YouGov is a survey firm and [in 2018] they uncovered what consumers think of firms getting involved in social issues. What was the result? Who thinks brands should be involved in social issues? Political Involvement From Brands I think this is a fascinating topic. I would expect more and more political involvement from brands. If…
Category: Understanding Marketing
Why Aren’t Academics More Relevant?
Much academic research is not connected to any immediate practical outcomes. This isn’t necessarily bad. Some research can have value to society more broadly or over a longer period. Saying that will happen can be a bit of a cop-out however. ‘This will be extremely valuable a long time after I die so give me…
Business Schools And The Teaching Of Political Marketing
Paul Baines, an academic at Cranfield in the UK, has made the argument that business schools are not utilizing political marketing to its fullest. What do we know about business schools and the teaching of political marketing? What should they do? Why? What Do Business Schools Teach? Few business schools have courses on political marketing….
Segments and Stereotypes
Mark Ritson has a regular column in Marketing Week. He tackles a problem that is often skimmed over in marketing. Stereotypes are often painfully close to the way marketers construct segments. What then can we say about segments and stereotypes. Segments and Stereotypes A segment doesn’t need to be based upon faulty generalizations. A segment…
Big Data And The Academic Practitioner Divide
What do we know about Big Data And The Academic Practitioner Divide? Is there cause for hope? I think so. At least a bit. The Big Divide I find the divide between academics and practitioners fascinating. It is clearly very large. More strangely, I find it amazing how easily many people on both sides accept…
Problems In Academic Research
Writing in the Journal of International Business Studies Klaus Meyer and his colleagues outline some problems in academic research. The authors tell us how they suggest dealing with the problem. Familiar Problems In Academic Research The problems they outline will be quite familiar to anyone following recent controversies in academia. The file drawer problem is…
Machine Learning And The End Of The World
This week I have a second (and last) post on Agrawal, Gans and Golfarb’s Prediction Machines. This interesting books discusses the difference between machine learning and traditional statistics. The idea being machine learning is more functional, more concerned with a useful result than a precisely accurate one. The challenge is that machine learning predicts not…
How Might AI Change Business?
In the excellent Prediction Machines Agrawal, Gans and Goldfarb take an economics-based view of the changes that will be brought on by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Essentially some basic economic principles can help us see what will change. Given this: How Might AI Change Business? AI Prediction Is Becoming Cheaper The argument is that AI can…
Selling Solutions
The first person who came up with the idea of selling solutions hit on a great idea. Rather than sell their products they would sell what their clients needed. Selling Solutions Can Be A Bit Of A Meaningless Term Unfortunately, it may now be a cliche. Selling solutions is a bit too generic. What was…
The Accountability Of Accountable Marketing
Michiel van de Watering has a book on the accountability of accountable marketing. In this, he analyses some of the pitfalls of current marketing planning. He also outlines some potential for improvement. The State Of Accountability In Marketing It gets right into the action with the foreword (by Guy Powell) asking an extremely pertinent question….
