The Communications mix
Variables affecting the mix:

Specific objectives

Type of product

Type of buying situation

'Push' vs 'pull'


Position in market (market share), market
growth & market concentration
Internal strategies
Tools / objectives


Advertising: long-term brand image nurturing
Sales promotion: short-term tactical temporary
sales booster


Price discounts dilute brand franchise, quality images of
the brand
Objectives sought & required response:

Build awareness: PR & advertising

Brand switching: sales promotion supported by
advertising or direct mail

Exceptions: some ad + sales prom designed to create
database to allow dynamic dialogue & relationships
Setting the promotion mix

Type of product market

Consumer vs. industrial goods
Consumer goods
Industrial goods

Advertising

Personal selling

Sales promotion

Sales promotion

Personal selling

Advertising

Public Relations

Public Relations
Relative effectiveness of tools

Type of purchase


High involvement: important, expensive, risky,
require careful analysis
Low involvement: low risk, frequent purchase,
inexpensive
Buyers can move from high to low involvement with
experience
Response Models



Learn-feel-do: high involvement with high
differentiation (classic response hierarchy
models)
Do-feel-learn: high involvement but little or no
differentiation
Learn-do-feel: low involvement with low
differentiation
Relative effectiveness of tools

Purchaser's decision process model:

awareness [advertising & PR]

interest

conviction

purchase [personal selling & sales promotion]

post-purchase (feelings or behaviour) [advertising]
High involvement
Awareness
Attitude
Behaviour
Marketing PR
Personal selling
Product quality
Advertising
Demonstration
Price
Initially broadcast Trial/visits
Accessibility
High info content Sales promotions
Delivery
Factual, rational
Brochures/facilitation
Benefit claims
Introductory prices
Low frequency
Long-run
behaviour
Product quality
Corporate PR
Guarantees
service /
support
Low involvement
Awareness
Trial behaviour
Attitude
Marketing PR
Advertising
Broadcast
Low info content
Emotion, imagery
appeal
High frequency
Sales promotion
to encourage
experimentation
Advertising to
develop peripheral
cues
Packaging and
presentation at
POS
Product
Dissatisfaction
Long-run
behaviour
Advertising
Sales promotions
Product quality
& development
'Push' vs 'pull' strategies




'Push':strong salesforce supported by trade
promotions to push product into the distribution
channels & shelves --> distribution penetration
'Pull': pulling customers into stores & motivating
them to pull product off shelf --> advertising to
create customer dd
'Pull' helps 'push'
Kotler: Lever Bros use 'push' vs Procter &
Gamble use 'pull'
Integrating the coms mix


Goal: to create bigger impact & be more costeffective
Publicity & advertising:

major ad campaigns supported by PR / press
launches

sales promotion supported by ad or PR or both

direct promotion = direct marketing + sales promotion

on-pack promotion

sales promotion supported by personal sellings