An Exploratory Investigation into the Impact of Different Marketing Techniques on Consumer Engagement in UK Cultural Events and Club Culture
Abstract
The prevalence of social media interaction has transformed the way we experience the
world and the people who inhabit it (Hruska and Maresova 2020). Although social media is a
topic on which a vast wealth of research has been conducted, there is an apparent lack of
literature comparing its use as a marketing tool to traditional techniques used by UK cultural
events and club night promoters. Accordingly, this study aims to bridge the gap between the
use of traditional marketing techniques in comparison to the increasingly apparent use of
social media used in hope of achieving substantial consumer engagement and event
longevity. Through the use of qualitative research methods this dissertation will contribute to
the existing research on social media marketing whilst relating it specifically to the promotion
of UK cultural events and club nights in exploration of consumer engagement, event
production and event longevity. Qualitative research has been carried out through use of
semi-structured interviews sampling event industry professionals in the Edinburgh area.
Once collected, the data was categorised into potential themes by means of thematic
analysis which would then be referred back to theoretical literature. Consequentially, the
themes and analysis of this study were constructed and spotlighted in correlation with the
stated aims and objectives of the project, which was to investigate the prevalence of social
media marketing when compared to traditional techniques in UK cultural events.
Conclusions of the study were clarified upon the analysis and comparison of the collected
data in direct relation to the literature presented in the literature review. Conclusively, in the
data collected participants showed an affinity for social media marketing when designing
their promotional campaigns. However, homage was paid and admiration shared towards
traditional techniques within the participants development of their marketing strategies. (Key words: social media, events, marketing, consumer engagement, digital media, event
experience, event production, longevity)