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
Low involvement
'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