The IMM Journal of Strategic Marketing says Starbucks will shake up the industry as big global brands usually end up dominating markets. But the opposition won’t surrender this brand battle just yet. Seattle Coffee, for example, is opening more outlets and tying up with Food Lover’s Market to meet the onslaught, while McDonald’s is likely to increase its specialty McCafé offering.
Also under the spotlight in this issue of the magazine is the potentially expanding career path for marketers. The merit of marketers serving at board level has been a hot topic for years, with marketing professionals feeling that they’ve earned their stripes and are deserve a place at the top table of business. Others, however, have tended to view marketing as a ‘soft’ discipline lacking the necessary all-round business focus.
But now a changing world may be making marketers more suited to the top CEO job. Social media, digital communications, big data, analytics, marketing-driven supply chain management and the quest for true customer insight have all shaken up the business world – and it’s top marketers who have these skills.
Other features in the magazine include the marketing challenges and opportunities facing the South African wine industry, as well as an analysis of Generation Z and what businesses need to know about them. There’s also an examination of the concept of nation branding and whether Brand SA can regain its mojo.
The IMM Journal of Strategic Marketing is published five times a year by the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM). Available in print and digital format, it is read and referred to by professional marketers and those working in related fields, business executives, IMM alumni and IMM Graduate School students.
The print edition is on sale at selected CNA and Exclusive Books outlets countrywide, or available via subscription. Copies are also distributed via a targeted mailing list and through selected airline lounges and the IMM Graduate School student support centres.
For more information, visit www.imm.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.