Overview of Marketing Analytics and Public Policy for improving Consumer Behaviour in the Digital Economy

Abstract

As Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) seeks to become a Caribbean pioneer in the age of Digital Transformation, it is important to recognize consumer’s engagement within a digital economy. The government of Trinidad and Tobago, being a major provider of subsidized services which provides basic needs for citizens, has received growing negative reactions towards the delivery of those services. Over the years, consumers’ dissatisfaction has led to a barrage of published negative comments. There exists an under-representation of marketing analytics approaches in literature pertaining to effectively marketing State subsidized services which would generate a positive consumer behavioural reaction. Marketing analytics can impact public policy on consumption (demand) and production (supply). For example, de-marketing of health damaging products such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption or up-marketing of state’s initiatives on the enhancement of life dependent utilities such as water and electricity distribution can be done through policy and regulations when using marketing analytics. This research examines the merging of marketing analytics and public policy to improve consumer perception of governmental agencies and the services they provide. Identifying the factors that presently affects consumer’s behaviour towards ministerial agencies, through predictive analysis and machine learning techniques, can stimulate consumer’s engagement and generate, overall, positive behavioural patterns and reactions towards services provided. Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, the research conceptualizes marketing strategies and guidelines that can be used to induce and activate consumer’s cognitive and affective states which can then lead to a positive behavioural response. The overarching objective is to contribute to the creation of a conceptual model that identifies marketing analytics techniques which influences marketing and public policy development within State Agencies.