Promotion Mix: Below-The-Line Promotion (BTL)

To start with, Below-The-Line Promotion (BTL) is any form of unpaid promotional activities over which the firm has total control used to promote a business, its brands or products.

Below-The-Line Promotion (BTL) is not directly paid-for communication, but based on using short-term incentives to encourage consumers to purchase.

Below-The-Line Promotion (BTL) includes sales promotion, personal selling, direct mail, trade shows and exhibitions, sponsorship, celebrity endorsement, Public Relations (PR), viral marketing, branding, slogans, logos, packaging and Word-of-Mouth (WoM).

1. Sales promotion

Sales promotions are short-term methods of improving sales directed at consumers or retailers to make them take action.

Purpose of sales promotion:

While advertising aims to achieve returns in the long-term through building customer awareness of and confidence in the product, sales promotion encourages action to boost sales at least in the short-run. The general aim of sales promotions is to achieve short-term increases in sales of products; hence they tend to be very specific to the business and its products. They are designed to provide temporary incentives to stimulate demand for a product by attracting new customers to buy it and encouraging existing customers to purchase more. Sales promotion is not only about informing or reminding consumers about a product’s existence, but it is an active approach to marketing – all about stimulating consumers to create the desire to make a purchase.

Examples of sales promotion:

There is a huge range of promotional activities that are forms of sales promotion. Different forms of sales promotion include price reductions (discounts), Buy One, Get One Free (BOGOF), free samples, free gifts, money-off coupons, money refunds, loyalty programs, point-of-sale displays, and games and competitions.

Advantages of sales promotion:

Properly designed and executed sales promotion helps the business to gain a short-term competitive edge to sway customers away from rival brands. The firm can gain short-term sales increases and get rid of excess or old stock. Trial of the firm’s product will to create brand loyalty. Ultimately, this will stimulate repeat purchases.

Disadvantages of sales promotion:

Sales promotions all add to the marketing costs of a business which may reduce the profit margin on each product. Typically, the greater the cost of the promotion, the lower Net Profit Margin (NPM) tends to be. Therefore, marketing managers must monitor the progress of the promotional campaigns to ensure that costs are kept under control. Additionally, as sales promotion is only short-term, it may not be sustainable in the long-term. Hence, other Below-The-Line (BTL) promotion strategies will still need to be devised for the future.

2. Personal selling

Personal selling is a promotional technique that uses sales representatives directly helping and persuading customers to buy the product.

Purpose of personal selling:

The sales staff aims to establish and build a long-term relationship between the company and the potential customer. This direct contact enables the salesperson to communicate with consumers with the aim of selling the product. It is because customers might have many questions about a particular product, so specialist sales people are used to address these issues. The customer may visit business premises of the seller, or the seller will visit the potential buyers in their own homes. Sales people promote the products of a firm through their presence, knowledge, assistance and enthusiasm. This personal relationship shall last after the completion of the sale and may result in further sales in the future.

Examples of personal selling:

Personal selling is often used when selling expensive items that have a high profit per unit and high profit margin, for example cars, furniture, home improvements, etc. as well as for selling technologically advanced industrial products. This is often one of the key differences between consumer marketing and business marketing. It is also a very common technique used in the provision of financial services such as health insurance, life insurance, wealth management, personal finance planning, etc. Personal selling is also used by real estate agencies in renting and selling residential property and commercial property. Examples of personal selling techniques used by sales people include sales presentations, face-to-face meetings with clients, showrooms, door-to-door sales, etc.

Advantages of personal selling:

It can be tailored to the individual needs and preferences of the customer. The sales staff will answer any questions about the firm’s products. Hence, it can help the company to build a positive and trusting relationship with customers when the salesperson and the customer communicate with one another.

Disadvantages of personal selling:

Sales representatives must be skilled in product knowledge and application, so they are therefore rewarded accordingly with high rates of commission on the sale of each item or bonuses. This can make personal selling expensive staff needs to be trained in customer service to sell to each individual customer. What is more, sales agents can be very expensive to find and hire which makes the recruitment process more expensive. While sales success rates are often high with skilled direct-sales staff, customers often complain about being pressured into buying the product. Otherwise, a reluctant consumer, who later regrets the decision, will tell the friends to avoid this business in future.

3. Direct mail

Sending directs information to potential customers, whom as identified by market research, have a potential interest in the product.

