Marketing Communications – Exam Point of View Notes

1. Marketing Communications

 Marketing communications are the voice of a company and its

 They help build relationships with customers and increase

 They inform customers about:

o How a product is used

o Who uses it

o Where and when it is used

o What the brand stands for

 They motivate consumers to try and purchase products.

2. Macromodel of Communication

Nine Elements of Effective Communication

Major Parties

1. Sender – Company sending the message.

2. Receiver – Target audience receiving the message.

Major Tools

3. Message – Information being communicated.

4. Media – Channel used to send the message.

Communication Functions

5. Encoding – Converting ideas into symbols, words, images.

6. Decoding – Interpreting the message.

7. Response – Receiver's reaction.

8. Feedback – Response sent back to sender.

Other Element

9. Noise – Any disturbance that interferes with communication.

Communication Flow
Sender → Encoding → Message → Media → Decoding → Receiver →
Response → Feedback → Sender

Important Point

 Communication is more effective when sender and receiver share

3. Steps in Developing a Communication Program

1. Set objectives

2. Identify target audience

3. Craft message

4. Decide media

5. Develop creative approach

6. Measure performance

4. Communication Objectives

A. Creating Awareness

 Makes consumers recognize and remember a brand.

 Forms the foundation of brand equity.

B. Building Preferences

 Persuades consumers that the product satisfies their needs.

 Highlights benefits of the offering.

C. Inciting Action

 Encourages purchase or purchase-related behavior.

 Examples:

o Coupons

o Discounts

o Buy-one-get-one offers

5. Brand A vs Brand B Analysis

Brand A
  80% aware

 60% tried

 Only 20% satisfied

Interpretation

 Communication is effective.

 Product performance is weak.

 Company should improve the product.

Brand B

 40% aware

 30% tried

 80% satisfied

Interpretation

 Product is good.

 Communication is weak.

 Company should increase awareness and trial.

6. Communication Benchmarks

Quantitative Benchmarks

Measure desired results numerically.

Examples:

 Awareness level

 Preference level

 Sales target

Temporal Benchmarks

Define the time period to achieve objectives.

Example:

 Increase awareness by 20% within 6 months.

7. Communication Budgeting
Objective-and-Task Method

Steps:

1. Define objectives.

2. Identify required tasks.

3. Estimate costs.

4. Sum all costs to form budget.

Advantage

Most logical and effective budgeting approach.

Competitive-Parity Budgeting

 Budget is set equal to competitors.

 Considered weak because competitors may not know the optimal

8. Target Audience

May include:

 Potential buyers

 Current users

 Influencers

 Decision makers

 General public

Importance

Target audience determines:

 What to say

 How to say it

 When to say it

 Where to say it

9. Creative Brief

Contains:
  Key message

 Target audience

 Communication objectives

 Brand benefits

 Brand promise

 Media selection

Good Advertisement

Usually focuses on one or two major selling propositions.

10. Marketing Communication Mix (9 Tools)

1. Advertising

Paid non-personal promotion through:

 TV

 Radio

 Newspapers

 Magazines

 Billboards

 Internet

Purpose

 Build brand image

 Generate sales

2. Online & Social Media Communication

Examples:

 Websites

 Emails

 Blogs

 Facebook

 Twitter/X
  YouTube

Purpose

Engage customers and create awareness.

3. Mobile Communication

Examples:

 SMS

 Smartphone ads

 Social media apps

Features

 Timely

 Personalized

 Always accessible

4. Direct Marketing

Communication directly with customers through:

 Mail

 Phone

 Email

 Online messages

Goal

Generate immediate response.

5. Events and Experiences

Examples:

 Sports events

 Festivals

 Exhibitions

 Factory tours
Benefit

Creates direct brand interaction.

6. Word of Mouth (WOM)

 Information shared from person to person.

 Can occur offline or online.

Benefit

Highly trusted by consumers.

7. Publicity and Public Relations (PR)

Examples:

 Press releases

 Speeches

 Community relations

 Charity activities

Advantage

High credibility and trust.

8. Personal Selling

Face-to-face selling by salespeople.

Types

 Retail selling

 Direct-to-consumer selling

Advantage

Personalized persuasion.

9. Packaging

Includes:

 Design
  Shape

 Color

 Labels

Benefit

Influences buying decisions at point of purchase.

11. Media Selection Factors

1. Audience Quality

Media should reach the correct target market.

2. Audience Attention

How much attention people give to ads.

3. Editorial Quality

Prestige and credibility of the medium.

4. Placement Policies

Regional editions, special services, lead time, etc.

12. Media Terms

Reach (R)

Number of different people exposed at least once.

Frequency (F)

Number of times audience sees the message.

Impact (I)

Quality or effectiveness of exposure.

Formula Concept

Media Effectiveness = Reach × Frequency × Impact

13. Scheduling Decisions

Macroscheduling

Long-term timing decisions.

 Seasonal advertising

Microscheduling

Short-term allocation of advertising.

14. Factors Affecting Scheduling

Buyer Turnover

Rate at which new buyers enter the market.

Purchase Frequency

How often customers buy the product.

Forgetting Rate

How quickly customers forget the brand.

Higher values require more continuous communication.

15. Communication Scheduling Strategies

1. Continuity

 Advertising throughout the year.

 Equal exposure.

2. Concentration

 Entire budget spent in one period.

3. Flighting

 Advertising period followed by no advertising.

4. Pulsing

 Continuous advertising with occasional heavy bursts.

Most Balanced Strategy

Pulsing

16. Geographic Budget Allocation

National Buy
National TV, radio, magazines.

Spot Buy

Specific regions or markets.

Local Buy

Local newspapers, radio stations, billboards.

17. Message Appeals

One-Sided Message

Only advantages are presented.

Best For

Supportive audiences.

Two-Sided Message

Advantages and disadvantages both presented.

Best For

 Educated audiences

 Opposed audiences

18. Emotional Appeals

Negative Appeals

 Fear

 Guilt

 Shame

Used for:

 Health campaigns

 Safety campaigns

Most Effective When

 Fear is moderate

 Source is credible
  Solution is provided

Positive Appeals

 Humor

 Love

 Pride

 Joy

Used to attract attention and create positive feelings.

19. Source Credibility

Three Components:

1. Expertise

2. Trustworthiness

3. Likability

Most Effective Source

Scores high on all three.

20. ADPLAN Framework

A – Attention

Gain audience attention.

D – Distinction

Stand out from competitors.

P – Positioning

Communicate brand position.

L – Linkage

Connect message with brand.

A – Amplification

Strengthen communication effect.

N – Net Equity
Build brand value.

21. Measuring Communication Effectiveness

Supply-Side Measures

Evaluate media exposure.

Examples:

 TV screen time

 Press mentions

Demand-Side Measures

Evaluate audience response.

Questions include:

 Do consumers remember the ad?

 How often did they see it?

 What message do they recall?

 Did attitudes change?

22. Advertising Impact Chain

Advertising Expenditure → Share of Voice → Share of Mind → Share

Key Idea

More effective communication can increase brand awareness, preference,