Brand wars: consumer–brand engagement beyond client–agency fights

Abstract

Engaging consumers with their brands has emerged as a priority in marketers' agenda. Brand decision-makers share a clear representational view of consumer-brand engagement (CBE). Despite this agreement, practitioners are currently finding hard to practically achieve CBE. The clash between an ideal representation of CBE focused on consumer protagonism and its fragile execution urges a rethinking of consumer-brand relationship modes and timeframe. We argue that this clash is nurtured by the longestablished conflicting relational dynamics among brand decision-makers illustrated by client -agency (CA) disputes of which consumers represent the ending-point recipient. This paper reflects on how consumer protagonism as an inherent component of CBE is currently reshaping the relation dynamics among all brand actors. We represent CBE as a relational hub resting upon a co-creation rather than a separation logic. We finally provide a pragmatic reflection on the relationship culture required by CBE among actors beyond the CA dyad.

Exploring Challenges in Implementing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for Customer Brand Engagement (CBE) in the Hospitality Industry: A Developing Country Perspective

“…There are many factors that attract tourists, who experience the hospitality services from the host country therefore it is very important for the countries to ensure determinants to ensure high standard hospitality for the tourists. The companies in the western countries regardless of the industry always tend to ensure excellent customer satisfaction, therefore, their CRM approach is the strong and high standard that contributes to engaging consumers with their brands (Gambetti et al, 2015;Fang, 2008;De Villiers, 2015). For example, when a tourist examines the hospitality company in the Singapore or USA or the UK, he or she has a positive attitude towards the companies in the hospitality industry of those countries because all the companies in this industry tirelessly working for the better customer satisfaction through their CRM approach.…”

Marketing agency – client relationships: towards a research agenda

“…Sasser and Koslow (2008) acknowledge that clients can have both negative and positive impacts on advertising creativity and accordingly propose a co-creation interaction model to support co-creation in marketing planning. In more recent studies, Sasser, Koslow and Kilgour (2011;2012) conclude that impact of clients' innovativeness and willingness to explore risky concepts is pivotal to a co-creative ACR, and Gambetti et al (2016) have proposed a triadic value network comprising of brands, their marketing agencies and consumers.…”

From pitch to ditch: The client/ad agency life cycle

“…The literature also highlights the conflict that occurs between the client and agency (Gambetti, Biraghi, Schultz, & Graffigna, 2015). Studies highlight the tension that occurs between the client and agency and identify a number of factors that cause the conflict in the relationship (Murphy & Maynard, 1996).…”

“…Over the last decade there has been an increasing interest in the role of the client/ad agency relationship on advertising outputs (Gambetti, Biraghi, Schultz, & Graffigna, 2015;Koslow, Sasser & Riordan, 2006). Given the intense nature of the advertising creative process it is not surprising that the relationship between the client and agency plays such a central role (Turnbull & Wheeler, 2015).…”