IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
INTRO TO INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) - coordinates the
promotional mix elements and other aspects of its marketing mix. All
elements speak with one voice.
IMC zeroes in on the promotion aspect of the marketing
mix. Promotion is the sustained connection of the brand with the
target market. It is the communication part of the marketing mix.
Shrimp (2013) defines communication as "the process of
establishing a commonness or oneness of thought between sender
and receiver," placing importance on the standard message shared
between a message source and a receiver.
*Successful promotion or marketing communication consists of
consistent and relevant messages to the target market.
Consistency - requirement in marketing communication, which
delivers one message in one tonality across various promotional tools
or marketing communication formats.
Relevance - relates to the quality of the message created based on
the target market's product knowledge or the lack of perceived
benefits.
*These two marketing communication requirements are metrics used
to ensure message simplicity and clarity.
Promotion - created and sustained to support the organization's
objectives. Whether improving market share or increasing
profitability, marketers design promotional campaigns to differentiate
the product and offer more meaningful value than competitors. To
accomplish this, we need to understand how consumers move from
an unaware state to buying products in the aware stage (Fletcher,
1987).
The promotional mix - the combination of marketing communication
formats and media we used to relay the brand messages. Today we
classify the variety of promotional tools comprising the promotional
mix into two: interruption marketing and permission marketing.
Interruption marketing consists of the traditional promotional mix:
advertising, public relations, sales promotions, and personal
selling.
Permission marketing - consists of a digital online promotional mix.
We use permission marketing to reach out to the target audience or
public in a more intimate manner. Since it is a promotional mix that
uses digital and online technology, social media has become the
popular carrier of brand messages through its various platforms. It
requires permission from the social media account owner for the
brand to interact. The social media owner grants permission through
engagement, such as click-through, sharing, reacting, and
commenting.
When doing an IMC campaign, our marketing communications
integrate its creative execution with the rest of the marketing mix
elements.
Marketing mix elements are the following: product, price, place, and
promotion.
IMC integrates the three elements of the marketing mix. These
marketing elements product (product design and packaging), price
(pricing techniques and strategy), and place (distribution channels,
particularly the retail atmospherics or the overall design and layout of
the retail store) are coordinated with the different promotion tools.
The principle of one look, one voice is apparent not only in the
promotional messages and executions that we engaged in but also in
product design and packaging, pricing techniques, and retail stores'
experience. Everything about the brand, from product to promotion,
shares one look and communicates with one voice.
Three traits characterize IMC:
Consistency is when the consolidated promotional messages,
content, and creative execution and the other marketing mix
elements contain one big idea, one message, and one tonality. We
achieve message consistency with the guide of a clear positioning
statement.
Example: Consistency H&M LOOP (2021 Cannes Lion) from raw
material to advocacy
Relevance is when the message and creative execution are
responsive to consumer profiles and insights. Relevance Theory
presents two principles: First, cognitive and communicative. The
"cognition principle of relevance takes on two routes' relevance in a
context' and 'relevance to an individual.'
Relevance in a Context refers to the mentally represented information
like beliefs, doubts, hopes, wishes, plans, goals, intentions, and
questions. Each is constructed or selected in the comprehension
process from a range of possible contexts available to the individual
(Wilson, 2014, p.132).
Relevance to an Individual requires that every utterance
communicates a presumption of its optimal relevance. It means the
message is at least relevant enough to be worth the addressee's
(audience/receiver) processing effort (Wilson, 2014, p.134)."
Regularity, outside the creative exercise, is accomplished with a
media plan. Regular exposure to an audience to a message influences
the forming of heuristics or mental shortcuts. "In psychology,
heuristics are simple, efficient rules which people often use to form
judgments and make decisions. They are mental shortcuts that
usually involve focusing on one aspect of a complex problem and
ignoring others." Cited in Goldenberg & Mazursky use morphological
analysis or how consumers engage in a problem-solving exercise in
marketing. The regular exposure of consumers to a brand as a
solution to a problem influences their buying preferences.
Example: Regularity Dunkin Donuts (2012 Cannes Lion)
Why is IMC essential? Most
times, we engage with
content that resonates,
stories that remind us of life
experiences or our
aspirations, and some of our
fears. Successful
campaigns are essentially
about understanding
consumer behavior. Using
the Means-End Chaining model (see below), we see the Tropicana
orange juice campaign's thought process.
A taste of Tropicana orange juice offers quiet refreshment with the
ultimate value offer of satisfaction and nutrition. Altering the attribute
from regular orange juice to enriched Tropicana orange juice leads to
different consumption consequences. With enriched Tropicana
orange juice, we enjoy added calcium while refreshing. Different
consequences result in a different value offer. Enrich Tropical orange
juice is satisfying while reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Marketing is creating, delivering, and communicating value profitably.
The Means-End Chaining model allows us to create value
propositions. Brand stories resonate because the value offer is
relevant to its target market segment. IMC is essential in
communicating the value offered to aid in a successful economic
exchange.
Communication and the Marketing Communications
Communication is where individuals share meaning and establish a
commonness of thought; hence understanding consumer
preferences and behavior.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Marketing Communications collect all elements of a firm's marketing
mix that facilitate exchange by establishing shared meaning with the
firm's customers, business-to-businesses (B2B), business-to-
consumers/end-users (B2C), and non-profits. Integrated Marketing
Communications is about all the tasks we do in marketing carried out
using a single voice and tonality. Suffice it to say, in business,
everything communicates.
Marketers are essentially communicators and engaging storytellers.
But we create a promotional campaign systematically and
scientifically. Systematic, because promotion management requires
the coordination of promotional mix elements in setting objectives,
establishing budgets, designing programs, evaluating performance,
and taking corrective action. Scientific, because research supports
our marketing ideas and decisions.
Generally, the objectives of promotion are to inform, persuade, and
induce action. But the more meaningful purpose of IMC and
promotional campaigns is to differentiate one brand from another. A
popular and respected brand is an invaluable asset that acts as a
barrier to entry for competitors. IMC aids in establishing the brand
equity or the goodwill that an established brand has built up over its
existence.
In some cases, firms refuse to integrate. Any or combination of the
following fundamentally causes the non-integration:
• The traditional sense of separating communication
tools and departmentalizing communication tasks
• Influence of specialized outside suppliers
• Managerial parochialism
• Fear of budget cutbacks
• Loss of power and authority
• The resistance of outside suppliers to broadening
their functions
• Skeptics who consider IMC to be a fad
The most meaningful benefit of IMC is synergy, the integration of
multiple communication tools and media yields more positive
communication results than the tools used individually.
Five Key Features of IMC
Start with the customers or prospects.
We start with a media-neutral approach and focus on the customers
who are the basis for the marketing communication program goals.
We determine the best way to allocate the marketing budget when
goals are identified.
Use any form of relevant contact or touchpoint.
Speak with a single voice and achieve synergy
To accomplish one look-one voice, we start with a brand's positioning
statement that presents a clear idea of the brand in its target market's
mind and consistently delivers the same unified message across all
media channels on all occasions.
Build relationships
It costs five to ten times more to acquire a new customer than keep
a current one. Promotional tools like loyalty programs promote long-
term relationships between customers and brands that lead to
customer retention. Experiential marketing programs can create
brand experiences that make positive and lasting impressions on
customers.
Affect behavior
IMC must do more than just influence brand awareness or enhance
consumer attitudes – the objective is to move people to action.
Some changes in marketing communication practices are:
• Reduced dependence on mass media advertising
• Increased reliance on highly targeted
communication methods
• Increased demands on suppliers.
• Increased efforts to assess communications'
return on investment
Obstacles to Implementing IMC
• Few providers have the skills required to execute.
• Mass media campaigns are easier than direct-to-
customer.
• The real challenge is to make sure that tools are
consistently executed.
Developing IMC
IMC is part of a comprehensive business plan intended to contribute
to the attainment of corporate objectives. Just as the other members
of an organization, marketers use tools when determining a strategic
direction. The most basic tools are SWOT Analysis, and segmenting-
targeting-positioning (STP).
SWOT Analysis is a tool assessing the internal and external
environment of a firm. It gauges the vulnerabilities and constraints
and identifies the points of leverage and problems. SWOT guides
marketers in exploring the possibilities for the brand and where it
stands with the competitors and other markets
We fit our product core functions to a particular market segment to
create brand value. We accomplish this task by micromarketing or
customizing the products and communications to smaller segments
(e.g., toothpaste). We can achieve micromarketing with the following
target market selection strategies:
1. Undifferentiated Marketing, One Marketing Mix →
All Markets
2. Differentiated Marketing such as Marketing Mix A
→ Segment A and Marketing Mix B → Segment B
3. Concentrated Marketing, One Marketing Mix →
Segment B
All Marketing Communications should be:
• Directed to a particular target market
• Created to achieve a specific objective
• Undertaken to accomplish the objective within the
budget constraint
• Clearly positioned
As communicators with the power to influence behavior, motivate
consumption and shape lifestyle, we are duty-bound to examine
business decisions related to green marketing initiatives, the
regulation of marketing communications, and ethical Marcom
behavior.
Is it sufficient to develop environmentally friendly packaging,
sustainably source raw materials, use alternative materials, and
ecologically balanced processes?
How are government regulation and industry self-regulation sustain
the balance between protecting the customers from deceptive
advertising and unfair business practices from the firm's economic
interest?
At this point, we are discussing our responsibility for the pressing
environmental issues, regulations on communication, and ethical
issues regarding marketing practices. We will try to understand how
to make ethically sound decisions as marketing communicators.
Environmental Marketing Communications
With global regulations enforced in the business sector for decades
now and businesses complying and responding to social pressure,
the markets have become increasingly aware of the seriousness of
the natural environment's situation. We have reached the point when
we now challenge ourselves into transcending the awareness to
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
involvement. Pieces of research have shown the growing green
market segments, indicating that environmental brands are much like
popular brands, have their market segments, and require their unique
branding approach.
Green Marketing Initiatives
The global business environment has embraced green marketing
initiatives and has gained a competitive advantage. Green marketing
initiatives have gained a dent in today's generation of business
leaders and consumers, from changes in the production processes
and channel flow design to appropriate positioning for green products
and brands.
Green Advertising
There are three ways to do green advertising:
1. We can develop brand messages about the relationship
between the product or service and the biophysical environment.
2. We can influence a green lifestyle with branding programs.
3. We must promote corporate compliance and sustainable
initiatives like completing annual sustainability reports and developing
communities through meaningful trade.
Reduced Packaging Responses
We must keep finding innovative sustainable packaging to improve
our brands and the firm's overall environmental effects.
Seal-of-Approval Programs
We work to earn accreditation and recognition from reputable
environmental agencies that validate and confirm environmental
compliance and involvement while helping consumers identify and
distinguish environmentally friendly products and brands.
Sponsorship Programs: Cause-Related and Event Marketing
Cause-oriented marketing is practiced when companies sponsor or
support worthy causes (i.e., environmental causes) in anticipation
that associating the company and its brands with a worthy cause will
generate goodwill.
Point-of-Purchase Programs
Identify and create point-of-sale based on the retailers' needs, avoid
waste from unused and discarded displays, and use permanent
displays.
Direct Marketing Efforts
Reduce the printing of merchandising collaterals, e.g., fliers,
brochures, and posters, and increase the use of sustainable direct
marketing materials.
Outdoor Advertising Responses
Reduce the clutter outdoors by finding alternative outdoor advertising
materials and avoiding tarpaulins and printed banners as a waste pile.
For the existing outdoor advertising materials, find ways to reuse
them.
Social Media Campaigns
Maximize the social media platforms and the opportunity to reach out
to the social media universe on the various ecological programs
initiated on ongoing.
Guidelines for Green Marketing
The guidelines for environmental marketing claims outline four
general principles:
1. Qualifications and disclosures should be sufficiently clear
and prominent to prevent deception.
2. Claims should clarify whether they apply to the product, the
package, or a component of either.
3. Claims should not overstate an environmental attribute or benefit,
whether expressly or by implication.
4. We should present comparative claims in a manner that makes the
basis for the comparison sufficiently clear to avoid consumer
deception.
In addition to these general guidelines, Marcom practitioners are
offered four general recommendations:
1. Make specific claims. Specific environmental claims enable
consumers to make informed choices, reduce the likelihood that
claims will be misinterpreted, and minimize the chances that
consumers will think that a product is more environmentally friendly
than it is.
2. Reflect current disposal options. This recommendation aims
to prevent environmental claims that are technically accurate but
practically unrealizable due to local trash disposal practices.
3. Make substantive claims. Marketing communicators should
not use trivial and irrelevant environmental claims to convey
environmentally sound a promoted brand.
4. Make supportable claims. Environmental claims should be
supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence.
Regulation of Marketing Communications
Regulation protects consumers and competitors from fraudulent,
deceptive, and unfair business practices. It is essential when
consumer decisions are based on false or limited information. In
theory, regulation is justified if the benefits realized exceed the costs.
Since consumers have limited knowledge of the product
specifications and marketing communication tools are insufficient to
provide perfect information, regulation is merited.
Benefits:
Consumer choice among alternatives is improved when consumers
are better informed in the marketplace.
Product quality tends to improve when consumers are better
informed.
Reduced prices result from a reduction in a seller's "informational
market power."
Costs:
Cost of complying with a regulatory remedy.
Enforcement costs are incurred by a regulatory agency and paid for
by taxpayers.
Unintended side effects that might result from regulations (e.g.,
compliance costs passed on to buyers in the form of higher prices).
Types of Regulations by Regulating Agency
Regulation by Federal Agencies
In the country, governmental regulation by way of legislation. RA
7394, The Consumer Act of the Philippines, stipulates consumer
protection from various potentially fraudulent and deceptive actions
by the business markets. And just as in any country, advertising is
considered the most conspicuous aspect of marketing
communications and receives the most attention.
We are regulated by the following:
Deceptive Advertising
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
In a general sense, consumers are deceived by an advertising claim
or campaign when the impression left by the claim or campaign is
false (a claim-fact discrepancy) and consumers believe the false
claim or campaign. Three elements provide the essence of a false
claim:
1. Misleading – there must be a representation, omission, or
practice likely to mislead the Consumer. A misrepresentation is an
express or implied statement contrary to fact. A misleading omission
occurs when qualifying information necessary to prevent a practice,
claim, representation or reasonable expectation or belief from being
misleading is not disclosed.
2. Reasonable Consumer – the act or practice must be
considered from the perspective of the "reasonable consumer." The
regulating agency evaluates advertising claims case by case because
of the target audience's unique position—its education level,
intellectual capacity, and mental frame of mind.
3. Material – a material representation involves information
important to consumers, is likely to influence their choice or conduct
regarding a product, and pertains to the central characteristics. Non-
material representation usually involves information that, even if
untrue, is not related to the product's central characteristics (e.g.,
how long a company has been in business).
Covert Marketing Practices and Deception – is a "masked marketing"
involving marketing communications that appear to be from
independent third parties rather than from product marketers
(https://doi.org/10.1509%2Fjppm.27.1.7).
Unfair Practices - A finding of unfairness to consumers may go
beyond questions of fact and relate merely to shared values. The
criteria used to evaluate whether a business activity is unfair involve
such considerations as whether the act:
Offends public policy as statutes have established it. - Is immoral,
unethical oppressive, or unscrupulous. Causes substantial injury to
consumers, competitors, or other businesses. The unfairness
doctrine is applied in three major areas: (1) advertising
substantiation, (2) promotional practices directed at children and
other vulnerable populations, and (3) trade regulation rules.
Information Regulation
Regulation may also provide consumers with information that they
may not otherwise receive. The corrective advertising program is the
essential FTC's information provision program.
Corrective advertising aims to restore the marketplace to its original
position before deceptive advertising. Corrective advertising is based
on the premise that a firm that misleads consumers should use future
advertisements to rectify the deceptive impressions it has created in
consumers' minds. It is used to prevent a firm from deceiving
consumers rather than punishing the firm. We gave the most
prominent corrective advertising order issued by the USA's Federal
Trade Commission to Warner-Lambert's Listerine mouthwash over
30 years ago. The ads for this product misled consumers by claiming
that Listerine helps prevent colds and sore throats.
Product Labeling
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal body
responsible for regulating information on food and drug product
packages.
Prescription Drug Advertising
The FDA regulates advertisements for prescription drugs. FDA is
responsible for regulating deceptive and unfair advertising (including
over-the-counter drugs). In recent years, it has been a significant
challenge with the onset of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, a
form of advertising involving messages for prescription drugs
directed toward consumers. The FDA requires prescription drug
advertisements to be balanced and share complete information about
side effects and benefits.
Advertising and Media Self-Regulation
We are a primarily self-regulating sector, both advertising, and media.
We have the following agencies and appointed bodies to serve as
watchful eyes in mass communication.
The Advertising Board of the Philippines or Adboard is a governing
body composed of representatives of national organizations involved
in advertising practice who have banded together to promote the
advertising industry's development through self-regulation in
harmony with industry goals.
The Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP or Association
of Broadcasters of the Philippines) self-regulates the broadcast
industry. It is the foremost broadcast media organization in the
country.
The Ad Standards Council (ASC) is a non-stock, non-profit
organization that promotes truth and fairness in advertising through
the self-regulation of advertising content.
Ethical Issues in Marketing Communications
Ethics in our context involves right and wrong, or moral, conduct in
any aspect of marketing communications (think of terms such as
honesty, honor, virtue, and integrity).
The Ethics of Targeting
Targeting Children and Teens
Advertising and in-school marketing programs urge kids to desire
various products and brands. Critics contend that many of the
products targeted at children are unnecessary, and the
communications are exploitative.
Targeting Food and Beverage Products – the issue of childhood
obesity and the marketing of food products to children is a hotly
debated topic, especially the practice of using cartoon characters to
sell sugared cereals and non-nutritious snacks.
Targeting Tobacco and Alcohol Products – marketers also have been
criticized for targeting adult products to teens and college students
(e.g., beer and other alcoholic beverages, cigarettes).
Targeting Miscellaneous Products – critics are also concerned with
marketing adult-oriented entertainment products to children and
teens using violent films, video games, and music.
Targeting Economically Disadvantaged Consumers – makers of
alcohol and tobacco products frequently employ billboards and other
advertising media in targeting brands to economically disadvantaged
consumers.
Ethical Issues in Advertising
1. Advertising Is Untruthful and Deceptive - Marcom's most
straightforward ethical consideration is the accuracy and truthfulness
of the information.
