The response of the 'new consumer' to promotion in the transition economies of the former Soviet Bloc

Before the collapse of communism, promotion ira the former Soviet Bloc func tioned more as either propaganda or generic information rather than what ma rketers would call marketing. Today's "new consumer" in these transition ec onomies, however, is being forced to integrate Western-style promotion with traditional suspicion of marketing, all in systems that have transitioned more in some countries of the region than others. What does this mean for t he multinational marketer? What old and new characteristics of the consumer s in that region will force marketers to adapt their approach to promotion? Through research propositions this conceptual paper explores major themes of consumer-behavior specific to the transitioning economies of the area, p roposing, rather than answering, the right questions marketers need to ask about new target markets. For managers, the article offers implications and recommendations derived from these questions.