Summary

It would be an over-simplification to assume that the promotional mix only contains the elements of advertising, PR, sales promotion and personal selling. There are a great many tools available to the marketer, and the borders between the various activities are being eroded to such an extent that the consensus view is that marketing communications should be integrated as far as possible and the remaining demarcation lines should be done away with altogether. This is probably also a simplistic view, but provided care is taken that brands are still allowed their own identity and cultural issues are accounted for when communications cross borders, integration will certainly reduce costs and increase impact.

Chapter Questions

1. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of integrated marketing communications strategies?

2. Why have the distinctions between above the line and below the line communications become blurred (or even irrelevant)?

3. How can senior management prepare for media events?

4. What are the main pitfalls of using sponsorship for image building? How might these be avoided?

5. Why might a firm prefer to use corporate image advertising rather than press releases?

6. What are the advantages of involving pressure groups in discussions?

7. How might product placement benefit film makers?

8. How might brand architecture be developed to link food company brands?

9. What factors need to be taken into account when designing packaging if customer complaints are to be minimized? What might be done to the package to maximise contact with dissatisfied customer?

10. How might positive word of mouth be encouraged for a pizza delivery service?

11. What would be the issues surrounding the branding, packaging and merchandising of a baby food product?

12. Who are likely to be the most important groups of opinion leaders for the hi-fi market?

13. What is the difference between direct marketing and junk mail?

14. How might database marketers avoid accusations of invasion of privacy?

15. Why do direct marketers segment bottom-up?

16. Why is customer retention gaining precedence over customer acquisition?

17. How can marketers help the customer get close to the firm?

18. How might sales promotion be used in the launch of a new nightclub?

19. What are the main reasons for the growth in sales promotion at the expense of advertising?

20. What might be an appropriate self-liquidating promotion for hot-dog sausages? Give three examples, with your reasons.

21. What might be an appropriate partner for a firm manufacturing canned meats such as corned beef and chopped pork? Give three examples, with your reasons.

22. How does sales promotion help the salesforce to sell?

23. Why are salespeople paid commission as well as a salary when other employees are only paid a salary?

24. Why is it that salespeople often take the customer/s side in disputes with the company?

25. Show on a figure 2 the connections between different marketing communications.

Figure 2. A taxonomy of marketing communications