Tie It All Together

Now that you have read this chapter, you should be able to determine how to choose the best media weapons to solve communication and advertising problems:

• You can identify the integrated marketing communications (IMC) perspective and comment on its usefulness.
• You can list some ways advertising agencies use the integrated marketing communications approach.
• You can describe SS+K partner Joe Kessler’s thoughts on the evolution of integrated marketing communications and media choices in the marketplace.
• You can identify and describe the tools of the promotional mix.
• You can characterize the various forms of sales promotion and how they can be best used to solve problems.
• You can describe the purpose of public relations and characterize the tools used to implement PR objectives.
• You can discuss how personal selling can be used effectively in the promotional mix.
• You can compare and contrast direct marketing and database marketing as means to enhance relations between the company and its customers.
• You can create an IMC promotional plan by following the execution steps described in the chapter.

Use What You’ve Learned

1. You may not be a NASCAR fan, but this fast-paced sport is hoping to catch your attention in the days ahead. NASCAR is an aggressive marketing and promotion organization (see http://www.nascar.com) with an ever-expanding fan base. This expanding fan base is changing the face of NASCAR and its races. Some say that a NASCAR event today is like going to a “celebrity night out.” Most NASCAR purists, on the other hand, believe that NASCAR is all about cars, cars, and more cars. After seven years of research and design experimentation, NASCAR has unveiled its “Car of Tomorrow” and believes that this speedy but safer car will help advance the popularity of NASCAR even more in the next decade. Considering how NASCAR must appeal to loyal fans and find new ones, design an integrated marketing communication (IMC) promotional plan that would help to spread NASCAR’s message about its new car to its markets. Be sure to specify the various elements of the promotional mix that you would recommend to NASCAR. Do research on NASCAR and its rise in the sports world before designing your IMC plan.

2. Integrated marketing communications (IMC) help advertisers attack communication problems from a variety of points of view. This multimedia approach has been applied to communication by many advertising agencies over the past few years. One challenge for IMC planners, however, is the U.S. Hispanic market. Broadly defined, the Hispanic market includes those of Spanish, South American, Mexican, and Caribbean descent. As the number one minority in the United States, Hispanics comprise a market that is diverse with respect to preferences and lifestyles. Many in this market still speak Spanish (or native country dialect) as their primary language.

   Investigate the Hispanic market by going to http://www.demographics.com or a favorite search engine. After you have reviewed marketing and advertising efforts toward this target market, propose an IMC promotional mix that you believe would be ideal for carrying a shopping mall’s message to Hispanics. The basic message would be “Come to the Mall—We’re Here to Serve Your Needs.” The shopping mall believes that as they attract Hispanics, sales and profits will increase. Discuss your promotional mix plan with peers.

Digital Natives

When you think of Hershey’s, you think of chocolate, right? You might be surprised to know that industry professionals see Hershey’s as a marketing and advertising machine. This is somewhat surprising, given that Hershey’s shunned advertising of any kind for years. Today, however, Hershey’s has embraced a multifaceted approach to its communications, marketing, and advertising. One of these facets is its interactive Web site (see http://www.hersheys.com). After reviewing the basic structure of the Hershey’s Web site, click on the “promotions” button on the opening page. Once you have done this, you will see all the current Hershey’s promotions. Review each of these promotions. Take each highlighted promotion and describe what you believe to be: (a) the primary market for the promotion, (b) the promotional mix tools that would be most useful to the promotion, and (c) an assessment of Hershey’s chances of success for the promotion. Discuss your findings with peers.

Ad-Vice

1. Assume that you are a proponent of using integrated marketing communications to solve communications problems. Prepare a short two-page paper that could be used to support your position. Next, looking at an integrated media approach from the perspective of someone who advocates a traditional mass media approach for solving communication problems, attack the ideas you just formulated. Summarize the arguments against integrated campaigns. Discuss your findings with peers.
2. Assume that you have just been given a $10 million budget to spend on sales promotional tools. The purpose of your budget is to convince consumers to begin to use reusable grocery bags when shopping for food. This environmental initiative is favored by most grocery chains. The bags (if purchased) would be sold for one dollar at grocery stores. Outline your plan for changing consumer preferences in this area. Be sure to consider all of the sales promotional alternatives as you formulate your plan. Designate how much money should be spent for your designated tools. Share your ideas with peers.
3. Guerrilla marketing is becoming more popular as costs of promotions continue to increase. Public relations (PR) specialists have learned to use this unique form of marketing because of its low cost and highly creative nature. Your task is to design a guerrilla marketing effort that will introduce a new flavored bottled water to the Asian market in San Francisco. Initial distributors would be convenience stores, street vendors, and neighborhood vending machines. Be specific in what you would plan to do and how much you think it might cost. Share your plan with peers.
4. Many universities and colleges have turned to database marketing to help target student populations. Describe how your university could use database marketing to reach potential freshmen students. Be sure to indicate how these students would be found and eventually reached by the university’s or college’s efforts.

Ethical Dilemma

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is an advocacy organization whose intent is to encourage the ethical use of direct marketing to solve advertising and communication problems. The association’s task is not easy, given the ethical tension between members of the industry and consumer advocacy groups. Many of the complaints about invasion of privacy, high pressure tactics, and false information are directed against the direct marketing industry. Visit the DMA Web site at http://www.the-dma.org. Examine how the DMA addresses ethics complaints and advocates for the industry. What ethical issues do you think were adequately addressed by the DMA? What ethical issues do you think still need to be resolved? How would you rate the organization’s effectiveness based on what you have seen and read? Discuss your findings with your peers.