xxxviii Preface to the fifth edition
dotcom companies in recent years, there is a need for a critical appraisal of the potential of
e-marketing. This is provided by this chapter.
Opening with a set of clear definitions of various aspects of e-marketing, Chaffey then
identifies the key communications characteristics of digital media as the basis for determining how
these may be used to best effect. Once these are understood it is possible to develop an e-marketing
plan and Chaffey proposes using his SOSTAC framework which embraces Situation analysis,
Objectives and Strategy, Tactics, Action and Control. This structure is broadly consistent with other
models of strategic marketing planning, as described by Malcolm McDonald in Chapter 5. Each of
these elements is discussed in detail.
Chaffey concludes that while a minority of businesses have converted extensively to the use of
the Internet, for most it simply represents another channel to the market. This chapter, and Dave
Chaffey’s textbooks from which it has been developed, provide comprehensive advice on how best
to incorporate the Internet into more effective marketing practice.
Finally, Chapter 26 by Sue Adkins is a completely new addition to The Marketing Book. Earlier
editions contained a chapter on ‘Marketing for non-profit organizations’ by Keith Blois and this
contains much useful advice of relevance for such organizations. For this edition it was decided to
take a more focused look at the application of marketing to specific causes and the result is ‘Cause-
related marketing: who cares wins’. Unfortunately, space limitations meant that the more broadly
based chapter had to be dropped but, of course, it is still available in the earlier editions.
As Adkins points out: ‘Around the world we are witnessing a drawing back of the state and
the process of deregulation, trade liberalization and the rapid internationalizing of markets. As state
funding reduces across the globe, a gap is developing between society’s needs and the
government’s or the state’s ability to provide for them.’ One means of filling this gap is through
cause-related marketing. Cause-related marketing is defined by Business in the Community as ‘a
commercial activity by which businesses and charities or good causes form a partnership with each
other to market an image, product or service for mutual benefit’. Drawing on her extensive
experience and using a variety of case studies, Sue Adkins explains clearly what cause-related
marketing is, what are some of the critical success factors in developing effective programmes, and
specific advice on how readers may develop their own strategies and programmes.
Compiling a contributed book of this kind is not without its challenges. While it is true that if
you want to get something done you should ask a busy person, it is also true that busy people have
many compelling calls on their time and writing a chapter for a book may not be their top priority!
That said, I am greatly indebted to all the contributors who have, with great good humour,
responded to my pleas to meet pressing deadlines. I am also greatly indebted to my daughter Anne
Foy who, in addition to running Westburn Publishers, found the time to collate the chapters as they
came in and forward them to me as I travelled around the world, while giving nearly everyone the
impression that I was firmly anchored to my desk in Scotland. (Nearly everyone – she told Robin
Wensley I was on a beach in Fiji.)
Finally, I would like to thank my friends in the Department of Marketing, Monash University,
for allowing me to spend a Scottish winter with them and compile what I consider to be a
distillation of the best in British marketing. For any faults I accept total responsibility.
Michael J. Baker
Monash University
February 2002