Short answer

Shift marketing focus from transactional elements (product, price, place, promotion) to relational and value-driven aspects (network, communication, content, creativity, culture, creator).

Field: Innovation & Markets
Source: International Journal of Management Practice (2018)
Method: Qualitative research
Evidence: Strong effect

Creative businesses in the arts sector achieve greater success by prioritizing a unique marketing mix of contact networks, communication, content, creativity, cultural values, and the creator's identity, rather than solely relying on the conventional product, price, place, and promotion. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in International Journal of Management Practice. Using Qualitative research, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Shift marketing focus from transactional elements (product, price, place, promotion) to relational and value-driven aspects (network, communication, content, creativity, culture, creator).

Study

Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactStrong effect

Creative Entrepreneurs Thrive on '5 Cs' Beyond Traditional Marketing Mix

International Journal of Management Practice · 2018

Key Findings

01Creative art entrepreneurs prioritize elements of a 'creative marketing mix' over the traditional four Ps.
02The effective marketing strategy for these entrepreneurs aligns with 'entrepreneurial five Cs': contact network and communicating competency, content, creativity, cultural values, and creator of artwork.
03There is a discernible difference between the philosophical underpinnings and the practical business operations in cultural-artistic enterprises.
04A framework for analyzing marketing practices specific to cultural-artistic entrepreneurs can be established.

Application

Design takeaway

Shift marketing focus from transactional elements (product, price, place, promotion) to relational and value-driven aspects (network, communication, content, creativity, culture, creator).

How to apply

When developing a marketing plan for an art-based product or service, prioritize building a strong network, crafting authentic communication, and highlighting the unique creative process and cultural significance.

Project actions

01When researching a creative business, ask about their network and how they communicate with customers.
02Consider how the artist's personal story or the cultural background of the artwork influences its marketing.

Method & Evidence

AimTo identify and analyze the marketing perceptions and challenges faced by creative cultural-artistic businesses, and to determine which marketing practices are most effective for these entrepreneurs.

MethodQualitative research

ProcedureThe study involved in-depth interviews with artists and art directors, participant observations, focus groups, and the analysis of textual and audio data to understand their marketing philosophies and practices.

ContextCreative art-based businesses and the cultural-artistic sector.

Variables

IV["Marketing practices (traditional 4 Ps vs. entrepreneurial 5 Cs)"]

DV["Success/effectiveness of marketing for creative art businesses"]

CV["Type of creative business (art-based)","Local context of interviews"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides a specific framework ('5 Cs') for marketing in a niche creative sector.
+Uses qualitative methods to gain in-depth understanding of artists' perceptions.

Limitations

The findings might not apply to businesses that are not artist-led or do not have a strong cultural component.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the findings could be enhanced by using multiple researchers to analyze the qualitative data and by triangulating findings with quantitative data if available. Validity is supported by the in-depth nature of interviews and focus groups, capturing nuanced perceptions.

Think critically

To what extent can the '5 Cs' framework be adapted for non-artistic creative industries, such as technology or fashion?

Design Principles

"Marketing for creative enterprises should be relationship-centric and value-driven, leveraging the unique identity and cultural context of the work and its creator."

Understanding this nuanced approach to marketing is crucial for designers and businesses operating within creative industries. It highlights the importance of building relationships, fostering authentic communication, and leveraging the unique story of the creator and their work to resonate with target audiences.

What This Means for Your Design

Creative businesses do better when they focus on talking to people, sharing their story, being creative, and showing their values, instead of just thinking about the product itself.

How to use in your project

1.Use the '5 Cs' framework to analyze the marketing strategies of a chosen creative business.
2.Compare the effectiveness of traditional marketing versus the '5 Cs' approach in your design project's market research.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research into creative art-based businesses indicates that a marketing approach centered on the 'entrepreneurial five Cs'—contact network and communicating competency, content, creativity, cultural values, and the creator of artwork—is more effective than traditional marketing models. This suggests that for design projects targeting similar markets, prioritizing relationship building, authentic communication, and the unique narrative of the product and its creator will yield better results.

Source

International Journal of Management Practice

Entrepreneurial marketing in creative art based businesses

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about creative entrepreneurs thrive on '5 cs' beyond traditional marketing mix?: Shift marketing focus from transactional elements (product, price, place, promotion) to relational and value-driven aspects (network, communication, content, creativity, culture, creator). Evidence: International Journal of Management Practice (2018).
Why does "Creative Entrepreneurs Thrive on '5 Cs' Beyond Traditional Marketing Mix" matter for design?: Understanding this nuanced approach to marketing is crucial for designers and businesses operating within creative industries. It highlights the importance of building relationships, fostering authentic communication, and leveraging the unique story of the creator and their work to resonate with target audiences.
How can designers apply this research?: Shift marketing focus from transactional elements (product, price, place, promotion) to relational and value-driven aspects (network, communication, content, creativity, culture, creator).
What were the main findings?: Creative art entrepreneurs prioritize elements of a 'creative marketing mix' over the traditional four Ps.. The effective marketing strategy for these entrepreneurs aligns with 'entrepreneurial five Cs': contact network and communicating competency, content, creativity, cultural values, and creator of artwork.. There is a discernible difference between the philosophical underpinnings and the practical business operations in cultural-artistic enterprises.. A framework for analyzing marketing practices specific to cultural-artistic entrepreneurs can be established.
What research method was used?: Qualitative research.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2018 journal from International Journal of Management Practice.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing a marketing plan for an art-based product or service, prioritize building a strong network, crafting authentic communication, and highlighting the unique creative process and cultural significance.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings are based on local interviews, which may limit generalizability to other geographical or cultural contexts. The focus on artistic businesses might not directly translate to all creative industries.