Just old Wine in New Bottles or What Can Marketing Learn from Other Disciplines About Individualisation
(A2025-126100)

AUTHORS

Nicola Bilstein, University of Bayreuth; Charlotte Kräft, Bielefeld University; Julia Rötzmeier-Keuper, Technische Universität Berlin

ABSTRACT

Even though individualisation and individual differences are at the heart of marketing activities, the discipline has only a vague conceptual understanding of what individualisation entails. To inform current knowledge, this paper examines how insights e.g., from sociology, psychology, and geoinformatics can enhance marketing's approach to individualisation. Building upon a framework that differentiates between three forms of individualisation, we offer insights from a qualitative study involving nine experts from diverse disciplines to demonstrate how the different forms of individualisation can inform marketing strategies, particularly in terms of dynamic segmentation, personalisation, and identity-based marketing. The study's key findings underscore the necessity for inclusive strategies that address systemic constraints, ensure ethical data usage, and balance individual preferences with shared societal narratives.