2. Advertising Is Manipulative - Although critics assert that
advertising has the power to influence people to do things they would
not do if they were not exposed to advertising, in reality, advertising
is unable to influence behavior when acting alone. Also, consumers
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
have the cognitive capacity to resist efforts to motivate them in a
direction they wish not to be moved.
3. Advertising Is Offensive and Bad Taste - Advertising critics
contend that many advertisements insult human intelligence, are
vulgar, and are generally offensive to many consumers' tastes.
4. Advertising Creates and Perpetuates Stereotypes - The
audience is becoming increasingly involved in the development and
circulation of information. With access to information online, today's
public is more informed and involved. We take extra care in how we
represent sectors in society. Our brand messages and creative
executions must neither engage nor promote stereotypes, e.g., sex
roles, gender orientation biases, racial distinctions, physical
challenges, political affiliations, and social classes.
5. Advertising Persuades People to Buy Things They Do Not
Need - The criticism that advertising causes people to buy items or
services they do not need is a value-laden judgment. Is influencing
consumer tastes and encouraging people to make purchases they
may not otherwise make unethical?
6. Advertising Plays on People's Fears and Insecurities - Some
advertisements appeal to the negative consequences of not buying a
product. However, advertising possesses no monopoly on this
transgression.
Ethical Issues in Public Relations
Many of the same ethical issues that apply to advertising apply here.
One distinct aspect worthy of separate discussion is the matter of
negative publicity. The primary ethical issue concerns whether firms
confess to product shortcomings and acknowledge problems or
attempt to cover up the problems.
Ethical Issues in Packaging and Branding
Four aspects of packaging involve ethical issues:
1. Label information (e.g., presenting exaggerated information
or suggesting that a product contains more of the desired attribute
or less of undesired attributes than is actually the case),
2. Packaging graphics (e.g., when the picture on a package is
not an accurate representation of product contents or the package of
a store brand looks virtually identical to another, typically well-known,
national brand),
3. Packaging safety (e.g., the packaging is not tamper-proof
and contains dangerous products that are unsafe for children),
4. Environmental implications of packaging (e.g., non-
biodegradable packaging)
Ethical Issues in Sales Promotions
Ethical considerations are also involved with all sales promotions,
including manufacturer promotions directed at wholesalers, retailers,
and consumers. Consumer promotions are unethical when
manufacturers offer consumers a reward for their behavior that is
never delivered (e.g., failing to mail a free premium object or to
provide a rebate check). It is also unethical to lead consumers to
believe their odds of winning a sweepstake or contest are much
greater than they are.
Ethical Issues in Online and Social Media Marketing
Privacy is probably the most important ethical issue unique to the
online medium, along with other ethical issues. Because online
marketers can collect much information about people's
characteristics and behaviors, it is easy to invade individual privacy
rights by selling information and divulging confidential information.
Fostering Ethical Marketing Communications
The primary responsibility for ethical behavior resides within each of
us. Integrity involves avoiding deceiving others or behaving purely in
an expedient fashion. Marketing communications itself is not ethical
or unethical—it is the degree of integrity exhibited by
communications practitioners that determines whether their behavior
is ethical or unethical. Firms can foster ethical behavior by
encouraging their employees to apply each of the following tests
when faced with an ethical predicament:
1. Act in a way that you want others to act toward you (the
Golden Rule Test)
2. Take only actions that would be viewed as proper by an
objective panel of your professional colleagues (the professional
ethic test)
3. Always ask, "Would I feel comfortable explaining this action
on television to the general public?" (the TV test).
MODULE 1: PREPARING THE CAMPAIGN
A campaign strategy is lifted from the marketing plan. The objectives
we create must be responsive to the overall marketing objectives.
The entire campaign's success will always be measured by how much
the marketing objectives are achieved. Marketing objectives are
typically about generating a particular sales volume or a share in the
market.
Imperative to achieving the marketing objectives is influencing the
consumers to buy, which is a game of persuasion. Marketing
communication is highly persuasive, and it starts from knowing our
consumers' preferences as motivated by the environment.
The module is about the classical tools of understanding and
predicting consumer preferences as a response to the
macroenvironment, competitors, and the firm's capabilities, as well
as its vulnerabilities.
When considering performing a situation analysis of your business,
it is essential to look at several factors:
1. Product situation. Determine your current product. You may
want to view this definition in parts such as the core product and
any secondary or supporting services or products you sell.
Viewing your products and services separately helps determine
how each relates to your core clients' needs.
2. Competitive situation. Analyze your main competitors and
determine how they compare to your business, such as
competitive advantages.
3. Distribution situation. Review your distribution situation
regarding how you get your products to market, such as
distributors or other intermediaries.
4. Environmental factors - determine the external and internal
environmental factors, including economic or sociological
factors that impact your business's performance.
5. Opportunity and issue analysis - Conduct a SWOT analysis to
determine any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
that may affect your business and its performance.
While this information may be obvious to most business owners, it
can be beneficial to review the core fundamentals.
Determine If Your Situation Analysis Is Useful
To determine if your situation analysis is functional and provides
value, it should:
1. Be practical and straightforward to use
2. Be clearly understandable to an outsider.
3. Focus on key factors impacting your business, both internally
and externally
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
4. Clearly identify future goals for your business. Opportunities: For this quadrant, think about the external conditions
5. Spark even further analysis that will help you achieve your objective. Questions to consider:
1. What are the business goals you are currently working
If your analysis falls short of these items, it should be reworked. towards?
Common Challenges in Situation Analysis 2. How can you do more with your existing customers or
clients?
You also may encounter one or more of these common challenges: 3. How can you use technology to enhance your business?
4. Are there new target audiences you have the potential to
1. You've listed an excessive amount of strengths, weaknesses,
reach?
opportunities, and threats so that the information appears
5. Are there related products and services that provide an
confusing and makes it difficult to get a strong picture of your
opportunity for your business?
business at a glance.
2. You lack prioritization within your analysis. Threats: For this quadrant, think about the external conditions that
3. You are too broad going through the factors, so it isn't easy to could damage your business's performance. Questions to consider:
really focus on them. 1. What obstacles do you face?
4. The factors you have listed are opinions, not facts. 2. What are the strengths of your biggest competitors?
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats lack distinguishing 3. What are your competitors doing that you're not?
factors. If performed correctly, situation analysis can be a useful tool 4. What's going on in the economy?
for determining the health of your business. Once you know how your 5. What's going on in the industry?
business is doing, you can set proper strategies to ensure its success Using Data Compiled in a SWOT Analysis
in the future.
One of your SWOT analysis's essential parts is using the data you
A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps a business compiled to identify your business's new strategies and goals. For
owner identify his/her strengths and weaknesses and any example, you can:
opportunities and threats in a specific business situation. A SWOT 1. Create a plan to build up your strengths even more.
analysis is most commonly used as part of a marketing plan. Still, it 2. List ways you can work on building up your weaknesses.
is also a useful tool for general business strategizing and serves as a 3. Set SMART goals for each of the opportunities you
starting point for team discussions. identified.
4. Devise a plan to use your strengths to decrease the threats
A SWOT analysis can uncover a wealth of information and be useful you identified.
in many situations when conducted thoroughly. This article will walk
5. Then, look for ways to combine data from different
you through conducting a SWOT analysis and providing tips that will
quadrants in even more ways:
effectively use the tool.
6. Explore how you can combine your strengths and
opportunities to develop new strategies.
Using a SWOT Analysis Matrix
A SWOT matrix is usually depicted as a square divided into four 7. Try combining strengths and threats to identify threats you
quadrants. Each quadrant represents one element of the SWOT can eliminate.
analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. 8. Look at your weaknesses and opportunities to create a list
of areas ready for improvement.
Questions to Ask During the Process 9. Make a list of areas to avoid that fall under weaknesses and
The easiest way to start filling in each quadrant is by answering a threats.
series of questions. Use the list below to get started, focusing on Once you understand how to compile your SWOT data and find ways
your business's most relevant questions and current situation. to use it strategically, the SWOT analysis will be a tool that you can
use over and over in your business to explore new opportunities and
Strengths: For this quadrant, think about your and your business's improve your decision-making process.
attributes to help you achieve your objective. Questions to consider:
1. What do you do well? A competitive analysis is a critical part of your company's marketing
2. What are your unique skills? plan. With this evaluation, you can establish what makes your product
3. What expert or specialized knowledge do you have? or service unique--and, therefore, what attributes you play up to
attract your target market.
4. What experience do you have?
5. What do you do better than your competitors? Evaluate your competitors by placing them in strategic groups
6. Where are you most profitable in your business? according to how directly they compete for a share of the customer's
Weaknesses: For this quadrant, think about your and your business's dollar. For each competitor or strategic group, list their product or
attributes that could hurt your progress in achieving your objective. service, profitability, growth pattern, marketing objectives, and
Questions to consider: assumptions, current and past strategies, organizational and cost
1. In what areas do you need to improve? structure, strengths and weaknesses, and size (in sales) of the
2. What resources do you lack? competitor's business. Answer questions such as:
3. What parts of your business are not profitable? 1. Who are your competitors?
4. Where do you need further education and/or experience? 2. What products or services do they sell?
5. What costs you time and/or money? 3. What is each competitor's market share?
4. What are their past strategies?
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
5. What are their current strategies?
6. What type of media is used for marketing their products or
services?
7. How many hours per week do they purchase to advertise
through the media used in this market?
8. What are each competitor's strengths and weaknesses?
9. What potential threats do your competitors pose?
10. What potential opportunities do they make available for you?
A quick and easy way to compare your product or service with similar
ones on the market is to make a competition grid. A glance at the
competition grid will help you see where your product fits in the
overall market.
The unique space occupied by a brand in the consumer's mind,
"positioning is not what we do to the product, but what we do to the
mind." (Al Rise)
When formulating a positioning strategy, marketers must understand
the target segment and the value offer that differentiates the product
from the competition. It is called point-of-differentiation.
Like any promise, the brand's value offer is realistic and achievable
from the target customers' perception. We cultivate that particular
perception by substantiating the value promise or providing reasons
to believe (RTBs) with the following:
Product attributes and benefits
Company resources and capacities
The value offer or point-of-differentiation and the reasons to believe
together comprise the positioning statement.
A positioning statement is a way of designing the product to occupy
a space in the consumers' minds (Liu & Chen, 2000). A brief, clear
statement clarifies how the product will be perceived in the market
and focuses on the value proposition or product promise. It serves
as a guide to the development of the marketing mix (Stayman, 2015).
The positioning statement has five parts (Stayman, 2015):
Definition of the target market
Brand
Point-of-Differentiation, the value proposition or product promise that
differentiates the product from the competition
The frame of reference, the product category the firm wishes to enter
Reason-to-believe, is the evidence that the product can deliver the
value proposition or product promise.
Sample Positioning Statement
For the male and female international students presently seeking
admission to collegiate and graduate programs (definition of the
target market), De La Salle University-Dasmarinas (brand) is a global
learning community set in an environment of care (point-of-
differentiation). Among all the tertiary universities in the
Philippines (frame of reference), De La Salle University-Dasmarinas
is part of more than 1,600 Lasallian school networks and ministries
spread in more than 80 countries. It ranks 50th most ecologically
balanced campus in the world by the Green Metrix (reason-to-
believe).
MODULE 2: The Role of IMC in Branding
In this section, we will discuss the roles of Marcom in branding. There
are two essential outcomes of marketing communication, enhancing
brand equity and affecting behavior. And as we carry out our tasks,
we incur significant investments. We need to figure out how
marketing communicators can justify their investment in the
promotional tools and demonstrate financial accountability.
We start with defining the brand. A brand is a name, term, sign,
symbol, or design, or a combination intended to identify the goods
and services of one seller or group of sellers and differentiate them
from those of competition.
It is known as a trade dress, which refers to the product's appearance
and image, including its packaging, labeling, shape, color, sounds,
design, lettering, and style. These parts of a brand provide a unique
identity for a product. When promoted, the name gains brand
awareness.
Marketers create brands and generate awareness. Everything
mentioned above is the starting point of our work. We create more
than just a brand name and generate more than brand awareness.
Developing brand equity or the goodwill building-up over its existence
is the essential purpose of marketing communication. Brand equity
implies that consumers are aware of and favorable attitudes toward
a brand.
The following tasks are to create marketing communications directing
a brand to a target audience to influence behaviors. But the real
challenge is making consumers act while we carry out the marketing
communications tasks.
Brand equity consists of two forms of brand-related knowledge:
brand awareness and brand image. Without awareness, a consumer
cannot form opinions about a brand. Brand image is based upon the
favorability, strengths, and uniqueness of a brand's associations.
Those associations may be based on the brand's actual attributes,
the benefits they receive from it, and their overall evaluation or
attitude toward the brand.
We can consider brand equity from both the vantage point of the firm
and the customer.
A Firm-Based Perspective on Brand Equity
From the firm's perspective, brand equity is crucial because as the
equity of a brand increases, any or the combination of the various
positive outcomes occur: (1) a higher market share, (2) increased
brand loyalty, (3) ability to charge premium prices, and (4) capacity
to earn a revenue premium.
Revenue premium is the differential between a branded item and a
corresponding private-labeled item (Revenue Premium = Net Price x
Sales Volume). A branded good enjoys a revenue premium over a
corresponding private-labeled item to the degree it can charge a
higher price and generate greater volume.
Customer-Based Dimensions of Brand Knowledge
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Let us look into one of the brand equity models consisting of two
forms of brand-related knowledge: brand awareness and brand
image.
Brand
awareness is an issue of whether a brand name comes to mind when
consumers think about a particular product category and the ease
with which the name is evoked.
The brand image represents the associations activated in memory
when people think about a particular brand. These associations can
be conceptualized in type, favorability, strength, and uniqueness.
The Brand-Awareness Pyramid
The progression of brand awareness is from first awareness to
recognition, recall, and TOMA (top-of-mind awareness).
Brand-Related Personality Dimensions
From the customer experience, brands can have personalities just
like people. Brands reflect five personality dimensions: sincerity,
excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. Some
examples of brands reflecting the personality mentioned above are:
• Sincerity, Hallmark Greeting Cards
• Excitement, Victoria's Secret
• Competence, Norton Anti-Virus
• Sophistication, Talbots
• Ruggedness, Timberland boots
We can think of the brand image regarding the associations that come
to the consumer's mind when contemplating a particular brand. An
association is simply the particular thoughts and feelings about a
brand.
Associations can be conceptualized in type, favorability, strength, and
uniqueness. The type of brand associations can be based on the
brand's attributes, both product-related (e.g., color, size, design
features) and non-product-related (e.g., price, packaging, user and
usage imagery), the brand's benefits (e.g., functional, symbolic,
experiential), and consumers' overall evaluation, or attitude, toward
the brand.
Brand Development, Brand Concepts, Brand Equity, and Brand
Loyalty
Brand development consists of three ways:
1. Functional needs (solving problems): products that
attempt to fulfill the consumer's consumption-related
problems
2. Symbolic needs (associating the brand with
symbolic objects): directed at consumers' desire for self-
enhancement, role position, group membership, and
belongingness
3. Experiential needs (sensory pleasures, personal
experience): products that provide sensory pleasure,
variety, and cognitive stimulation.
Marketing communication creates and manages the brand concept
through its life. By definition, a brand concept is the specific meaning
we create and communicate to our target market. Brand concept
management represents the analysis, planning, implementation, and
control of a brand concept throughout a brand's life.
Brand Asset Valuator
Young & Rubicam (Y&R) developed a brand equity model entitled the
BrandAsset® Valuator (BAV). It is composed of four components or
pillars of brand equity. These include differentiation, relevance,
esteem, and knowledge.
Strategies to Enhance Brand Equity
There are three ways by which brand equity is enhanced: (1) speak-
for-itself approach, (2) message-driven approach, and (3) leveraging
approach.
The speak-for-itself approach is when consumers form brand-related
associations (positive or negative) merely by consuming a brand.
Through the consumption experience, the brand informs consumers
of its quality, desirability, and suitability for satisfying their
consumption-related goals. Marketers help the brand speak for itself
through point-of-purchase materials and appealing sales promotions.
The message-driven approach is when we attempt to build positive
brand-related associations through creative messages that are
attention-getting, believable, and memorable.
The repeated claims about the features a brand possess and the
benefits it delivers are practical if the Marcom message is creative,
attention-getting, and believable.
Leveraging approach
Brand associations can be shaped and equity enhanced by leveraging
positive associations already contained in the world of people, places,
and "things" available to consumers.
The culture and social systems in which marketing communications
occur are loaded with meaning. Through socialization, people learn
cultural values, form beliefs, and become familiar with these values
and beliefs' physical manifestations or artifacts.
1. Leveraging Associations from other Brands –
alliances between two brands can enhance both brands'
equity and profitability. It is called co-branding.
2. Leveraging Associations from People – aligning a
brand with people, such as employees or endorsers, can be
advantageous and disastrous as the brand is linked with its
reputation.
3. Leveraging Associations from Things – events and
causes provide opportunities for linkages with brands.
4. Leveraging Associations from Places – the channel
through which a brand is carried (Walmart vs. Nordstrom)
or country-of-origin both serve as possible associations
through which a brand can enhance its image.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Each of these approaches should be independent. A consumer's first- Make customers aware
hand experience with a brand should speak for itself with a message ("Awareness Class) of the
consistent with the message-driven approach. new product's existence with
free samples and coupons,
Affecting Behavior and Achieving Marcom Accountability advertising, trade shows,
personal selling (B2B), and
Marcom's efforts should be directed, ultimately, at affecting behavior distribution.
rather than stopping with enhancing equity. Marcom's objective is to
ultimately affect sales volume and revenue and return on marketing
investment (ROMI). Several reasons account for the complexity of Induce customers to try (Trier Class) the product with coupons,
measuring Marcom effectiveness: distribution, and price.
• Choosing a Metric, such as the following: Ensure repeat (Repeater Class) purchases with personal selling
o Change in brand awareness advertising, price, distribution, and product satisfaction.
o Improved consumer attitude toward the It shows us the various Marcom tools we can use to influence
brand consumers from one level to another using information, product
o Increased purchase intentions experience, and social interactions. The brand adoption process
o Larger sales volume (e.g., via scanner occurs
data; marketing mix models) among
• Gaining Agreement the
• Collecting Accurate Data entire
• Calibrating Specific Effects
Highly successful brands are measured by agencies using selected
criteria of quality. Two of the recognized global award-giving body for
world-class brands are EquiTrend Survey and Interbrand Ranking.

