Resumo do trabalho

The retail context faces an increasing omnipresence of mobile technologies. Mobile has reshaped the customer journey, yet 79% of purchases still happen in physical stores. This study explores how mobile bridges online and offline retail interactions, focusing on promotions and store visits. Based on interviews with C-level executives, it reveals key insights into mobile marketing strategies and their impact on consumer behavior, highlighting the need to integrate mobile into any effective, omnichannel marketing plan.

The first digital moves allowed marketeers to personalize; now mobile data with AI allows to contextualize. Yet, navigating the complexities of mobile marketing amidst technological evolution remains a challenge. Therefore, the study aimed to identify managerial perceptions and experiences about mobile promotions in retail, as well as important variables regarding the mobile marketing influence on offline store visits.

Mobile marketing enables interactive, context-driven engagement through mobile devices (MMA, 2016). Verhoef et al. (2017) position mobile as the hub of omnichannel marketing, influencing both consumer behavior and firm strategies. Bakopoulos et al (2016) raised the issue of smarter decision-making in mobile marketing. Other researchers investigated issues such as mobile advertising (Grewal et al, 2018); location-based gamification (Kim, Song; 2020); spatial marketing (Cliquet, 2021); and the balance between helpfulness and privacy context-driven notifications (Kuriachan et al, 2024).

This qualitative study explored managerial perceptions of mobile promotions and their impact on offline store visits, using in-depth interviews with 13 C-level executives in digital marketing and geolocation. Interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Data were analyzed through content analysis (Bardin, 2006), following coding and categorization procedures (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Singh, 2015), ensuring validity through triangulation and cross-case analysis, and combining inductive and deductive approaches.

Drawing on empirical-positivist methods, in-depth interviews with C-level executives and mobile experts revealed key themes: the interplay between mobile promotions and offline consumer behavior, challenges of marketing content on mobile devices, mobile ubiquity's influence on consumer context, and the opportunities and obstacles of the mobile era.

This study, based on interviews with C-level executives, reveals that effective mobile marketing relies on context—knowing when, where, and how to engage consumers meaningfully. Key themes include mobile's impact on offline behavior, message relevance, and the shift from personalization to contextualization. Findings highlight mobile's role in integrating online and offline journeys (O+O). Though not statistically generalizable, the study offers analytical insights and directions for future research.

By shedding light on mobile marketing applications, especially in improving customer acquisition and engagement, the research offers insights into location-based communication, advancing understanding of the "brand in the hand" marketing paradigm.

Azemi, Y., Ozuem, W., Wiid, R., & Hobson, A. (2022).Luxury fashion brand customers’ perceptions of mobile marketing: Evidence of multiple communications and marketing channels. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66.
Beeck, I.; Toporowski, W. (2017) When location and content matter: effects of mobile messages on intention to redeem. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, v.45.
Kuriachan, A., Thomas, R. R., & Sukanya, R. (2024) Place-Based Strategies, Multichannel Merger, and Context-Driven Alerts for Engagement With Mobile Marketing. I