Purpose of direct mail:

The aim of any direct promotional activity is to sell a product straight to a customer rather than using an intermediary. Promotional material is delivered to named individuals, who are selected from a list of known potential customers, at their homes or business offices. These potential customers have usually been identified through market research. by mailing Promotional print-outs are mailed or Email advertisements are sent directly to customers in an attempt to persuade them to buy a firm’s products. Those mailshots in direct mail typically include fliers, leaflets, brochures, catalogues, menus, etc. Overall, businesses strive to communicate straight to with consumers with this advertising technique.

Examples of direct mail:

Promotional literature directly distributed to clients may include both detailed information about the product, or they can just provide simple information. Local pubs, restaurants and coffee shops distribute menus to entice customers. Property developers and real estate agencies use their databases containing information of previous and current clients who may be interested in purchasing another property. Banks inform can about bank current accounts and saving accounts while insurance and financial planning firms about new services. When an advertisement requires customers to respond in some way, this is called direct response advertising.

Advantages of direct mail:

Direct mail is mainly used by small firms and medium-size enterprises with limited advertising budgets that do not have a well-recognized brand message. They are able to communicate with a large market over a wide geographical area, or can be well focused on potential consumers at certain market segments using databases that filter out non-target consumer groups. In that way, direct mail campaigns can be very cost-effective and convey a significant amount of information at the same time. Additionally, the business keeps a larger share of any profits as there are no intermediaries to pay for advertising. At the same time, the business is free to market its products in a way that it sees fit without passing on control of the marketing message to an advertising agency.

Disadvantages of direct mail:

Due to the large volume of direct mail, most people regard promotional material sent through the post as unsolicited junk mail. There is a danger of it being ignored and thrown away before being read. But, if direct marketers target the correct customers with goods and services they are likely to be interested in, the chance of the mail being disposed is significantly reduced. Additionally, direct mail does not always target the right audience when, for example, promotion materials of kindergartens, children’s books and clothes are mailed to young people who do not have young children yet. The firm not only wastes resources, but it can also suffer from a poor image resulting from resentment at junk mail when the materials are not seen as relevant or have not been specifically requested. The cost of producing and distributing promotional materials might be very high, especially in large national campaigns targeting the entire population. While it is more of a personalized way of promoting the business, it often fails to produce a large enough sales revenue to justify its use. Mailing lists can become obsolete, if not maintained, and there tend to be relatively low return rates. Finally, postal mail is being replaced by messages communicated via social media.

4. Trade shows and exhibitions

These are exhibitions organized for companies in a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their products, meet with customers and partners, study activities of rivals as well as examine recent market trends.

Purpose of trade shows and exhibitions:

While trade shows and exhibitions are used in marketing to sell products to the trade, the main purpose is not an immediate sale, but increasing awareness of the brand and the products. The company will have a stand at an exhibition with some activities, show promotions and discounts to encourage trial from a specific segment of the market. This will then increase the chances of gaining increased sales to customers. Retailers and wholesalers will most likely stock the product after a trade fair,

Examples of trade shows and exhibitions:

There are many trade shows that are held around the world. There are trade shows for every industry, so you are sure to find one that is relevant to your business. Major car and computer exhibitions will attract those who are current or potential purchasers or those with a particular interest. Here are some examples of popular trade shows around the world:

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world’s largest and most influential technology event. It showcases the latest innovations in consumer electronics, from TVs and smartphones to self-driving cars and virtual reality.
International Consumer Electronics Show (iCES) is a trade show for the consumer electronics industry in India. It is organized by the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA).
Web Summit is a technology conference that brings together the brightest minds in the tech industry. It is held in Lisbon, Portugal.
The New York Auto Show is an annual auto show held in New York City. It showcases the latest cars, trucks, and SUVs from major automakers.

Advantages of trade shows and exhibitions:

Trade shows and exhibitions can be a great way to generate sales leads, build relationships with potential customers, and learn about emerging trends in your industry. Exhibitions allow companies to showcase new products and elicit responses from potential customers. They offer a great opportunity for firms to meet with both the trade and individual consumers. It also allows to see what competitors are doing and to learn about innovations and new product offerings.

Disadvantages of trade shows and exhibitions:

Trade shows and exhibitions can also be expensive and time-consuming. Companies seldom sell anything directly at trade fairs, but contacts are made and awareness of products is increased though. If your business is considering attending a trade show, it is important to carefully plan your strategy and make sure that you’re getting the most out of your investment.

