a charity working in support of children with special needs. Ernst & Young, the well-known global organization in financial services, has also been involved in activities of charitable giving by financing fundraising events in Cyprus, one of which is the Annual Fiesta of Young Volunteers, which is organized every May in aid of children suffering from leukaemia. The paper defines some key concepts such as corporate reputation, corporate branding, corporate image and identity and cause-related marketing. The discussion then focuses on the research methodology and the findings that emerged from a preliminary research study carried out in the financial services sector in Cyprus.

Cause‐Related Marketing in financial service organisations in Cyprus

A corporation’s reputation is one its most important assets, affecting its competitive advantage as well as building both financial and social success. Corporate reputation depends on how the company conducts or is perceived as conducting its business. The ability to build a sustainable corporate reputation is more important than ever before as stakeholders are more educated, more knowledgeable, and more demanding. This paper discusses the efforts of two of the largest financial service organisations in Cyprus to build a sustainable corporate reputation through an emphasis on Cause‐Related Marketing. It paper analyses the effectiveness of such cause related marketing for building and sustaining a corporate reputation.

Contemporary Nation Branding Under Complex Political Conditions: The Case of Palestine

This chapter builds on an extensive review of the existing literature on nation branding. It aims to study existing nation branding models, identify the key factors that contribute to the development of a nation brand and uncover any gaps in the existing literature. The outcomes of the theoretical analysis will be used to develop a conceptual framework for building the national brand of Palestine, a state characterised by controversy and political instability. The proposed conceptual framework combines elements from the models of Anholt, Dinnie and Hankinson into a unified and holistic model that highlights the importance of the government in ensuring that the entire branding process is guided by a strategic outlook and reflects the country’s vision.

New measure of brand equity status of a basketball club

ABSTRACT “Brand Status” is defined as a measure that examines the equity “health” and “strength” of a brand in each stage of the brand value chain. A six-stage brand value chain model was developed where Stage I highlights the marketing efforts of the brand equity building; Stage II focuses on the customer’s attitudinal mind-set; Stage III describes actual customer behavioral outcomes (such as attachment and commitment); Stage IV refers to the strength of the brand and its relative advantage in the marketplace (such as brand preference, re-purchase, and premium pricing); Stage V reflects the company gains in sales and profits and the last, Stage VI refers to financial value of the brand for shareholders. Analyzing data obtained from 1,330 fans of basketball clubs gave sufficient evidence to propose a “new” model that can be used to estimate the value scores of the brand’s equity status for each of the various stages in the model and provide the brand’s total brand equity status score.

Strategic implications of Cyprus’ emerging oil & gas industry

Utilising a substantial volume of reliable international literature, information and positions – as well as many, less credible, local ones – the research analyses and interprets theoretical, secondary and primary data that are specific, relevant or peripheral to Cyprus’ emerging oil and gas industry. The purpose of this paper is to predictively and prescriptively define the industry’s strategic implications; both at the public policy level and the business context.,This research is purely exploratory and is methodologically based on the review, comparison and interrelation of an extensive array of theoretical and secondary data works; which is reinforced and refined through an injection of primary qualitative work in the form of 20 expert and high-level interviews.,The findings regarding public management underline the need for transparent and synergistic collaboration between all industry actors, as the means to achieve the obvious associated advantages, but also to prevent these forces from becoming opposing, and consequently destabilising ones. Further implications were identified with regards to employment, incentives, education, funding, but also in relation to communications and perceptions. Regarding implications for businesses the research calls for proactivity, identification of opportunities, pursue of the “first movers’ advantage”; as well as a number of specific actions and approaches.,The value of the research lies in its real-time approach to data gathering and analysis; and aids in the design and decision making regarding the industry for policy makers and businesses. The research bears also global/generic importance as it provides a rare insight to the issues and complexities of a country having to first deal with the discovery of hydrocarbons in its economic zone.

The Practice of Internal Corporate Social Responsibility in SMEs in Cyprus

There is a growing need to shed more light onto the impact of internal corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice on employees and their behaviour in the workplace. The chapter aims to generate empirical evidence from a research study that was implemented in Cyprus within twelve SMEs exploring the practice of four dimensions of internal CSR practice: (1) health and safety in the workplace, (2) organisational justice and fairness, (3) employee training and development and (4) work-life balance.

Economic Crisis and its Impact on Promotion and Media in Cyprus

ABSTRACT The economic crisis has redounded sharply upon marketing communications and media vehicles in Cyprus. In recession periods, communication and marketing budgets can contract while companies seek to obtain the best communication outcomes with more limited resources, both the size and the distribution of the communication mix can alter rapidly. This qualitative paper reveals that Cypriot advertising agencies now place greater emphasis upon marketing public relations (MPR) as it is perceived to be cost effective and efficient in achieving campaign objectives. The empirical data also indicates a shift towards the use of internet marketing and social media as more and more businesses are realizing the importance of consumer generated marketing and word-of-mouth/mouse marketing (WOMm).