discussion response

Reply from Kristopher Roper

Digital Marketing Trends and Artificial Intelligence

The four Ps marketing framework is one of the foundational models utilized by researchers and practitioners alike (Constantinides, 2006). The four Ps consist of product, price, place, and promotion. Promotion, particularly digital promotion, has been undergoing a significant transformation over the past several decades. Advancements in technology have enabled the rise of digital marketing, allowing companies to expand beyond print media and other more traditional forms of advertising. From the internet to social media to artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models, companies now have more potential avenues to reach consumers than ever before. Accordingly, researchers are increasingly interested in how organizations can most effectively promote their products and services in the digital space and how digital advertising may be affected by the continued development of AI.

Digital Marketing Trends

The domain of digital marketing is rapidly evolving because of continuous advancements in technology. Accordingly, researchers are increasingly interested in how companies can bolster their marketing performance through various digital channels. Social media has enabled companies to remain in nearly constant contact with both existing customers and potential customers. Yevseitseva et al. (2022) discuss how digital marketing through social media can help companies foster customer loyalty and confidence. Through social media, companies can communicate directly with both existing and potential customers, answer questions about their products and services, promote and advertise their products, and build an engaged community.

While digital marketing can be an effective way for a company to interact with its target markets, companies must be careful not to become overly reliant on digital media. Excessive reliance on digital channels to reach consumers may cause companies to overlook or miss opportunities to connect with potential consumers through traditional advertising channels (Zintso et al., 2023). Some consumers, particularly older consumers who may spend less time on the internet, may respond more strongly to more traditional forms of advertising, such as print or newspaper advertising, billboards, direct mail, or television and radio. Additionally, consumers may become irritated and fatigued when companies are overly reliant on digital advertising, potentially discouraging customers (Zollo et al., 2020, as cited in Zollo & Rialti, 2025). Consumers are constantly bombarded with online advertisements, from social media to websites to mobile applications. When customers perceive digital advertising as excessive, they may develop negative attitudes toward the company. Thus, organizations must carefully balance any digital marketing initiatives with traditional forms of advertising to avoid turning off potential consumers.

Digital Promotion and Artificial Intelligence

Now, AI is revolutionizing the digital promotion strategies of numerous companies. One way in which artificial intelligence can be leveraged in digital marketing is through the use AI-powered advertisement personalization (Kumar et al., 2024). AI allows companies to individualize and target potential consumers based on a variety of variables, such as internet or engagement behavior, individual interests, or demographic information. Researchers are also interested in how AI can be leveraged to improve promotional outcomes in social networks (Shi & Wang, 2022). AI is continuously evolving, and accordingly, researchers are increasingly interested in how businesses can leverage these technologies within their digital marketing strategies.

Biblical Integration

Recent technological innovations, particularly artificial intelligence, have enabled organizations to individualize and target specific market segments. However, companies should take special care to ensure that they use these technologies in an ethical manner. Scripture is clear that people should act ethically, honestly, and transparently. For example, Proverbs 12:22 teaches, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy (New International Version Bible, 2011, Proverbs 12:22). This sentiment is reinforced in Luke 6:31, which states, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (New International Version Bible, 2011, Luke 6:31). Organizations must also remain vigilant of any automated or AI-powered marketing system in use to ensure that these systems do not enable any action that could be perceived as deceptive or engage in bias. Proverbs 11:1 teaches, “The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him (New International Version Bible, 2011, Proverbs 11:1). AI is rapidly evolving, and the companies that can effectively and ethically engage in digital marketing and integrate these systems into their broader marketing strategies are well positioned for organizational success.

Conclusion

The domain of digital marketing is undergoing rapid transformation due to advancements in technology and AI. Digital marketing is a core component of many companies’ marketing strategies. However, companies should be careful not to completely replace more traditional forms of advertising with purely digital forms. Recent research found that while digital advertising channels can be more effective than more traditional forms when promoting a specific product, traditional channels may be more effective in improving overall retail performance (Maier & Dost, 2024).

References

Constantinides, E. (2006). The marketing mix revisited: Towards the 21st century marketing. Journal of Marketing Management, 22(3-4), 407-438. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725706776861190

Kumar, A., Pandey, M., & Shreyaskar, P. P. (2023). Three decades of digital advertising: What the bibliometrics say and how AI came into play. Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/09722629241278149

Maier, E., & Dost, F. (2024). Decomposing cross-channel advertising support of retailer price promotions. Journal of Retailing, 100(3), 362-381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2024.05.002

New International Version Bible. (2011). Biblica. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Internat... (Original work published 1978).

Shi, B., & Wang, H. (2023). An ai-enabled approach for improving advertising identification and promotion in social networks. Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 188, 122269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122269

Yevseitseva, O., Liulchak, Z., Semenda, O., Järvis, M., & Ponomarenko, I. (2022). Digital marketing as a modern tool for promotion of goods and services in social networks. Financial and Credit Activities: Problems of Theory and Practice, 1(42), 361-370. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.1.42.2022.3723

Zintso, Y., Fedorishina, I., Zaiachkovska, H., Kovalchuk, O., & Tyagunova, Z. (2023). Analysis of current trends in the use of digital marketing for the successful promotion of goods and services in Ukraine. Financial and Credit Activities: Problems of Theory and Practice, 3(50), 174-184. https://doi.org/10.55643/fcaptp.3.50.2023.4080

Zollo, L., Rialti, R., Kim, K., & Yoon, S. (2025). Introduction to the special issue on new developments in digital promotion. International Journal of Advertising, 44(7), 1171-1174. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2025.2560767