The biannual EquiTrend survey uses three main dimensions to marketing channels and all types of customers, business-to-business
determine highly successful brands: (1) familiarity with a brand, (2) (B2B) and business-to-customers/end-users (B2C).
quality, and (3) likelihood of purchasing a product.

The
Brand Characteristics That Facilitate Adoption
annual Interbrand ranking
Five brand characteristics influence
determines 100 top global
the likelihood of adoption, shown
brands by using (1) the
below.
percentage of a company's
revenue that can be credited Relative Advantage
to a brand, (2) the strength Relative advantage is the degree to
of a brand in terms of which consumers perceive a product
influencing customer demand at the point of purchase, and (3) the innovation as better than existing alternatives to a specific attribute
ability of the brand to secure continued customer demand. or benefit. Relative advantages exist to the extent that a new product
offers (1) better performance compared to other options, (2) savings
Some methods assess the effects by employing statistical in time and effort, or (3) immediacy of reward.
techniques (e.g., multivariate regression analysis) to estimate the
various advertising and promotion elements' effects in driving sales Compatibility
volume. Compatibility is the
degree to which an
Demonstrating financial accountability is imperative for Marcom innovation is perceived to
practitioners. We must get better at what we do because it is fit into a person's
increasingly difficult to justify expenditures without knowing what way of doing things. A
works and what doesn't. new product is more
compatible because it
The Brand Adoption Process matches consumers' needs, personal values, beliefs, and past
consumption practices.
Marcom and Brand Adoption
The acceptance of new ideas, including new brands, has been Complexity
traditionally referred to as product adoption. Brand adoption occurs Complexity refers to an innovation's degree of perceived difficulty.
when customers become aware of new brands, undertake trial The more difficult an innovation is to understand or use, the slower
purchases, and possibly become repeat buyers. The Brand Adoption the adoption rate.
Process is shown in the figures below.
The process includes three classes: awareness, trier, and repeater.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Trialability positive feelings. The best strategy for enhancing the likeability of a
Trialability is the extent logo is choosing a moderately elaborate design.
to which we can use an
innovation on a limited
basis. Trialability is tied Updating Logos
closely to the concept of Over time, logos become dated and should be updated to reflect the
perceived risk, and the times.
trial experience serves to
reduce the consumer's
risk of being dissatisfied.
Brand Naming
In general, products that
A brand is a company's unique designation or trademark,
lend themselves to
distinguishing its offering from other product category entries. A
trialability are adopted
brand name affects how consumers become aware of the brand,
more rapidly.
influences brand image, and influences brand equity formation. Brand
Observability names have been described as "cerebral switches" that can turn on
Observability is the degree to which the product user or other people positive associations in consumers' minds.
can observe the positive effects of new-product usage. In general,
innovations in observability/visibility lend themselves to rapid
adoption if they also possess relative advantages. Figure 3.3 shows
an ad that illustrates observability.
What Constitutes a Good Brand Name?
Requirement 1: Distinguishes the Brand from Competitive Offerings
Brand Naming: The Start of Branding Trademark laws protect owners of brand names and logos from other
companies using identical or similar names. Failure to distinguish a
brand from competitive offerings creates consumer confusion and
increases the chances that consumers will not remember the name
or mistakenly select another brand. The objective of the legislation is
to ensure that trademarks are not at risk of losing distinctiveness.
Requirement 2: Facilitate Consumer Learning of Brand Associations
Brand names serve as memory cues that facilitate product attributes
and benefits and predict product performance.
1. Brand Name Suggestiveness – implies particular attributes
or benefits in the context of a product category (e.g.,
Healthy Choice).
2. Made-Up Brand Names – (i.e., created or fabricated) are not
actual words.
They may be morphemes that are semantic kernels of words
(e.g., Compaq, Acura).
Commencing our branding exercise is naming the product. Branding
starts with a name. In the realm of human influence, each detail about
3. Sound Symbolism and Brand Naming – research suggests
a product is a touchpoint to a consumer. It is imperative we carefully that sounds made through the pronunciation of a brand
select the details of a product, limiting them to stimulating ideas and name influence the perceptions and evaluations of brand
experiences. names. Individual sounds called phonemes are the basis for
brand names. They can provide meaning about the brand
Requirements of a right brand name include: (1) distinguish the brand through sound symbolism.
from competitive offerings, (2) describe the brand and its attributes
or benefits, (3) achieve compatibility with a brand's desired image
and with its product design or packaging, and (4) be memorable and
Requirement 3: Achieve Compatibility with a Brand's Desired Image
and with Its Product Design or Packaging
easy to pronounce.
Brand naming is also a process involving steps: (1) specify objective
for the brand name, (2) evaluate candidate names, (3) evaluate
candidate names, (4) choose a brand name, and (5) register a
trademark.

The Role of Logos

Consumers learn logos and easily recognize products upon which a
known logo is emblazoned. Good logos are (1) recognized readily, Requirement 4: Be Memorable and Easy to Pronounce
(2) convey the same meaning to all target members, and (3) evoke Many brand names are short, one-word names that facilitate ease of
memory and pronunciation (e.g., Tide, Bounce, Pledge).
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Some Exceptions to the "Rules"
Despite their names, some brands become successful (i.e., the first
brand in a new product category). Some companies intentionally use
an initially meaningless brand name (called the empty-vessel
philosophy) to build positive associations with the new name.
Protecting Brand Names and Logos and Ultimately Consumers
Essential to creating names and logos, the image relays the brand
promise and what it stands for is that they are durable aspects of a
product. They are meant to last for the entire brand life or at least a
very long time. They are protected by laws on intellectual property
rights, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks, preventing
other products from using the registered brand names and logos.
These laws protect the consumers from the harm of imitation,
counterfeit, and pirated product versions. They further prevent the
legitimate product owner from legal liability if such harm happens.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property refers to many different author or company
creations for which a set of exclusive rights is recognized under the
law. Common types of intellectual property include patents,
copyrights, and trademarks.
Patents
A patent permits the owner to secure a monopoly or exclusive rights
to use an invention for 20 years, generally not renewable. There are
three types of patents: utility, design, and plant.
A utility patent is the most frequent type of patent. The utility category
includes biological, business, chemical, and software patents.
Design patents protect the appearance or shape.
Plant patents offer protection for discovering particular naturally
occurring and previously uncultivated plants. Patent applications are
filed with the Patent & Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov).
Copyrights
A copyright is a set of exclusive rights, not for an actual idea or
invention, but for the form in which something is expressed. It should
be in a tangible medium. The focus of copyright protection is on the
originality of the expression by the owner. Registration is not
required, but we should register the work with the Copyright Office
of the Library of Congress to receive these rights. A U.S. copyright is
granted for the author's life plus 70 years, or if "work for hire," 90
years from the date of publication or 120 years from creation,
whichever comes first. There are limits. The fair use doctrine (section
107 of the 1976 Copyright Act) states that the copyrighted work for
criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or
research is not an infringement of copyright.
Trademarks
A trademark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual,
business organization, or other legal entity to identify consumers'
goods or services. The trademark appears and distinguishes its
goods and services from the competition. It is typically a name, word,
phrase, logo, symbol, design, image, or combination. Trade dress
may encompass these and unconventional categories such as brand
associations with color, smell, sounds, etc. A company can lose a
trademark if the mark becomes a common descriptive word.
Trademark dilution and trademark disparagement cases do arise.
MODULE 3: Communication Process
Schramm Model of Communication (1954)
In the standard Model of Communication by Schramm, there are
three fundamental parts of the communication process: source,
message, and receiver. The source is responsible for encoding the
message. The message is the information shared by the source. The
receiver is the one who decodes the message and sends back
feedback to the source using a particular behavior or action
consistent with the message, which may be favorable or unfavorable
to the source.
Two elements essential in the flow of communication are the channel
carrying the message (e.g., the medium used by the source like TV,
radio, newspaper, social media). The other element is noise or the
interference in the environment, both internal and external, to the
message's source and receiver that may disrupt the message's
transmission, compromising communication flow. The model posits
the following:
“Information is of no use unless and until it is carefully put into words
and conveyed to others. Encoding plays a significant role because it
initiates the process of communication by converting thought into
content.
When the information reaches the recipient, his prime responsibility
is to understand what the speaker intends to convey. Unless and until
the second party can understand or decode the information that the
sender wants to communicate, the message is actually of no use.
The channel's choice that will carry the message through is as crucial
as addressing noise in encoding. Target markets have preferred
mediums of communication when searching for information and
media consumption habits. Successful marketing communication
uses the same media the target market is consuming. Likewise,
marketing communicators release the marketing messages at the
time, in the format, fitting the target market’s media consumption
habit. This way, the target market correctly decodes and reduces the
marketing message into the straightforward and clear information the
source intended to send.
Thus encoding and decoding are the two most important factors of
effective communication without which information can never flow
between two individuals. Schramm also emphasizes that
"communication is incomplete unless and until the sender receives
feedback from the recipient.”
Schramm Model of Communication
The BDO social media campaign is an example of failure in CODING.
It is a case of an erroneous copy “Save the Environment or Save up
to see places.” The connecting word “or” implies that consumers can
choose between saving the environment and opening/maintaining a
savings account in BDO. This social media advertisement generated
negative comments (reactions) from the netizens that resulted in the
social media campaign's pull-out.
Screenshot of BDO Social Media Content
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
We can consider a revised copy: “Save the environment by Saving up
to see places” or “Save up to see places and Save the environment.
Mass-Mediated Communication: Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola’s mass-mediated communication shows us that producing
a message is a collective output of various social agents. The
interaction is imperative in ensuring that the marketing message is
relevant, accurate, and suitable following social, cultural,
psychological sensitivities. Supporting the Coca-Cola model with
Schramm’s Model of Communication teaches us that a sender can
be a group of institutions and agencies producing a universal
message.
Receiving the message is a process in itself. It shows that it is hardly
possible for the message to be received in its original form because
the factors both internal and external to the audience interferes with
the decoding of a message. Noise is an inevitable encounter when
sending and receiving a message. It multiplies as we communicate.
Addressing the “noise” and ensuring accuracy and clarity of
message, both the sender and receiver (production and reception)
accommodate and negotiate factors influencing their coding and
decoding, such as value system, beliefs, prejudices. The final form of
a message is the collective and individual meaning formed in the
audience's consciousness.
The richness of message interpretation shows that communication is
a social process. One message will always generate different
meanings, different meanings to different individuals.
Mass-Mediated Communication: Coca-Cola (O'Guinn, Allen, &
Semenik, 2012)
Trial-Reinforcement Model. The model shows us that low-
involvement consumers are more likely to move from attention to
trial immediately. Contrary to the high involvement, consumers are
most likely to devote time evaluating the product choices. Low
involvement consumers appear motivated to buy based on the
brand's idea and less on its original features.
Ehrenberg’s Attention-Trial-Reinforcement
The level of commitment exists at the same time. The standard of
participation by the consumers varies according to the risk involved
in buying a product. If the risk is perceived to be high, most likely,
customers will have high involvement. Given the same product,
another set of consumers who consider purchasing said product less
or risk-free most will most likely one little engagement when buying.
The previous lesson discusses the different ways consumers make
trade-offs when buying a product.
There are two types of customers grouped according to the level of
involvement spent on buying decisions. Marketers create a marketing
message and deliver the same message in two different ways. High
involvement consumers will require promotional materials that
communicate the product features, benefits, and attributes. The
functional benefit of a product differentiates the value offered. Low
involvement consumers need brand messages that convey positive
images about the product reinforcing their personal beliefs,
aspirations, and values. The brand image closest to the personal
belief, aspirations, and values is a
more meaningful value offer to the low involvement consumers.
Product Life Cycle
We begin with our Product Life Cycle and ask the simple, fundamental
question, “Where is our product concerning its life cycle?”

