Volume 27 Issue 4 Article 5 December 2025 Digital Marketing Strategies to Meet Digital Consumers’ Behavior Digital Marketing Strategies to Meet Digital Consumers’ Behavior in the New Era: Challenges, Path, and Interventions to Navigate in the New Era: Challenges, Path, and Interventions to Navigate the Technological and Social Turbulence the Technological and Social Turbulence Dario Natale Palmucci University of Turin, Department of Management “Valter Cantino”, Italy, darionatale.palmucci@unito.it Christian Di Prima University of Turin, Department of Management “Valter Cantino”, Italy Vittoria Magrelli G. D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy Follow this and additional works at: https://www.ebrjournal.net/home Part of the Marketing Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Palmucci, D. N., Di Prima, C., & Magrelli, V. (2025). Digital Marketing Strategies to Meet Digital Consumers’ Behavior in the New Era: Challenges, Path, and Interventions to Navigate the Technological and Social Turbulence. Economic and Business Review, 27(4), 250-262. https://doi.org/10.15458/2335-4216.1364 This Original Article is brought to you for free and open access by Economic and Business Review. It has been accepted for inclusion in Economic and Business Review by an authorized editor of Economic and Business Review. ORIGINAL ARTICLE Digital Marketing Strategies to Meet Digital Consumers’ Behavior in the New Era: Challenges, Path, and Interventions to Navigate the Technological and Social T urbulence DarioNatalePalmucci a, * ,ChristianDiPrima a ,VittoriaMagrelli b a University of Turin, Department of Management “Valter Cantino”, Italy b G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy Abstract This paper examines how digital marketing is being reshaped by ve interrelated tensions: balancing data privacy and personalization; navigating global–local dynamics (including cultural sensitivities and country-of-origin effects); integrating articial intelligence without losing human connection; ensuring authentic communication to mitigate reputational risks linked to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and ethical storytelling; and responding to shifting consumer preferences, particularly among younger generations. We combine a targeted literature review with semistructured interviews of marketing professionals across industries and seniority levels. Findings portray marketers as “tightrope walkers” who negotiate paradoxes that redene the function. We propose an integrated framework that synthesizes previously fragmented strands into a coherent structure and reconceptualizes these tensions as structuring logics rather than contextual challenges. We also identify the governance conditions that make them workable in practice—trust-based data ecosystems, context-conditioned glocal capabilities, human-in-the-loop AI, and evidence- bearing ESG communication. Managerially, the framework offers a roadmap to balance agility with coherence, data with empathy, and innovation with trust. Limitations stem from the qualitative, practitioner-focused design; future research should incorporate consumer data, quantitative tests, and cross-industry comparisons to assess boundary conditions and generalizability. Keywords: Digital marketing, Digital consumers’ behavior JEL classication: M31 1 Introduction D igital acceleration, platform proliferation, and advances in articial intelligence are reshap- ing how rms communicate, create value, and build relationships with consumers (Peter & Dalla Vec- chia, 2020; Verma et al., 2021; Wessel et al., 2025). These forces interact with broader socio-political and cultural shifts—geopolitical tensions, supply- chain disruptions, environmental emergencies—that amplify uncertainty and elevate marketing’s strate- gic role (Zhabin et al., 2016). In everyday practice, marketers operate under competing pressures that cut across technology, culture, and ethics, making the navigation of paradoxes a central professional task (Kumar et al., 2025). A substantial body of research has illuminated indi- vidual facets of this transformation, including person- alization (Han et al., 2023; Teepapal, 2025), “glocal” branding (de Mooij, 2019), consumer responses in digital settings (Hardcastle et al., 2025; Ozuem et al., 2021; Sahut & Laroche, 2025), and emergent tech- nologies (Buhalis et al., 2023). Yet these contributions Received 21 May 2025; accepted 14 October 2025. Available online 1 December 2025 * Corresponding author. E-mail address: darionatale.palmucci@unito.it (D. N. Palmucci). https://doi.org/10.15458/2335-4216.1364 2335-4216/© 2025 School of Economics and Business University of Ljubljana. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/). ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 251 have largely advanced in parallel, yielding concep- tual fragmentation that obscures how such forces jointly shape marketing work. Practitioners, by con- trast, experience these pressures simultaneously: they must reconcile the demand for tailored experiences with heightened expectations of privacy and con- sent (Saura, 2024; Strycharz & Segijn, 2022); maintain global brand coherence while adapting to cultural sensitivities, polarized “culture war,” and country- of-origin effects (de Mooij, 2019; Reyes-Mercado & Panarina, 2024); integrate AI at scale without erod- ing human connection and strategic oversight (Pagani & Wind, 2025; Van Esch & Black, 2021); commu- nicate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and ethical commitments authentically to avoid rep- utational risks such as greenwashing (de Freitas Netto et al., 2020; Persakis et al., 2025); and respond to shifting preferences—especially among younger cohorts—who prioritize immediacy, cocreation, and purpose (Cagala & Babˇ canová, 2024; Djafarova & Foots, 2022; Priporas et al., 2017). While prior work engages each area, it seldom examines how profes- sionals navigate these tensions jointly, nor how such navigation informs marketing theory. Current conceptual frameworks lag behind the lived experience of professionals who continuously negotiate these constitutive tensions. The literature offers few practice-informed syntheses that connect rst-order challenges to higher-order themes and ag- gregate dimensions in ways that both explain present dynamics and guide capability building (Rego et al., 2022; Ryan, 2016). Addressing