Marketing analytics: the
evolution of marketing research
in the twenty-first century
William J. Hauser
College of Business Administration, Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing,
The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current state of marketing analytics and how it
should become a standard marketing research tool in the twenty-first century.
Design/methodology/approach – The design of this paper is both a review of the field of
marketing analytics and a discussion of how these factors must be enhanced and incorporated into
twenty-first century marketing research. As such this paper is offered as a viewpoint based on years of
experience in the field and should serve as the basis for discussion and discourse by both academicians
and practitioners.
Findings – In the realm of marketing, primary research has traditionally focused on quantitative or
qualitative methodologies to provide customer insights. With advances in technology, especially data
mining, marketing analytics has become an invaluable tool and should be viewed as an equal
component of the marketing research toolkit. Analytics requires marketers to use data to understand
customers at every touch point throughout their lifecycle with the business. To do this the analyst
must mine, analyze, interpret, and present the information so that it is converted into actionable
intelligence. In this process, the customer’s information DNA is tracked, segmented, modeled and then
acted upon. As these concepts and tools become standard operating procedures, academic marketing
departments must internalize analytics into their overall curriculum in order to provide students with
a compelling career advantage.
Originality/value – The value of this paper is that it presents marketers with a strong argument for
the integration of marketing analytics into their practice of researching marketing issues and
problems. Analytics completes the research triangle of qualitative, quantitative and data mined
information gathering, analysis, and interpretation. It is hoped that this paper will generate additional
discourse and research in this area and, especially, the adaptation of analytics as a standard research
tool by marketers.
Keywords Market research, Data analysis
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
The twentieth century provided the marketer with a wealth of sophisticated primary
marketing research tools and techniques. Advances in the areas of quantitative and
qualitative research have made it much easier for the marketer to better understand the
marketplace, the competition, and, most importantly, the customer (Jones, 2006;
Drozdenko and Drake, 2002). Paper and pencil mail surveys have been replaced by
computer assisted telephone interviews systems which are now rapidly transitioning
to web-based interactive survey tools. While focus groups still dominate the qualitative
research scene, other techniques ranging from dyads and triads to ethnographies are
helping the marketer better understand the customer and their wants and needs.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1750-5933.htm
DMIJ
1,1
38
Direct Marketing: An International
Journal
Vol. 1 No. 1, 2007
pp. 38-54
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1750-5933
DOI 10.1108/17505930710734125