Chapter 1 An Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications 15

While we are discussing ‘what advertising does’, let’s also understand ‘what advertising doesn’t
do.’ Remember that advertising is not a magic wand that will enchant consumers to purchase even a
lousy product, just as advertising guru David Ogilvy says, “The consumer is no moron… she is your
wife.” Too often, marketers expect advertising to do the entire selling job, whereas the fact is that
advertising hardly works in isolation. In reality, with the exception of direct-response advertising,
advertising almost never directly sells goods. A sale is completed in a store or a showroom. Product
quality, pricing, store displays, salesmen, availability and a lot of other factors affect the effectiveness
of a promotional programme. Many good campaigns fail because managers put the entire burden

is just a small component of the entire marketing ballgame.

∑ The most common and visible of all is brand-building advertising that focuses on creating
product awareness and building brand image. It is strategic and hence relatively long term in
nature. For example, till today viewers remember the ‘cricket stadium’ ad of Cadbury’s Dairy
Milk with the jingle, ‘Kya swaad hai zindagi ka…’ which talked about the spontaneous, carefree
Cadbury moments that even adults could enjoy. Similarly, the ‘Hamara Bajaj’ campaign launched

wonders in strengthening the brand value of Bajaj.

∑ Compared to brand-building advertising which is relatively long-term, tactical advertising is

through communications. For example, tactical advertising is done to inform consumers of

a limited time offer, announce a price change, rectify a misconception, etc. Often, tactical
advertising induces consumers to buy a product at a particular time or from a particular place.
A type of tactical advertising is direct response advertising, which is aimed at stimulating
a sale directly. It is delivered straight to the consumer and generally includes an offer. For
example, a direct mail received from Reader’s Digest persuading you to subscribe for 3 years
straight for a 25 per cent discount.
∑ Advertising done at a national level or in most parts of the country is called national
advertising. It is done when the product is available nationally. National advertising is usually
done through media that has good nationwide coverage like Doordarshan, popular private
television channels like Sony, nationally read newspapers like The Times of India, etc. or popular
regional media with wide territorial coverage.
∑ On the other hand, retail advertising is done by retailers on a local scale. It is aimed at

triggering sales in the short run (direct response). Retail advertising is more informational,
giving details about the outlet and its offerings. For example, your local merchant might put
up a small note on his blackboard that home delivery will be provided free of cost.
∑ Public service advertising
reasons by associations or organizations to create public awareness. For example, to inculcate

One of the ads showed the visual of a smashed egg and read, “Wear helmet,” whereas the
other showed a tyre on a gravestone and read, “Drive carefully.” In order to reduce the
16 Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications

unpleasantness of the message, visual metaphors were used — the smashed egg stood for a
broken head and the tyre for a wreath, both symbolizing the aftermath of irresponsible driving.
Family planning messages by the Family Planning Department or anti-smoking messages by
non-government organizations (NGOs) are also examples of public service advertising.
Figures 1.4a-b depict Cancer Patients’ Aid Association and Stori subtly giving such messages.

FIGURE 1.4 (a) CPAA and Stori subtly deliver public awareness messages.

Headline: Second hand smoke kills

Courtesy: Cancer Patients’ Aid Association

∑ Corporate advertising focuses on FIGURE 1.4 (b) CPAA and Stori subtly deliver
establishing a corporate identity. The public awareness messages.
product is the company brand and
advertising is usually brand building in
nature. For example, as shown in the box
below, the advertisement is not about the
product Tata Steel, but about the company
Tata Steel.
By focusing on its production process,
prices, and the like, the ad aspires to build
an image of an environment-, market-, and
customer-friendly organization. Similarly, in
one of its ads, Coca-Cola informs that the
company employs deaf and dumb people as
bottlers and has a dedicated restoration team
for heritage monuments. The ad aspires to
connect with consumers at a level higher
than that of mere ‘taste’ and ‘fun’. Headline: The only other men’s wear we recommend for pure pleasure.
Subhead: Issued in the interest of AIDS prevention.
Courtesy: Stori, 1 pointsize
 Chapter 1 An Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications 17

Headline:

Bodycopy:
bulk production to value-added premium products at globally competitive prices,
optimising raw material consumption, managing environment by streamlining
operations and leveraging information technology for greater market agility. All
this is to serve our customers even better.

∑ In advocacy advertising, a company advocates for or against an issue by taking a stand, as

illustrated by the Hutch commercial.

The Mobile Manners campaign was a pioneering stance taken by Hutch that
urged consumers to use their mobile phones responsibly. A television commercial
for Hutch (Figure 1.5) depicted a father playing with his little son. The father then
fetched out his mobile to take a picture of the baby. But the annoyed kid seized
the mobile and threw it away. The next shot showed a Super on the screen that
read, “Bina izazat photo na kheechein.” And the commercial closed with the
Hutch logo.

∑ Primary-demand advertising intends to build demand for an entire product category or

industry through its generic nature or by concept selling. For example, when Fair & Lovely

the category of fairness creams by depicting the positive effects of fair complexion – better
marital prospects, greater job opportunities, social appreciation, etc. As we will discuss in
chapter 6, brands like Livon, Rasna, Tata, etc. that are category creators or market leaders

them the most. Many a time, industry associations also build up primary-demand for product
categories.