5. Sponsorship

Sponsorship is a promotional strategy where a business organization pays to the organizers to be associated with a particular event, a team or a person.

Purpose of sponsorship:

Sponsorship involves a firm to provide funds, financial gifts, donations and all sorts of monetary resources to support a sporting or cultural event or another organization in return for prime advertising space, leading to increased publicity. Sponsorship mainly includes a prominent display of the sponsor’s name for the public eye. It is mostly evident in sport arenas where major events are always with at least one significant sponsor.

Examples of sponsorship:

The Olympic Games attract much sponsorship from multinational companies that wish to be associated with this event which is watched on TV and the Internet by most people in history. Coca-Cola is a major sponsor of The Olympics. Arsenal Football Club from the UK received around USD$500 million in sponsorship deals from Emirates Airline to name its new stadium The Emirates Stadium and sponsor the club’s football shirts. It can cost USD$10 million to sponsor one team in the Tour de France cycle race for this single event which is covered by TV stations globally.

Advantages of sponsorship:

Sponsorship is now a big and rapidly growing part of the global promotion industry. TV stations, radio stations and the Internet coverage have increased the potential marketing impact of major sporting and cultural events. It is because expenditure on this form of promotion, even though very large, can lead to dramatic results in increasing sales. Sponsorship of major sports and cultural events may also lead to free publicity. As these events are often reported in the international and national media, sponsoring companies are nearly always mentioned.

Disadvantages of sponsorship:

Sponsoring a high-profile international event or a world’s best individual in any sport can be extremely expensive. Additionally, when you sponsor an event or an individual, you are giving up some control over your brand. There are risks that the event or an individual will do something that will damage the brand. When the sponsored entity does things that your business does not agree with, you may not be able to do anything to stop them. For example, if a sponsored athlete is caught taking performance-enhancing drugs, it will most likely reflect poorly on your company as the sponsor. Finally, it can be difficult to measure Return on Investment (ROI) of sponsorship because it can be difficult to isolate the impact of the sponsorship on sales revenue from other factors.

6. Celebrity endorsement

Celebrity endorsement uses a celebrity’s fame or social status to promote a company, product or brand.

Purpose of celebrity endorsement:

Businesses pay celebrities to adorn themselves with their brand name or products.

Celebrity endorsement aims to encourage fans of a famous person to equate the image of that person with company products. Businesses typically look for association with positive qualities such as global popularity, recognition, credibility, fitness, physical attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise, personal strengths, etc. The ultimate goal of any celebrity endorsement is to increase brand awareness, generate interest in the good or service to ultimately drive sales.

Examples of celebrity endorsement:

Famous movie and music celebrities are often seen in public wearing designer clothes. For example, football players wear branded boots and appear for their sponsors in advertisements and at company events where they endorse the firms’ products. Top tennis players receive huge fees for wearing clothing, or even for using a particular brand of tennis equipment in between games. One time Ferrari discovered that it was cheaper to give away a car to David Beckham than to advertise its vehicles on television because favorable media publicity that was generated was much more impactful than it could have been from any paid-for advertisement.

Advantages of celebrity endorsement:

Celebrity endorsements can help to increase brand awareness by introducing a product or service to a new audience. When a celebrity endorses a product, their fans are more likely to take notice and learn more about it. This gives those brands free publicity in the media. Celebrity endorsements can also help to generate interest in a product or service. When a celebrity is seen using or talking about a product, it can make consumers more curious about it and want to learn more. Businesses get their brand name associated with celebrities because they believe that the fame of the celebrity will become associated with the brand. Celebrity endorsements can also help to drive sales by convincing consumers to try a product or service. When a celebrity endorses a product, their fans are more likely to trust their recommendation and give the product a try.

Disadvantages of celebrity endorsement:

Celebrity endorsements can be expensive. Celebrities typically charge a high fee for their endorsement, and the cost of producing and airing commercials or other marketing materials can also be high. Celebrity endorsements can be risky. If a celebrity is involved in a scandal or controversy, it can damage the reputation of the brand they are endorsing. If a celebrity does not seem genuine in their endorsement, it can backfire and alienate consumers. Consumers can spot a fake endorsement a mile away, so it is important to choose a celebrity who is truly passionate about the product or service they are promoting.