The Psychology of Consumer Buying Decision

According to Howard’s Cognitive Psychology (1977, cited in Fletcher,

1987), consumers are rational decision-makers and consider
products a solution to problems. Buying follows a problem-solving
approach.

The problem-solving approach requires high involvement from the

target market and premises that individuals search for solutions to
problems by searching and gathering information pertinent to the
problem. The relevant information is evaluated as alternative
solutions until we attain a satisfactory solution. It is an approach that
functions in circumstances where there are choices, and the search
is limited to the available options.

Sample of Appeal to Rational Consumers

On the other end of the consumer psychology spectrum is the low

involvement buying decision or when, according to Robertson (1976
cited in Fletcher, 1987), the customer’s selective mechanism is
“inoperative.” When the consumers perceive products as similar,
buying decisions use very minimal effort to evaluate the available
choices. Hedonic consumers are low-involvement buyers because
the purpose of their purchase is to satisfy the pleasure that comes
with shopping.

Let us compare the high involvement from low involvement buying

decisions using Ehrenberg’s (1974, cited in Fletcher 1987) Attention-
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
With the following stages of the PLC, we can logically spot the
promotional needs of our product, see Table 1 below:
The Product Life Cycle in Marketing Communications
The basic foundation of sustainable marketing tactical approaches is
to identify suitable objectives. Failure to determine the appropriate
goals may result in unexpected results that are most of the time
unnecessary and undesirable (Figure 4 below).
Product Life Cycle and Marketing Strategy
Models of Consumer Behavior
There are two models of consumer behavior used to predict our
target market's possible responses to the marketing messages
relayed to them: 1.) Consumer Processing Model (CPM) and 2.)
Hedonic Experiential Model (HEM).
Consumer Processing Model (CPM)
CPM considers consumer behavior as rational, highly cognitive,
systematic, and reasoned. This behavior is apparent when choosing
a product based on its features, attributes, and capabilities.
The Consumer Processing Model (CPM) or McGuire’s 8 Stages of
Information Processing has the following stages:
1. Exposure to Information
2. Selective Attention
3. Comprehension
4. Agreement
5. Retention in Memory
6. Retrieval
7. Consumer Decision-Making
8. Action
Stage 1: Exposure to Information
According to the Mere Exposure Hypothesis (“Truth Effect”),
repeated exposure to a stimulus like a TV ad, package, radio
commercial, among others, may generate a positive effect toward the
object such as an advertised brand through enhanced familiarity. This
stage emphasizes the crucial role of regularity in the IMC. The
frequency of exposure to a stimulus generates a behavior beneficial
to the brand being marketing.
Stage 2: Selective Attention
Traditional marketing communication is designed to capture the
attention of an audience. The conditions influencing our command
over attention are twofold: 1.) The varying degrees of attractiveness
about the object; and 2.) The energy of the mind. There are two levels
of attention:
Voluntary Attention
Voluntary Attention is the complete control over our
thoughts and our ability to command a particular mental
state's expulsion or detention at different times and objects.
A representation of the imagination, a strong emotion, a
worrying train of thought, no less than some distracting
external stimulus, may sometimes render nugatory
repeated efforts to apply our minds to some other topic. The
power of the brain to automatically drift with and actively
struggle against the natural current of thought.
Non-voluntary attention
Non-Voluntary Attention occurs when the mind is awakened
and continued without any effort. There are two levels of
non-voluntary attention: 1.) Spontaneous or automatic is
when the process of attention flows along in a smooth, facile
manner without any consciousness of constraint. 2.)
Involuntary Attention is when we feel our attention is
extorted from us or constrained against our will when an
idea forcibly intrudes into our consciousness and defies our
best attempts to eject it. Involuntary attention results when
the conscious mind changes focus to sudden changes in
the environment (big sound, the intensity of the light, unique
situation, among others.). We are unprepared for the
attention, and the attention is not under our control. Our
focus is less concerned with motives, interests, and needs,
and the stimulus is usually more critical than any functional
factors.
Several factors are causing selective attention:
Stimulus intensity or the loudness of a sound, attractiveness of
color, and pleasantness or unbearable smell.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Novel stimuli or the pleasure and pain principle , an idea or object
that reminds us of a pleasant experience, directs our attention, while
painful experience suspends our attention. Novelty pleases.
Experience (reward/reinforcement) that once rewarded or an act
reinforced calls for our attention.
Needs may be cognitive. For example, suppose you have been
searching for a particular brand of office supplies and came across a
display. Needs may also be hedonic. For example, after hard work,
you came across an expensive restaurant and thought of rewarding
yourself with a nice meal.
Expectations (product interest) fueled by the aggressive promotion
of a product, we attend to the details of its features and capabilities.
Values (families, culture) our social development influences the
attention we give to an idea, object, or message.
Stage 3: Comprehension
Comprehension is understanding and creating meaning out of stimuli
and symbols. Interpreting stimuli involve selective perception
affected by expectations, context, needs, personality, attitudes, and
mood. According to studies, the average miscomprehension rates
have as high as 30%. Aside from the challenge of comprehension,
our message receivers have selective perception; each individual is
likely to perceive images differently.
Stage 4: Agreement
Comprehension by itself does not ensure that the message
influences consumers’ behavior. Agreement depends on:
1. Whether or not the message is credible
2. The quality of arguments
3. Whether or not the information is compatible with the
values that are important to the consumer
Stage 5: Retention and Search/Retrieval of Stored Information
Retention and information search and retrieval both involve memory
factors related to consumer choice. Three memory storage
theories: 1.) Multiple Store Approach, 2.) Levels of Processing, and
3.) Spreading Activation Model.
Multiple Store Approach to Memory
According to this memory theory, the information in our brain passes
through three “stores” or “storages.” They are the sensory store
(SS), short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).
Sensory Store (SS)
When we receive information, it passes through our sensory
receptors and to the sensory store. Depending on the stimulus and
unless we allocated attention to the stimulus, the sensory store's
information is rapidly lost (See Stage 2).
Short-Term Memory (STM)
When we focus on the information, it goes to our short-term memory.
Short-term memory has limited processing capacity. If the
information is not thought about or rehearsed, we will lose it in 30
seconds or less. An example is, suppose the receiver immediately
shared information with another. Most likely, that information will
proceed to long-term memory storage.
Long-Term Memory (LTM)
The long-term memory store is a virtual storehouse of unlimited
information. We organize the information into coherent and
associated cognitive units called brand schema, memory organization
packets, or knowledge structures. Our job is to provide positively
valued information that consumers will store in LTM.
Multiple Store Theory
Levels of Processing Model
According to this model, there are three stages or levels to which
information passes. We allocate our retention capacity to yield
processing from simple sensory analysis to complex semantic and
cognitive elaboration.
Example: Using a female hand in a J & J baby shower gel TVC is a
stimulus that gets our attention to notice a soft hand touching a
baby’s skin. The image creates a complex semantic translated into
the softness or tenderness of a touch that we give meaning to like a
bit of love. As the storyboard progresses, the frame shows a full
picture of a mother lovingly touching her baby, which we interpreted
as a mother’s touch is a touch of love.
Levels of Processing Model using J&J Big Idea
Spreading Activation Model
This model argues that there exists only one memory store, and we
can only activate a limited portion of that store at any one time. We
use the active part in processing memory. Another way of saying is
that we store in mind those we use immediately and repress those
we put-off.
Learning and Learning Types
When learning transpires, the stored information changes in the
content or organization of information in a consumer’s long-term
memory. Using the classical conditioning model, we can understand
how we change the previous data stored in the long-term memory to
a different behavior using another stimulus or cue to changed
behavior.
Example:
Tardiness is an offense. We penalize an offense (negative
reinforcement).
We can minimize tardiness if we correctly communicate the
policy and the sanctions.
Punctuality is a virtue. We reward virtue (positive reinforcement).
We can minimize tardiness by encouraging punctuality with
incentives. In the theory of loss aversion, losses weigh
greater than gain. Individuals respond more with positive
reinforcement because the possible loss associated with
missing the incentive is higher than merely avoiding
sanctioning tardiness.
Stage 6: Search and Retrieval of Information
New information is best learned and more accessible with concrete
examples and claims (as opposed to abstract). An example is the
Apple computer versus other brands. Apple is evident with its
capabilities and functions as opposed to other brands.
The use of imagery or a mental event involving the visualization of a
concept or relationship has a dual-coding benefit (Dual-Coding
Theory). Pictures are represented in memory in verbal and visual
form, whereas words are less likely to have visual representations.
Stage 7: Decision Processes
High Involvement Decision Making
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Takes on a problem-solving approach; thus, individuals strive to
attain goals and solutions to problems, gather information, and
evaluate various alternative solutions to achieve a satisfactory
answer. Individual choices occur in an environment of “givens” –
premises accepted by the subject as the basis for his selection, and
behavior is adaptive only within limits set by these givens.
Low Involvement Decision Making
Behavior and decision processes are determined by the belief,
opinions, and “facts a person processes by the needs, goals, and
values he has and the momentary control he has over his behavior
by given features of his cognitive and motivational structure.
High-Low Involvement Matrix
(https://manifestedmarketing.wordpress.com/tag/consumer-buying-
behaviour/)
Stage 8: Action
Our desired action from our consumers is responsive and consistent
with our call to action.
Hedonic, Experiential Model (HEM)
HEM model argues that emotions drive consumer behavior. The act
of purchasing is in pursuit of “fun, fantasies, and feelings.”
CPM – HEM Continuum
The rational consumer processing model (CPM) and the hedonic,
experiential model (HEM) are not mutually exclusive. Instead, they
exist on a continuum.
Now that we can identify our communication purpose, let us
understand the process we are engaging in. We learned from the
Schramm Model of Communication. From that, we know the
following:
Communications is the process of establishing a commonness or
oneness of thought between a sender (e.g., an advertiser) and a
receiver (e.g., a consumer).
The sender or advertiser encodes the message, which is the process
of putting thought into symbolic form (e.g., words, sentence
structure, symbols, non-verbal cues).
The receiver or consumers decode the message, which is
transforming message symbols back into thought.
The process of communicating with our target market includes
several stages, and it starts with setting our communication objective
that we transform into a message, delivered using selected
channels.
The message is received by the consumers who experience the
products the first time and manifest a specific communication
outcome (e.g., brand awareness, attitude change, behavioral effect),
who will provide much-sought feedback. In every stage of the
process are interruptions or noise that we need to address to
accomplish oneness of thought.
As communicators, we must always remember that we write, design,
and compose for our audience. We are not communicating for
ourselves. The intent is to reach out to our audience. It is important
that when creating our message, we understand the various ways we
can transform our words into symbolic forms.
Semiotics
Let us begin constructing our message with semiotics, “the study of
meaning and meaning-producing events.” There are three areas of
concern in semiotics: meaning, sign, and socialization.
Meaning is a constructive process that the communicators
determined as much as by the receivers of the message. Our internal
responses (thoughts, feelings) are presented with a sign, stimulus,
or object.
Denotative Meaning versus Connotative Meaning
Denotative is the exact meaning of a symbol, a word, or a phrase.
Connotative is the implied meaning of a symbol, a word, or a phrase.
Structural versus Contextual Meaning
Structural is a sign to sign a relationship, like a traffic sign, red stops,
and green is a go.
Contextual is a description of signs like the UP Oblation is a sign of
academic freedom.
The sign represents something in a given context.
Example: When a consumer sees a Coke logo, it will have different
meanings depending on the context:
1. Dining, Coke logo may remind the consumer of a cold,
sweet beverage to go with the dish.
2. While waiting in line under the heat of the sun, the Coke logo
is something that quenches thirst.
Signs
There are three ways of looking at signs: signals, signs, and symbols:
A signal is when the product is a cause or effect of something else
(e.g., SUVs the result of large families)
A sign is a product and referent belonging to the same cultural
context (e.g., SUVs part of the upper-middle class, children, suburbs)
A symbol is a product and object that have no prior relationship yet
are now associated with one another (e.g., Ford trucks and “tough
guy” image/ads
Socialization in semiotics is how people learn cultural values, form
beliefs, and become familiar with “physical cues” representing these
values and beliefs.
Symbolic Relationships in marketing communication are developed
using different figures of speech.
The metaphor is a speech figure that makes an implicit, implied, or
hidden comparison between two unrelated things but shares some
common characteristics. In other words, a resemblance of two
contradictory or different objects is made based on a single or some
standard features. Examples: “Wheaties – the Breakfast of
Champions,” “Budweiser – the King of Beers”
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing
similarities between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, an
analogy draws resemblance with the words “like” or “as.” Therefore,
it is a direct comparison. Example: “Trailblazer – like a rock.”
Allegory is an extended metaphor in which we describe abstract
ideas and principles in terms of characters, figures, and events. It is
a parable that tells a story.
Personification is a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea where
we give animals human attributes. We portray non-human objects in
such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.
Moral conflict is a literary element that involves a struggle between
two opposing forces. Examples: Mr. Clean
MODULE 4: Pull Strategy
Advertising is a paid communication with an identified sponsor using
broad-scale media targeting a mass audience. It is a promotional tool
designed to interrupt the market requiring significant investment. Its
tools are intended as an above-the-line strategy (ATL).
There are five basic functions performed by advertising:
1. The most basic advertising functions are to inform the
market that our brand exists in the market, offering specific
attributes and benefits.
2. The significant investment in an advertising campaign is
largely due to its ability to influence consumer perception
and behavior. Advertising messages are used to persuade
the market of a particular need that can be satisfied by our
brand.
3. Reminding and Increasing Salience. Advertising is
necessary to keep our target market connected with our
brand. Advertising reminds the target market and increases
the salience or noticeability of our brand. What about known
brands?
4. Adding Value. Advertising creates value with the information
it shares. Accurate and truthful information and deliverable
promises are key to adding value to our brand.
5. Assisting Other Company Efforts. Advertising is also a tool
for other company efforts, like when Public Relations
implements a special event, promoting it makes use of
advertising.
With the huge investment involved in developing and implementing
an advertising campaign, it is important to understand the many ways
that guarantee effectiveness. There are six criteria for effective
advertising material.
1. Sound Strategy. Each brand, depending on where in the
product life cycle it belongs, the competition's
aggressiveness, the quality of its relationship with the
market, and dynamism of the market, the advertising
strategy must be appropriate at all times. Suitability is
measured based on its practical and most logical direction.
There is one most suitable to the brand with several
advertising strategies available.
2. Consumer's View. Advertising messages respond to
consumers' least expectations. The consumers of shampoo,
regardless of brands, have a minimum requirement of
"clean hair." This basic functional product benefit needs to
be communicated all the time. Other consumer demands
like soft, shiny, long, and healthy, etc., become a point-of-
differentiation from one brand to another. The advertising
message focuses on clean + the point-of-differentiation,
suddenly the market segment becomes clear to us, and the
focus of our IMC campaign is properly directed towards one
objective.
3. All marketing communications are designed to influence
behavior favoring our brand. We avoid the voluntary
disregard of our advertising messages. We want our target
market to notice our brand and connect with the brand. The
initial step to the persuasive message is relevance
(makabuluhan).
4. Don't Overwhelm. One of the worst failures of advertising is
the overwhelming creative execution. Advertising material is
intended for brand awareness, knowledge, and recall. There
are cases when an advertising material is recalled because
of its entertainment value but failed to earn a brand. When
this happens, advertising fails.
5. Deliver on Promises. Advertising is where we promote our
