The Communications mix

Variables affecting the mix: Specific objectives Type of product Type of buying situation 'Push' vs 'pull' Position in market (market share), market

growth & market concentration Internal strategies

Tools / objectives Advertising: long-term brand image nurturing Sales promotion: short-term tactical

temporary sales booster Price discounts dilute brand franchise, quality

images of the brand Objectives sought & required response:

Build awareness: PR & advertising Brand switching: sales promotion supported by

advertising or direct mail Exceptions: some ad + sales prom designed to

create database to allow dynamic dialogue & relationships

Setting the promotion mix

Type of product market Consumer vs. industrial goods

Consumer goods

Advertising

Sales promotion

Personal selling

Public Relations

Industrial goods

Personal selling

Sales promotion

Advertising

Public Relations

Relative effectiveness of tools

Type of purchase High involvement: important, expensive, risky, require careful analysis

Low involvement: low risk, frequent purchase, inexpensive

Buyers can move from high to low involvement with experience

Response Models

Learn-feel-do: high involvement with high differentiation (classic response hierarchy models)

Do-feel-learn: high involvement but little or no differentiation

Learn-do-feel: low involvement with low differentiation

Relative effectiveness of tools

Purchaser's decision process model: awareness [advertising & PR] interest conviction purchase [personal selling & sales promotion] post-purchase (feelings or behaviour)

[advertising]

High involvement

Awareness Attitude Behaviour

Marketing PR Personal selling Product quality Product qualityAdvertising Demonstration Price Corporate PR Initially broadcast Trial/visits Accessibility Guarantees High info content Sales promotions Delivery service / Factual, rational Brochures/facilitation support Benefit claims Introductory prices Low frequency

Long-run behaviour

Low involvement

Awareness Trial behaviour Attitude

Marketing PR Sales promotion Product Advertising

Advertising to encourage Dissatisfaction Sales promotions

Broadcast experimentation Product quality

Low info content Advertising to & development

Emotion, imagery develop peripheral

appeal cues

High frequency Packaging and

presentation at

POS

Long-run behaviour

'Push' vs 'pull' strategies

'Push':strong salesforce supported by trade promotions to push product into the distribution channels & shelves --> distribution penetration

'Pull': pulling customers into stores & motivating them to pull product off shelf --> advertising to create customer dd

'Pull' helps 'push' Kotler: Lever Bros use 'push' vs Procter &

Gamble use 'pull'

Integrating the coms mix Goal: to create bigger impact & be more

cost-effective Publicity & advertising:

major ad campaigns supported by PR / press launches

sales promotion supported by ad or PR or both direct promotion = direct marketing + sales

promotion on-pack promotion sales promotion supported by personal sellings