"Time to call up your mates!" Unbranded alcohol promotion on social networks

Content marketing, e.g. creating engaging and interesting content for consumers, instead attempting to sell to consumers, is a buzzword for marketers, especially in the context of social media and online marketing. Many... [ view full abstract ]

Content marketing, e.g. creating engaging and interesting content for consumers, instead attempting to sell to consumers, is a buzzword for marketers, especially in the context of social media and online marketing. Many popular books and blog posts advocate the strategy, often claiming astounding successes. Yet, little attention has been paid to this strategy by academic researchers. In this paper, we provide an overview of content marketing strategies and presents empirical evidence of their use by the alcohol industry. We consider the theoretical concepts underpinning content marketing and discuss associated regulatory issues. We conclude by providing a research agenda calling for further examination of the claimed efficiency and effects of content marketing as a means to provide guidance for future policy.