From Marketing to, to Marketing with Consumers

Abstract

Empowered by information technology and the internet, consumers are participating more than ever in activities that traditionally are exclusive to firms. No longer do marketers hold exclusive rights to defining and supplying value to customers; value is created by and with consumers in interactions. This constitutes a fundamental change in the established understanding of consumer marketing. This thesis argues for a subtle but vital shift in perspective, from one of marketing to, to one of marketing with consumers, by addressing the research question: How does the shift from marketing to, to marketing with consumers change the role of actors and value propositions? The study traces the historical development of consumer marketing, reflecting on the limitations of the traditional theoretical framing, and basing its theoretical foundation on business network theory and service dominant logic. Findings from four extensive empirical studies show that while the change is very important, it is equally important not to disregard the fact that consumers are still consumers. Rather than merging the role of providers and consumers, treating consumers as “prosumers” equal to business actors, it is instead vital to even further identify the distinctions between firms and consumers. This means recognizing that these roles, as defined by their functional identity in interactions, are complementary functions within the exchange and value creation network. Furthermore, the role of value propositions is no longer merely to act as a means for communicating the defined value of a supplier’s output to consumers. Rather, in a marketing with perspective, the role of value propositions is to act as a means for interaction, facilitating opportunities for identifying potential value and benefits generated in the interaction between and in-between consumers and firms, where the roles of the actors as initiators-participants are interchangeable.

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