7. Public Relations (PR)

Public Relations (PR), or publicity, is the process of promoting a business, its brands and products by getting media coverage without directly paying for it. Otherwise, it would be considered as advertising.

Purpose of Public Relations (PR):

Public Relations (PR) aims to establish and protect the desired image of a business organization using free publicity provided by TV, newspapers, radio and other media. It is concerned with deliberately getting positive exposure in media for free to communicate with the public and achieve its understanding in order to enhance the firm’s reputation. Or, simply ’getting good press’. For the media, good Public Relations (PR) is often considered to be a good news story even though it promotes the business at the same time. The ultimate purpose of Public Relations (PR) is to show the company in a positive light no matter what. That is why all large businesses have Public Relations (PR) departments that try to arrange as much favorable media coverage of their business as possible. These days, Public Relations (PR) departments often use social networking sites to support their campaigns. It is because social media allows to engage in two-way communication and receive immediate feedback from various stakeholders.

Examples of Public Relations (PR):

Most business organizations handle information with great care using traditional Public Relations (PR) tools such as strategic distribution of company literature including media kits, press releases, brochures, newsletters, annual reports, etc. to selected stakeholder groups. Promotional materials that give information about an event, organization, business or person are sent out to generate positive press on behalf of the organization. For instance, launching a new product might include:

A press conference on the company premises where journalists will be provided with details about the product;
Radio or television interviews where company executives will be talking about the product and answering questions;
Having a launch party in the evening for various stakeholders;
Journalist might be encouraged to test the product for a week and then describe its performance with the hope that this will later appear in an article or TV news program.
Making prominent donations to charities related to the product or the firm.

Advantages of Public Relations (PR):

Publicity has greater credibility with the public than does advertising. If a magazine, newspaper or radio reporter is featuring a company, it must be doing something worthwhile. Free publicity is far more cost-effective than advertising, because unlike advertising, where the firm pays for the message, Public Relations (PR) messages are not paid for. A positive article about a firm will be remembered far longer than an advertisement, which is clearly sponsored and so may not be believed. Additionally, good publicity has greater longevity than advertising. Public Relations (PR) experts get the media to report events in a positive way and from the business’s point of view. They can get the press to cover the story in a sympathetic and reassuring way, are relied upon heavily when a business faces a corporate crisis. The Public Relations (PR) department will put forward the company’s view on incidents that will prevent it to be damaging to image or reputation. If there is a quick and detailed response in public to an event then the negative impact of the incident may be reduced.

Disadvantages of Public Relations (PR):

Public Relations (PR) campaigns can be time-consuming and require a lot of effort from Public Relations (PR) professionals. This can be a challenge for businesses that do not have the resources to invest in a comprehensive Public Relations (PR) program. Unlike advertising, Public Relations (PR) professionals do not have direct control over the content or timing of media coverage. This means that there is always a risk that a Public Relations (PR) campaign will not generate the desired results. These days, both the international market as well as national markets, are extremely competitive. Therefore, businesses need to constantly make their activities more appealing and interesting to both the general public and the media. This forces the firms to become more imaginative in their promotional techniques which may increase costs. All in all, Public Relations (PR) is a long-term and ongoing marketing strategy. The effectiveness of Public Relations (PR) campaigns can be difficult to measure. Unlike advertising, which can be tracked by sales or website traffic, Public Relations (PR) campaigns often have a more indirect impact on business outcomes. Public Relations (PR) campaigns are not always effective. In some cases, they may even backfire and damage a company’s reputation. This is why it is important to carefully plan and execute Public Relations (PR) campaigns, and to work with experienced PR professionals.

8. Viral Marketing

Viral marketing relies on social media and other online platforms to spread information about a product or service quickly and reach a large audience.

Purpose of viral marketing:

The goal of viral marketing is to create content that is so interesting, funny, or engaging that people will want to share it with their friends and followers. When this happens, the content can spread quickly and reach a large audience. This will increase brand awareness as people will be encouraged to pass on a marketing message on to many people. Marketing Managers who wish to use viral marketing for promotion will try to identify influencers, who are individuals with high social networking potential, to create viral messages that appeal to the public, hence have a high chance or being spread. When done correctly, viral marketing can be a very effective way to reach a large audience and generate buzz for a product or service.

