Integrating artificial intelligence across the marketing process framework: an empirical study in an emerging economy

Abstract

Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the global business landscape by transforming how organisations approach marketing. Despite its growing adoption, research on AI in marketing remains limited in emerging economies like South Africa, where contextual challenges and opportunities are underexplored. This study explores the adoption and application of AI within a structured marketing process framework (Situational Analysis, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, and Control) in South Africa's e-commerce sector. It examines how digital marketing professionals integrate AI tools to enhance marketing effectiveness and organisational performance. Methods A quantitative research approach was employed, utilising data from 415 digital marketing professionals. Results The results indicate widespread AI adoption in the tactical and action-oriented stages of the marketing framework, particularly in content personalisation, digital advertising, and customer support. However, strategic and control-oriented applications like predictive analytics and voice search exhibit lower adoption rates due to technical constraints. Discussion The study outlines a theoretical contribution to marketing communication theory by demonstrating how AI enables precise sender-receiver matching and dynamic feedback loops. It concludes with implications for South African practitioners and policymakers, emphasising the need for robust data governance and infrastructure development.