{"id":1730,"date":"2025-10-02T23:56:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T20:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/?post_type=lesson&p=1730"},"modified":"2025-10-02T23:57:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T20:57:01","slug":"lesson-1-mmarketing-theory-concepts","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/inthrace.unitbv.ro\/index.php\/lesson\/lesson-1-mmarketing-theory-concepts\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesson 1. Marketing Theory Concepts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketing is not only about selling products or services; it is about creating value and building meaningful connections<\/strong> between what a community offers and what audiences seek. When applied to intangible cultural heritage (ICH), marketing becomes a powerful tool to raise awareness, generate interest, and ensure that heritage practices remain vibrant and sustainable. At the same time, it carries ethical responsibilities, since heritage is not a commercial product but a living expression of identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around the world, many expressions of culture do not have a tangible substance, although they have been recorded. These intangible forms of expression may include: music, festivals, gastronomy, sports etc. These forms of culture cannot be physically stored, such as in a museum, but only experienced \u201cthrough a vehicle that expresses it. Such cultural vehicles are called \u201cHuman Treasures\u201d by the UN\u201d (https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intangible_cultural_heritage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2001, a committee in Turin (Italy) developed a working definition of \u201cintangible cultural heritage\u201d. Building on the views expressed at the time of the Washington Conference and the results of a series of studies, UNESCO drafted a new definition of ICH describing it as skills and knowledge that passes from people to other people who create products and involve spaces that are essential for their sustainability. In that way, a sense of continuity is created among communities that aim to preserve cultural identity but also cultural diversity and creativity of humanity (Matsuura, 2001).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, it was expected that UNESCO would prepare a new international process for the safeguarding of ICH. Safeguarding should be based on specific objectives: a) the preservation of human creations that may disappear forever b) their recognition at the global level, c) the strengthening of identity, d) the possibility of social cooperation within and between groups, e) the safeguarding of historical continuity, f) the promotion of the creative diversity of humanity, g) the facilitation of access to the fruits of this creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNESCO adopted the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH, taking into account intangible and tangible heritage. The Convention identified features of modern life, such as globalization, social transformation and intolerance, that is at risk of vanishing because consideration to protect it has not taken place (UNESCO, 2024a).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the intangible cultural heritage of ethnic groups helps in intercultural dialogue and encourages mutual respect for different thought. However, in the era of globalization, it is imperative to find methods to preserve and communicate ICH to the next generation, as it represents an essential factor of cultural diversity (UNESCO, n.d.).The Nara Document on Authenticity embodies the spirit of the Venice Charter, 1964, builds on it and enriches it, responding to the broadened\u00a0scope of research and interests in cultural heritage in the modern world, including the IPC (ICOMOS, 2012).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nara Document refers to the fact that in order to have human development we need to protect cultural heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New perspectives and threats have emerged in recent years. It is imperative to examine how ICH interacts with technology (artificial intelligence, virtual reality), telecommunications, hypertourism, climate change, cultural homogenization, language interaction and fusion, urban expansion and sustainable development. In particular, the protection of languages is one of the most important elements for the preservation of ICH, according to Karl Von Habsburg (https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intangible_cultural_heritage). In the era of globalization and identity conflicts, language can become a target of attack as a symbolic cultural asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Core concepts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heritage is always\u00a0about people<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 practitioners, communities, and audiences. Without people, ICH has no meaning. This element highlights participation, agency, and mutual respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The management of an ICH issue concerns a specific local area and proposes a unique selling proposition (USP), which can be implemented at local, national and global levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept of place refers to the place in the distribution of actions for the ICH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promotion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the promotion of the ICH, the target group must be determined, so that the promotion is directed to specific groups (families, couples, young people or to everyone). Emphasis should be placed on people with special needs (e.g. live broadcast of events). It is also necessary to determine the time for such a promotion