Laying the Foundation for an Ecosystem of Creativity Marketing

Abstract

Although marketing scholars have recognized the role of creativity in marketing, we argue that it has been underestimated, particularly in light of the new marketing paradigm (Vargo and Lusch, 2004) in which the focus is on the co-creation of value between firms and their stakeholders, including customers. We heed the call of organizational creativity scholars (e.g., Hennessey and Amabile, 2010) by proposing a systemic approach to creativity in marketing which recognizes the interdependence between the individual and organizational processes of creativity as well as the strategic role of creativity-enhancing systems and processes in producing creative outcomes and, as a result, value for the firm and its stakeholders. This paper aims to contribute to the issue at hand by (a) offering a review of the construct across a range of disciplines and levels, and (b) developing a Creativity Marketing Ecosystem model which lays the foundation for future research on the multifaceted and crucial role of creativity in marketing.