From Blue Economy to Blue Marketing: Linking Consumer Engagement and Corporate Strategy for Ocean Sustainability—Theoretical Foundations and Propositions

Blue economy advocates the sustainable use of marine resources while fostering economic growth and environmental preservation. Yet many business sectors still pursue extractive practices that undermine marine ecosystems and disregard consumers' sensitivity. This gap between principles and practices underscores the need for approaches that reconcile market dynamics with imperatives of sustainability. Within this framework, sustainable marketing provides a foundation, and this study advances it by introducing the construct of blue marketing, defined as strategies that promote the responsible use of marine resources by reorienting consumption behaviors, redefining corporate value propositions, and strengthening stakeholder collaboration. The study adopts two analytical perspectives—the supply and demand sides—and draws on two sets of articles. These underpin a threefold methodological approach: a bibliometric analysis of the field's intellectual structure, a systematic review of theoretical frameworks and marketing implications, and six propositions on the future role of marketing in the blue economy.