this gap requires plac- ing practitioner insight in dialogue with fragmented streams to develop a coherent, theoretically meaning- ful account. To align inquiry with the tensions articulated above, we ask: How do marketing professionals interpret and navigate the constitutive tensions that struc- ture contemporary digital marketing practice? We operationalize this overarching question across the following domains: balancing data privacy and per- sonalization; managing global consistency and local relevance in culturally polarized environments and in light of country-of-origin effects; integrating AI while preserving human connection and strategic oversight; ensuring authenticity in ESG and ethi- cal storytelling to mitigate reputational risk; and responding to shifting consumer preferences, partic- ularly among younger generations. The study shows that the ve tensions func- tion as structuring logics—not episodic challenges— governing contemporary marketing practice and identies the governance conditions through which practitioners make them workable in situ. This nd- ing advances theory in three ways: it integrates previously fragmented literatures into a coherent structure; it reconceptualizes the above tensions as structuring logics rather than contextual challenges, thereby extending views of marketing as a boundary- spanning function exposed to competing institutional pressures (Hunt & Madhavaram, 2020); and it gen- erates avenues for future research on trust-based data ecosystems, geopolitical and cultural condition- ing of glocal strategies, and governance of AI that safeguards relational quality (Jaakkola, 2020; Rego et al., 2022). In practical terms, the framework offers a roadmap for developing future-ready capabilities that balance agility with coherence, data with empa- thy, and innovation with trust. The remainder of the paper reviews the literature and qualitative design, presents the ndings and framework, and discusses theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and future research directions. 2 Digital marketing and consumers’ behavior: overview and emerging tensions Scholarly interest in digital and social media marketing—and in consumer behavior—has a long lineage (Stephen, 2016). Digital marketing concerns the use of technology to support marketing activi- ties and better meet customer needs (Bala & Verma, 2018). Over the past two decades it has moved from augmenting traditional techniques to reshaping how rms communicate, engage, and create value (Chaf- fey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). Consumer behavior classically examines how individuals search for, eval- uate, purchase, and experience products and services (Gajjar, 2013; Peter & Olson, 2010). The postpandemic acceleration of digital adoption has recongured both domains, exposing new vulnerabilities and expecta- tions in consumer–brand relations (Agus et al., 2021; Verma et al., 2021) and foregrounding what recent work terms digital consumer behavior—behavior un- folding on digital platforms (Efendio˘ glu, 2024; Jílková & Králová, 2021). These are mutually shaping developments: ad- vances in digital marketing alter how consumers interact with platforms (Rachmad, 2024), while evolving expectations compel marketers to adapt continuously to remain relevant (Bala & Verma, 2018; Kingsnorth, 2022). Expectations among younger cohorts—salience of transparency, personalization, and purpose—have become particularly consequen- tial (Cagala & Babˇ canová, 2024; Djafarova & Foots, 2022; Priporas et al., 2017). As a result, digital mar- keting is no longer a static toolkit but a dynamic ecosystem in which technological, cultural, and ethi- cal forces coevolve (Peter & Dalla Vecchia, 2020; Ryan, 2016). 252 ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 Building on prior work across personaliza- tion/privacy, global–local branding, AI-enabled marketing, authenticity/ESG communication, and generational change, a convergent pattern emerges: Contemporary marketing is shaped by a small set of recurrent contradictions that cut across these streams. Rather than treating them as separate topics, the literature points to interdependent pressures that coevolve in practice. In our synthesis, these pressures resolve into ve tensions that repeatedly surface across studies and contexts—data privacy and personalization; global coherence and local resonance; AI-driven scale and human connection; shifting consumer preferences; and authenticity versus reputational risk. We treat these not as a taxonomy, but as interlocking forces that together organize how marketing work is currently performed and theorized. Balancing data privacy and personalization. Person- alization enhances relevance yet intensies con- cerns about data collection and use, producing the well-known privacy paradox (Saura, 2024; Strycharz & Segijn, 2022). Recent work shows that the vi- ability of personalization depends on trust-based data ecosystems—transparency, consent, and ethical governance—rather than on campaign-level tweaks (Han et al., 2023; Rahman et al., 2024). This reframes the issue from a tactical trade-off to a system-level governance requirement. Global–local (glocalization). Classic branding schol- arship emphasizes balancing global coherence and local resonance (de Mooij, 2019; Svensson, 2001). Today this balance is negotiated amid cultural polar- ization and renewed country-of-origin salience, with boycotts and geopolitical tensions acting as asym- metric contingencies that can invert the returns to standardization (Hashmi et al., 2025; Reyes-Mercado & Panarina, 2024). Glocalization thus operates as a context-conditioned capability, requiring situated cul- tural intelligence and adaptive playbooks. Integrating AI without losing human connection. Re- search documents AI’s gains in efciency and scale across analytics, targeting, and content (Buhalis et al., 2023), but also warns of relational erosion ab- sent strategic oversight (Van Esch & Black, 2021). This implies treating relational quality—perceived empathy, trust, recovery capability—as a coequal per- formance dimension and embedding human-in-the- loop and task boundaries within dynamic marketing capabilities. Shifting consumer preferences. Preferences among younger cohorts tighten the other four tensions by raising thresholds for privacy, speed, participation, and ethics (Cagala & Babˇ canová, 