Examples of viral marketing:

Viral promotions are typically in the form of text messages, short video clips, long movies, interactive games, eBooks, etc. Here are some examples of viral marketing campaigns that have been successful:

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, raising over USD$115 million for ALS research. The challenge involved people dumping a bucket of ice water on their heads and challenging others to do the same. The challenge was so popular that it was featured on news outlets around the world, and it helped to raise awareness of ALS and its symptoms.
The Dove Real Beauty Sketches Campaign: In 2013, Dove launched a viral marketing campaign called ‘Real Beauty Sketches’. The campaign featured women being sketched by two artists, one who was blind and one who could see. The blind artist was given only verbal descriptions of the women, while the sighted artist was given photographs. The results showed that the blind artist’s sketches were more flattering than the sighted artist’s sketches, which showed that women are often their own harshest critics. The campaign was a huge success, and it helped to change the way that women see themselves.
The Old Spice ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ Campaign: In 2010, Old Spice launched a viral marketing campaign called ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’. The campaign featured actor Isaiah Mustafa as the Old Spice man, and it featured him in a series of humorous commercials. The commercials were a huge success, and they helped to increase Old Spice sales by 100%.

Advantages of viral marketing:

Viral marketing campaigns can be very cost-effective, as they rely on Word-of-Mouth (WoM) and social media sharing to spread the message. This can save businesses a significant amount of money on traditional advertising methods, such as television commercials and print ads. Viral marketing campaigns can reach a large audience very quickly. This is because they are shared by people on social media, who then share them with their friends and followers. This can help businesses to reach a global audience with their message. Viral marketing campaigns can help to improve a business’s brand image. This is because they are often seen as being more authentic and credible than traditional advertising methods. When people see that others are sharing and talking about a business’s product or service, they are more likely to trust that business. Viral marketing campaigns can also lead to increased sales. This is because they can help to generate interest in a business’s product or service. When people are interested in a product or service, they are more likely to buy it.

Disadvantages of viral marketing:

It is difficult to control. Once a piece of content goes viral, it is out of the control of the marketer. This means that the marketer cannot control how the content is used or interpreted by others. It can be expensive. Viral marketing campaigns can be expensive to produce and promote. This is because the marketer needs to create content that is both interesting and engaging, and they need to promote the content on a large scale. It is not always effective. Not all viral marketing campaigns are successful. In fact, most viral marketing campaigns fail to achieve their desired results. This is because it is difficult to create content that is both interesting and engaging enough to go viral.

9. Branding

Branding is the strategy of differentiating product from those of competitors by creating an identifiable image and setting certain expectations.

Purpose of branding:

The main aim of branding products is to give the product an identity or personality that consumers can relate to by making the product distinctive from competition in order to increase consumer recognition. Branding is done through creating a brand that is the name given by a firm to a product or a range of products. The choice of brand name is an important part of the overall marketing strategy. It usually requires carrying out a survey of consumers to gauge their reaction to the proposed brand name, checking to see that the proposed name has not been registered by another company and that it does not have an unfortunate translation in other languages.

Examples of branding:

Coca-Cola is the world’s most recognizable brand with a huge promotional budget as much as USD$2 billion a year. Companies such as Virgin, Microsoft and Sony use branding to promote their company and their products by spending a huge amount of money each year on promoting their brands. Additionally, companies such as Apple or Audi use brand extension strategies to launch and promote new products under the company’s current brand name. It allows for the establishment of a family of closely associated products with the same brand name.

Advantages of branding:

Successful brands are instantly recognizable. Branding helps to increase brand awareness by making your company and its products or services more recognizable to potential customers. It helps them to clearly differentiate the product from competitors’ products. Branding can also help to improve customer loyalty as it increases the chances of brand recall by consumers. It also reduces price elasticity of demand as consumers have been shown to have preferences for well-known brands. When your brand is strong, you do not need to spend as much money on advertising and promotions to reach potential customers.

Disadvantages of branding:

It can be difficult to change a brand. Once a brand is established, it can be difficult to change the way consumers perceive it. This can be a challenge if the company needs to change its product or service offering, or if it wants to target a new market. It can be difficult to protect a brand. A strong brand can be a valuable asset, but it can also be vulnerable to imitation. This can make it difficult for a company to protect its brand from competitors. It can be difficult to measure the effectiveness of branding. It can be difficult to track the impact of branding on sales, customer loyalty, and other key metrics. This can make it difficult to determine whether a branding campaign is successful.

