Key Concepts in Advertising and Sales Promotion

Posted on Mar 31, 2025 in Marketing

Marketing Department Responsibilities

The marketing department is typically responsible for:

  1. Detecting the need for an advertising campaign.
  2. Creating a plan that describes the objectives to be achieved with the campaign.
  3. Choosing an advertising agency.
  4. Developing the brief: a document containing product information, market analysis, etc.
  5. Approving the creative proposal and the final campaign design.
  6. Monitoring the results and comparing them against the objectives.

Advertising Agency Responsibilities

An advertising agency is a company specialized in providing communication services, acting as an intermediary between the advertiser and the media.

Key Functions:

  1. Analysis of the product and market.
  2. Analysis of target audiences.
  3. Determination of the communication strategy needed to achieve objectives.
  4. Development and presentation of the creative proposal.
  5. Preparation and submission of the final campaign for pre-testing.
  6. Final development, implementation, and post-testing of the campaign.

Types of Advertising

By Target Market

  • Consumer market: Aimed at final consumers.
  • Industrial market: Aimed at other businesses.

By Issuer

  • Companies
  • Private associations
  • Public administration
  • Individuals

By Activity

  • Advertiser
  • Intermediary (Agency)

By Media

  • Audiovisual (TV, cinema)
  • Audio (Radio)
  • Print/Graphic (Newspapers, magazines)
  • Outdoor
  • Direct Mail
  • Point of Sale (POS)
  • New Technologies (Internet, mobile)

By Campaign Timing/Type

  • Continuity: Transmitting a few messages over a long period.
  • Flighting/Burst: Transmitting many messages over a short period.
  • Covert/Subliminal: Advertising presented subtly or outside standard slots.

Ethical Considerations

  • Advertising must not be unlawful.
  • Advertising should be truthful and respectful of society.

AIDA Communication Model

A model describing the stages of effective communication:

  • A: Attention. Capture the audience’s attention (not just attract it).
  • I: Interest. Arouse and maintain interest so the recipient receives the message.
  • D: Desire. If the message is communicated effectively, the response is the desire to acquire the product or service.
  • A: Action. The desired action, typically purchase or inquiry.

Sales Promotions

Marketing programs designed to stimulate demand in the short term, using material or economic incentives.

Types by Recipient:

  • For consumers
  • For distribution channels
  • For the sales force
  • For the point of sale

Objectives:

  1. The primary goal is to increase demand in the short term.
  2. Liquidation of stock (especially low-selling products).
  3. Increase short-term liquidity.
  4. Motivation of sales staff.
  5. Introduce new products.
  6. Increase consumption frequency.
  7. Improve product exhibition at the point of sale.

Point of Sale (POS) Merchandising

Techniques used to enhance product presentation and sales at the retail location:

  • Gondolas: Movable shelving units that divide the sales floor and form aisles.
  • Islands: Mass product displays located outside the product’s usual section.
  • Containers/Bins: Used for presenting bulk items.
  • Use of special personnel: Employing celebrities, demonstrators, or staff for tastings.
  • In-store media: Using PA systems for announcements, playing commercials, background music, etc.

Outdoor and Transit Advertising Media Classification

Static Outdoor Media

  • Billboards and Monopoles: Rigid structures supporting paper or digital advertising messages. Can be static or mobile.
  • Building Wraps/Facade Covers: Large, resistant fabrics covering buildings, often during remodeling.
  • Street Furniture: Advertising integrated into urban fixtures.
    • Marquees/Bus Shelters: Structures at bus stops incorporating advertising panels.
    • MUPIs: Vertical, often backlit panels located on sidewalks.
    • Advertising Columns: Cylindrical structures in public places for posting advertisements.
    • Other: Public clocks, thermometers, litter bins with ad space.
  • Telephone Booths: Often feature poster advertisements.
  • Sports Venue Advertising: Low rectangular fences/boards around playing fields (perimeter boards).

Mobile and Transit Media

  • Public Transport Advertising: Ads placed on or inside buses, trains, trams, taxis, etc.
  • Aerial Advertising: Planes towing banners, skywriting.
  • Mobile Billboards/Sound Trucks: Vehicles equipped with large advertisements or loudspeakers.

Other Outdoor Media

  • Inflatables: Large inflatable objects used for promotion.
  • Banners: Fabric or vinyl signs used temporarily.

TV Channel Zapping Behaviors

Common ways viewers interact with television channels and advertising:

  1. Flipping: Occurs when a viewer turns on the TV and quickly scans through channels to decide what program to watch.
  2. Grazing: Frequently changing channels, often during commercial breaks, watching short segments of multiple programs rather than sticking to one.
  3. Zipping: Fast-forwarding through commercials when watching a previously recorded program (e.g., on a DVR).