2024; Djafarova & Foots, 2022; Priporas et al., 2017). In algorithmically curated environments, classic behavioral categories— habitual, impulsive, complex, variety-seeking (Kaas, 1982; Kahn, 1995)—play out on compressed, multi- touchpoint journeys, which calls for multilayered segmentations that combine digital literacy and value orientations. Authenticity vs reputational risk (ESG/ethical storytelling). Under hyper-transparency, symbolic claims lacking veriable action expose brands to greenwashing/purpose-washing and reputational hazards (de Freitas Netto et al., 2020; Pagano et al., 2018). This shifts attention from message creativity to evidence-bearing communication: narratives anchored in traceable metrics, third-party attestations, and proof of impact, rendering authenticity a credibility constraint. Despite robust contributions on each stream (pri- vacy/personalization; glocal branding; AI-enabled marketing; authenticity/ESG; generational prefer- ences), the state of knowledge remains fragmented. Many studies treat tensions in isolation, privilege technology or consumer responses, and say less about how practitioners jointly navigate these contradic- tions in everyday decisions (Buhalis et al., 2023; de Mooij, 2019; Han et al., 2023; Ozuem et al., 2021). What is missing is an integrative, practice-informed synthe- sis that (a) connects rst-order challenges reported by professionals to second-order themes and aggregate dimensions; (b) species governance conditions (e.g., trust-based data practices; human-in-the-loop AI) un- der which strategies remain viable; and (c) theorizes these tensions as structuring logics rather than con- tingent anomalies, thereby advancing theory beyond description and dialoguing with views of marketing as a boundary-spanning function exposed to compet- ing institutional logics (Hunt & Madhavaram, 2020; Jaakkola, 2020; Rego et al., 2022). As a result, the gap we address is twofold: (a) the absence of a coherent framework integrating the ve tensions into a single explanatory struc- ture; and (b) the scarcity of empirically grounded insight into how marketing professionals interpret and manage these converging pressures jointly in real contexts. To address this gap, we conducted a qual- itative study (in particular in-depth interviews with experienced marketing professionals). Our aim was to identify the key tensions that contemporary mar- keting professionals face and the strategies they use to navigate them, and to leverage these insights to de- velop a practice-informed integrated framework that advances understanding of the evolving dynamics of digital marketing and digital consumer behavior. ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 253 Table 1. Sample characteristics. N° Age Gender Managerial seniority Industry Company size 1 37 Female Middle level manager Information technology Large 2 55 Male Senior manager Food sector Large 3 51 Female Senior manager Food sector Medium 4 28 Female Junior manager Food sector Large 5 37 Female Middle level manager Banking Medium 6 35 Male Junior manager Services Medium 7 46 Male Senior manager Food sector Medium 8 38 Male Middle level manager Services Medium 9 27 Male Junior manager Information technology Large 10 38 Male Middle level manager Services Large 11 33 Male Middle level manager Services Medium 12 53 Female Senior manager Food sector Small 13 51 Male Senior manager Information technology Small 14 40 Male Middle level manager Food sector Large 15 57 Male Senior manager Information technology Small 16 42 Female Senior manager Banking Small 17 29 Female Junior manager Banking Large 3 Methodology 3.1 Sample and data gathering This study adopts a qualitative, exploratory ap- proach aimed at understanding the evolving chal- lenges in digital marketing and the strategies market- ing managers need to implement in order to address them. To integrate practical insights with the con- ceptual ndings, the study employed semi-structured interviews based on the literature analyzed in the pre- vious chapter, which helped to dene the interview questions. Combining literature review with qual- itative interviews has proven effective in previous research, and this dual approach enables scholars to build stronger connections with participants and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem (Palmucci et al., 2025). In other words, the in- tegration of conceptual and empirical knowledge not only enriches theoretical analysis but also increases the practical utility of the research outcomes. Con- sequently, the interview protocol consisted of three different sections: (a) exploration of recent changes in digital marketing and digital consumers’ behavior observed by the respondent; (b) discussion of real-life challenges and strategic dilemmas faced in prac- tice; (c) reections on actionable recommendations and competencies needed for future-ready marketing professionals. With regard to the sample, we decided to conduct interviews with domain experts (Bogner et al., 2009). This format was chosen for its exibility and ability to elicit in-depth responses while maintaining com- parability across participants (Flick, 2018; Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009). Also, the expert interview method was specically chosen because it recognizes experts not merely as informants, but as holders of “systemic and process knowledge” relevant to a dened eld (Bogner et al., 2009). This type of interview is particu- larly effective in exploratory research when the aim is to gain early insights into complex, underresearched, or dynamic phenomena (Bogner & Menz, 2009). Consequently, interviewees were considered as both knowledge agents and organizational interpreters, of- fering contextualized interpretations of trends and tensions that cannot be fully captured through docu- ment analysis alone. Their perspectives acted as what Bogner et al. (2009) call “crystallization points” of tacit and experience-based expertise—especially valuable in fast-evolving elds such as digital marketing. Thus, seventeen marketing professionals were re- cruited using purposive sampling (Patton, 2015), based on their direct involvement in digital marketing roles across a spectrum of industries. The sample (for more details see Table 1) was constructed to max- imize diversity along the dimensions of age (with an average age of 41 years), gender (10 males and 7 females), managerial seniority (7 senior managers, 6 middle level managers, and 4 junior managers), industry (including banking, food sector, tech, and services), and company size (7 large, 6 medium, and 4 small enterprises 1 ), a strategy consistent with recommendations on achieving data richness and analytic transferability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Inter- viewees were contacted individually and informed about the study’s exploratory aim focused on new understandings in digital marketing. Each interview 1 We followed the EU SME denition. The category of micro, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million. 