promises in the form of a value proposition or point-of-
differentiation. We must guide ourselves with our
positioning statement because it guarantees that our
advertising message is communicating deliverable
promises.
6. Break Clutter. The sheer volume of information in various
media channels and platforms makes it difficult for the
human brain to absorb information. Relevant, clear
messages in clean, creative execution allow our advertising
message to break the clutter.
Elements of Effective Advertising
Aside from being effective, an advertising campaign must be
successful in achieving its objectives. There are three simple qualities
of successful advertising: newsworthiness, responsiveness to the
rational stimulus (high involvement), and emphasis on hedonic or
visceral stimuli (low involvement).
What does "being creative" mean? Being creative means
accomplishing our objectives with limited resources, responding to
the diversity of lifestyle, cultural beliefs, and values with a singular
idea, and transcending a singular promise to a range of market
segments with varying demands and expectations.
The CAN Elements gauge the creativity of an advertising message.
According to CAN, a creative advertising message is characterized by
1.) Its ability to connect the brand with the target market
(connectedness), 2. ) The message is appropriate to the community,
and 3.) Interestingly, the execution is related, saying the same
promise differently each time (novelty).
The CAN Elements of Creative Ads
Another criterion that we need to satisfy when creating an advertising
message is the stickiness of the message. The sticky message is
achieved with six elements called the SUCCESS principle, an acronym
for the following:
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
1. Simple. The message must be simple. Clarity and brevity are
achieved when messages are simple. Simplicity in sentence
construction, visual peg, and overall layout leaves minimal
noise to set and results in varying meanings.
2. Unexpected. The novelty of the idea brings color and life to
the advertising message. We are actually sending our target
market the same singular message that we have been
sending for the past many years, some brands even for
more than a century, but we can sustain interest because
we can send the same message repeatedly differently.
3. Concrete. The concreteness of an idea comes from the
logical pattern of the expected cause-effect relationship.
a. Example: When one is soaked in rainwater (cause),
they may sick (effect). Logically we will avoid the
sickness by drying and warming up. Concreteness
uses visual elements like dripping clothes and hair,
a towel to dry, and a soup or coffee to warm-up.
4. Credible. Credibility is anchored on different aspects of a
product, i.e., the functional performance of a product,
quality of customer service provided by the channels, and
the simplest yet most reliable source of credibility is
corporate reputation.
5. Emotional. Consumer buying behavior takes on both the
CPM and HEM approaches. When buying, consumers first
ask, "Does it work?" (Core level, functional attribute), and
when convinced of the product's functional attribute, they
ask, "Does it feel good buying it?" (Intangible and
augmented, emotional attribute). An advertising message is
also created first to address the consumers' need to assure
that the product delivers its functional attributes and moves
towards searching for the emotional connection.
6. Storytelling. We connect because of conversations about
moments. However simple each moment, those are short
stories worth sharing and listening to. A good message, any
message for that matter, is best shared in a storytelling
fashion.
Elements of Sticky Ads
Impression Hierarchy
When formulating the advertising message strategy, we consider the
impression hierarchy and choose which layer connects with our
target market.
Brand Name. There is a reason why we do branding campaigns and
work hard to create and sustain strong brands for our products
because strong brands are the simplest to communicate. We use
them with ease when our products enjoy a firm brand name. The
brand name becomes the strongest single-minded proposition and
the strongest product attribute.
We can also create an advertising message that allows our products
to own a category and makes their name generic. In the country,
Colgate is successful in making the brand synonymous with
toothpaste that when consumers ask for a toothpaste, they
immediately ask for Colgate but actually meant another brand, "Pabili
po ng Colgate, yung Happee." San Miguel Corporation is also
successful in making a generic claim over a beer for their Pale Pilsen,
which was challenged by Asia Brewery when they launched their own
beer and named it Beer.
Attitudinal Response. When we create an advertising message
intended to influence the attitudinal response, we want to change
people's opinions and feel positive about our product. The attitudinal
response is a cognitive approach to communication that makes use
of our sensory motors as stimuli. Example: Imagine a guy that most
likely is labeled as a geek, walks on the street, and gets glances and
smiles from women simply because he smells good with Axe
cologne.
Commercial Specifics. We can also explore the commercial specifics
of our product in our advertising messages. We can encourage our
target to read the labels for food and beverage products (Nestle) to
emphasize our products' nutritional value or be as clear as saying a
verifiable fact like 78% vitamin C in an orange-flavored beverage.
Mountain Dew is so clear of their product attribute, the energy drink
with the highest level of caffeine, resulting in the ability to do extreme
physical activities.
Specific Sales Message. The strongest impression is when we create
an advertising message using a specific sales message or the
product's value proposition. It transforms the value statement into a
clear message intending the target audience to create a meaning
consistent with the value we are trying to generate from the
communication process.
The advertising plan provides the framework for the systematic
execution of advertising strategies. Like a marketing plan, it involves
analysis, planning, implementation, and a measure of control. Each
time we create an advertising plan, the creative process that we go
through guides an advertising campaign. It is equally important to
remember that an advertising message communicates its primary
benefits and how it can solve a consumer's problem.
Advertising Strategy
We have explored the ways we can create a promisingly effective
advertising message. But it is also important to know that we must
also decide first our advertising strategy. There are five simple steps
to remember when formulating an advertising strategy.
Step 1: Key Fact
Stating the key fact means a single-minded statement from
the customer's perspective identifies why consumers are
not purchasing the brand. This requires knowing the
customers from their demographics, psychographics,
behavioral, and how and why they do what they do with our
product. This allows us to explore the many moments where
our product is in our target customers' lives.
• Example: Baking Soda
▪ Baking soda is used for cooking.
▪ It is used for cleaning sinks, cooking wares, and
laundry.
▪ ENT doctors prescribe it for decongesting the
nasal passage, while dentists recommend it for
whitening teeth.
Step 2: State the Market Problem
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
State the problem from the marketer's point of view.
• Example: Baking Soda
▪ The product is consumable for food preparation for
only 30 days, and the volume of consumption is
only about half a teaspoon each time.
▪ The lacks a single-minded proposition because of
the many uses outside its core function.
Step 3: State the Communication Objectives
What effect is the advertising intended to have on the target
market, and how should it persuade consumers?
• Example: Baking Soda
▪ The advertising message is intended to encourage
increased consumption of baking soda.
▪ The advertising message is aimed at introducing to
the target market the many uses of baking soda.
Step 4: Implement the reactive message strategy.
With our advertising objectives, we now decide on the
message strategy using our creative Platform (our
positioning statement) guided by the four elements:
1. Define the target market (Customer profile)
2. Identify the primary competition (Frame-of-Reference)
3. Choose the promise (Point-of-Differentiation)
4. Offer reasons why (Reasons-to-Believe)
Step 5: Establish mandatory corporate/divisional requirements
This last step reminds the advertiser to include the
corporate slogan or logo, headlines, claim substantiation,
contact details, distribution centers, and any other
regulatory requirements, etc.
Creative Strategies
Several creative strategies are available, and there is a suitable
strategy for each product.
Generic Strategy
The generic strategy involves making a claim made by any company
that markets a brand in that product category. There is no attempt to
differentiate its brand from competitive offerings or to claim
superiority. This creative strategy is most appropriate for a brand that
dominates a product category and enjoys a large share of any primary
demand stimulated by advertising.
Preemptive Strategy
The preemptive strategy is used when an advertiser makes a generic-
type claim but does so with an assertion of superiority. This is so
because the advertiser is trying to preempt a competitive claim and
effectively precludes competitors from saying the same thing.
Example: 7-Up is the un-cola, barring Sprite to differentiate itself from
other sodas.
This strategy is most often used in product or service categories
where there are few functional differences among competitive
brands.
Unique Selling Proposition
This creative strategy claims superiority based on a unique product
attribute representing a meaningful, distinctive consumer benefit. The
advertiser translates a unique product feature into a relevant
consumer benefit provides a unique selling proposition. This strategy
is best suited for a company with a brand that possesses a relatively
lasting competitive advantage. An example is Surf in the Philippines
with the USP laundry powdered soap for the wais housewives, a
brand personified by Lumen, who can provide the best care for the
family without spending so much.
Brand Image Strategy
This strategy involves psychological rather than physical
differentiation of a product. It attempts to develop an image for a
brand by associating the product with symbols from which customers
draw meaning from the culturally constituted world and transfer that
meaning to the brand.
This type of advertising is believed to be transformational by
associating the experience of using an advertised brand with a unique
set of psychological characteristics that typically would not be
associated with the brand experience to the same degree without
exposure to the advertisement.
Resonance Strategy
Resonance strategy does not focus on the product claims of brand
images but rather seeks to present circumstances or situations that
find counterparts in the target audience's real or imagined
experience. An example is the Dove soap bar, where beauty is
defined differently from the universally prescribed Barbie-look.
Instead, beauty is not limited to size, age, color, and even gender
preference.
Affective (emotional) strategy
This creative strategy aims to reach the consumer at a visceral level
through the use of emotional strategy. Emotional advertising works
especially well for products that naturally are associated with
emotions (hedonic), e.g., food, jewelry, cosmetics, fashion apparel,
etc.
Corporate Image Advertising
This creative strategy attempts to gain name recognition, product
goodwill, and identification with meaningful social activities.
Corporate Issue Advertising
Meanwhile, corporate issue advertising is "paid communication
concerned with propagating ideas and explaining controversial social
issues of public importance." When public relations campaign is
supported by advertising, PR materials take this form.
Advertising Creative Frameworks
We can use two models to help us appreciate the creative strategy.
Means-End Chain or the MECCAS can guide us. Both models
recognize the product attribute, resulting in consumer purchase
perception. We can draw our product's value using these two
elements, which can significantly mean our target consumers. These
two models teach us that even creative exercise has a structure and
scientific process.
Means-End Chaining
The means-end chaining framework shows us that every product
attribute is a logical consequence. That when we do our creative
work, we must be able to determine the logical consequence
correctly because these two elements are our means to our end
(communication objective). Also, it makes the advertising message
coherent, logical, and concrete.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Means-End Chain
Let s assume that we are doing means-end-chaining for a product in
the healthy choices category. As a healthy choice, we say that our
product's attributes are low fat, many flavors, and high quality. Notice
that each attribute is a logical consequence, and altering the
consequence does not simply make sense. Also, the correctly paired
attribute and consequence lead us to a credible value(s). These
values can be used for our creative execution.
Means-End Chain and Advertising Strategy
MECCAS* Model Conceptualization of Advertising Strategy
Much like the means-end chain, MECCAS also follows a linear
creative exercise to draw from the process the most suitable value(s)
that can be used as an advertising message.
MECCAS Model Conceptualization of Advertising Strategy
Some universal values used in advertising messages:
1. Self-direction
2. Stimulation
3. Hedonism
4. Achievement
5. Power
6. Security
7. Conformity
8. Tradition
9. Benevolence
10. Universalism
The promotional mix is evolving right before our eyes.
Today we get to decide on the communication route with the
following choices strategically:
Interruption Marketing
Traditionally, we develop our creative communication skills intending
to capture attention. Interruption Marketing refers to the traditional
promotional mix: advertising, public relations, sales promotions,
personal selling.
Permission Marketing
The technological innovation on information and communication
allowed faster, more accessible means to connect with people:
internet 1.0 emails, version 2.0 social media, soon, 3.0 artificial
intelligence, all provided digital online platforms to share brand
contents. These platforms allow brand touchpoints through presence
and connection with the subscribers of each platform.
Advertising is a paid, non-personal, one-way communication from an
identified sponsor using mass media to influence an audience.
Television commercials, magazine print ads, and even social media
ads are all paid by advertisers. The premise is that the use of airtime
and print pages intends to generate a sale for a product.
Bases for advertising costs:
• Television and radio spots (the 30s or 30 second-spot, 15s,
10s)
• Newspaper per column inch (width= no. of columns used x
length= inches)
• Magazine pages (Inside Front Cover, Full Page, Outside Back
Cover, etc.)
The primary purpose of advertising is to create awareness and bring
the target consumers from unawareness to knowledge by capturing
the audience's attention.
Media and Vehicles
Advertising uses mass media. Media is the carrier of advertising
messages like television, radio, newspaper, magazines.
Vehicles are the specific TV programs like the 6:00 pm news program
of different broadcasting networks. Time magazine is an example of
a print vehicle in the print medium.
When choosing for the media and vehicles, consider the following
(Hou, 1997):
Target audience
The key to the persuasiveness of an advertising message is
relevance. We create advertising messages to engage the audience.
Characteristics of the Product or Services
Advertising is suitable for products or services with information or
messages deliverable in at most 30 seconds, or even a quarter of a
page in the newspaper. Complex products or services like medical
equipment, drugs, and surgical procedures require more space and
time for their features and attributes. Advertising is not a suitable
promotional tool.
Stage in the Product Life Cycle
The choice of media for an advertisement must also be appropriate
to the stage in the product life cycle; otherwise, we may either fail to
optimize the market growth potential for the product or waste too
many resources on the wrong combination of media and vehicles.
Availability of Financial Resources
Promotion requires significant investment. Promotional policies
depend on the allocated budget. Media planning must be responsive
to the available financial resources of the company.
When choosing for the media and vehicles, consider the following
(Hou, 1997):
Corporate Objectives
There are two company objectives types: improved profitability or
increased market share. If a company decides to improve profitability,
we make the most efficient and cost-effective promotional activities
for media planning. When a company plans to increase its market
share, we can consider an aggressive promotional campaign to reach
consumers.
Availability of Media and their Characteristics
One of the considerations in media planning is the availability of
media in a particular location promotion will take place. We also
consider the type of media commonly used by the target consumers
and the cost of media placements for a specific location. The choice
of media is also geographically influenced.
Industrial and Competitive Practices
Due to the barrage of information, many of which are considered
clutter by the target consumers, it is still more practical to follow the
existing industrial norm in media choices. These are the three
reasons for the preference over industry standards, according to
(Hou 1997):
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
• There is no need for media research because the selected
media have been used for a long significant time.
• Target consumers have formed a search habit using a
conventional industrial press.
• It is costly to introduce to the target consumers new media
as their search alternative.
Legal and Statutory Constraints
The law protects consumers from any false information. Although we
accept puffery or exaggerated advertising messages, too much
puffery leading to incorrect information is against it.
Another advertising consideration is the space and time needed to
implement a successful advertising campaign, referring to reach and
frequency.
Deciding on the combination of media and vehicles is primarily based
on the promotional campaigns intended to reach and frequently
create awareness and influence consumer buying behavior
effectively.
Shrimp (2013) defines reach as the percentage of a target audience
who has seen, heard, or read an advertising message. Frequency is
when a target audience sees, hears, or reads an advertising message
from the exact vehicle. We determine the span of advertising reach
with multiple media, different vehicles, and varying time slots and
print spaces.
Measuring media implementation uses the Gross Rating Points
(GRP) or the weight of a particular advertising schedule. We can
calculate GRP using the formula: GRP= reach x frequency.
GRP is essential in deciding the possible combination of media and
