The Marketing Mix: Promotion (DP IB Business Management)
Revision Note
Written by: Lisa Eades
Reviewed by: Steve Vorster
An Introduction to Promotion
Promotion plays a crucial role in generating customer awareness, interest and desire for a product/service
A business uses promotional activities to communicate its value proposition to potential customers and differentiate itself from competitors
Promotion helps to build brand awareness and loyalty which can lead to repeat purchases and referrals
Promotion can be classified into three forms
Above the line
Below the line
Through the line
Diagram: forms of promotion
Above the Line Promotion
Above the line promotion refers to advertising activities that are aimed at reaching a wide audience through traditional mass media channels to create awareness about a product, service, or brand.
These channels typically include television, radio, newspapers, magazines and outdoor advertising such as billboards
Characteristics of above the line promotion
Mass reach
Above the line promotion aims to reach a large number of people often through broadcasting media and is designed to create brand awareness and generate interest among a wide audience
Non-targeted
It is generally not tailored to a specific customer segment and aims to capture the attention of as many people as possible
High cost
Traditional above the line promotion methods require significant budgets due to the costs associated with advertising on television, radio or print media
Brand building
Above the line promotion plays a crucial role in brand building by establishing brand recognition and familiarity among consumers
Types of above the line promotion
Above the line promotion can be classified as being informative, persuasive or reassuring
Types of Above the Line Promotion
Classification | Explanation | Examples |
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Informative |
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Persuasive |
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Reassuring |
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Evaluation of Above the Line Promotion
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Below the Line Promotion
Below the line promotion includes marketing communications over which a business has direct control and which do not make use of mass media
The Use of Below the Line Promotions
Direct marketing
Involves communicating directly with customers through email, text message, social media or post
E.g. Takeaway restaurants distribute menus to households in the local community
Advantages and disadvantages of direct marketing
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Sales promotions
Techniques that encourage the purchase of a product or service by offering temporary incentives or discounts
Examples include free samples, buy one get one free (bogof), discount coupons, loyalty cards, point-of-sale materials and rebates (customers have to mail in to receive money back)
Advantages and disadvantages of sales promotions
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Personal selling
Where a salesperson interacts with customers one-on-one, either in person or through digital communication channels
E.g. Luxury skincare products are often sold by brand representatives at concession stands in department stores
Advantages and disadvantages of personal selling
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Public relations (PR)
The business seeks to build relationships with the public and manage their reputation
Public relations activities can include sponsorship, media relations, public events and community outreach activities
Public relations can also involve eye-catching publicity stunts, such as SpaceX's 2018 launch of a Tesla Roadster car into space
Advantages and disadvantages of public relations
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Through the Line Promotion
Through-the-line promotion combines both above the line and below the line techniques to create a comprehensive promotional campaign
It allows for a holistic approach to reach customers through both mass media and personalised communications
A through the line promotion campaign might involve running a television commercial to create brand awareness, followed by social media advertising and targeted email marketing to reach specific customer segments and encourage them to take action
Evaluation of Through the Line Promotion
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Examiner Tip
For most businesses, their choice of promotional techniques is limited by the budget available.
Take care to consider the costs involved in the promotional methods you recommend and ensure that you have carefully considered the financial position of the business. Low-cost methods such as social media and short-term sales promotions may be the only methods a business can afford and so considering how these may be put to best use is far more convincing than comparing them to methods that are beyond their reach.
Social Media Promotion
Social media marketing targets promotional activity at users of online communities such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Diagram: social media platforms
Interacting with customers in this way builds relationships, drives repeat business from existing customers and attracts new customers as content is shared with other users
Evaluation of Social Media Marketing
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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As social media platforms evolve, businesses must also adapt their social media strategies to keep up with the latest trends
E.g. Instagram has been a popular platform for businesses to promote their products through influencer partnerships.
More recently, many businesses have shifted their focus to promoting their brands through short-form video content on platforms like TikTok
Examiner Tip
Currently, even the smallest of businesses make extensive use of social media to control their own below the line promotions.
In your responses, you should acknowledge that these platforms are not below-the-line promotional methods themselves, rather vehicles through which below-the-line promotional activity can be shared widely with specific target markets at little - or no - cost and encourage interactivity with customers.
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