Marketing Industry: Market Research Reports, Statistics and Analysis

Key Market Segments

• Social media marketing is highly effective due to it scope and capacity to engage consumers. Datamonitor estimates close to 40% of consumers would be interested in receiving product information through social media marketing. Inbound marketing engages the consumer more, encouraging them to research companies and products of their own initiative. Obstacles to social media within the financial services industry concern regulation and ROI. The latter is a problem that can be solved through best practice guidelines and proper regulation of marketing through this medium.

• Social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are proving to be increasingly attractive marketing channels for the pharmaceuticals industry. According to research from Markets and Markets, pharmaceutical companies use these platforms not only for marketing purposes, but also to strengthen consumer relationships and streamline brand management using market intelligence gleaned by examining user-generated content.

• Companies already using social media marketing include Novartis, which is availing of Facebook and Youtube to boost OTC sales of drugs including Bufferin, Orofar, and Comtrax. Pharmaceutical players using social media for purposes other than marketing include J&J, which used social media for crisis management purposes following the recall of Benadryl tablets and Tylenol. The company was able to reach its consumers to apologize after the FDA uncovered manufacturing plant discrepancies, which led to the product recall.

• The rise of social media across the BRIC countries (Brazil, India, Russia and China) makes it an ideal channel for marketing. BRICDATA notes companies are increasingly incorporating social media into their marketing strategies. Social media marketing is used to develop products for specific consumer groups, survey brand image perception and launch new products on the market. Accessing customers through social media can prove difficult due to industry fragmentation, underdeveloped mobile infrastructure and relatively lower literacy rates.

• The world enterprise marketing management software industry is expected to record yearly expansion of almost 16% between 2010 and 2014, reports TechNavio. Market growth will be fuelled by demand for quality marketing management software. Obstacles to market growth include the implementation of software across the different levels of the organization. Leading players operating in the market include Teradata, SAS Institute, Unica and Oracle.

• Sports sponsorship marketing in the UK is divided according to the type of sport sponsored or in line with the sponsor’s relevant industry sector. Formula 1 racing and football represent over 50% of overall sports sponsorship spending in the UK, according to Key Note. The UK sports sponsorship market is forecast to exceed $3 billion by 2015, up from over $2.5 billion in 2010. The leading contributors to the market are traditionally alcoholic drinks brands and financial services, for example the Guinness Championship and the Heineken Cup for rugby, or the Barclays Premier League for soccer.

Market Outlook

• BRICDATA estimates more than half of companies in India grew their customer base by way of digital media campaigns in 2010. Rising adoption of mobile internet across China is likely to encourage marketing initiatives. Companies will increase budget allocations for mobile phone and social media ads as the country’s mobile penetration increases and 3G and 4G services are launched.

• Berg Insight points to the importance for companies to streamline marketing strategies to optimize mobile channel marketing benefits. Companies need to remain informed concerning the mobile landscape to predict future trends. While SMS and coupons hold strong potential as marketing tools, a wide range of advertising formats are proving popular such as applications and the mobile web.

Leading Industry Associations

• French Marketing Association www.afm-marketing.org
• American Marketing Association www.marketingpower.com
• Canadian Marketing Association www.the-cma.org
• The Marketing Association (New Zealand) www.marketing.org.nz
• Belgian Management and Marketing Association www.bmma.be