vehicle (reach) and the number of times (frequency) required for the
advertising campaign to achieve the objectives (Shrimp, 2013).
There are three media implementation alternatives. Product type
(seasonal) and budget are important considerations when selecting
the media implementation method.
1. Continuous Media Implementation is when the
advertisement is given the same budget throughout the
campaign period.
2. Pulsing Media Implementation is when there are selected
periods during the advertising campaign with more media
placements.
3. Flighting Media Implementation is when there are periods in
the advertising campaign when there are no placements or
ad breaks.
During media planning, reach strategy is generally suitable when the
following conditions are present (Hou, 1997): 1.)
• When the target market is undefined
• When the brand is secure, and competition is weak.
• When the product purchase cycle is infrequent
Frequency strategy is more appropriate in the following situations
(Hou, 1997):
• Product is complex or requires more time devoted to
information on its product use.
• When competition is intense
• For frequently purchased products
• When there is resistance to the brand
• When there is a well-defined target market.
More Terms:
• Advertising spots: media space and time purchased by
advertising
• Publics: people with specific interests in the organization's
impact on business operations.
• Puffery: exaggeration in creative execution
• Media Planning: allocating the space and time needed to
accomplish the promotional objectives.
• Sales Performance: generated sales for a business year.
• Sales Pitch: sales force presents the product features,
attributes, and benefits, and the transaction price and value-
adding services included in the product's sale.
• Sales Quota: amount or volume of sales required from the
sales force at a given sales period (monthly sales targets,
quarterly sales target)
Public Relations (PR) is the management of corporate reputation.
Wilcox & Cameron (2006) summarized the many PR definitions with
the following keywords: deliberate, planned, performance, public
interest, two-way communication, management function.
Individually described below as (pp. 6-7):
• Deliberate. PR activity is intentional. Its purpose is to
influence, gain understanding, provide information, and
obtain feedback.
• Planned. PR is an organized activity. It is systematic,
requiring research and analysis.
• Performance. Actual policies and public opinion on PR
decisions and activities are the success parameters of PR.
No public relations will generate goodwill and support if the
organization is unresponsive to community concerns.
• Public interest. PR activity should be mutually beneficial to
the organization and the public; it aligns its self-interest with
the public's interests.
• Two-way communication. PR is more than one-way
dissemination of informational materials. It is equally
essential to solicit feedback.
• Management function. PR is most effective when it is an
integral part of decision-making by top management.
PR involves counseling and problem-solving at high levels, not just
disseminating information after rendering a decision.
Public Relations include all ongoing activities of an organization
geared towards earning a positive public image. The nature of PR
activities includes helping the public understand the organization and
its products by responding to public expectations, behavior,
judgments, and opinions, impacting its operation and development
(Newsom, Turk, & Kruckerberg, 2000).
Ten Basic Principles of Public Relations
A strong reputation and public image follow a standard of behavior.
Building and sustaining a solid reputation and an excellent public
image is a conscientious effort to act according to a given set of
values and acceptable moral and social standards introduced by the
British Institute of Public Relations.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
1. PR deals with facts, not fiction. PR deals with reality, not
false fronts. Conscientiously planned programs that put the
public interest in the forefront are the basis of sound public
relations policy.
2. PR is a public, not a personal service. PR is a service-
oriented profession where public interest, not its reward,
should be the primary consideration.
3. The PR practitioner must have the guts to say NO to the
deceptive program. Since the public relations practitioner
must go to the public to seek support for programs and
policies, the public interest is the central criterion for
selecting programs and policies.
4. The PR practitioner should never lie to the news media,
either outright or implied. The PR practitioner reaches many
publics through mass media. We cooperated to preserve the
integrity of the communication channels.
5. The PR practitioner probably was the original
ombudsman/woman. The PR practitioners serve the interest
of both the organization and its public. They must be
effective communicators – conveying information back and
forth until we reach a public understanding.
6. PR cannot afford to be a guessing game. Public relations
practitioners must extensively use scientific public opinion
research to expedite two-way communication and be
responsible communicators.
7. Intuition is not enough. To reach and understand what the
public says, PR practitioners employ the social sciences –
psychology, sociology, social psychology, public opinion,
communications study, and semantics, for a meaningful
understanding of human behavior.
8. The PR discipline requires multi-disciplinary applications.
The PR practitioners adapt the work of other disciplines to
appreciate human social interactions and self-protection.
9. The PR practitioner should alert and advise so that people
are never surprised. Public Relations practitioners are
obligated to explain problems to the public before these
problems become crises.
10. The PR practitioner is only as good as the reputation they
deserve. A single standard, decent performance measures
us.
The Critical Roles of PR
PR practitioner as a problem finder, solver, and preventer PR
practitioner as an interpreter and communication link (Newsom et al.,
2004, p16-17):
PR as Problem Finder, Solver, and Preventer
This role demands the ability to identify issues concerning the
organization that may be of vital concern, immediately or possibly
becoming a cause of interest in the future. The tasks directly attached
to this role are (a) conscientious scanning of the environment and
(b) consistently conducting public perception research.
PR as an Interpreter and Communication Link
It is a role requiring connecting with other people, listening, and
empathizing skills.
The heart of the PR work is its duty to reach out to many public
(stakeholders). According to Seitel (2007), "PR practitioners must
communicate with many different publics – not just the general public
– each having its own special needs and requiring different
communication types. Often the lines that divide the public are thin,
and the overlap is significant. Therefore priorities, according to
organizational needs, must always be reconciled." (p.9)
Publics: The heart of PR work
Publics are "an active" audience, encompassing any group of people
who are tied together, however loosely, by some common bond of
interest or concern and who have consequences for an organization
(Newsom et al. 2004, p.90).
Facing a similar indeterminate situation, recognizing what is
indeterminate in that situation and organizing to do something about
the problem (Lattimore, Otis, Heiman, & Toth, 2007, p.100)."
Three categories of public, according to James Grunig, grouped and
behaving in similar ways (cited in Lattimore, D., Baskin, O. Heiman,
S. & Toth, E. 2007, p101):
Latent – a group faces an indeterminate situation but does not
recognize it as a problem.
Aware – the group identifies and is aware of a problem.
Active – the group organizes to discuss and do something about the
problem.
Types of PR Relationships
Industry Relationship is an organization's relationship with its
employees. Its task is to help attract and retain good employees by
working closely with the human resources department to improve
employer-employee relations. We recognize that employees are
motivated by their growth potential. A solid relationship with the
employees can be a competitive advantage.
Customer Relationship is responsible for creating and maintaining
valuable products and services to satisfy customer needs and wants
while managing customer expectations.
Investor Relationship with stockholders, dealers, and distributors
intended to maintain the highest possible investor confidence.
Financial Relationships harmonize the public and private interests as
a primary requisite of partner lending banks and other financial
institutions. The economic relationship is fundamentally the
organization fulfilling its financial obligations with its internal sectors
and its relationship with its external publics.
Community Relationship maintains a friendly relationship with the
neighboring community or immediate community, interest groups,
through lobbying or promoting interest by a group and individuals or
groups of racial or ethnic minorities.
Educational Linkages is a way of recognizing schools as the
wellspring of talents. If organizations desire to attract competent and
competitive employees, they might also develop these talents.
Organizations can participate in educational initiatives by way of 1.)
Research Grants, 2.) Meaningful On-the-Job Training Programs, 3.)
Financial sponsorship to educational programs, 4.) Participate in the
development of the curriculum, and 5.) Participate in the delivery of
the instruction by way of the speaker's speaker's
Government Relationship is dealing with and communicating with
government agencies. Besides dutifully paying taxes, business
organizations ensure that taxes are collected and disbursed.
Media Relationship is maintaining contact and giving information to
the media via various communication forms, namely: 1.) news
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
releases, 2.) press kits, 3.) media advisories, 4.) news conferences,
5.) press tours, (personal letters or phone calls to editors and
reporters, among other possible media requirements.
The key to a well-managed media relationship is to maintain the
accuracy, timeliness, relevance, and accessibility of a credible person
to speak for the organization.
PR Tasks
Publicity – is a write-up or a news story broadcasted or printed. Its
purpose is to increase the public's awareness of the organization and
its products and services. It must be in a positive tone all the time.
The benefits of publicity are:
• It is free because the press or media is in the
information business, and a good story is a minefield.
• PR is more believable than advertising because
people tend to believe news stories than a 30-second TV
commercial. Publicity must be newsworthy, accurate, and
truthful. Its purpose is to strengthen a person's o person's
zati organization's n and not destroy a competitor. The press
or media cannot be an instrument of inflicting harm to
another.
Annual Report – is a written financial report released usually at the
end of a fiscal or business year. It is for the stockholders, Securities
and Exchange Commission, suppliers, and customers. Its objective
is to report the closing year's business year's performance and the
market forces circumstances that affected the operation.
Requirements for an annual report: 1.) accuracy of the information,
2.) accessibility of copies, and 3.) transparency of reports.
Merchandising Collaterals – are planned communication materials.
Some of them are: brochures, flyers, newsletters, press kits, point-
of-purchase (POPs) or point-of-sale (POS), audiovisual presentation
(AVPs), websites, posters, streamers, tip sheets, thank you notes,
official business letters. What to remember about merchandising
collaterals?
Merchandising collaterals supplement advertising. The
merchandising collaterals provide information excluded in a full-page
advertisement or a 30-second TVC and RC.
Merchandising collaterals are selling materials. The design follows
the "One Look, "One Voice principle" of integrated marketing
communications. Its tonality, mood, and message must be consistent
with the rest of the marketing communications initiatives.
Speakers' Bureau is an arranged speaking engagement of individuals
in the organization. They are usually invited as guest speakers to
seminars, conferences, conventions, or guests to render expert
opinions in meetings of professional and trade associations, service
clubs, civic organizations, community groups, schools, on-campus
seminars, or conferences. As an invited resource person, do the
following:
• Find out the profile of the participants and match
the company official to be sent to the participants.
• When there is an opportunity to promote the
organization and its products, do so with AVP and corporate
kits.
• Find out if Sponsors can set up a booth for
promotion.
Issue Management – is a proactive and systematic approach to
predicting problems, anticipating threats while minimizing surprises,
resolving issues, and preventing crises. Managing the problems
requires two-way communication, formal environmental scanning,
and active sense-making strategies (Wilcox & Cameron, 2009,
p.256). Issue management is essential because of the need to create
a strong reputation and maintain public trust. The elements of
reputation and trust are what set other organizations apart.
Sponsorships – is resource-based support to an event which may
come in any of the following forms: 1.) monetary assistance (must
not be self-liquidating), 2.) Barter agreements (exchange deals in-
kind), 3.) Acknowledged sponsorship of an organized event. The
acknowledgment comes in any of the following: 1.) advertising of the
sponsored event, 2.) programs, 3.) uniforms, 4.) posters, and 5.)
other promotional materials.
PR Tasks
Special Events – is the planning and staging of events that attract a
person, institution, idea, or product. Some of the popular annual
events in the country are SMC Oktoberfest and Milo Summer Clinic.
Charitable Contributions – is a consistent commitment to giving back
to the community by supporting local charities, local communities, or
other non-profit organizations created to solicit a collective effort to
promote a cause.
Public Service Announcements – are non-paid, either aired or printed
communication on a non-profit organization's event or ongoing
services. Many television networks, radio stations, and newspapers
(magazines) will run free of charge. Usually, a script for TV and radio
comes, while publications require a prepared article.
Public Perception Research – is either customized or syndicated
research about public opinion. It is suitable on a need basis, like
during a crisis brought about by an accident or significant
management decisions that primarily and broadly impact the public.
PR is the custodian of public opinion. The quality of public opinion
measures the PR program that we implement. It ensures that
everything we do creates positive public opinion and sustains it.
Dealing with public opinion means ensuring that we know what they
say about our organization how and where they say their opinion. It
is achieved with public opinion research. We reinforce positive public
opinion, and we rectify negative opinion. We accomplish this with
two-way communication, a particular feedback mechanism, e.g.,
public consultation, open customer feedback tool, among others.
These communication exchanges are free. The following uniqueness
of PR that we must remember is:
1. Free – PR is more credible than advertising
2. The information must be accurate—no sugar coating.
3. Two-way Communication
4. Directions come from the Top Management. PR is more
than a promotional and communication tool. It is a strategic
tool.
PR is known as one of the busiest and highly interactive strategic
management tools for having more than ten tools used at any given
time. Few of those tools are popularly used in brand activation
campaigns:
1. Publicity/News Releases
2. Special Events
3. Merchandising Collaterals
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
Those unfamiliar with PR commit the most popular mistake of using
corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs as a PR program.
News release
The oldest tool of PR is publicity or news releases. There are two
types of news releases: hard news and soft news. Hard news is
publicity written similar to a news article. Some examples of hard
news are:
1. Announcing the opening of a new branch
2. Announcing the appointment of a new CEO (chief executive
officer)
3. Announcing the acquisition by another company
Soft news is a human interest story, publicity written similar to a
feature article. Some examples of soft news are:
1. Featuring the CEO in a fashion magazine as one of the well-
groomed executives
2. Featuring the motivation and vision of the owner on their
business idea
3. Featuring the story of the logo or design principle of a store
These publicity materials or news releases are sent to the editors-in-
chief of major dailies, magazines, and social media groups for
publication. These news releases are published free of charge. The
only requirements are the accuracy and truthfulness of the
information contained in the article. It is the reason for PR's ability to
create a favorable public opinion for the company, create corporate
credibility and generate goodwill.
How do we get our news releases published? Make sure we satisfy
the following:
1. Make it newsworthy. The information must be relevant,
timely, and valuable.
2. Include who, what, when, where, and why in the lead
paragraph.
3. Customize releases for each trade publication and know
what's important to editors.
4. Close each release with general information about the
company.
5. Use solid quotes from the experts to provide reader interest
and product/service credibility.
6. If you are your company's person for news releases, return
phone calls within the hour if at all possible. People may be
on a deadline, and the more responsive you help them meet
their needs, the more likely they will be willing to work with
you.
7. If you send a photo, affix a label to the back with a
description and caption ad the headline from the news
release. Do this in case the photo becomes separated from
the release. If you send the text file electronically, you can
save postage costs and speed up delivery.
Depending on the set-up of the PR group in the organization, you
must know the following:
1. If you handle public relations internally, ensure the media
database is appropriate and accurate.
2. If the internal PR program is ongoing and aggressive, invest
in a clipping service to track coverage, quantity, monetary
value, among others. Doing so will save you time and
money.
3. If you hire a PR firm to assist with your PR needs, mutually
define expectations, projects, and the desired results. If the
firm is on retainer, ask for detailed monthly invoices.
Parts of a news release
• Identifies the story's origin by city and state and country; if
the city is well-known, such as New York, the dateline does
not need to include the state.
• It indicates page number and story in each page's upper-
hand corner (after page 1).
• Optional heading for release; usually rewritten by
publication editors
• -more- or –next-. Centered at the bottom of the page;
means the story goes to the next page
• -end-, -30-, or ###. Indicates close or end the story
