Enhancing Effectiveness: Unconventional Marketing Strategies in the Complex Sports Landscape

In nowadays complex sports industry, where the pursuit of wellness and care has taken center stage, companies face the challenge of devising impactful marketing strategies in an increasingly competitive environment. An emerging area of focus is the effectiveness of unconventional marketing techniques, which remains relatively under-researched despite its potential to enhance the impact of strategies. Through a fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), based on multiple case studies, this paper introduces a framework that underscores the significance of originality, novelty, visibility, relevance, engagement, legacy, and authenticity as necessary conditions for stimulating information processing and fostering a positive brand attitude. This research contributes to the existing knowledge on consumer decision-making processes, shedding light on which drivers might improve the effectiveness of unconventional strategies and connecting different executional paths to an increased purchase intention and word of mouth. From a managerial perspective, the investigation capitalizes on how to differentiate investments from traditional media and assist firms with practical guidelines to develop more effective marketing strategies.