254 ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 Fig. 1. From interview insights to the integrated framework. lasted between 25 and 30 minutes and was conducted online or via phone. 3.2 Data analysis To systematize the conceptual contribution of the study, a theory synthesis approach was adopted (Jaakkola, 2020). This method, particularly suitable for conceptual research, involves the integrative com- bination of concepts, models, and frameworks drawn from multiple theoretical traditions to develop new explanatory or prescriptive insights. Rather than test- ing hypotheses, theory synthesis aims to build an interpretive structure capable of capturing the com- plexity and multilevel dynamics of the phenomenon under study. The synthesis was guided by a struc- tured process of abstraction and recombination, as outlined by Jaakkola, and involved iterative cycles of matching theoretical constructs from the litera- ture with insights derived from the expert interviews. Therefore, practically, data were analyzed following procedures consistent with prior qualitative research, with a focus on the most recurrent responses, sum- marizing key content and organizing it into visual formats such as charts (e.g., Palmucci, 2024). This approach facilitated comparison across responses, al- lowing us to identify both similarities and differences, which were crucial in developing the framework proposed. This method aligns with established qual- itative practices involving transcription, preliminary coding, theme identication, and validation of nd- ings (Kokshagina & Schneider, 2023). In other words, this process allowed for the generation of an inte- grated framework connecting microlevel managerial actions with macrolevel strategic tensions such as the personalization–privacy tradeoff and the global– local branding dilemma. Throughout the entire re- search process, methodological rigor was ensured by adhering to best practices in qualitative inquiry. In line with the recommendations of previous studies (Santoro et al., 2019; Saunders & Townsend, 2016), the study clearly justies its sampling logic, inter- view design, and analytic integration. Transparency in reporting, theoretical alignment, and triangulation between literature and empirical insights contribute to the study’s overall credibility. While the ndings are not statistically generalizable, they offer conceptu- ally rich and contextually grounded insights of high relevance to both scholars and practitioners operating at the intersection of digital marketing and digital consumers’ behavior. To clarify the conceptual design and strengthen transparency, Fig. 1 illustrates the logical chain fol- lowed in this study. The gure shows how rst-order insights derived from the interviews were coded into broader themes, and how these themes were subse- quently integrated with literature insights to develop the nal framework. This visualization provides a step-by-step representation of the process through which the conceptual contribution was built, linking empirical evidence and theoretical synthesis. 4 Findings and discussion: recent evolutions and challenges relating to digital marketing and consumer behavior 4.1 Personalization versus privacy: navigating the trust dilemma In today’s context, digital marketing is at the center of a deep and ongoing revolution. Marketing profes- sionals no longer deal solely with challenges related to positioning or branding but are immersed in a dig- ital transformation that is radically reshaping how communication, value creation, and relationships with consumers take place. The so-called post-Covid ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 255 era has exponentially accelerated the adoption of ad- vanced technologies—from articial intelligence to immersive digital platforms—, making it essential for digital marketers to master constantly evolving tools and strategies (Agus et al., 2021). In particular, in alignment with the literature re- view presented at the beginning of this work, the qualitative analysis also revealed that the main chal- lenges of contemporary digital marketing include the delicate balance between personalization and pri- vacy (Han et al., 2023). “Personalization works only when the value exchange is explicit. After we moved to consented, zero-party data, opt-in rates rose, and complaints dropped,” said an interviewed middle level manager working for a large information tech- nology company. Digital users expect tailored experiences— dynamic content, customized offers, personalized interactions—but at the same time demand trans- parency and control over their data. In accordance with this, the same middle manager revealed: The typical user doesn’t want to spend time brows- ing content they have no interest in, yet at the same time, they’re instinctively uncomfortable with sharing information about the content they actually care about. In other words, there’s an instinctive lack of trust toward anyone asking them to accept cookies. And in a way, they’re right—given how invasive some marketing practices have become, es- pecially the more aggressive approaches of certain companies. On the other hand, this makes it incred- ibly difcult for us to deliver relevant, meaningful content. From these words, it is clear that digital marketers must build ecosystems that deliver relevant experi- ences without sacricing trust, navigating regulations and ethical data collection practices (cookies, track- ing, informed consent). 