The evolution of marketing by means of disruptive technologies : an analysis

Abstract

Over the years, the marketing discipline has demonstrated to be evolving continuously, especially so, with the considerable advancements in technology. This by far has pushed marketing to occupy a more central role in organisations, and has managed to strengthen its influence on society and industries at large. This research sets out to understand how disruptive technologies have been able to transform marketing, specifically, its different elements. In this way, the research aims to highlight the disruptive technologies which were able to lay down said change, as well as the possible near future disruptive technologies. The methodology employed a qualitative approach, and semi-structured interviews formed an important part of this research. Local product and service based companies, marketing agencies, and digital marketing agencies were interviewed to gather primary data on the topic. Ultimately, employing a theoretical sampling, 9 interviews have been conducted to compare findings against the existing literature. For such a reason, data and material were sought from peer-reviewed secondary data sources, online sources, and transcripts of the interviews, which were then analysed using a thematic approach. From the sample used, findings indicate that organisations prefer to mix their marketing rather than solely adopting a digital marketing strategy. This demonstrated that although some disruptive technologies are implemented, the Maltese market still resonates with traditional marketing, especially when considering certain audiences. However, data gathered, also shows that disruptive technologies are increasingly being adopted, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, the newest popular disruptive technologies overseas are still underdeveloped on the island. Be that as it may, shifts with regards to different marketing aspects have been highlighted and have demonstrated the evolution of marketing, for the most part, in a positive light.