Term Paper on "Marketing Communications Mini-"

Term Paper 6 pages (1782 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Marketing Communications

Mini-case Study

Marketing communications is filled with pairs of objectives that often seem at odds with one another. Some pairs that are often mentioned are:

Reach vs. Frequency

Creativity vs. Sales

Brand Building vs. Revenue Building

Awareness vs. Sales

Informing vs. Convincing

Communications vs. Behaviour

Compare and contrast two recent English-language campaigns that have different objectives (Provide samples of, or links to, the marketing communications pieces used in the campaigns.)

The two examples chosen for this mini-case study are from the field of high technology. Examples from IBM and Microsoft are used as the basis of this analysis. Both companies have progressed beyond merely relying on features and functions of their software applications and hardware systems to sell their products. Instead of concentrating on these features, both IBM and Microsoft have embraced the concept of becoming trusted advisors to their prospects and customers. It is essential for the sales success of these companies to become trusted first by prospects and existing customers, as highly valuable data, both from business and personal use, is stored on each of these company's systems and applications. Trust then is critical for both IBM and Microsoft to consistently earn and nurture over time.

In conjunction with this fundamental objective of being a trusted advisor of solutions, both IBM and Microsoft also are continually faced with the challenge of also underscoring that their software, systems and in the case of IBM, computer systems, are adaptable and easily used in a wide variety of situations. For Microsoft, this is also a critical issue across their entire series of literally thousands of software applications. Commonly called ease-of-use, which is based on the graphical user interface of the applications and systems, both IBM and Microsoft are increasingly seeing this as an inhibitor to their long-term success. As a result of ease-of-use being seen as a critical element of any communications strategy across all their applications, this theme permeates many of both company's marketing communications strategies. In addition to ease-of-use, businesses that are targeted by IBM also need to see that their investment will be able to scale over the long-term, providing an adaptable platform that can change as their businesses change. All of this centers on continually earning the trust of both prospects and existing customers so they continually purchase new products.

The first marketing communications strategy, from IBM, concentrates on informing vs. convincing, and is found at the following URL:

http://www-03.ibm.com/innovation/us/index2.shtml. What's most important to C-level executives is the need to stay continually up-to-date or informed on how technologies are making business strategies more easily and effectively accomplished. C-level executives are evaluated on how well they accomplish strategic plans, and a necessary part of any strategic, or long-range plan, is the use of information and data. Hence the concentration from IBM on the concept of their Executive Interaction Channel which focuses on driving strategic change, collaborating globally, managing costs, connecting with customers, transforming your workforce, and controlling business risk. Each of these key areas of concern for C-level executives is located as navigation buttons along the upper left part of the screen. Completing this focus on informing vs. convincing are the subject areas in the middle of the site, which are focused on how environmentally friendly IBM enterprise solutions are. In addition, the most critical aspect for many Chief Information Officers (CIO) is the need for ensuring their systems are highly secure as well. In summary IBM succeeds with this campaign aimed at informing C-level executives as to why IBM is worthy of their trust and recommendation. IBM realizes that informing well will eventually convince customers to purchase again, and prospects to purchase their solutions for the first time.

In the case of the second campaign, Microsoft strives to show creativity vs. sales with a highly effective communications campaign to launch its Microsoft Home Server. The server is actually a software application that runs on a more advanced computer platform. What Microsoft does so well in this campaign is illustrate with humour how "old school" it managers see servers as only being appropriate for use in a corporate office environment. The campaign even includes a debate on this topic. Microsoft contracted with a note children's book author to provide an idiot-proof explanation of why Microsoft Home Server makes sense. Best of all however this campaign makes light of the seriousness of television news, complete with an announcer who is irritating and funny at the same time. Clearly Microsoft is striving to show creativity and humour can be combined to again stress ease-of-use and lower the fear prospective customers have (in this case home computer users) of having a home server to store photos, share files, and even link with other family members. The Microsoft Home Server campaign can be found at this URL:

http://www.stayathomeserver.com/

In summary, both IBM and Microsoft have concentrated on bringing greater knowledge to prospects and customers first, not slamming them with features. The creativity of Microsoft in the Home Server advertisement has generated more web traffic than anticipated as over a dozen bloggers how have mentioned the campaign on their sites.

Short Answer Questions

Blogs are becoming one of the most important communication tools. Their speed and objectivity mean that consumers often put much more trust in them than in paid advertising. What disadvantages can you see in relying on blogs as part of an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan?

Despite their exponential growth, blogs are inherently dangerous to work with as part of an IMC plan. Many advertisers are relying on a "blog bounce" from bloggers to get their products more favourably placed in search engine ratings from Google and Yahoo for example. Search engines regularly scour the Web looking for new content, and as blogs by definition are added to frequently, their content percolates quickly to the top of organic search engine results. Organic search engine results are what appears in the main screen of a Google search; paid search are the ads along the right side of the screen driven by the AdWords campaigns.

Bloggers, unlike other forms of media that are part of an IMC plan, do not answer to anyone, and often are insulted if advertisers try to gain favour with them through gifts or other preferential treatment. Bloggers also are heavily influenced by their own peer group and it is often seen as "selling out" to say something nice about a vendor. More often than not bloggers gain notoriety for their level of criticism of both companies and other bloggers. On top of all these risks there is also the challenge of trying to educate bloggers about products and services they may think they are experts on yet in actuality know little more than anyone else. Blogging over time, if it generates any measure of celebrity, often inflates and creates arrogance in bloggers, which is quite difficult to deal with for an advertiser. Robert Scoble, perhaps one of the best known bloggers in the world and a recent guest of the Davos Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is a case in point. Humble and often self-effacing, he is part of a group of bloggers who scrutinize his career moves and even the selection of which events he attends. In this way the peer pressure to be critical of vendors feeds on itself; there is no self-regulating aspect of this. If bloggers pick up on a new product the best strategy is to be as transparent as possible and responsive, no matter if what they are saying is good or bad.

BC Bike Race question on sponsorships

Sponsors for this race who will benefit the most from their sponsorship include Bike Magazine, Dakine backpacks, Ryder's sport eyewear, Trek all-terrain bikes, and the Ride Guide site for riding trails and also winter sports, in addition to a wilderness first aid service called Slipstream. In addition, Obsession Bikes, Cougar Mountain Adventures, Whistler Brewery, Designer Socks, Harbour Air Seaplanes, and BC Ferries all will benefit from their sponsorships. Competitors in the BC Bike Race often go out on weekends for rides to prepare for the race and also for fun. These mentioned sponsors have the potential to show how their products and services can compliment race competitors' lifestyles. Conversely, given the demographics/socioeconomic profile of the racers, the following sponsors appear to be the poorest fit for the race are Metropolitan fine printers and the British Columbia government.

Innovative Advertising Messaging

Additional innovations in messaging include the use of manhole covers throughout Eastern U.S. cities include New York to further support the brand position of coffee as being ideal for the city that never sleeps (NYC). In this specific advertising a print of a cup of Folgers coffee was placed on top of manhole covers in New York City, USA. Holes on the print allow the steam to come out. A wording around the cup reads 'Hey, City That Never Sleeps. Wake up." From Folgers.

This advertisement is highly effective in that it is an instant reminder of getting a good… READ MORE

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