as well as the actors and stakeholders involved. The type of advertising campaign must also be determined, e.g. information campaign or reminder campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the way in which the promotion is carried out, a questionnaire is necessary to determine the views of the target groups, which is distributed via google link. Based on the responses collected, the format and wording of the campaign (e.g. humorous, serious realistic message) as well as the visual approach will be determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visual communication of such campaigns is the subject of research on the local ICH and the information collected and should be carried out by professional designers and graphic artists in collaboration with local communities and experts or scientists in the respective field of ICH. The result of such teamwork will highlight diversity versus homogeneity, which prevailed during the 20th century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“… twentieth-century Western modernism laid the foundations for an epistemological hegemony of the West in regional cultures, dominating through modernist models of knowledge, life and existence, according to globalized forms of functioning, production, intellectual and aesthetic values” (Decolonising Design Group, 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example, among others, that has proven to be good design practice, is the branding and communication system of a city, which was designed taking into account local heritage and human values, transformed into a modern representative visual identity: (D&AD Awards Winners, 2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price (cost)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another concept, in the promotion of the ICH, concerns the costs of its promotion. For example, the purchase of time and space in traditional and social media are decisive for the choice of media to be used to promote the ICH. For example, the cost of printing 100 posters for an event related to the promotion of the ICH. A village with 500 citizens would need ten posters of size 50X70cm, while outdoor advertisements at bus stops would be used for a city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to knowing the 4 Ps, the 5th P is also linked to marketing and is related to the \u201cpeople\u201d factor. The information provided is critical and may affect the overall result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must take into account that although there are many locations, rituals and events related to the ICH, the information may be asymmetric. This means that there may be a disconnect between the message creator and the consumer. The added value of the promotional effort may not be provided if there is no clearly defined information about the ICH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the actors involved in the promotion of ICH must choose the appropriate technology for each location, museum and collection, rituals and beliefs, events and cultural practices. Not all cases are promoted in the same way. For example, an open-air museum requires a different approach than that of a small museum. Another example may be the use of an audio guide somewhere that does not fit with the heritage of the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to focus on marketing with the values of ICH in mind. It is suggested to plan to raise financial funds to promote ICH through sponsorships. Sponsors can participate by displaying their distinctive logos in promotional activities. Sales promotion can also be used, such as loyalty cards (loyalty subscriptions), e.g. those who visit an area can collect points and contribute to sustainability and environmental protection, or the creation of applications where participants in an APC event can recycle their empty bottles in an environmentally friendly manner. Experiential marketing can also be implemented in the promotion of ICH (e.g. gastronomic events related to ICH). Similar actions can be announced through a Press Release and a business analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats -SWOT) can be created assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flamenco (Spain):<\/strong>\u00a0Marketed through performances in tablaos, festivals, and international tours. Product = dance\/song, Place = performance spaces, Promotion = media campaigns, Price = tickets, People = dancers and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kihnu Cultural Space (Estonia):<\/strong>\u00a0Heritage practices marketed through eco-tourism and cultural tours, integrating local communities as both hosts and beneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romanian Pottery Workshops (\u0218i\u0219e\u0219ti):<\/strong>\u00a0Marketed as authentic craft experiences, with emphasis on direct interaction with artisans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Application<\/strong>
Task:<\/strong>\u00a0Select one intangible cultural heritage element from your country (e.g., a ritual, a traditional music form, or a craft). Apply the\u00a0above classification to describe:
What is the \u201cproduct\u201d?
Where is the \u201cplace\u201d (physical\/virtual)?
How is it promoted?
What is the price, both economic and cultural?
Who are the people involved (practitioners, audiences, stakeholders)?

Reflection questions<\/strong>
Can heritage be \u201cmarketed\u201d without losing authenticity?
Which of the 5 Ps is most difficult to balance in the context of ICH? Why?
How does thinking of people as part of the marketing mix change the approach to heritage promotion?
Should all ICH elements be promoted, or are some best left outside commercial circuits?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VIDEOS- embedded : <\/strong>Chapter7<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n