• Format. Refers to the spacing between lines; double-space
so editors can make notes.
Merchandising Collaterals
Merchandising collaterals are planned communication materials.
Some of them are: brochures, flyers, newsletters, press kits, point-
of-purchase (POPs) or point-of-sale (POS), audiovisual presentation
(AVPs), websites, posters, streamers, tip sheets, thank you notes,
official business letters (usually in templates to conform to
consistency demands of the IMC) and even booths for trade show
and other events.
Special Event
A special event is one of the popular PR tools used when activating
a brand. A special event varies in size from a simply organized
meeting, e.g., Kapihan with the GM, to a yearly brand activation event,
e.g., San Miguel Beer Oktoberfest. The most important criteria of a
successful brand activation special event are: unique, the
sustainability of the idea, ability to mobilize and tribalize the nation.
Remember, the special event intends to group the target market into
one memorable event. When organizing a special event, consider the
following:
1. Memorable
2. Well planned and organized
3. Appropriate for your community
4. It fits the capacity of your organization.
5. Fun for the participants — both those attending and those
organizing the event.
6. Don'tmakeDon'tooo complicated.
Your checklist includes the following:
1. Type of event.
1. Based on your capacities, your community, and
your goals
2. Select a date and time. No conflict with other
events to ensure maximum participation and keep
a realistic lead time
2. The place.
1. Size (big enough, not too big)
2. Are you serving food (a type of set-up, floor
layout, and menu)
3. The plan.
Develop a written plan accomplishing the following:
•
o Discuss the concept and objectives of the event.
▪ Why are you holding the event?
▪ What kind of event fits best?
▪ When should we hold it?
▪ Where should you hold it?
▪ Whom should you ask to work with the
team?
▪ How to organize a special event?
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
o Detailing the tasks involved
▪ Tasks
▪ Timelines and deadlines
▪ Who is responsible for each task? One
person, at most, two people working
together as co-leaders, needs to assume
overall responsibility for seeing that
everything gets done.
o The invitees.
▪ Whom should you invite?
▪ Sponsors
▪ We must professionally do the invitation.
▪ RSVP, phone number, or email address
▪ When mailing or emailing, we allow
enough time for the invitees to plan to
attend. Generally, this is about two weeks
before an event. But not so much time
that they set the invitation aside and
forget about it.
• Invitation follow-up.
o Make telephone calls to invitees who have not
responded.
o Personalize the invitation
o Offer to pick them up and take them to the event.
o A close personal connection can make all the
difference.
o Table assignment is planned that guests can
interact with one another. Know your attendees
well.
• Registration and Display Tables
• We attractively display all the materials.
• Sign-up sheet or cards so that attendees can request more
information or sign up to volunteer
• Staff the table with board members or friendly and outgoing
volunteers to respond to questions and talk with people who
come to look at the material.
• The program.
• Master of ceremonies (introductions)
• Presenter (plaques of recognition, tokens)
• Provide an annotated agenda to the speakers showing how
much time each speaker is allowed and the main points you
hope they will make.
• The spokesperson.
• Choose an inspiring and engaging spokesperson to
represent the organization.
• We ensure there is someone at the entrance to the event to
greet people warmly as they come in. It sets the tone for the
time that you will spend together.
▪ The same goes for when they leave; have
someone at the door to say goodbye and
thank you.
▪ Follow-Up. You'veehadYou'veeventt, and
it was a success! You probably think it
could have been more successful, and
you can see room for improvement.
o Evaluate
▪ Get all your ideas down on paper.
▪ What worked?
▪ What needed improving?
▪ What would you do again?
▪ What will you avoid at all costs
next time?
▪ Look at both the immediate
results — and the longer-term
results.
o Post Event
▪ Send more information to anyone
interested in knowing more about the
organization.
▪ Send a thank-you note.
▪ Create a database of attendees, send
newsletters, and include them in the
social media database. Engage them.
The Event Concept Paper
1. Title of the Event
2. Brief Description of the event
1. Why are you holding the event?
2. What kind of event fits best?
3. When should we hold it?
4. Where should you hold it?
3. Objectives of the event
4. Lead time (see table below)
Rules on Design (canva.com)
Don't forget to kern
Kerning is the adjustment of space between characters. We kern to
ensure that each letter's spaces are visually even to make for a neat
and orderly piece of text.
Don't disregard readability/legibility for aesthetic reasons.
1. Lacking contrast between elements in the design
compromises readability or legibility. Such that a low color
contrast between the text and background. Keep the
distinction between design elements high to provide clarity.
2. The overuse of capital letters hinders the eye's ability to
distinguish letterforms. All caps renders each letter the
same height and block-like shape, whereas, in lowercase,
we allow more uniquely shaped letterforms. The lowercase
allows for the eye to more easily identify each letter and
word.
3. The type size is too small. It is best to do test prints and ask
for feedback. While your eyes may read it perfectly fine,
others may not.
Keep your line lengths short.
The thumb rule is a minimum of six words per line and an average of
about 30-40 characters (including spaces) on each line. Any less, and
the sentences will be too choppy. If there are more, we cause the
sentences to become tedious and challenging for the eye to get
through.
Have purposeful hierarchy
We take special notes on the arrangement of visual elements and
place them in order of importance. We make the more essential
elements distinguishable to hold the most attention through scale,
color, type, etc., and we tone down the least essential elements to
hold less attention.
Practice appropriate word spacing
There are two main points of spacing: tracking and leading.
Leading is the adjustment of space between vertical lines of type with
the following:
• Choice of typeface
• The volume of text you have to work with etc.
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
The rule of thumb is the longer line lengths often require a bit more
leading than shorter line lengths.
Tracking is getting rid of rivers or awkward line lengths in type. We
use tracking in the body text. Similar to lead, a good rule to stick by
is to keep longer line lengths tracked 'loosely' and shorter line lengths
tracked a bit 'tighter' for maximum readability.
Use the correct alignment.
1. Left-aligned is the most easily legible and gives a nice, neat
left edge to the text. When in doubt, left align.
2. Right-aligned is mostly suitable for decorative purposes
within branding or small pieces of type in specialized
publications. Right-alignment is not recommended for large
chunks of text, though as it can get hard for the eye to
follow, the ragged left edge makes it slightly more
challenging to find a new line.
3. Centered text is for posters, invitations, branding, and other
similar materials. It is easy to balance out a bit of type and
make for an aesthetically pleasing type arrangement. We do
not recommend it for larger font-type bodies because it
lacks a neatly aligned edge making it tricky for the eye to
move from one line to the next.
4. Justified text is fantastic for novels. But it presents a spacing
problem. We find that towards the end of paragraphs where
there are fewer words, the words and letters often spread
awkwardly from left to right, leaving awkward word and
letter spacings.
Always use a grid
Gridlines help transform the design from something average to
something clean, clear, and compelling. Gridlines come in many
shapes and sizes, and we can build them to be flexible, adaptable,
and suit the design. It helps align the page elements with each other,
which often produces a neater, more logical layout.
What to expect?
1. The fewer columns the grid has, the more uniform the
design will be.
2. A 4-column grid to the right, some elements stretch over a
few columns. Others remain within the set columns,
allowing for a few different-sized text boxes and images
without abandoning the alignment.
There is no hard and fast rule on gridlines, and we suggest that we
play around with a few different grids and find what works for the
design.
Always design for your audience.
While the design may look good, it might not be the best possible
communication for the audience. When in doubt, always refer back
to the creative communication brief.
Avoid widows and orphans.
A widow is a line within a paragraph that has moved over to the next
column. An orphan a single word on the last line of a section (Drew
de Soto).
Have a logical color palette
According to the color theory, certain hues have specific effects on
consumers as orange is thought to stimulate an appetite, so we see
orange commonly used in fast food designs.
There are specific codes and conventions when it comes to color.
While experimenting and thwarting expectations can make for a
punchy design, be sure that color is not too distracting or confusing
to the message.
Avoid color discord
Color discord is 'color clashing.' It occurs when we pair two colors
widely separated on the color wheel. Discordant tones create a
muddy or 'vibrating' effect that makes it a struggle for the eye to find
the line between each color.
Correcting discord requires the use of hues that have a reasonably
high degree of contrast. The eye can easily pick up on the line
between each color, and there is little to no 'vibration' or muddiness
as there is in the discordant colors to the left.
Have a consistent font palette
Fonts have certain 'moods' or 'emotions' associated with them. To
avoid confusing moods or emotions, we follow the rules:
1. A maximum of two to three fonts to avoid over-
complication.
2. Choose fonts that complement each other and the
communication to make for a logical and practical design.
Never use display fonts for body copy.
Display fonts are fonts that are better suited to smaller areas of text
rather than body copy. They are usually a bit flashier than typefaces
designed for body copy purposes. Often, display fonts are more
appropriate for a short title, sometimes a subheading, but never a
bulk piece of text.
Never stretch type
Fonts are (most of the time) built with careful care and attention to
the shapes and proportions of each letterform. To distort this by
stretching can take away the effectiveness of the font.
Don't think of white space as space.
White spaces help put more focus on a specific aspect of the
composition. It allows the design to 'breathe' and balance out the
elements or add some sophistication to the layout. Likewise, it adds
meaning to the design without adding in another physical
component.
Don't follow design trends.
Design trends lack sustainability. Just as quickly as trends come, they
also leave. Instead, let us explore why it was popular. What could we
take from these logos to enhance the designs?
Use the right tools
One common problem in the layout is the rasterized logos. There are
two types of digital graphic files: raster and vector.
1. A raster graphic composes of a grid of many pixels.
2. A vector graphic consists of many lines of "paths."
The difference is the ability to scale the graphic. Since a certain
amount of pixels makes for a raster, the image will become pixelated
at a certain point of scaling. A vector is scalable to just about any size
without losing the sharp edge of its shapes. It is generally the more
favorable option for logos, which often have an extensive range of
sized applications, such as from the side of a pencil to the wall of a
building. A logo using a raster graphic limits the branding uses.
Raster logos is a prevalent but easily avoided mistake.
Adobe Photoshop is the tool that produces raster graphics, while
Adobe Illustrator creates vectors.
Learn the rules of grammar
Aside from the necessary subject-verb agreements, punctuations and
symbols are also an essential part of the written material.
1. Take the case of ampersands. Ampersands do not belong in
body copy. Avoid substituting an 'and' for a '&.' We
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
commonly use ampersands for organization titles (e.g.,
"Johnson & Johnson") or stylistically within logo/identity
design.
2. The practice of hitting double spaces after punctuation is no
longer acceptable. A single space is enough. If it is a space
problem, we can adjust the tracking or switch to a new font.
3. Hyphens and Dashes are also confusing. There are three
types of a hyphen (-), the en dash (–), and the em dash (—
). Each has the following use:
• We use the hyphen when joining two words, e.g., "custom-
built."
• We use an en dash when connecting numerical values, e.g.,
"1984–1998."
• We use an em dash, which is the length of 'an,' to stand in
for a comma, e.g., "Grammar is hard — or so I once
thought."
Don't use too many effects.
Refrain from using Word Art. In communicative designs, simple is
best. There are specific labels, values, or elements that we cannot
take out. Taking out as much as you can without compromising the
communication can refocus the information. So, we keep it simple
because, most of the time, less really is more.
Brand Activation, Special Events, Event Sponsorships are organized
activities with targeted participants that allow brand interaction.
Examples are the following:
1. Coke in Australian malls for the printing of names on the
label of Coke bottles or cans
2. San Miguel Oktoberfest
3. Sponsorship of activities, a cheaper way to activate a brand
When we completed a positioning statement, we proceeded
with creating our product. Using our existing product attributes, we
create brand meaning for our product and occupy a space in our
consumers' minds. We start with the existing product features,
attributes, and benefits. Understand the many meanings derived from
the product features, attributes, and benefits.
Using Bench Body as a working case, we are most likely to focus on
a few of its product attributes. We give attention to the attributes that
have strength and relevance to our targets such as fabric and other
materials used, design (structure and design), weight, and overall
feel.
Look closely at your selected partner and identify relevant product
attributes. Service companies, service time, waiting line, cleanliness,
supply sources, chef competency, hotel management team, teaching
faculty, medical practitioners, etc., are compelling evidence of the
brand's claim for differentiation.
MODULE 5: Pull Strategy
Store Atmospherics
Store atmospherics are the controllable retail space characteristics
that entice a customer to enter the store and are designed to
influence a customer's mood to increase the odds of a purchase
being made. It calls the attention of the customers. It makes
customers move around the store, check out the items on display,
try them on, and buy.
Atmospherics include layout, noise level, temperature, lighting, and
decorations. They are designed to set the store apart from its
competitors positively. It is part of an overall company branding and
image.
All retail stores have atmospherics, even if they are subtle.
Examples:
1. Office Warehouse is a big box office supply store known for
its well-lit aisles and bright red signs.
2. A clothing retailer targeted teenagers, which uses
contrasted lighting and loud music.
3. Ukay-ukay, a recognized retailer of used clothing, is
designed as "bagsakan ng damit" or a specific receiving
area in a supermarket at the back office, which may also
replicate a warehouse.
A word of caution, we cannot be too aggressive in atmospherics
because it can drive away customers who prefer a more nuanced
interaction with their environment. Even in atmospherics, we must
include in the consideration consumer profile.
Sales Promotions are short-term activities intended to generate
incremental and temporary sales growth. Sales promotions are
implemented in a limited time because these promotional activities
involve provisional price discounting, add-ons, or bundling that, when
prolonged, may harm the company's profitability, defeating its
purpose.
Types of Consumer Sales Promotion
• Free Samples, given out for free to encourage product trial
• Premium Offers are items either given out for free or heavily
discounted offered along with a product purchased at its
transaction price.
• Loyalty Programs are rewards based on customers'
accumulated shopping points. It is useful when encouraging
repeat purchases (e.g., SM Advantage cards, Petron Value
Cards)
• Contests or Raffles are given away after purchasing a
product (e.g., Trip for 4 to Singapore). It encourages repeat
and volume purchases.
• Coupons are take-away discount offers for the next
purchase commonly used by fast-food retailers.
• Discounts are a percentage of the transaction price taken
out, either offered in volume purchases or a product
purchased at total price.
• Rebates are the return of a portion of the transaction price
upon presenting proof of purchase. To the customer, a
rebate is a discount.
• Point-of-Purchase Promotions are activities done at the
retailer's floor where customers experience the product
benefits, like Eden Cheese cooking show at the supermarket
or Pond's facial cleaning at the department store's hygiene
section, etc.
• Although a task handled in Public Relations, Event
Sponsorship is also a form of sales promotion when
sponsors give exclusive rights to sell their products at the
event venue.
Types of Trade Partner Sales Promotion
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
These are sales promotions conducted for the distribution channels
in exchange for stocking, displaying, and pushing for the products to
the end-users. We also encourage our distribution channels to
promote and sell the products to the end-users because, most likely,
our distribution channels carry the competitors' brands.
• Trade Allowances are the price discounts, refunds, or
contributions to promotional efforts given to trade partners.
• Gifts and Premium Money are rewards in kind or cash given
to retail partners.
• Cooperative Advertising is shared media costs.
• Dealer Listings is when the manufacturers promote the
products' availability in the distribution channels,
encouraging customer traffic in the dealers' outlets.
Personal selling is a person-to-person promotion of the product. It
creates a sales team that handles a product. This promotional tool is
appropriate for products with complicated functions and features
requiring a field expert to relay the product features and benefit in a
sales pitch.
Tasks performed by the sales force:
• The gathering of information involves sourcing customers
or prospects. Part of the task is determining the prospect's
propensity to buy and the capability to pay.
• Identifying needs means knowing and limiting the offer to
the customer's actual and future needs, such as technical
specifications, the volume of work, etc., and offering the
product specifically designed to the customers' needs.
• Presenting products is when salespeople show the offer of
