Reflection on customers' knowledge and perceptions about marketing

Master's Thesis from the year 2016 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: 1, University of applied sciences, language: English, abstract: This Master Thesis presents findings with regard to the stated discrepancy by means of a literature analysis and qualitative research in the form of focus groups. The research objective is to investigate customers' and marketing professionals' attitudes towards the discipline and how knowledge and/or experiences contribute to a positive or negative perception of marketing. The results suggest that customers are aware of the tactics used by marketers to deliberately mislead their target groups. Consequently, customers develop negative attitudes towards persuasive marketing efforts. This thesis highlights the gap between laypersons' negative perception and marketing academics' added-value perception towards the discipline. In order to overcome this discrepancy, marketers need to consider customers' scepticism as a compass and address positive impacts of marketing on customers and society. Customers have gradually started emphasising on emerging marketing practices that seem to harm individuals, societies and the environment. However, marketing scholars believe that marketing has positive impacts and creates values and satisfaction for all stakeholders.