Marketing, branding and advertising: Creating customer value in digital and physical markets

Marketing is the disciplined process through which organizations understand customers, choose whom to serve, design valuable offerings, make them accessible, communicate them truthfully and build economically sustainable relationships. This chapter develops that system from market orientation and buyer behaviour through marketing research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, value propositions, product and service strategy, service quality and recovery, branding, pricing, channels, omnichannel experience, integrated marketing communication, advertising, digital marketing, accessibility, customer relationship management, customer lifetime value and marketing analytics. It distinguishes customer value from persuasion, activity metrics from economic outcomes, attribution from causation and personalization from legitimate permission. Jumia anchors the African analysis, showing how digital commerce still depends on local physical access, trust, retention and disciplined acquisition; NIKE provides a global comparison of brand investment and channel rebalancing. Christian moral reasoning treats marketing as truthful service rather than manipulation, requiring respect for dignity, privacy, vulnerability, attention, conscience and foreseeable consequences while preserving legitimate profit and responsible persuasion.

Keywords: marketing orientation; customer value; buyer behaviour; segmentation; positioning; branding; pricing; omnichannel marketing; advertising; digital marketing