Reviewing digital technology-driven marketing communications and future research directions: A cross-disciplinary dialogue between academics and practitioners (數碼營銷傳播的回顧及未來研究方 向：學界與業界的跨學科對談)
Acknowledgement: This research project is under the Inter-Institutional Development Scheme (IIDS), which is fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (RGC Ref. No.: UGC/IIDS15/H03/23).
Principal Investigator
Dr. TONG Suk-chong
Associate Professor, Associate Head
Department of Journalism and Communication, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. TSUI Keith Tung
Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism and Communication, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. CHAN Fanny Fong-yee
Head and Associate Professor
Department of Marketing, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Co-Investigator
Dr. CHAN Theresa Yee-man
Lecturer
School of Professional Education and Executive Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
For decades, the relationships among the functions of public relations, advertising, and marketing have long been discussed by scholars across disciplines. Stepping into the digital era, such a cross-disciplinary controversy gets complicated that the prevalent usage of digital-driven technology may bring a convergence of the three domains. This project attempts to enhance participants’
understanding of the emerging trends on the applications of digital-driven experiential technology (e.g., augmented reality, virtual reality, and extended reality) to marketing communications that bring convergence and/or divergence of public relations, advertising, and marketing from a theoretical perspective.
By facilitating dialogues between academics and practitioners, the project will offer three research seminars to explore the main theme of revisiting the significance and exploring the future directions regarding the practices of digital-driven technology, particularly experiential technology, in marketing communications. Three workshops concerning the emerging trends of experiential technology in affecting organization-consumer relationships in public relations, advertising, and marketing will provide both academics and practitioners with cutting-edge and hands-on experience to reflect on the challenges of digital practices and rethink the effectiveness of digital practices in public relations, advertising, and marketing. Prominent scholars, top practitioners, and experienced researchers will be invited to speak at the seminars and workshops to exchange insights with participants. The primary targets of this project are scholars, researchers, and practitioners from local and overseas institutions. Apart from seminars and workshops, other deliverables of the project (e.g., project website, online teaching manual, publications) will be beneficial to undergraduates and secondary school students, as well as the community.