The role of marketing innovations in the sustainable transformation of enterprises in the Industry 5.0 era

The concept of Industry 5.0, officially presented by the European Commission in 2021, emphasises the linkage of technological progress with human-centred and sustainable principles. Its technological foundations are clearly defined, as are the human, ethical and environmental dimensions. By contrast, the marketing domain within this context remains relatively under-explored. The main objective was therefore set as identifying the marketing methods associated with Industry 5.0, assessing their importance and analysing the impacts arising from their implementation in practice. The research combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies. First, focus groups were conducted with representatives of five key European industries to identify relevant marketing methods through content analysis. These findings were used to compile a structured questionnaire which was then distributed to companies. Responses were evaluated using descriptive statistics and statistical hypothesis testing. The results reveal nine principal marketing methods primarily related to Industry 5.0, which can be assigned to two marketing mix instruments: product and marketing communication. The implementation of these results in eleven specific impacts. Marketing methods and their impacts are explicitly linked in the research. Most of these impacts are positive; only short-term cost increases with uncertain payback appear as a potential drawback. The quantitative findings also show that companies place the greatest emphasis on the ethical use of big data and a human to human approach, while ecodesign and upcycling are viewed as less important. This study helps build on the theory, bridging a research gap by examining the role of marketing within Industry 5.0. In practical terms, it provides companies with a structured overview of marketing strategies with measurable effects.