INNOVATION-DRIVEN MARKETING: INTEGRATING MATERIALS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY INTO ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGIES IN THE CONTACT LENS INDUSTRY

Abstract

Digital lifestyles and prolonged screen time have increased consumer attention to eye comfort and eye-health-related product performance, particularly among Generations Y and Z. This study aimed to develop a business conceptual framework integrating materials science and digital marketing to explore how material innovation and marketing factors shape online purchase intentions for daily contact lenses across these two generational groups. A qualitative approach was employed through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 purposively selected participants, comprising 8 Gen Y and 8 Gen Z users who regularly wore and purchased daily contact lenses online. The analysis was informed by three conceptual and theoretical frameworks: the Marketing Mix (4Ps), the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, and the Diffusion of Innovations. The findings indicated different patterns in how participants in the two groups evaluated and responded to innovation. Gen Y participants placed greater emphasis on long-term safety, product credibility, and trusted purchasing channels, and were more willing to pay higher prices for perceived quality. In contrast, Gen Z participants were more price sensitive and relied more heavily on immediate wearing comfort, user reviews, and promotional offers when making purchase decisions. These findings suggest that innovation-driven marketing should communicate material benefits in ways that reflect the priorities of each group while maintaining credible online channels and transparent product information.

Keywords: Innovation-Driven Marketing, Material Innovation, Contact Lenses, Online Marketing Channels, Digital Consumer Behavior, Generation Y (Gen Y), Generation Z (Gen Z)