Word of Mouth Marketing: Phenomena and Opportunities

Članak obrađuje fenomen usmene predaje u marketinškom kontekstu. Autor opisuje dosadašnja istraživanja, daje kratak povijesni prikaz uloge usmene predaje u marketingu te raščlanjuje moguće uzroke današnjeg rasta važnosti marketinga usmenom predajom (MUP). Prema autoru dva su temeljna razloga sve jače uloge usmene predaje u današnjem marketingu: zasićenost (i nepovjerenje prema) sredstvima klasičnog oglašavanja i izum novih sredstava osobne komunikacije (mobitel, internet). Marketinški stručnjaci sve više prepoznaju da, žele li prodrijeti kroz skepticizam i uhvatiti pozornost, posebice mladih, ljudi, poruku moraju prenijeti na drukčiji način. Zato brojne tvrtke ponovno otkrivaju, ponovno se okreću strategiji (često prikrivene) usmene predaje. Usmena predaja polako (u nekim sredinama) postaje jedina niša kroz koju marketinški stručnjaci mogu slati svoje poruke. Korištenje tehnika marketinga usmenom predajom sve je raširenije u SAD-u i drugim razvijenim zemljama. Istodobno, rastuća mu popularnost lako može prouzročiti i njegov pad. Naime, ako se svatko počne koristiti tom tehnikom (pa i bez obzira na kvalitetu proizvoda i etička načela), ona marketinški prestaje biti intrigantna, postaje samo još jedan oblik iritirajućeg oglašavanja. Ako kupci prepoznaju da tvrtke nastoje umjetno stvoriti usmenu predaju o svojem proizvodu, ona gubi i vjerodostojnost. Porast zanimanja za marketing usmenom predajom mogao bi biti povodom interdisciplinarne rasprave o ulozi i mjestu usmene predaje u životu čovjeka i društva. U tom kontekstu otvaraju se brojna pitanja etičarima, vjerskim djelatnicima, posebno teolozima (pitanje prenošenja Evanđelja), sociolozima, psiholozima, gospodarstvenicima. Autor se u ovom radu ograničava na sam fenomen marketinga usmenom predajom.The article deals with the phenomenon of marketing by word of mouth. The author describes research to date and offers a brief historical overview of the role of the word of mouth in marketing, analysing possible causes for the current growth of word of mouth marketing. According to the author there are two reasons for the growing role of word of mouth in marketing: saturation (and mistrust) towards classic advertising media and the invention of new means of personal communication (mobile phones, internet). Marketing experts are becoming more aware that if they wish to break through the scepticism and attract attention - particularly of the young - they need to pass their message on in a different way. That is why numerous companies are once again turning to the (often hidden) strategy of word of mouth. Word of mouth is slowly (in some circles) becoming the only niche in marketing saturated countries like the USA and other developed countries. At the same time its growing popularity can just as easily cause its demise. Namely, if everyone was to begin to use this technique (regardless of the quality of the product and ethic principles), then marketing ceases to be intriguing and becomes yet another irritating way of advertising. If buyers recognise that a company is artificially trying to create a reputation of word of mouth for its product then it loses credibility. The increasing interest for word of mouth marketing could be the driver for an interdisciplinary discussion about the role and place of word of mouth in the life of mankind and society. In that regard it opens numerous questions for ethicists, religious workers - particularly theologians (the issue of passing down the Gospel), sociologists, psychologists, economists. The author limits this article to the issue of the phenomenon of word o fmouth marketing