4.2 Global messaging versus local relevance: the glocalization challenge Our study also conrms that marketing managers increasingly struggle to maintain the right balance between messages that can be communicated globally and those that must be tailored for local markets— what we have previously referred to as the “glocaliza- tion challenge.” On this topic one interviewed middle level manager employed at a large international services company explained: “Some advertising mes- sages are relevant on a global scale but have little to no impact on consumers at the local level. At times it feels like we are advertising two completely different products.” The same interviewee also added: In certain cases the risk is not limited to being ineffective, but also getting it wrong and making huge mistakes. Imagine having to deliver inclu- sive messages (e.g. diversity & inclusion)—which are becoming increasingly important for younger audiences—in some markets, while in others you need to approach the same topics with much more caution due to current restrictive policies on these topics. You constantly run the risk of getting it wrong, and our job becomes a constant process of adjustment. Striking the right balance between globalization and localization of messaging thus emerges in our research as one of the most pressing challenges faced by marketing managers today, particularly in large and international contexts, as an interviewed senior manager working for a small bank explained: “We keep a global narrative, but claims, tone, and visuals change by country. The ‘one-size-ts-all’ version un- derperforms and sometimes backres.” 4.3 AI integration without losing the human touch Another strategic front that emerges from our study is the need to efciently integrate AI without losing human connection. With regard to the integration of AI into digital ows (from automated content genera- tion to customer journey optimization and predictive behavior analysis), it is important to be aware of the fact that the risk of dehumanization is real. A senior manager working for a small bank said: On one hand, compared to when I was a junior, technology is a great enabler, but on the other hand it can now also more easily damage the trust-based relationship with clients. If customers perceive a complete replacement of the human element—for example, campaigns created entirely by articial intelligence or communication fully mediated by chatbots—they lose trust in the brand, and winning it back becomes extremely difcult. For this reason, marketing managers must be aware that articial intelligence cannot replace creative thinking or emotional connection with users; instead, it must become a strategic lever that enhances the human ability to create authentic connections in dig- ital environments. Regarding what digital strategies to implement instead, choosing and managing digital channels is another critical challenge. One junior manager interviewed, working for a large company in the food sector, in fact claimed: It is not just about “being present” on the right platforms, but about knowing how to adapt each piece of content to the specic language and con- text of each touchpoint. The evolution is less about 256 ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 the novelty of channels and more about their multiplication and the rapid obsolescence of tech- nical skills. TikTok, Instagram Reels, podcasts, the metaverse—each digital environment imposes new rules, requiring agility and constant updates. To- day’s digital marketer is therefore called upon to combine analytical skills with human sensitivity to build data-driven digital strategies that deliver real impact. This is to say that, just as digital marketing tech- niques are rapidly evolving, consumers’ behaviors are quickly evolving too. This is in alignment with other evidence conrming how nowadays consumers are increasingly informed, attentive, and sensitive to issues such as sustainability, ethics, and transparency (Carrigan & Attalla, 2001), no longer passive recip- ients of advertising messages but, on the contrary, active, critical, and well-informed individuals, em- powered by a growing volume of data and content that makes them more demanding and aware. For this reason, brands (and consequently academic re- search in this area) are focusing more and more on these evolving purchasing behaviors and preferences of new generations of consumers. It is becoming in- creasingly important to pay attention not only to the functional value of a product or service, but also to corporate ethics, operational transparency, and com- mitment to environmental and social sustainability (Djafarova & Foots, 2022). This shift is largely driven by constant exposure to social platforms and online resources where information is shared; this is why integrating AI without losing human connection rep- resents an important challenge. 4.4 New generations, new preferences: the role of demographics in shaping marketing strategy The last challenge that emerged from our study refers to the difcult (but at the same time crucial and vital) need to respond to shifting consumer prefer- ences, and this particularly refers to the trends among younger generations. These include practices such as recycling, sustainable food choices, and reducing clothing consumption, but also, as reported by one senior manager interviewed, working for a small in- formation technology enterprise, “to their growing preference for online shopping as never seen in any other generation before.” This trend (conrmed by recent studies—Sudirjo et al., 2023) cannot be ignored by brands, and schol- ars’ attention is increasingly focusing on these new consumers’ buying preferences and expectations to- ward companies. For example, according to Djafarova and Foots (2022), younger consumers are aware of ethical issues in society and are doing all that they can—within the limits of their life stage and pur- chasing power, of course—to have a positive impact. This means that it is no longer the time for pas- sive and anonymous marketing campaigns, as new generations place high value on personalized shop- ping experiences, without sacricing control over their personal data as already mentioned before and highlighted in additional studies. Other important generational differences concern preferences for cer- tain forms of communication (Cagala & Babˇ canová, 2024). According to recent studies, baby boomers pre- fer traditional communication (promotions, phone calls, direct contact) and prioritize price and personal trust. Generation X combines traditional and modern tools, maintaining the importance of human contact while being open to online platforms, having grown up during the transition from analog to digital. This trend becomes even more pronounced with Millen- nials (Generation Y), who grew up with the internet and rely less on traditional media, placing more trust in online reviews and social media. It is even more urgent for Generation Z—the most digitally native generation—who seek instant information and rely heavily on peer reviews and online feedback. This was also conrmed in one of the interviews we per- formed, when a junior marketing manager working for a medium-sized services company stated: “You can sell whatever you want today; however, the only important thing you need to do in order to do so is to build a review system that is efcient both quantita- tively and qualitatively.” 