Navigating the Digital Frontier of Marketing

Abstract

In this manuscript, we build upon previous Special Issues in marketing from the Revista de Administração de Empresas (Barcelos & Rossi, 2015; Rossi & Farias, 2006) and the Revista de Administração Contemporânea (Vieira et al., 2023), as well as research that has deepened our understanding of the role of Brazilian scholars and marketing themes (Brei et al., 2020; Mazzon & Hernandez, 2013). We are excited to contribute to this research body by proposing the first1 Brazilian Administration Review Special Issue on digital marketing and consumer behavior. Digital marketing refers to the application of marketing in digital environments, including but not limited to omnichannel (Gasparin & Slongo, 2023), platforms, and technologies to promote and advertise products, services, or brands to a targeted audience. Consumer behavior in this area examines how, when, and where individuals consume across firms, communities, and peer-to-peer interactions, and it assesses the marketing orientation from firms. As a process, digital marketing involves identifying, understanding, and satisfying the needs and desires of customers when understanding and applying traditional tools to the digital field. Firms manage digital marketing through various strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media, owned and paid advertising (Vargas et al., 2025), influencer marketing, fan communities, engagement, analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. From the advent of the internet (early 1990s - early 2000s) to the present, the internet has revolutionized marketing by introducing new ways to communicate, promote, and connect firms and public organizations with consumers, society, and communities. With the rise of online social communities and digital championships (e.g., simulators, e-sports, e-world cups, and leagues), firms are dealing with a new customer profile that is experiencing digital products and services. In this context, firms need to understand how to effectively implement new marketing tools at their disposal to reach and interact with their target customers in more efficient ways. Thus, the rise of the internet signifies a new chapter in society, and we now experience the digital marketing era. In this Brazilian Administration Review Special Issue on digital marketing and consumer behavior, we received numerous papers from around the world, each focusing on different aspects of marketing, digital culture, consumer behavior, online communities, firm strategy, history of online purchases, and identity. Through a double-blind review process with leading marketing scholars, associate editors experts, and ad hoc reviewers, for whom we are grateful for their assistance, the final papers are listed here. Based on the topics of these manuscripts, we propose four avenues that marketing in the digital frontier is dealing with.