Marketing space: a conceptual framework for marketing events

Abstract

+ 44 (0) 114 225 3145Abstract Despite the growing resonance of events within the marketing domain, they continue to receive scant coverage in academic literature, and remain a poor relation to other forms of marketing communication. This detracts from them realising their potential as a relevant and pervasive marketing delivery method.Couched between the authors previous and future (ongoing) empirical work in this area, this article provides much needed conceptual development. The paper introduces the core construct of 'marketing space' and associated framework. Marketing space represents the distinctive environment a marketing event creates, which is unlike that cultivated by other communication methods. Marketing space is a transient reality where representatives of an organisation come together physically, and in a planned manner, with a gathering of existing and future customer's, clients, and wider stakeholders.Marketing events are a grouping that comprises a wide and rich variety of event types, which can be termed 'marketing event platforms'. These range from the largest of congresses or trade shows, to the smallest and most intimate of seminars or hospitality events. The conceptual framework of marketing space, with associated concepts provides the basis of a new lexicon for practitioners and academics interested in, and utilising, events for marketing purpose.The paper also explores the rationale for the growing resonence of marketing events; examining the characteristics of events, including exp eriential, interactive, targetted, and relational. The paper ends with the introdiction of two dichotomies to the lexicon of marketing events' direct and indirect events, and exclusive and non exclusive events. Keywords:marketing, events, experiential marketing, marketing events Biog Phil spent 11 years general management, business development, and senior sales management roles within leisure venues and tourist attractions. Within these roles, Phil planned and managed a wide range of events. It was this experience coupled with a focus and interest in marketing that led Phil to pursue an academic career in these areas. Phil's industry career also included operating as a sole trader delivering consultancy to a number of SMEs in the areas of marketing and business strategy.Since joining Sheffield Hallam University in addition to his teaching, and industry projects, Phil has developed a research interest in the utility of event for marketing purpose. He has published in this area and presented at a variety of industry and academic conferences. At the heart of his work is the strategic potential of events, their role within integrated marketing communications, and how this can be realised through effective event management.

Post-Event Visits as the Sources of Marketing Strategy Sustainability: A Conceptual Model Approach

“…Tourists visit the host city during the hosting period in order to take part in events, either directly (the minority) or (the majority) as spectators. Event tourism is driven by spectacle offered by the event itself and also by with the important secondary motive of relaxation (Crowther 2010a). In event tourism, the prime motivation of attendees at events is to take part in the events as spectators.…”

Value-creation space: The role of events in a service-dominant marketing paradigm

“…This includes conventional categories such as product launches, conferences, and exhibitions, but also less renowned forms such as created events and product visitor attractions. Each event type, or marketing event platform (Crowther, 2010a), has a distinct charm and challenge, therefore lending itself to the achievement of specific outcomes, and combinations of outcomes. This point is illustrated through two contrasting examples.…”

“…Value creation space is thus characterised by the following core determinants: pre planned time and physical space; congregation and/or coalescence of internal and/or external network actors; and, a programme, distinct from day to day operations and processes, that would include core elements that may embrace learning, social, and entertainment. The terminology is a fusion of value creation (Vargo and Lusch, 2004), and the notion of marketing space, which is a term adopted to reflect the transient temporal and physical reality that events provide, as detailed in Crowther (2010a). Such terminology is inclusive and therefore reflective of the modern day democratisation of marketing, and also the reality that event planning, delivery, and participation proliferate throughout an organisation.…”

“…The marketing space framework (Crowther, 2010a) is a constructive lens through which to conceptualise the resonance of marketing events as expressed in this above discussion. The conception, and associated marketing space framework, is inspired by the thinking of Belk et al (1989), with the proposition that event space can be characterised by a blurring of the boundaries between the sacred and profane, which can be expressed (for business to business) as the commercial and the social, or (for business to consumer) the everyday lived experience and the stimulation and escapism of the event.…”

“…Furthermore, fully realising the diverse marketing possibilities demands a management approach that incorporates an integration and leveraging of the augmented space, pre and post event (Crowther, 2010a). The connection between events and the wider integrated 14 communications is integral to their success in realising defined outcomes.…”