An Evaluation of Artistic Influences on Marketing Theory and Practice

Purpose: This paper evaluates the connections between art and marketing in order to develop enhanced insight into how art and the art world can inform marketing theory and practice. Design/Methodology/Approach: An in-depth analysis of a wide range of relevant literatures is carried out in order to heighten our understanding of art as a way of knowing within the marketing discipline. A range of meanings of art and marketing are considered and an analyses of their intersections is carried out. Findings: A number of potentially useful concepts are developed, including that of the marketing manager as an artist. Viewing marketing through art is seen as an avant garde response to addressing the continuing theory/practice gap. Research limitations/implications: Following an art-based way of knowing in marketing has the potential to challenge more mainstream paths of thinking by opening up the ways in which we visualise marketing theory and practice. Practical implications: Artistic creativity is seen as a key factor in stimulating marketing decisions. Viewing the marketer as artist also mirrors the actual behaviour of the marketing manager by providing insight into intuitive thought processes and visualisation techniques. Originality/value: Arts marketing research in general is making progress in terms of its theoretical and practical contributions to the wider marketing discipline. It is believed that papers such as this will contribute to the ongoing research agenda by stimulating much needed critical debate.