Diversity and expansion of marcoms and the missing elements

We welcome the six papers in this current issue, one derived from Germany, four from the USA, and one from Palestine. The abstract of this issue and many previous issues reveal the wide diversity and huge expansion in marketing communications topics deemed worthy of research endeavor and investigation. As we proceed further into the 21 century (barring some catastrophe of epic proportions), it seems evident that marketing communications and promotion i.e., the driving force of marketing exchanges will continue to accelerate. Yet, also, there is a sense that we – as marketing and marketing communications academics – may be missing some important issues worthy of investigation. For example: why are we not seeing many more papers tackling the ‘received wisdom’ of current marcoms models and practices? Where are the replication studies -so which seem be so few and far between. If these studies do not take place, the field will continue to atrophy through usage of outworn and outdated past studies and models which may not be suited to modern-day contexts. For example, the elaboration likelihood model comes to mind. Further, the swelling tsunami of mass and micro communications through every media modality has not been well addressed and may even be ignored. Is this something of value to consumers? Or is it seen perhaps as a nuisance, an invasion into media spaces where spam and advertising avoidance filters are not only needed, but vitally necessary? What is the consumer reaction to this burgeoning phenomena? Another example, where there are regrettably so few studies, concern after sales services. Often the focus of attention is focused upon attention, awareness, desire action – the usual trips through hierarchy of effects models . . . i.e., pre-sale, and during sales. What happens afterwards when problems arise remains a black hole at the edge of marketing. Finally the above are by no means a complete list An other inexorable trend in modern marketing is to direct consumer to ubiquitous websites where the answers to all consumer questions will be found (Not!). Are websites and the directive and usually almost useless quasi-AI telephony, more of a firewall to keep customers away from talking to real people in real time about issues that are important to them? This mass avoidance by companies in the private and public sector must be a major source of annoyance and stress to many customers and users of services. `So, on the one hand, it is a pleasure to welcome well-written papers on diverse, current and interesting subjects. But, let’s not forget other elements especially around the need for replication studies, and also the growing concern that issues that are important to consumers and users are not left aside. JOURNAL OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS 2023, VOL. 29, NO. 7, 635–636 https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2023.2267303