Enhancing Effectiveness: Unconventional Marketing Strategies in the Complex Sports Landscape

In nowadays complex sports industry, where the pursuit of wellness and care has taken center stage, companies face the challenge of devising impactful marketing strategies in an increasingly competitive environment. An emerging area of focus is the effectiveness of unconventional marketing techniques, which remains relatively under-researched despite its potential to enhance the impact of strategies. Through a fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), based on multiple case studies, this paper introduces a framework that underscores the significance of originality, novelty, visibility, relevance, engagement, legacy, and authenticity as necessary conditions for stimulating information processing and fostering a positive brand attitude. This research contributes to the existing knowledge on consumer decision-making processes, shedding light on which drivers might improve the effectiveness of unconventional strategies and connecting different executional paths to an increased purchase intention and word of mouth. From a managerial perspective, the investigation capitalizes on how to differentiate investments from traditional media and assist firms with practical guidelines to develop more effective marketing strategies

Uncovering Antecedents and Paths to an Effective Unconventional Marketing Strategy in Sport Industry

In nowadays complex sports industry, companies face the challenge of devising impactful strategies. An emerging area of focus is the effectiveness of unconventional marketing techniques, which remains relatively under-researched despite its potential to enhance the impact of campaigns. Through a fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), based on multiple case studies, this paper introduces a framework that underscores the significance of originality, novelty, visibility, relevance, engagement, legacy, and authenticity as necessary conditions for stimulating information processing and fostering a positive brand attitude. This research contributes to the existing knowledge on consumer decision-making processes in the sport industry, shedding light on which drivers improve the effectiveness of unconventional strategies and connecting different executional paths to an increased purchase intention and word of mouth. From a managerial perspective, the developed practical guidelines assist firms to develop more effective marketing strategies

Overcoming congruity issues of Nutritional information through Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels: an investigation on the relative effects of Nutri-Score and NutrInform Battery

The growing rates of overweight and obesity stimulated an increasing number of individuals to actively pursue healthier lifestyles and seek nutrition information to enhance their wellbeing. As consumers gather nutritional cues from different sources (e.g., information from Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels, scientific reports, mass media, advertising, peer recommendation etc.), they are sometime offered Conflicting Nutritional Information. Recent studies have highlighted the detrimental effects of Conflicting Nutritional Information, making it relevant for policymakers to understand the role of Front of-Pack Nutritional Labels in assisting consumers to make sense of the broader nutritional information system, particularly in the presence of contrasting messages. Our findings highlight that non-directive labels, compared to directive labels, increase the perceived congruence between the nutritional information provided by the Nutritional Labels and other external information entities, which in turn influence the perceived credibility, attitudinal, and adoption intention to the Front-of-Pack labels

Unveiling the impact of front-of-pack nutritional labels in conflicting nutrition information – A congruity perspective on olive oil

An increasing awareness of the importance of healthy eating prompted consumers to gather nutritional cues from various sources, often resulting in conflicting nutrition information for the same food. This can lead to unintended consequences, such as decreased consumer interest in dietary information and behaviors contrary to healthy advice, particularly when the sources are deemed highly credible by consumers. In a series of three experiments, we aim to uncover the underlying cognitive mechanisms connected to complementary information provided by Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels (FOPLs), exploring if conflicting nutrition information is generated when consumers integrate the labels’ information with other sources. Using olive oil as a case of products associated with conflicting nutrition information (CNI), Study 1 shows that directive labels (e.g., Nutri-Score) generate CNI when combined with either internal (i.e., pre-existing health knowledge) or external entities (i.e., knowledge from scientific information). In contrast, non-directive labels (e. g., NutrInform Battery) do not, in either condition. Study 2 explains that consumers establish a lower level of congruence between information provided by the internal entity and FOPL when the label is directive. Study 3 confirms a lower level of congruence between the information available from the external entities and FOPLs when the label type is directive, compared to non-directive. Furthermore, this diminished congruence as a negative impact on consumer attitudes and their intentions to adopt Nutritional Labels. Overall, this research delves into the interactions among various information sources from a congruence perspective, offering actionable insights for managers and policymakers to avoid becoming entangled by conflicting information

A 20-Country Comparative Assessment of the Effectiveness of Nutri-Score vs. NutrInform Battery Front-of-Pack Nutritional Labels on Consumer Subjective Understanding and Liking

The incidence of overweight and obesity has generated significant concerns among Euro pean consumers and institutions. As part of a set of measures undertaken, the European Union (EU) called for one harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label (FOPL) to improve consumer food nutritional knowledge and encourage healthier and more informed food choices. Different types of FOPLs, ranging from nutrient-specific labels—such as the NutrInform Battery—to summary labels—such as the Nutri-Score—have been developed and introduced in different markets, reporting different degrees of effectiveness in terms of understanding. The aim of this study is to provide actionable insights by analyzing a specific part of the complex consumers’ decision-making process in food when aided by FOPLs. Adopting a between-subject experiment on a sample of 4560 respondents in 20 EU member countries, the study compares the consumer subjective understanding and liking of two labels currently under examination by the EU bodies, the NutrInform Battery and the Nutri-Score. At an aggregated level, the results show that NutrInform Battery is more effective than Nutri-Score in improving consumer subjective understanding and leads to a higher liking towards the label. A detailed by-country analysis highlights either a superiority or a parity of NutrInform Battery for subjective understanding and liking. Theoretically, this study, through a large panel of respondents, adds the fundamental perspective on subjective understanding, complementing the findings of extant research on objective understanding, and further clarifies the role of liking as a complementary element in the food decision-making process toward heathier and more informed food choices. This might be of significant relevance in providing additional evidence that can be used by policymakers in their attempt toward the selection of a uniform FOPL at EU level