4.5 Transparency and authenticity: the ethics of digital communication Equally urgent is the issue of authentic commu- nication, especially in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (United Na- tions, n.d.) and ESG strategies (Pagano et al., 2018). In fact, in the digital ecosystem, the risk of deceptive marketing practices—such as greenwashing, where a company falsely presents its products, services, or practices as more environmentally friendly than they are—is amplied by the speed and virality of infor- mation (de Freitas Netto et al., 2020). In other words, digital users are no longer satised with declarations of intent: they demand tangible evidence, credible storytelling, and veriable data. On this topic, an interviewee, a senior manager working for a large company in the food sector, stated: Today it’s no longer enough for a company to claim sustainability—digital users want to see the data, understand the real impact, often through transparent reporting or authentic stories from the eld, and in some cases you only gain ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 257 Fig. 2. New marketing challenges. credibility after documenting your entire produc- tion chain with veriable evidence (consumers also want video: : :)—that’s when trust is truly established. Therefore, digital marketing must become a vehicle of transparency, building content that truly reects the brand’s identity and values, as one of our intervie- wees, a middle manager working for a large company in the food sector, explained: “We don’t publish ESG slogans unless we can show the metric, the audit, and the footprint story—otherwise we risk credibility overnight.” 4.6 Concluding remarks: reframing marketing practice in a changing world Across themes, managers describe a continuous balancing act among the tensions. As one interviewee put it: We design communication campaigns across multiple countries, and this means taking into account, at the same time, the market shift in the U.S., where diversity and inclusion programs are being scaled back, and the European context, where issues like social inclusion, respect for diversity, and inclusive societies are still very much a priority. We really have to act like tightrope walkers, constantly trying not to fall. This characterization substantiates the “tightrope” metaphor, capturing the ongoing calibration be- tween nonnegotiables (privacy/brand integrity) and bounded local exibility. In conclusion, in a global context marked by con- stant change, economic instability, cultural polariza- tion, and new demands from consumers, marketing plays an increasingly crucial role. It is essential for professionals in the eld to adopt a exible and dynamic approach, capable of rethinking strategies, tools, and language in order to maintain commu- nication relevance, build meaningful relationships with audiences, and even develop and validate new product concepts aligned with contemporary values (Hoffman et al., 2010). Fig. 2 offers a visual overview of the key challenges that brands are currently nav- igating (in line with our research question) and that emerged from a combination of literature analysis and expert interviews we conducted in this study. 5 Contributions, implications and limitations 5.1 Theoretical implications This study makes ve main theoretical contribu- tions that advance research on digital marketing in 258 ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 ways that go beyond descriptive mapping. First, it ad- dresses the fragmentation that has long characterized the literature. Existing studies have often examined phenomena such as personalization (Han et al., 2023), glocal branding (de Mooij, 2019), or digital consumer behavior (Jílková & Králová, 2021) in isolation, while more recent work has predominantly focused ei- ther on technological infrastructures (Buhalis et al., 2023) or on consumer responses (Ozuem et al., 2021). This fragmentation has limited the development of integrative perspectives capable of capturing the mul- tidimensional complexity of the digital marketing eld. By synthesizing these strands into a coher- ent conceptual framework, our study contributes to overcoming this gap and provides a more holistic understanding of how different pressures interact in practice. In doing so, we respond to recent calls for frameworks that bridge disconnected areas of research and offer an integrated lens for studying marketing in times of turbulence (Rego et al., 2022). Second, the paper reconceptualizes emerging ten- sions not as temporary or contingent challenges but as structuring logics that fundamentally shape the way marketing is practiced and theorized. Specically, we highlight ve tensions—balancing data privacy and personalization; global–local (glocalization); integrat- ing AI without losing human connection; shifting consumer preferences; and authenticity vs. reputa- tional risk (ESG/ethical storytelling)—that marketing professionals must continuously navigate. By posi- tioning these oppositions as constitutive forces rather than contextual difculties, the framework shows that the very identity of marketing is being rede- ned through the management of these paradoxes. This perspective aligns with, but also extends, re- cent theoretical efforts to conceptualize marketing as a boundary-spanning function exposed to competing institutional logics (Hunt & Madhavaram, 2020). Our contribution lies in articulating how such tensions operate as organizing principles, thereby offering a novel theoretical lens for understanding the evolution of marketing practice in an increasingly complex and hybrid environment. Third, the