product features, attributes, benefits, transaction prices,
and value-adding offers like training on product use, after-
sales, warranties, payment terms, etc.
• We are leveraging the product's comparative and
competitive advantages, addressing objections, and
overcoming buying resistance.
• Closing a sale convinces the customer to purchase and has
the sale contract signed.
• After-sales/Follow-up takes good care of the customers by
maintaining a productive relationship after the product is
sold and delivered. It may include the sales force arranging
for the maintenance services for the product, monitoring the
proper functioning of the item sold, or just keeping in touch
with the customers. When another need arises, the
salesperson assigned enjoys an opportunity to bid or deliver
a sales pitch.
Managing the Salesforce
Personal selling is vulnerable to human conditions affected by
physical, emotional, and psychological well-being changes. The
salesforce must be cared for and managed well.
• Establish sales objectives and targets to provide the sales
force with clear direction for a sales period.
• Determine the right size and location of the sales force to
create and maintain proper sales coverage.
• Recruit and train the sales force to guarantee product
competence and ethical practices ensuring the corporate
reputation and product performance are uncompromised.
• Assist in managing their time because sales work is
stressful with the sales quota and other deliverables.
• Monitor and motivate the salesforce, especially when sales
season is down and the stress to deliver the sales quota
builds up.
• Compensate them fairly and agree on the incentives they
will receive, remember that our sales force is promotional
machinery and a distribution channel. They are significant in
the revenue generated by the company.
Storytelling with a Strategy: The Story of Summit Media
The heart of social media marketing is our brand story. It is no longer
only about our products and what they can do. It is more about what
stories my brand tells to my audience. People respond to stories
because it is organic, down-to-earth, within anyone’s reach.
Summit Media, one of the leading publishers and distributors of
magazines on paper and online, teaches us storytelling that sells.
According to Summit Media, if we can imagine a story, we should ask
ourselves, “Would I remember the story at the end of the week?” This
tells us that a good story will always stick. And we must know how
to create stories and tell them in ways that will stick because this is
how we can effectively tell our brand message.
Brand stories are not about the products being marketed. Otherwise,
our story becomes a mere product brochure.
Why Stories?
Consumers today need more than interruption marketing. Here are
some statistics:
1. 73% of consumers select brands that offer useful
information regularly
2. 86% of people skip television ads
3. 91% of consumers unsubscribe/unlike a brand’s page if it
does not offer relevant content.
We know that consumers have the power to choose when, where
and how they interact with brands. And so brands must find ways to
attract their target market’s attention to engage with a two-way
reciprocal relationship with them because an engaged audience can
leverage a business goal.
So amidst interruption marketing that we are so used to, be
interesting, stop interrupting and start becoming what our customers
are interested in through content marketing.
What is content marketing? Content Marketing is “a strategic
marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined
audience – and ultimately to drive profitable action (Content
Marketing Institute).” “It is about creating and delivering your brand
story to relevant audiences when they need it through channels that
they are always in (Summit Media).”
Content Marketing is the overlap between what your brand wants to
say and what your customers want to hear. Doug Kessler, Co-
Founder Velocity Partners, says, “Traditional Marketing talks to
people. Content Marketing talks with them.”
Finding the Content for Content Marketing
What isn't it?
1. Using the voice of another website (and putting your content
there)
2. Time investment is less than 3 months.
3. Inconsistent content production and publishing.
What is it really?
1. Uses your own voice/personality in your content pieces
2. The longer time investment to create traction and build an
audience.
3. The consistent churn of content (daily/weekly).
In Figure 5, Summit Media shows us how content marketing and
native advertising[i] can support a product’s marketing campaign.
While maintaining the content churn regularly, some of our content
pieces can support our entire campaign.
Summit Media Media Schedule
With content marketing, brands have the opportunity to tell unique
and compelling stories that serve a purpose in our consumers’ lives
by establishing thought leadership in a topic that our brand believes
in and engaging audiences that develop into our own community,
brand, and product loyalty, which ultimately drives purchases.
What we have to address as major challenges are the following
realities:
1. 46% of the brand challenge is lack of time/bandwidth to
create content
2. 42% of the brand challenge falls on a useful, reliable metric
to measure content effectiveness
3. 41% of the brand challenge consists of producing engaging
and quality content
4. 39% of the brand challenge is on regularly producing a
variety/volume of content
Particular on content churn (39%), there is a pressing challenge in
keeping both the speed and quality of content. “It is important to have
a consistent churn of content, but if it’s not quality content (not
relevant or valuable to your audience, poorly written), your strategy
will be a bust.”
How do we use content marketing as a strategy?
Step 1. We identify who our consumers are and what they need.
Step 2. We build our objectives based on how we can address those
needs.
Step 3. We stick to our message, keeping in mind that “having a brand
story that our content will leverage on and be consistent with it adds
credibility to our brand over time. It should also help in addressing
our consumer’s needs. Reinforcing this over and over using different
content formats engages our readers and holds their attention.”
What makes stories work? Remember the statistics below:
1. 62% audience relevance
2. 60% engaging and effective storytelling triggers a
response/action
3. 46% effectively delivers the message
To reiterate what we mention in our previous online classes, it is
important to 1.) always be Authentic, “strategy should lead with
content, not product. Our foci are needs and pain points of the
audience to build a loyal audience to be used as leverage towards a
business goal. And 2. Be Consistent, scale coverage, and sustain
your churn by using a mix of original and syndicated content (40:60)
and branded and non-branded (40:60). Example: Huffington Post
uses “rule of thirds.” See Graph 1 below.
Huffington Post “Rule of Thirds”
Summit Media shares their Scalability + Sustainability model below:
Summit Media Scalability + Sustainability
In summary, Summit Media teaches us content marketing is what the
consumers today expect from our brands. Figure 7 guides us into
our own storytelling journey.
How to do Content Marketing?
As a closing note, Summit Media wants us to take this with us, “Make
me think, make me laugh, inspire me, or teach me something new.
And I’ll remember you when it comes to buying.” (Your Future
Customer).
Definition of Terms:
Above-the-line (ATL) advertising is designed to reach a mass
audience, typically through mediums that reach many people at
various engagement levels. Perhaps the epitome of above-the-line
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
marketing is a Super Bowl television ad, which costs millions of
dollars for mere seconds of airtime. While this type of advertising
reaches many people, it is not focused, and many of the ad's
recipients are likely not target customers.
(http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/below-the-line-
advertising.asp)
Below-the-line (BTL) advertising is an advertising strategy in which a
product is promoted in mediums other than radio, television,
billboards, print, and film. Types of below-the-line advertising
commonly include direct mail campaigns, trade shows, catalogs, and
targeted search engine marketing. This advertising type tends to be
less expensive and more focused.
(http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/below-the-line-
advertising.asp)
Content curation is the process of gathering information relevant to
a particular topic or area of interest. Services or people that
implement content curation are called curators. Businesses, as well
as end-users, can use curation
services. (https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=curated+content)
Experimental content[i] is content created in a style that departs from
what is “normal” or expected of a company or in a new and untested
format. Such content may present both risks and opportunities.
(https://www.imaginuity.com/digital-dictionary/experimental-
content/#sthash.8BZPfP7m.dpuf
Social curation is the collaborative sharing of Web content organized
around one or more particular themes or topics. Among the
oldest social curation sites are Digg and Reddit.
(https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=curated+content)
Instagram is a social photo-sharing platform. It allows people and
brands to create visually appealing and easily spreadable
content. (https://contently.com/strategist/2011/12/02/five-
experimental-platforms-you-need-to-be-using/)
Native Advertising is material in an online publication that resembles
the publication's editorial content but is paid for by an advertiser and
intended to promote its product.
(https://www.google.com.ph/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=native+advertising+definition)
Original content is content that is new and unique. Such content is
more useful to website visitors and is also favored by search engines,
with duplicated content often penalized by most search engine
algorithms. (https://www.imaginuity.com/digital-dictionary/original-
content/#sthash.HnMJAN5j.dpuf)
Pinterest is a site dedicated to collecting inspiration. Brands and
individuals can create thematically intriguing pages for communities
looking to discover new
things. (https://contently.com/strategist/2011/12/02/five-
experimental-platforms-you-need-to-be-using/)
Spotify is a music-sharing platform that offers users access to
millions of songs. The platform just started allowing brands to build
discovery apps on its API, and there are also creative and low-cost
advertising
opportunities. (https://contently.com/strategist/2011/12/02/five-
experimental-platforms-you-need-to-be-using/)
Tumblr is a free blog hosting platform dedicated to easy to upload,
shorter form content. The site comes with a built-in community,
making it particularly easy to connect using
simple, shareable content. (https://contently.com/strategist/2011/12/
02/five-experimental-platforms-you-need-to-be-using/)
Quora is a platform dedicated to interactive collections of questions
and answers. The site is great for personal and industry-related
queries but is still relatively unexplored as a marketing
tool. (https://contently.com/strategist/2011/12/02/five-experimental-
platforms-you-need-to-be-using/)
Five social media platforms for experimental content marketing,
tumbler, quora, Instagram, Spotify, and Pinterest.
The internet-based, digital online technology offers new media. When
the audience, also called subscribers claim a personal space in the
digital online universe, we refer to social media.
The internet-based communication platform, known as internet
version 1.0, allows for the brands to send emails and place banner
ads on the website. What could have been a targeted communication
was not very successful. Sadly, subscribers considered email blasts
as pervasive, and banner ads on a site a clutter on the corporate
branding space.
Technological innovation in information and communication gave way
to the internet version 2.0, known today as social media. From the
subscribers' point-of-view, the social media platforms work the same
way - such that it is a personal space. Social media's beauty is the
range of reach available for a brand if only subscribers allow the
brand presence in their digital area.
Unlike in traditional media, where we all share public space, social
media is a private space. What works with conventional media is
pervasive in social media. Hence, the need for permission.
Social media is the most popular communication technology today
and has changed the way we interact.
Social media is a group of internet-based applications built on the
ideological, technological foundations of Web 2.0. It allows the
creation and exchange of user-generated content, facilitating user
interaction, content communities, discussion boards, chat rooms,
product/service reviews, virtual worlds, and social networking sites.
It collects online tools and platforms that allow users to interact and
collaborate on content, share insights and experiences, and connect
for business or pleasure. The most significant uniqueness of social
media is its content that has been created by its audience.
More than altering the way we interact socially, there is a notable
change in consumer buying behavior. The causes of the shift to social
media-related purchase habits are the following:
• Declining response rates. Consumers are increasingly
ignoring conventional online marketing such as banner and
email advertisements due to disinterest and spam.
• Technological developments. The developing IT
infrastructures, new tools, and the increasing online
population contribute to social media attractiveness.
• Demographic shifts. People, especially young individuals,
have moved online, and traditional media channels have
declined.
Dimensions of Social Media in an International Context: The point of
success
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
There are three crucial success points which social media leveraged
on:
1. Network capability
2. Image transferability
3. Personal extensibility
Network Capability
"…a web of personal connections and relationships to secure favors
in the personal and organizational action." (Zhou et al. (2007) p.74).
Firms can develop routines within their networks that generate "new
resource configurations and firm's capacity to integrate, reconfigure,
gain, and release resource combination." Firms must align with
individuals considered as central modes, such as bloggers or critical
users.
Image Transferability
Social media is beneficial in branding and brand construction. It
creates a uniform brand image across cultures and geographies and
simplifies the process without requiring a standardized strategic
aspect and execution aspect of an ad. Social media for branding can
sustain favorable emotions, perceptions, and brand image across
international borders.
Personal Extensibility. The third crucial dimension of social media is
its ability to shrink the world, remove the barrier of time and distance,
and allow a fluid social interaction. Extensibility shortens this distance
and expands the activity domain. The same applies to time or the
extent consumers want and need immediacy.
Undeniably, social media has given us the following benefits:
1. Develop and enhance the relationship between the brand
and customers
2. Firms can reach out to people that otherwise impossible.
3. Establish and raise brand awareness.
4. Boost sales for online channels.
Reasons for joining social media:
1. Social media is the fastest-growing internet trend.
2. Social media is viral and suitable for the brand's presence.
3. Competitors are on social media.
4. Alignment with the headquarters' social media strategy.
5. Reduce cost pressure.
6. Most important, we are online, and so are our brands.
Social Media Marketing (SMM) is the process of gaining website
traffic or attention through social media sites, such as:
• Creating buzz through: videos, tweets, or blog entries that
may become viral
• Enabling fans of a brand to promote a message themselves
• Conversing online with the customers.
Social media is a recognized part of a broader media ecosystem of
owned, paid, and earned media used in marketing when used in
marketing.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, Content Strategy helps
organizations provide the right content to the right people, at the
correct times, for the right reasons. These strategic components are
basics when creating content.
• The right content. We create useful and relevant social
media content to generate the desired response from our
audience.
• The right people. Our marketing discipline trained us to think
in segments. The same with social media, we create our
content for a particular audience.
• The right times. Consistent with being relevant, it is
essential that we understand our audience's needs for
specific materials and provide them at the time required. So
know our audience well.
• The right reasons. We learned over and over to make our
content engaging. But engagement is not the sole purpose
of using social media. Marketing communications and the
content shared for its purpose must be responsive to the
business objectives and goals. The success of the campaign
is on our ability to respond to the overall corporate
objectives and goals.
There are four aspects considered when creating content: substance,
structure, workflow, and governance. The first two elements are the
substance, which refers to what the content is about, and the
structure, which refers to organizing our content. The other two
factors include the workflow or what people and processes are
needed to support content creation and management, and lastly,
governance, or the individuals who will decide over content strategy.
These four aspects are determined using a core content strategy
statement guided by the answers to the following questions:
1. What is the organization's mission?
2. Who is the target audience?
3. What are the business goals?
4. What are the content objectives?
Why You Need Content Strategy Before Editorial Planning? Creating
relevant, valuable content is a significant tenet of inbound marketing.
The content you are creating should be in line with the goals and
challenges of specific segments of your audience.
Don't forget the persona.
Kusinitz (March 2014) defines buyer or audience persona as "a semi-
fictional representation of our ideal customer based on market
research and real data about your existing clients."
How do we create an audience or buyer persona? We start with
customer demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals.
We dig deeper into their thoughts, desires, aspirations, motivations,
values, etc. The more detailed we describe our audience and buyer,
the better.
As content creators, the audience or buyer persona provides
structure and insight, helping us determine our focus, guide product
development, and allow for alignment across the organization.
Brand messages pull the consumers closer to the product.
The secret to persuasiveness is relevance. If the brand message is
relevant, create relatable content
IMC MIDTERMS
DL CUTIE
The secret to persuasiveness is relevance. If the brand message is
relevant, create a platform that becomes one's best friend.

The secret to persuasiveness is relevance. If the brand message is

relevant, you can always communicate the value.