Promotional planning in UK regional shopping centres: an exploratory study

Abstract

PurposeThe need for a more overt marketing orientation within planned shopping centres in the UK has been noted by various authors. However, the management orientation of planned shopping centres has been described as property‐ rather than customer‐led. This article considers the role of marketing for planned shopping centres, with particular reference to regional shopping centres (RSCs). The emphasis of marketing activity in this context is primarily promotional, and the process by which promotional activities are planned and implemented by RSCs is considered and contrasted with Fill's model of the marketing communications planning process.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured interviews were undertaken with marketing managers in four of the nine RSCs in the UK (two interviews were face‐to‐face, one interview was by telephone and one interview was via e‐mail). These exploratory interviews sought to identify: respondents’ perceptions of marketing and the role of the marketing function within the organisation; the nature of the marketing/promotional objectives that were set; the identity of the target audiences for marketing/promotional activity; the process by which this activity was planned; and the specific marketing/promotional tools used. All the interviews were analysed using the template analysis technique.FindingsFindings are reported under the following headings: role of marketing; perceptions of marketing; marketing planning; target audiences/objectives; promotional activities; and evaluation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is exploratory, comprising four interviews (however, there are only nine RSCs in the UK). More detailed research into the processes of marketing communications planning in this context should be implemented.Practical implicationsThis paper shows how general models relating to theoretical aspects of marketing (in this case marketing communications planning), may need to be amended to reflect the practical reality of specific market contexts and the discussion section of the paper outlines this in more detail.Originality/valueFollowing on from the above point, the paper provides a framework for marketing communications planning in the specific context of RSCs in the UK. As such, it has resonance for the practice of marketing in all planned retail developments.