The Effect of E-Marketing and Outdoor Media Advertising on Exploratory Consumer Buying Behavior

Introduction

The usage of internet is growing day by day, it is estimated that the number of internet sites is getting higher in every hundred days (Couper, 2000). However, the internet has become an important and innovative tool for all kinds of businesses (Doolin, Burgess, & Cooper, 2002; Sigala, 2002). In marketing practices, various emerging trends are operational in order to get customer attention, including email marketing, interactive marketing, database marketing as well as e-Marketing (eM) which is possible through the internet. In prior studies, several types of latest marketing medium were studied by different researchers, including Neill & Richard (2012), Rautanen (2012), Chittenden & Henry (2003), Sigala (2002) as well as Angehrn (1997). Likewise, email marketing by Gilmore et al., (2007), internet marketing by Angehrn (1997), mobile marketing by Bauer (2005), intranet marketing by Neill & Richard (2012) and extranet marketing is defined by El-Gohary (2012) in different contexts. But the study of Coviello (2001), El-Gohary (2012), Sigala (2002), Gilmore et al., (2007) and Neill & Richard (2012) have been well differentiated various types of marketing practices. Previously, a well studied frame work of marketing practices has been presented by Coviello (2001), based on four marketing practices such as; transaction marketing (TM), interaction marketing (IM), database marketing (DM) and network marketing (NM), known as CMP framework. However, with the passage of time and with the advent of growing technologies such as internet, Coviello (2001) introduced a new and fifth element of marketing practices known as e-marketing (eM), also associated with the study of Blattberg & Deighton (1991) where Coviello (2001) defined e-marketing (eM) as a marketing tool to create dialogues between organizations and its customer with the employ of the internet.

However, outdoor advertising is traditional and long term advertising as compare to other media (Gulmez et al., 2010). According to Woodside (1990), outdoor advertising has a higher effect with less resources of the budget, where Belch (1990) expressed outdoor advertising as a tool which provides broader exposure. Likewise, Belch (1990), expressed that outdoor advertising through banner captures higher attention of general audience and also helps to create a brand name. Outdoor advertising is important for an organization which allows increasing market share and brand loyalty (Gulmez et al., 2010). In addition, Literature shows various aspects of outdoor advertising in order to target consumers through multiple techniques including transportation advertising, lamppost advertising, ComPark advertising, street advertising, walls capes advertising, premier panel/square advertising, sheet postures advertising, billboards advertising, street furniture advertising, bus/car/train/plane painting advertising, store display advertising, Kiosks advertising, as presented in prior studies. Thus, it is one of core contribution of this study is to investigate the empirical relationship of e-marketing and outdoor advertising on consumer buying behavior in the context of Pakistan.