Lars Groeger

Capturing value from non-paying consumers’ engagement behaviours: field evidence and development of a theoretical model

The emerging ‘customer engagement behaviour’ (CEB) literature predominantly discusses behaviours displayed by paying customers. However, the rise of free offerings, including free product trials, generates a need for re-examining the relevance of the existing paradigm based on paying customers. We propose the concept of ‘non-paying CEBs’ and outline how these may be leveraged to create value for the firm. We define non-paying CEBs as ‘a non-paying consumer’s motivationally-driven, positive behaviours toward a product, brand or firm, which are predicated on free offerings’. Using mixed methods and two field studies, we develop a model of non-paying CEBs. Our investigations confirm that CEBs from previous studies are also applicable to non-paying consumers, but also identify additional CEBs. We examine the value created by non-paying CEBs for the firm, individuals as well as individual networks and indicate ways in which firms can capture value from non-paying consumers. We make a substantive contribution to the extant theory relating to CEBs and enhance the understanding of managerial practice.

Word-of-mouth marketing: Towards an improved understanding of multi-generational campaign reach

Purpose – The paper provides a theoretically informed critique of current measurement practices for word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) campaigns. Design/Methodology – An exploratory field study is conducted on a real-life WOMM campaign. Data are collected from two generations of campaign participants using a custom-built Facebook app, and subjected to Social Network Analysis (SNA). We compare our theoretically informed measure of campaign reach with industry standard practice.Findings – Standard metrics for WOMM campaigns assume campaign reach equates to the number of campaign-related conversations. These metrics fail to allow for the possibility that some participants may be exposed multiple times to campaign-related messaging. In this exploratory field study, standard metrics overestimate campaign reach by 57.5%. The campaign is also significantly less efficient in terms of cost-per-conversation. SNA shows that multiple exposures are associated with transitivity and tie strength. Multiple exposures mean that the total number of campaign-related conversations cannot be regarded as equivalent to the number of individuals reached. Research limitations/implications – SNA provides a sound theoretical foundation for the critique of current WOMM measurement practices. Two social-structural network attributes – transitivity and tie strength – inform our critique. A single WOMM campaign provides the field study context.Practical implications – The findings have significant implications for the development and deployment of WOMM effectiveness and efficiency metrics, and are relevant to WOMM agencies, agency clients and the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association. Originality/value – This is the largest field study of its kind having collected data on over 5,000 WOMM campaign-related conversations. Participants specified precisely whom they spoke to about the campaign and the strength of that social tie. This is the first SNA-informed critique of standard WOMM campaign measurement practices and first quantification of offline multiple exposures to a WOMM campaign. We demonstrate how standard campaign metrics are based on the false assumption that WOM flows exclusively along intransitive ties.

Deciphering Word-of-Mouth Marketing Campaign Reach: Everyday Conversation Versus Institutionalized Word of Mouth

ABSTRACT Agencies routinely report word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) campaign results in terms of reach but do not deliver insight about the people who are reached and the types of conversation in which the WOMM message is embedded. Using a specially designed Facebook app and social-network analysis, the current authors revealed that approximately half of campaign-related conversations are initiated intentionally by campaign participants—individuals who deliberately create opportunities to talk to conversation partners in ways aligned with the campaign sponsors commercial objectives. The other half emerge in everyday conversation. Participants also deliver the brand message into about half of the social-network clusters to which they belong. For a higher proportion of network clusters to be activated, everyday conversation should be facilitated.

Who says what to whom in what channel? A rules theoretic perspective on word-of-mouth marketing

ABSTRACT We investigate how word-of-mouth marketing campaign participants select communication partners, content and channel. Rules Theory, which we adopt from the interpersonal communication literature, indicates that socially constructed contextual rules explain participants’ choices. Our analysis suggests that campaign participants are sensitive to the socially constructed contexts within which interaction takes place and adjust their communication choices accordingly. We identify four contexts that account for variance in participants’ choices: episode, relationship, life-script and family narrative. We show that specific communication choices may be obligated, legitimated or prohibited dependent on the activated context.

Markendifferenzierung durch Mitarbeiterverhalten

In den letzten Jahren hat das Konstrukt der Markenpersonlichkeit eine zunehmende Be-achtung in der betriebswirtschaftlichen Forschung erfahren (Aaker, 1997; Huber/ Herrmann/Weis, 2001; Johar/Sengupta/Aaker, 2005; Wentzel, 2009). Dabei bezeichnet die Markenpersonlichkeit „[…] the set of human personality traits that are both applicable and relevant for brands” (Azoulay/Kapferer 2003: 151). So kann in vielen Fallen beobachtet werden, dass Konsumenten bestimmten Marken eine pragnante und dauerhafte Personlichkeit zuweisen. Beispielsweise gilt Coca-Cola meistens als eine Marke mit einer jugendlichen und coolen Personlichkeit, wahrend Mercedes eher mit einer elitaren und The North Face mit einer naturverbundenen, abenteuerlichen Personlichkeit in Verbindung gebracht werden.

Markendifferenzierung ohne klassische Werbung? Zur Stimulation sozialer Interaktion zwischen Kunden

Der Aufbau und die Steuerung einer pragnanten Markenpersonlichkeit gelten als zentrale Aufgaben der strategischen Markenfuhrung; die Differenzierung gegenuber den Konkurrenten wird auf diese Weise in erheblichem Mase erleichtert (Bauer/Mader/Huber, 2002; Hieronimus, 2003). Die Auswahl der Marketinginstrumente, um eine angestrebte Markenpersonlichkeit aufzubauen ist dementsprechend umfangreich (Koppelmann, 2001; Kotler/Keller/Bliemel, 2007). Fur etablierte Marken mit entsprechend grosen Marketingbudgets schien es ein Leichtes ihre Marktposition durch massiven Einsatz klassischer Kommunikationsinstrumente (TV-, Radio- und Printwerbung) beizubehalten und zu starken. Der Ausspruch „Werbung wirkt“ hatte seine Legitimation.