framework is generative in pointing to- ward underexplored avenues for future research. For instance, the personalization–privacy paradox invites deeper inquiry into the design of trust-based ecosys- tems that reconcile consumer empowerment with data-driven strategies (Strycharz & Segijn, 2022). Sim- ilarly, the globalization–localization dilemma opens the way for research on how geopolitical and cul- tural contexts condition glocal branding strategies in times of political polarization and deglobalization pressures (Reyes-Mercado & Panarina, 2024). Fourth, the paradoxical role of AI suggests an agenda for examining how technology simultane- ously enhances efciency and risks dehumanizing consumer relationships (Van Esch & Black, 2021) and how marketing professionals can balance ar- ticial intelligence with emotional intelligence in practice. By articulating these directions, the frame- work contributes to the conceptual synthesis tra- dition (Jaakkola, 2020), not only by integrating di- verse literatures but also by generating new path- ways for theorizing digital marketing in turbulent contexts. Fifth, we specify how shifting consumer preferences—particularly among younger cohorts— tighten the other tensions by raising thresholds for privacy, authenticity, speed, and participation. Prior work documents Gen-Z expectations for immediacy, cocreation, and ethical alignment (Cagala & Babˇ canová, 2024; Djafarova & Foots, 2022; Priporas et al., 2017). Our framework extends these insights by linking cohort shifts to organizational design choices (e.g., consent-rst data architectures, evidence- bearing ESG communication, and human-in-the-loop AI), thus theorizing preference change as a force that structurally recalibrates the feasible set of marketing strategies rather than a transient demand shock. Taken together, these contributions advance the- oretical debate by providing a more integrative, reexive, and generative perspective on digital mar- keting. Rather than portraying marketing challenges as external pressures to be managed, our study con- ceptualizes them as fundamental structuring forces that shape both professional practice and scholarly theorization. In this sense, the framework contributes to a practice-informed theorization of digital mar- keting and lays the groundwork for future studies that further connect empirical insights and concep- tual synthesis. 5.2 Managerial implications and recommendations for marketing managers In today’s uid, uncertain, and highly competitive environment, the role of the marketing manager has evolved from campaign planner to what one intervie- wee described as a “tightrope walker.” This metaphor encapsulates the growing demand for strategic clar- ity, mental agility, and the ability to manage com- peting pressures—technological, cultural, ethical, and emotional—while maintaining coherence across plat- forms and audiences. The ndings of this study point to ve major tensions that marketing profes- sionals must confront: balancing data privacy and personalization; global–local (glocalization); integrat- ing AI without losing human connection; shifting consumer preferences; and authenticity vs. reputa- tional risk (ESG/ethical storytelling). These tensions are not isolated—rather, they intersect and reinforce ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 259 one another, demanding multidimensional responses and governance choices. For privacy–personalization, our recommendation is to implement trust-by-design (clear value ex- change, consent logs, zero/rst-party data programs) so that personalization is contingent on recipro- cal control, not merely compliance. For global– local, treat glocalization as a context-conditioned capability: build lightweight playbooks that vary tone, symbolism, and claims by cultural polariza- tion and COO sensitivity, with explicit “red lines” for high-risk contexts. For AI–human connection, adopt human-in-the-loop policies: dene tasks for automa- tion vs. human touch, and monitor relational KPIs (e.g., complaint recovery quality, perceived empa- thy) alongside efciency. For authenticity–reputation, require evidence-bearing communication (traceable impact metrics, third-party attestations) before ESG claims enter campaigns. For shifting preferences, redesign journeys to support cocreation (reviews, UGC, community pilots) and fast feedback loops that feed both personalization and product learning while ensuring authenticity to mitigate reputation risk. Thus, this study suggests that new digital con- sumers want relevance, but on their own terms. This dual demand challenges marketers to implement privacy-by-design strategies, where data-driven per- sonalization is balanced by consent, visibility, and reciprocity; it can be said that privacy and control over personal data have emerged as nonnegotiable expectations. Second, the rise of geopolitical ten- sions and deglobalization forces brands to rethink the globalization–localization balance. This requires developing glocal communication strategies that pre- serve brand identity while adapting tone, content, and cultural references to local markets. In line with the evidence reported in Section 4, managers consis- tently frame this as a deliberate balance across com- peting demands—a “tightrope” managed through clear nonnegotiables, bounded local exibility, and rapid feedback loops. Therefore, such strategies must be grounded in an organizational culture that encour- ages intercultural learning, contextual intelligence, and decentralized responsiveness, and this suggests that there are also important implications for the HR departments within these organizations. In fact, if this intercultural attitude is indeed a critical compe- tency, then recruitment processes must be designed to identify such skills from the outset. Furthermore, training initiatives should actively promote multi- cultural awareness and, where possible, incorporate mobility programs—especially in larger companies— to expose younger marketing professionals to cultural differences across countries. This would help them develop the cultural sensitivity required to manage brands with a truly glocal mindset. Third, as arti- cial intelligence (AI) becomes central to marketing operations, professionals must integrate digital tools in ways that enhance—rather than replace—human creativity. AI can support real-time decision making, customer