The myth of big data: Chinese advertising practitioners’ perspective

ABSTRACT

A qualitative study was conducted to explore Chinese advertising practitioners’ perceptions and interpretations of big data in the Chinese market. Twenty-two in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the data. Four overarching themes emerged regarding the interviewees’ perception of the Chinese advertising market, the definition of big data, the application of big data and the future development of big data. Based on the themes, a theoretical framework was developed to demonstrate big data's application and development in the Chinese market. Theoretical and practical implications were offered.

KEYWORDS:

• Big data
• advertising practitioners
• qualitative research
• China
• Chinese advertising industry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Huan Chen

Huan Chen (Ph.D., University of Tennessee) is an assistant professor of advertising in the School of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. Her research interests include new media and advertising, product placement, and international and cross-cultural advertising. Her research papers have appeared in Journal of Advertising, Journal of Interactive Advertising, Journal of Promotion and Management, among others. She also published three book chapters and a book.

Liling Zhou

Liling Zhou (Ph.D., Wuhan University) is an associate professor of advertising in the School of Journalism & Communication at Wuhan University, P.R. China. Her research interests include Internet advertising, advertising production and media effects. She published two books on the topics of new media marketing and mass media separately. She also published research papers in Journalism & Communication, Journalism Bimonthly, Journal of International Communication, among others.