BMW Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy

Individual Assignment

1. Read the opening vignette to the chapter. Think about the answers to the following questions.
1. What is BMW’s primary communications strategy for the MINI?
2. How does it differ from its main competitors?
3. Using Figure 14.2, illustrate how BMW’s advertising agency successfully utilized the communication process.
4. Describe how BMW used the AIDA framework for designing a message.
5. How do you think BMW set the promotional budget?

Share your findings with the class.

Think-Pair-Share

1. Consider the following questions, formulate an answer, pair with the student on your right, share your thoughts with one another, and respond to questions from the instructor.
1. What are the elements of the marketing communications mix?
2. Briefly describe each of the elements in the marketing communications mix.
3. What is integrated marketing communications? Why has a shift in this direction occurred?
4. Identify the components of the personal communications process. Which element(s) is(are) the most critical for successful communication?
5. What are the steps in developing successful, effective communications?
6. How do you determine communications objectives?
7. What are the stages in the buyer-readiness mode?
8. What is the difference between an emotional appeal, a moral appeal, and a rational appeal? Illustrate.
9. What is the difference between personal and nonpersonal communication? Which is generally more effective? How can you tell?
10. What are the general rules about a message’s source?
11. List and briefly identify each of the promotional budget methods.
12. Demonstrate the differences between push and pull advertising strategies.
13. What are the general rules to follow when attempting to integrate the promotional mix?
14. What is socially responsible marketing communications? Illustrate.

Outside Example

DHL had long been the leader in global package delivery when they decided to put a big push in the United States market and compete head to head with the two big U.S. behemoths, Federal Express and UPS.

DHL actually began operations in San Francisco, but it looked to the west, rather than the east, for its business. Its initial operations were sending documentation ahead of cargo ships to Hawaii. From there it went even further west, to Asia, and then on to Africa and Europe. It is now majority owned by the German postal service, Deutsche Post AG.

Although DHL was long known in American global companies for their overseas delivery services, it was not the first choice for delivery within the United States. Its recent advertising campaign is trying to change all that. Its television ads show such scenes as FedEx and UPS drivers racing each other to a business location, only to find DHL already on its way out. Or a harried UPS driver getting ready for vacation, only to find constant reminders of DHL’s ubiquity while he’s supposed to be relaxing away from the job.

So, how does a company enter what is effectively a new market, even though this is the market where it began? By carefully planning out a communications strategy to reach the right people with the right message.

1. Using the communication process outlined in Figure 14.2, explain how a message can utilize DHL’s “field of experience” to effectively reach that of the intended recipient. Who is the intended recipient?
2. What stage of buyer readiness would a U.S.–based global corporation be in? How about a mid-size firm? And a smaller firm that is just branching out beyond the city in which they are located? How does DHL reach them all?
3. What kind of appeal would work for a DHL ad? Explain your answer.
4. What promotional tools should DHL use in its promotional mix?
5. Does DHL use a push strategy, a pull strategy, or both in its communications?