Purpose -The purpose of this research is to investigate industrial marketing communications tools and the role of digital channels. The research draws from the literature on industrial marketing communications to examine its goals and intended utilization in industrial firms.Design/methodology/approach -A n e m pi r i c a l m ul t i pl e c a s e s t u dy co n d u c t e d a m o n g s i x industrial firms examines the current state of digital marketing communications (DMC). Findings -The study gleans three research insights. First, although DMC is one of the most important industrial marketing communication tools, firms have not yet used it to its full potential. Second, firms use DMC to enhance customer relationship communications, support sales, and create awareness. Third, firms have not employed social media tools as a part of DMC as widely as traditional digital tools.Research implications -Although the findings mirror those in DMC literature in general and industrial marketing communications in particular, they put more emphasis on the role of DMC in customer relationship communications and sales support.Practical implications -DMC provides an opportunity to deliver various marketing objectives, such as creating brand awareness, increasing and supporting sales, and improving communication with existing customers. Different DMC tools are required for each of these objectives.Originality/value -This study is among the first to examine the rapidly changing communications landscape and the spread of digital channels in industrial marketing communications.Keywords Digital marketing communications, industrial marketing communications, tools, case study, branding, social media Article classification Research paper 2In general, industrial companies are not at the forefront of adopting new instruments and channels for marketing communications. However, the growing number of stakeholders and the fragmentation of the media landscape have led to a rethinking of marketing communications in industrial firms. Digital marketing communications (DMC), particularly when linked to corporate branding and in support of personal selling, has begun attracting the interests of both practitioners and academics (Deeter-Schmelz & Kennedy, 2002;Foster, 2005;Järvinen et al., 2012;Michaelidou et al., 2011). For example, research has recently examined ways to combine DMC with traditional marketing communications to communicate with industrial customers (Foster, 2005; Michaelidou et al., 2013), likely because traditional marketing communications (e.g., industrial advertising) play a lesser role than customer relationship management, personal interaction, and other variables in the industrial marketing mix-namely, product, price, and place Gilliland & Johnston, 1997; Jackson et al., 1985). Every company faces the question of how to maximize the potential gains from digital media channels. As a result, effective marketing communication has become a strategic management objective for successful firms (Cornelissen, 2004).Not only have m...

Concern over the effect of industries on the natural environment is growing on a multitude of levels. This study examines the effects of how perceptions of a) environmental values, b) green image, and c) perceived value of industrial customers influence their loyalty towards suppliers in existing relationships, and how the length of B2B relationships may moderate these linkages. A conceptual framework is developed and data is collected from a global sample (N=121) of B2B customers. We find that both green image and perceived value have a direct positive link on customer loyalty and environmental values are positively linked to green image of the supplier. Moreover, the effect of green image on loyalty is mediated by perceived value with environmental values only indirectly linked with perceived value of the supplier. As the length of relationship increases, on one hand, positive relationship between green image and customer loyalty is strengthened, while on the other, positive relationship between environmental value and green image is weakened. Regardless of how environmentally aware the customer is, green image is a strong predictor of both perceived value and loyalty.

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