Marketing through the eyes of senior management: Insights from Fortune 500 reporting

Abstract

Building on an in-depth content analysis of letters to shareholders in the annual reports of 54 Fortune 500 firms, this study examines the types of marketing information currently being highlighted to stakeholders external to the firm. The study identifies seven types of marketing assets: customer relationships, other value network relationships, societal relationships, reputational assets, marketing information, offering-related assets, and market position. The study also reveals three distinct profiles of firms’ reporting. The findings shed empirical light on aspects of marketing that diverse firms perceive as meriting disclosure to external stakeholders, thereby providing insights into how senior management perceives marketing.