New Vision in Marketing: Purpose-Oriented Brand Proposition for Subcultures With Emerging Brand Activism

 

Aysun Şabanlı – Trainer – Consultant

 

(Taken from Anlık Normal Dergi)

 

 

The aim of the New Vision in Marketing article is to reconstruct a new brand marketing and communication vision for brands by reviewing the transformation brought about by new technological developments and expanding digital activist networks, by understanding the new dynamics, and by presenting the most up-to-date academic perspectives. Basically, it is to present this vision by focusing on the concept of "purposeful marketing", which has emerged with the destructive transformation and social, economic and cultural problems occurring all over the world.

 

Ideologies that have spread and become widespread through digital networks have become the subject of action of the new generation and have been firmly embraced by social networks. It is no longer possible to think of new social values ​​independently of the dynamics and realities of the new media.

 

On the one hand, developing technological innovations and the introduction of new media into our lives, on the other hand, the economic, social and cultural problems experienced in many countries have led to great changes and transformations in both business models and consumer expectations and behaviors.

 

The new media caused the communication revolution that spread to all social and institutional circles; Social networks, which are in an interactive and digitalized communication independent of time and space, have led to the emergence of a new form of information and news flow, the formation of a new language and the emergence of a new communication context. On the other hand, new communities connected to each other through digital networks have influenced each other and caused the rise of new social values. The agendas connecting the digital networks, which are getting stronger by getting stronger from each other, are; ideological priorities and ideas. Ideologies that have spread and become widespread through digital networks have become the subject of action of the new generation and have been firmly embraced by social networks. It is no longer possible to think of new social values ​​independently of the dynamics and realities of the new media.

 

In addition to the spread of technological developments and social networks, together with the social and economic crises experienced, changes have been recorded in the behavior, expectations and priorities of consumers, as many studies have revealed in the Covid-19 process, which has affected the whole world. Some values ​​that are already on the rise in consumer behavior have become more evident during the Covid 19 process. It is worth highlighting some of these changes.

 

People's awareness of evil and inequalities has increased, individuality has begun to give way to collective thinking and cooperation, and since people's sense of belonging is triggered, the desire to be a part of communities has increased. In order to show a meaningful existence, the motivation for self-actualization has become a priority for more and more people. In consumption behaviors, conscious consumption, interest in domestic production and producers, and the preference of socially responsible brands when choosing between brands have increased. Transparency has gained great importance as a new value in communication with institutions.

 

In parallel with these transformations in the eyes of the consumer, the interest in the sharing economy or second-hand sales channels has increased, and social entrepreneurship has become a new trend.

 

Marketing understanding in the periods when information was presented only to organized institutions to the desired extent is experiencing its last struggles. In a world where all these transformations are experienced, the marketing strategies and job descriptions of brands have to transform and expand.

 

Transformation has also become inevitable for brands that pursue communities that adopt changing new values. Marketing understanding in the periods when information was presented only to organized institutions to the desired extent is experiencing its last struggles. Marketing activities, which are carried out with the traditional marketing understanding and job description, by following the consumer and gaining brand awareness with repetitive messages, by making the brand image a status symbol and making the product widely available, are losing the opportunity to differentiate from the competition day by day. it turns out to be a more challenging effort. In a world where all these transformations are experienced, the marketing strategies and job descriptions of brands have to transform and expand. Job description of new brand management and communication; It can be defined as establishing a meaningful relationship with social networks connected with their ideologies and ideas, and sub-culture segments that are formed as a result of these social networks, and maintaining this relationship with continuous cultural innovation.