Chapter 1: What is Advertising & Promo Using IMC?

Advertising

The structured and composed non-personal communication of information, usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature, about products (goods, services, and ideas) by identified sponsors through various media.

Requirements for Advertising

Must be:

• Communication

• structured

• non-personal (NOT person-to-person)

• usually paid for

• usually persuasive

• about products (goods, services, and ideas)

• Identified sponsors

• A sort of media

Promotion

Refers to the set of marketing activities that communicate the value of a product, service, brand, or idea to a target audience in order to inform, persuade, and/or remind consumers to engage in specific desired states or behaviors, such as:

• Awareness, interest, developing preferences, decision making, purchasing, and various other consumption related activities.

  • Basically it’s the communications related to how consumers find out about products and services and why consumers should care about such offerings.

Difference of Advertising & Promo

• Promotion is a more general category or marketing activities involving a broader range of persuasive communications related to companies, brands, products, services, ideas, etc.

• Advertising falls under promotion; Advertising is one form of Promotion.

2 Advertising Strategies

1. Brand building strategy

2. Direct response strategy

Brand Building Advertising

A long term strategy to build brand awareness and equity.

• Brand is not trying to get you to buy anything. The purpose is for consumers to become familiar and recognize the brand.

Direct Response Advertising

A short term strategy to stimulate immediate consumer behavior action.

• Brands want us to do something right away, such as buy a product. Think “BUY NOW!”

  • Example: The car billboard wants you to lease that car right now.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

Thinks about and considers all advertising and promotional efforts collectively as a portfolio of marketing communications. Basically: coordinates all promotion channels (advertising, PR, social media, and direct marketing) to deliver a unified and consistent brand message.

• Determines the goal and objectives of the campaign before creating or airing any advancements.

• Strategically selects different media options that work together toward a common goal

• Example: Nike’s “Just Do It” → continuously and consistently promotes this message through a blend of TV commercials, celebrity endorsements, in-store visuals, and social media are all one singular and recognizable voice.