FIGURE 1.5 The ‘Mobile Manners’ campaign by Hutch advocated a sensible use of mobile phones.
18 Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications

Courtesy: Superbrands, Volume II, 2006. Reproduced with permission

The National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) regularly undertakes intensive

promotion campaigns on press, radio, television and electronic media for increasing egg
consumption. The advertisements aim to increase the frequency of egg consumption
in households consuming eggs, gain entry into households not consuming eggs, and
educate the masses about the nutritive value of eggs. For example, in Figure 1.6,

and comparing it with a multi-vitamin capsule. Conventional media promotion is further

vans, unique schemes of providing egg carts to unemployed youths, nutritional booklets,
mother and child care booklets, recipe booklets, exhibitions, poultry seminars and
sponsorships of sport and cultural events.10

their individual brands.

∑ On the other hand, selective-demand advertising aims at building demand for a

differentiating their individual brands through selective-demand advertising. For example,

the later entrants in the fairness cream category stressed more on product differentiation and
reasons for purchasing their brands – chemical free natural contents, longer-lasting fairness,
sun protection, glowing complexion, fairness-cum-blemish-removal, etc.
∑ Business-to-Business (B2B) advertising is directed at those who are not the end-consumers,
but institutional customers who do not buy for self-consumption. Industrial goods can be
raw-materials (cotton, iron ore), manufactured materials (pumps, motors), capital equipment
(cotton weaving machines, elevators) or business supplies and services (stationery, computers,
advertising consultancy services). The following advertisement (see the Box on next page)
shows Blue Star deep freezers being advertised to ice-cream parlor owners. Note that the deep

Additionally, like most B2B advertising, the ad is quite technical in tone.

∑ As opposed to retail advertising, which is done by retailers or other channel members,
trade advertising is targeted to channel members like distributors, wholesalers, retailers,
 Chapter 1 An Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications 19

FIGURE 1.6 NECC communicates to build primary demand for eggs.

An egg is the most exciting way to get

your daily dose of essential vitamins.

It's rich in Vitamin A to build your

resistance. The Vitamin B Group for good

digestion. And Vitamin D for strong bones.

Eggs are packed with the highest quality

protein. To repair your worn-out tissues. And

boost your children's growth.

They're rich in iron and phosphorous,

essential for healthy blood and an active

mind.

Pop in an egg every morning. It's the one

vitamin capsule you'll love.

Courtesy: NECC, Enterprise Nexus. Reproduced with permission

Trade advertising is designed with this objective in mind. It informs channel members about
the product, encourages them to stock and even to advocate the product to consumers.
20 Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications

associations.

Subhead: Store ice cream in a Blue Star deep freezer and it’s sure to melt. But only
in your mouth.
Bodycopy: For ice cream to taste its best, it needs to have just the right amount

Thanks to Blue Star deep freezers you needn’t worry about the latter. Because they
ensure that the optimal temperature and uniform chilling are maintained at all times.
Even during a power cut. In fact, our freezers are designed to keep ice cream frozen

to 70 per cent on power bills. Now you know why most ice-cream parlour owners keep
their cool at all times.
Baseline: Breathe easy

1.2.1.2 Sales Promotion

Another important element of the promotion mix is sales promotion. It is a collection of tools
that stimulate quicker or greater purchase of products by consumers or trade in the short run. Sales
promotion changes the price-value relationship of a product by lowering the price, increasing the value
or both. For example, when a brand offers 10 per cent discount off its maximum retail price (MRP),
it lowers the price keeping the value constant. When it gives a bonus 3-for-2 offer, it increases value,
keeping the price constant. Sales promotion can be consumer- or trade-oriented. Consumer sales
promotion is directed to the end-user of a product and includes various tools like price discounts,
coupons, sampling, rebates, contests, sweepstakes, point-of-purchase materials, etc. For example,
during the festive season of Diwali, LG had introduced a Mangal Hi Mangal consumer promotion
that promised assured gifts on every purchase of an LG product, along with extended warranty
on select products. Trade sales promotion is directed to resellers like distributors, wholesalers or
retailers to motivate them to provide special support for the organization’s product and to market it
aggressively. For example, to garner special merchandizing support from retailers, control inventory to
match seasonal variations, get easy opening with new intermediaries, get participation in cooperative
advertising, generate excitement about the product among resellers, etc. Trade sales promotion
includes tools like allowances, sales contests, price deals, trade shows, etc.

and personal selling in the marketing communication mix. But today, sales promotion is a huge
business in the western countries, and its importance in India too is rapidly increasing. As of 2005, the
sales promotional industry in the US was over $500 billion, as opposed to $98 billion in 2001. In India
11
Reasons for
its increasing popularity include its ability to produce immediate sales, increased customer preference
for deals and declining real product differentiation. Also, trade members often press for promotional
deals without which they may not stock new, low margin or low turnover products.