10. Logos

Logos use a visual symbol to represent a business, its brands and products. It can be a graphic mark, an emblem or symbol that is used to aid and promote public identification and recognition.

Purpose of logos:

The logo aims to visually represent the identity of a business organization. It reflects the brand’s positioning, brand image and all of the positive attributes of the firm. By using a variety of patterns, shapes and colors, logos allow for easy recognition, a creative logo can differentiate the brand from its competitor. A good logo is memorable, visually appealing and relevant to the brand it represents. Logos can be used in a variety of ways including on marketing materials, websites and in physical products. A logo should be shorthand for the trust in the firm and for the value of the product.

Examples of logos:

Some examples of effective logos include:

McDonald’s: The McDonald’s Golden Arches are another iconic logo. They are bright, cheerful, and instantly recognizable.
Apple: The Apple logo is a simple, yet elegant design. It is instantly recognizable and it perfectly represents the Apple brand.
Nike: The Nike swoosh is one of the most recognizable logos in the world. It is simple, yet effective, and it perfectly represents the Nike brand.
Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola logo is one of the most timeless logos in the world. It has been around for over 100 years and it is still just as popular today.
Starbucks: The Starbucks logo is a simple, yet beautiful design. It is instantly recognizable and it perfectly represents the Starbucks brand.
Google: The Google logo is a simple, yet effective design. It is instantly recognizable and it perfectly represents the Google brand.
FedEx: The FedEx logo is a clever design that uses negative space to create an arrow pointing forward. It is instantly recognizable and it perfectly represents the FedEx brand.
Amazon: The Amazon logo is a simple, yet effective design. It uses the colors of the American flag to represent the company’s global reach.

Advantages of logos:

A logo is a visual representation of your brand. Visual representations of a firm are crucial as part of its overall identity and promotional strategy. When people see your logo, they should be able to instantly recognize your company and what it stands for. A strong logo can help you to build brand awareness and loyalty. A professional logo can help to give your business an air of credibility. This can be helpful in attracting new customers and partners. A well-designed logo can help your business to stand out from its competitors. This can be especially important in crowded markets. A good logo can help people to remember your business even when they are not actively thinking about it. This can be helpful in situations where people are making purchasing decisions. A well-designed logo can evoke positive emotions in people. This can make people more likely to do business with your company. Logos can also create a monetary value for businesses.

Disadvantages of logos:

Designing and developing a logo can be expensive, especially if you hire a professional designer. It can take time to find the right logo for your business. You may need to work with a designer to create several iterations of your logo before you find one that you like. Copyright issues: If you use a logo that is similar to another company’s logo, you could be sued for copyright infringement. If your logo is too similar to other logos in your industry, it may be difficult for your business to stand out from the competition. If your logo is not timeless, it may look dated or out of place in a few years. This could make it difficult for your business to maintain brand recognition.

11. Slogans

A slogan is a short, memorable phrase that is used to identify a company or a product.

Purpose of slogans:

The main aim of slogans is to represent the essence of a business and its products through a set of words. This concise message is usually expressed as a memorable catchphrase that helps customers to link it with a particular business. A good slogan will help the firm to stand out from the competition.

Examples of slogans:

Some examples of effective slogans include:

Nike: ‘Just Do It’
Apple: ‘Think Different’
Coca-Cola: ‘Open Happiness’
McDonald’s: ‘I’m Lovin’ It’
KFC: ‘Finger Licking Good’
Budweiser: ‘The King of Beers’
Adidas: ‘Impossible is Nothing’
Intel: ‘Intel Inside’
Heinz: ‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’
Google: ‘Don’t Be Evil’

Advantages of slogans:

Slogans can be a powerful tool for marketing and advertising campaigns to gain and retain the attention of customers. When used effectively, they can help to create a positive association with a brand, increase brand awareness, and encourage consumers to buy a product or service. Some slogans have become so well known that they are even synonymous with the brand itself.

Disadvantages of slogans:

Many people believe that the product itself is of more importance to make firms stand out from their rivals. Customers are not so easily fooled by the use of a few words in which the company promise to deliver.

12. Packaging

Packaging is the process of enclosing or protecting a product for distribution, storage, sale, and use. It can be made from a variety of materials, including paper, plastic, glass, and metal. It can be simple or complex, depending on the needs of the product.

