Metodisk prioritering af online og offline kommunikation: om brugercentrisk markedskommunikationsoptimering

This work is based at the request of Grundfos in order to better understand the prioritisation of their online and offline marketing communication. Neither existing theories nor practice seem to offer usable methods, and as a result the well-known communication solutions are often preferred. In the search for a cross-disciplinary and holistic metric more indicators point to a user-centric approach such as the uses and gratification approach, integrated marketing communication theory, and user orientation of online communication in general. The management decision problem has thus been responded to through four research questions, which have further resulted in seven studies and nine articles.
Initially online marketing communication (OMC) is structured in a typology as an
attempt to create the basis for an empirical study among Danish companies and
advertising agencies. The results suggest that the companies are left with unsupported
choices when it comes to the holistic utilisation of OMC, and that B2B companies especially inquire for methods to perform the prioritisation. On the basis of a holistic and user-centric approach conjoint analysis is thus suggested as a method of generating communication utility values. The method proves applicable even in such an immaterial application as communication preference. One must, however, take into account that attributes and levels are constantly undergoing changes; one of the indications being the prevalence of mobile terminals, which also seem to be a prevailing trend among specific B2B target groups. On a more general level of prioritisation the work points to three areas, namely brand equity, content/message planning, and optimisation of the internal innovation and creativity climate. These results are not unequivocal and suggest a need for further research.

The work points to the fact that the prioritisation of online and offline marketing communication is extremely relevant and imperative and that companies themselves are to lead the way. One silver-metric alone is not pointed out, on the contrary a series of indicators, starting with the user, may promote the prioritisation of the marketing communication.