Sustainability perceptions of high-end fashion products in the Metaverse: a comparative investigation on different media settings

Over the past years, fashion customers and stakeholders have become more concerned to how sustainability goals are being implemented. Despite the increasing relevance of 3D virtual reality, limited attention has been devoted to exploring its effects on consumer sustainability perception. This study investigates how consumers rank a set of objective and visible practices and of subjective responses and emotions when exposed to Metaverse comparing the outcomes with 2D environments. Findings suggest the presence of significant relationships between the environment in which the discussion is conducted, and the way consumers perceive specific practices and emotions connected to sustainable high-end fashion products

How Metaverse Creates Value for Luxury Brands

Frame of the research. Metaverse is quickly attracting the attention of luxury brands. Different levels of understanding and adoption are currently being utilized by luxury companies, whose attitudes toward this technology range from skepticism to enthusiasm. While Metaverse has the potential to reshape the way luxury brands create value for their customers and other stakeholders, the ingredients to create successful business models are still under scrutiny. Many variables seem to co-exist, and the synergistic impact of the different Metaverse environments, along with their enabling features and supporting technologies on luxury remains a relatively unexplored domain. Purpose of the paper. Introduce a new conceptualization of the Metaverse for luxury brands, offering a framework to assist in building value for customers and stakeholders. Metholodology. Exploratory, qualitative research methodology, based on 15 in-depth structured interviews with top managers of luxury brands. Results. The paper introduce a theoretical framework that links investments in Metaverse Technologies with customers’ perception of luxury attributes, the influence across a wide spectrum of stakeholders, and the link with strategic objectives. Research limitations. The sample of respondents, which represents the perspective of 15 top managers of the sector, might be enlarged in the future. Additionally, future research could develop quantitative analyses to structurally connects the different variables in the model. Managerial implications. The research shows how luxury brands can unlock the full potential of the Metaverse to reinforce, re-generate, access, and engage relevant stakeholders, affecting a relevant set of luxury attributes, strengthening relationships with existing customers, and embracing new target audiences. Originality of the paper. Introducing a new framework that connects Metaverse Technologies, with their impact on luxury attributes, stakeholders’s audience and business objectives

The role of Branded Museums in revitalizing tourism after disruption: a qualitative research

In a situation where different countries are nowadays competing on a shrank EU tourism market, patterns of distinctiveness should be explored by Italian destinations to increase tourists’ engagement and attractiveness. Accordingly, while Italy is recognized for its unique cultural offering and for Made in Italy, little attention has been dedicated to investigating features at the intersection between “cultural” and “shopping” tourism, two of the most relevant sources of tourism attraction in Italy. Hence, the role of Made in Italy Branded Museums might improve the attitude toward different Italian destinations and, consequently, the potential absolute flow of tourists. This study uses an explorative analysis with 88 qualitative semistructured interviews to European consumers to gain deeper insights into the relationship between the presence of a high-end fashion branded museum and the willingness to visit the place where it is located. We conclude by presenting an overarching model and identifying and connecting different antecedents to monitor and increase Italian cities’ overall attractiveness, willingness to visit and prolong the stay

The effects of combining front‐of‐pack nutritional labels on consumers' subjective understanding, trust, and preferences

The decision to adopt a unique mandatory front‐of‐pack nutritional label (FOPL) has currently been delayed by the European Union (EU) as contrasting evidence exists on which one might consistently better encourage customers toward healthier diets. In this context, little attention has been dedicated to investigating the potential effects of having more than one front‐of‐pack nutritional label on food products. This study aims to verify if a combination of front‐of‐pack nutritional labels (i.e., a “bundle”) performs better for consumer understanding, trust, and preferences (such as liking) toward the label by helping consumers make healthier and more informed food choices. With this in mind, the study focused on three front‐of‐pack nutritional labels developed by public institutions that are central to the research and the recent EU policy‐making debate. In three controlled experiments, building upon the “directiveness” front‐of‐pack nutritional label schemes, we find that the combination of a nondirective (i.e., NutrInform Battery) and a directive (i.e., Keyhole) label outperforms both the combination of two directive labels (i.e., Nutri‐Score and Keyhole) and a single‐directive front‐of‐pack nutritional label (i.e., Keyhole) on subjective understanding, trust in the label and liking. Results cast light on the bundling of front‐of‐pack nutritional labels as a potentially different approach that might be further analyzed by researchers and provide a substantive contribution to managers and policy‐makers in their decision toward a unified front‐of-pack nutritional label within the European Communit

A multiple case-study investigation on the intersection between sustainability and reputation: An impact-driven framework for sport teams

The concept of impact, referring to short-term effects resulting from the implementation of sustainability practices and initiatives, and its connection to the longer term perception of sustainability for the brand, is becoming increasingly pervasive in various businesses, including the sports industry, attracting attention of different stakeholders, from scholars to practitioners, institutions, sport-teams, and their fans. A significant portion of extant theory indicates a direct link between sustainable practices and positive effects on the economic, social, and reputational fronts. Through the utilization of a multiple case study methodology, we initially investigated clubs belonging to the top five European football leagues. Subsequently, we developed a theoretical framework connecting the activation of sustainable practices to the development of corporate reputation, as perceived by multiple stakeholders. Moreover, we clarified how the interplay of various factors can either reinforce or weaken these cycles, serving as basis for both managerial plans and future research avenues