The Marketing Communications Mix

In this new communication environment, although advertising is often a central element of a marketing communications program, it is usually not the only one—or even the most important one—for sales and building brand and customer equity. The marketing communications mix consists of eight major modes of communication:³

• 1. Advertising—Any paid form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor via print media (newspapers and magazines), broadcast media (radio and television), network media (telephone, cable, satellite, wireless), electronic media (audiotape, videotape, videodisk, CD-ROM, Web page), and display media (billboards, signs, posters).
• 2. Sales promotion—Short-term incentives to encourage trial or purchase of a product or service including consumer promotions (such as samples, coupons, and premiums), trade promotions (such as advertising and display allowances), and business and sales force promotions (contests for sales reps).

• 3. Events and experiences—Company-sponsored activities and programs designed to create brand-related interactions with consumers, including sports, arts, entertainment, and cause events as well as less formal activities.
• 4. Public relations and publicity—Programs directed internally to employees of the company or externally to consumers, other firms, the government, and media to promote or protect a company’s image or individual product communications.
• 5. Online and social media marketing—Online activities and programs to engage customers or prospects and directly or indirectly raise awareness, improve image, or elicit sales.
• 6. Mobile marketing—A special form of online marketing that places communications on consumer’s cell phones, smart phones, or tablets.
• 7. Direct and database marketing—Use of mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, or Internet to communicate directly with or solicit response or dialogue from specific customers and prospects.
• 8. Personal selling—Face-to-face interaction with prospective purchasers for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions, and procuring orders.

Table 14.1 lists examples of these platforms. However, company communication goes beyond these platforms. Every brand contact delivers an impression that can strengthen or weaken a customer’s view of a company.⁴

TABLE 14.1 Examples of the Eight Common Communication Platforms

FiGURE 14.1 Elements in the Communications Process

As Chapter 1 noted, communication options appear in paid media (traditional outlets such as TV, print, direct mail), owned media (company-controlled options such as Web sites, blogs, mobile apps), and earned media (virtual or real-world word of mouth, press coverage).