Next Generation Marketing Channels: Typology, Strategic Implications, and the 6V Framework
Purpose: This article proposes and applies the 6V Framework to conceptualize and evaluate next-generation marketing channels in the digital economy. It aims to understand how emerging formats—such as voice commerce, immersive AR/VR environments, retail media networks, and Web3-based platforms—are reshaping customer engagement, brand experience, and value creation. Design/Methodology/Approach: Building on an extensive literature review and theoretical synthesis, the paper introduces the 6V Framework, consisting of six analytical dimensions: Value, Velocity, Visibility, Verifiability, Virtuality, and Vulnerability. The framework is applied to an in-depth case study of Nike .Swoosh, supported by a comparative evaluation of other leading platforms (e.g., Adidas, Gucci, Starbucks) to illustrate strategic patterns and innovation trajectories. Practical Implication: The article provides marketers, strategists, and digital transformation leaders with a practical framework for analyzing, designing, and governing complex marketing environments. It supports decision-making regarding channel investments, user experience design, and ethical risk management in data-rich, technology-driven contexts. Originality/Value: In contrast to legacy models focused on linear transactions and control, the 6V Framework captures the dynamic, participatory, and decentralized nature of modern marketing channels. It offers a novel conceptual lens for assessing strategic and operational implications of digital channel innovation.