segmentation, and predictive analytics, but it is the marketer’s ability to embed emotional narra- tive, empathy, and storytelling that turns automated interactions into lasting relationships. Navigating the expanding ecosystem of channels—from TikTok to the metaverse—requires not only technological u- ency but platform-sensitive content design. The core competence that could truly make the difference will be the ability to combine two types of intelligence: articial intelligence and emotional intelligence—a crucial combination for the new generations of mar- keting managers, and one that should increasingly be taken into account in brands’ future recruitment and training programs. Finally, the shifting consumer preferences and the growing demand for authentic- ity make it imperative for brands to adapt to new generations of consumers that, on the one hand, increasingly rely on online shopping and reliable review systems, and on the other hand, request align- ment between companies’ communication campaigns and demonstrable ESG practices. In an environment where greenwashing can rapidly erode credibility, marketing must shift from aspirational messaging to veriable action. Consumers now expect brands to embody their commitments, not merely declare them. Therefore, organizations will increasingly need to seek authenticity not only in their communication campaigns, but also in their recruitment processes— aiming to hire marketing professionals capable of designing such authentic campaigns. In other words, creating authentic communication requires individu- als who embody authenticity themselves. Table 2 summarizes the strategic responses iden- tied in this research (in line with our research question) to tackle the emerging challenges modern marketing managers are encountering, offering a syn- thesized roadmap for them operating in a context of accelerating complexity. 5.3 Limitations This work, like others, has some limitations. First, its qualitative methodology, while appropriate for capturing depth and context, does not provide sta- tistically generalizable results. The sample consists exclusively of marketing professionals, and as such reects the supply-side perspective of the marketing process. Although these expert voices offer valuable insight into organizational strategies and dilemmas, the absence of direct consumer perspectives limits the scope of interpretation, particularly concerning 260 ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS REVIEW 2025;27:250–262 Table 2. Practical implications and strategic approaches to address the emerging challenges of modern marketing. New challenges Practical implications and strategic approaches Balance between personalization and data privacy Be transparent and build trust Balance between globalization and localization of messages Develop so-called glocal messages Integrating AI without losing human connection Become technology-savvy while keeping emotional narrative Shifting consumer preferences Adapt to new consumers in terms of practices, online shopping and trust in review systems Authenticity vs. reputational risk Build documentable campaigns that reect the brand’s identity and values consumer-level responses to personalization, privacy, and brand ethics. Therefore, future research should adopt mixed-method designs to triangulate ndings with consumers’ data or perspectives, surveys or be- havioral experiments. Such approaches would not only validate the professional perceptions reported here but also reveal potential misalignments be- tween managerial intent and consumers’ experience. Additionally, comparative studies across several sec- tors could illuminate whether certain challenges are industry-specic or universal and help tailor strategic recommendations accordingly. 6 Conclusion This study contributes to the understanding of how digital marketing strategies and digital con- sumers’ behavior are evolving under the pressure of technological advancement and shifting social and consumers’ expectations. In particular it contributes to answering the research question: What are the new challenges for marketing practitioners in the actual turbu- lent reality and the strategic approaches to address these challenges of modern marketing? By integrating liter- ature analysis with expert interviews, it identies a set of key tensions that dene the contemporary marketing landscape and outlines strategic responses grounded in practice. The framework presented of- fers a visual and conceptual synthesis that can guide both academic inquiry and managerial action. At the center of this transformation stands the mod- ern marketing manager—not just as a planner of campaigns, but as a craftsman of balance, capa- ble of navigating between the poles of data and emotion, automation and authenticity, globalization and localization. This research shows that success lies not in choosing between these forces, but in learning to manage their interplay with intelligence and intentionality. In sum, the ndings highlight that modern marketing requires more than technical mastery; it demands a multidimensional approach rooted in cultural awareness, ethical responsibility, and emotional intelligence. Those professionals who develop this hybrid competence—anchored in both strategic clarity and human sensitivity—will be the ones best equipped to turn systemic turbulence into opportunity. In this sense, the role of the marketing manager becomes not only that of a communicator, but of a translator of complexity into relevance— transforming pressure points into levers for innova- tion, differentiation, and trust building in a rapidly changing world. Taken together, these ndings offer not only a descriptive framework of current digital marketing challenges but also a prescriptive orien- tation. By clarifying how experienced professionals balance seemingly opposing demands, this study pro- vides a roadmap for marketing managers seeking to navigate complexity through strategic agility, ethical commitment, and culturally attuned execution. Acknowledgements The work was supported by European Union- NextGenerationEU, Mission 4, Component 2, in the framework of the GRINS-Growing Resilient, INclu- sive and Sustainable project GRINS PE00000018-CUP D13C22002160001. Disclosures AI tools were occasionally used for language renement. References Agus, A. 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