Purpose of packaging:

Packaging can be a powerful tool for marketing a product. It can help to increase sales, build brand awareness, and create a positive impression of the product. It is the first thing that consumers see when they encounter a product, and it can make a big difference in whether or not they decide to buy it. Packaging has many functions such as protect and preserve the product during transportation and on the shelf, help carry the product, facilitate quick recognition of the product, highlight both the logo and brand name, provide information on ingredients, nutrition, weight and function, add-value through attractive packaging which acts as a gift wrapping, and so on.

Examples of packaging:

Coca-Cola uses its iconic red and white logo and font on all of its packaging. This helps to create a strong brand identity and make the product recognizable from a distance. Apple uses simple, minimalist packaging for its products. This helps to create a sense of luxury and sophistication. Tide uses bright colors and bold graphics on its packaging. This helps to make the product stand out on the shelf and catch attention of consumers. Using shopping bags to promote a firm, its brand and products is called ‘Bagvertising’.

Advantages of packaging:

Packaging can be a powerful component of any Marketing Mix. Some marketing academics even believe that packaging should be a separate position the Marketing Mix because of its importance in the promotion of a product and the time and cost entailed. Almost every producer use protective packaging. Retailers tend to offer carrier bags for their products displaying the name of the business. Customers who reuse these bags help to promote a business after a purchase has been made.

Disadvantages of packaging:

Packaging can have a significant environmental impact. It can contribute to pollution, waste, and climate change. Packaging can be expensive. The cost of packaging can add to the cost of the product, which can make it less affordable for consumers. Packaging can create a lot of waste. This waste can end up in landfills or incinerators, where it can pollute the environment. Packaging can be inconvenient for consumers. It can be difficult to open and dispose of, and it can take up space in homes and businesses. Packaging can be a safety hazard. It can be a choking hazard for children, and it can contain harmful chemicals.

13. Word-of-Mouth (WoM)

Word-of-Mouth (WoM) promotion refers to spreading information from one person to another through oral communication.

Purpose of Word-of-Mouth (WoM):

Word-of-Mouth (WoM) can be both positive and negative, and it can be a powerful tool for businesses to reach new customers and build brand awareness. There is a number of ways to encourage Word-of-Mouth (WoM). One way is to provide excellent customer service. When customers have a positive experience with a business, they are more likely to share that experience with others. Another way to encourage Word-of-Mouth (WoM) is to offer incentives for customers to share their opinions. For example, a business could offer a discount or free product to customers who write a review on social media.

Examples of Word-of-Mouth (WoM):

Word-of-Mouth (WOM) is a form of marketing that relies on people sharing their opinions about a product or service with their friends, family, and colleagues. Here are some examples of Word-of-Mouth (WOM) promotion. A friend recommends a new restaurant to you. You see a positive review of a product on social media. Or, you overhear a conversation about a new service at work. You receive a coupon in the mail for a product which you have been wanting to try. You see a product advertised on TV and then see it in the store later.

Advantages of Word-of-Mouth (WoM):

Word-of-Mouth (WoM) is possibly the most effective form of promotion because messages about the business and its products are passed on to friends and family members without any direct costs to the firm. It is free! And, ordinary people can spread news faster than any marketer. People are more likely to trust recommendations from their friends and family than from advertising. Word-of-mouth marketing is free, and it can reach a large audience very quickly. Word-of-Mouth (WoM) is more likely to reach people who are already interested in the product or service. The effectiveness of Word-of-Mouth (WoM) marketing can be measured by tracking the number of people who are talking about the product or service online and offline.

Disadvantages of Word-of-Mouth (WoM):

Likewise, Word-of-Mouth (WoM) can be potentially damaging, if the word spreads that a business and its products are of poor quality. Word-of-Mouth (WoM) marketing is not always under the control of the business. If a customer has a negative experience, they are more likely to share that experience with others. The effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing can be difficult to measure. There is no single metric that can accurately measure the impact. Word-of-Mouth (WoM) marketing can be difficult to scale. It can take time for word-of-mouth to spread, and it can be difficult to reach a large audience with word-of-mouth marketing alone.

In summary, Below-The-Line Promotion (BTL) is any form of unpaid promotional activities over which the firm has total control including sales promotion, personal selling, direct mail, trade shows and exhibitions, sponsorship, celebrity endorsement, Public Relations (PR), viral marketing, branding, slogans, logos, packaging, Word-of-Mouth (WoM) and direct marketing to promote a business, its brands or its products.