Do DMOs Promote the Right Aspects of the Destination? A Study of Instagram Photography with a Visual Classifier

As global travel emerges from the pandemic, pent up interest in travel will lead to consumers making their choice between global destinations. Instagram is a key source of destination inspiration. DMO marketing success on this channel relies on projecting a destination image that resonates with this target group. However, usual text-based marketing intelligence on this channel does not work as content is consumed first and foremost as a visual projection. The author has built a deep learning based visual classifier for destination image measurement from photos. In this paper, we compare projected and perceived destination images in Instagram photography for four of the most Instagrammed destinations worldwide. We find that whereas the projected destination image aligns well to the perceived image, there are specific aspects of the destinations that are of more interest to Instagrammers than reflected in the current destination marketing.

Marketing Information, Analytics, and Intelligence

Companies collect customer information, store the information in databases, and analyze it to generate customer insights. The study focuses on the roles of customer relationship management (CRM) in making proper usage of the information, marketing analytics, and the marketing intelligence generated to develop fruitful customer relationships. Companies employ advanced marketing analytics and big data to understand customers and implement CRM effectively. The customer insights generated should be distributed and used properly. Although companies benefit from implementation of CRM, the implementation has its own drawbacks. Implementation of CRM will not solve all issues related to customers. It has its own drawbacks. However, proper implementation and effective utilization of CRM will help companies in developing customer relationships, in growing their businesses, and in achieving business excellence in the long run.

Egan’s Irish Whiskey: a story of heritage and renewal

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes of this paper is as follows: to give faculty the opportunity to illustrate the strategist’s and marketer’s toolbox, namely, tools and frameworks such as the McKinsey 7S model. Porter’s generic marketing strategies. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis. Political, economic, social and cultural, technological, environment and legal – external macro analysis. The case is intended for use in MBA and Executive education courses in strategy, marketing and leadership. The case offers relevant experiences and instructive lessons in formulating and implementing business strategies. The case highlights the importance of contextual leadership intelligence and competence in enabling entrepreneurial business activities. The case gives students the opportunity to apply a strategic framework to marketing communications, competitive analysis and branding with a new brand and a new name in a first world economy. The case helps students understand that: successful companies are a success because of their people and leadership, proactive thinking and constantly looking for new opportunities will make you a leader in the market, up-to-date competitor and market analysis are paramount in making the winning decision, staying true to one’s business philosophy and company values build a reputable organization, the importance of creating partnerships and healthy relationships with the distribution channel, the concept of competitive advantage, the concept of differentiation, focus and cost leadership and the concept of value and understanding customer needs. Case overview/synopsis The Egan’s Whiskey case offers students a unique opportunity to discover the important, yet grass-root, strategic decisions made by a high-quality alcohol product in a very competitive, well-known brand dominated the market, the USA. The case focuses specifically on issues related to strategic choices and implementation, brand, reputation, leadership, strategic marketing decision-making, customer/retail relationships, customer value and the importance of good marketing intelligence. There are some good examples of out-of-the-box thinking. History reveals that companies with the strongest brands, most proactive leadership, innovative marketing ideas, superb marketing intelligence and deepest relationships with their consumers are the pillars of success. The very assets that define these leading companies provide benchmarks for upcoming organizations. Being complacent and having poor leadership and vision in an ever-demanding customer-driven and competitive environment is a recipe for failure. Organizations and their leadership teams need to start thinking systematically, proactively and strategically about their place in competitive markets and take quick actions to mitigate risks and miss opportunities before they become reality. This case reveals the importance of understanding your strategic landscape, your market, your competitors, your customers, quick thinking and actions and having a rolling strategic plan, which is adaptable. Complexity academic level The case is intended for use in MBA and Executive education courses in strategy, marketing and leadership. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Clients’ Participation in the Marketing of Quantity Surveyors’ Professional Activities

The quantity surveyors’ roles in executing infrastructure development has expanded from cost management to other professional activities which include managing project risks, project planning, facilities, economic, commercial, and legal framework. Despite the expansion, quantity surveyors’ services are not fully utilised in these areas. Most clients are concerned with achieving their project expectations using professional services mainly other sister professions. Marketing is an effective tool to link clients or customers to understand and accept the value of quantity surveyors’ professional services. Previous studies have investigated the marketing strategies as it relates to practising quantity surveyors but failed to consider the importance of clients’ participation in selecting effective marketing strategies. The paper assesses the influence of clients’ participation in the selection of marketing strategies for quantity surveying profession services. Using quantitative questionnaire survey, data from potential clients and consultant quantity surveyors in Rivers State were analysed with the help of inferential and descriptive statistics which include Kruskal-Wallis test, as well as, Pearson correlation. The research findings reveal marketing research, marketing planning, and marketing intelligence as the most influential marketing strategies. The study further reveals that assurance, reliability, and responsiveness as the most significant dimensions of quality service in selecting a service provider. The paper recommends that practising quantity surveyors should adopt the three significant dimensions of quality service for effective marketing of their services to potential clients.

Big data empowered agility for dynamic, volatile, and time-sensitive service industries: the case of tourism sector

Purpose Dynamic, volatile, and time-sensitive industries, such as tourism, travel and hospitality require agility and market intelligence to create value and achieve competitive advantage. The aim of the current study is to examine the influence of big data (BD) on the performance of service organizations and to probe for a deeper understanding of implementing BD, based on available technologies. Design/methodology/approach An ethnographic study was conducted following an abductive approach. A primary qualitative research scheme was used with 35 information technology and database professionals participating in five online focus groups of seven participants each. Analytical themes were developed simultaneously with the literature being revisited throughout the study to ultimately create sets of common themes and dimensions. Findings BD can help organizations build agility, especially within dynamic industries, to better predict customer behavioral patterns and make tailor-made propositions from the BD. An integrated BD-specific framework is proposed to address value according to the dimensions of need, value, time and utility. Research limitations/implications Little research exists on the key drivers of BD use for dynamic, real-time and agile businesses. This research adds to the developing literature on BD applications to support organizational decision-making and business performance in the tourism industry. Originality/value This study responds to scholars’ recent calls for more empirical research with contextual understanding of the use of BD to add value in marketing intelligence within business ecosystems. It delineates factors contributing to BD value creation and explores the impacts on the respective service encounters.