Selecciones - Webs

Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
ways to drive sales. The initial infomercial—which
was designed to drive retail and break even on
direct response—exceeded expectations by 60 to 70
percent. But, once again, it was not your typical
infomercial. Set in a very expensive kitchen, the
infomercial was portrayed to be more like a cooking
show than a commercial. Well-known chefs, and
two hosts from PBS cooking shows, were brought
in, and additional IMC tools were employed. Traditional
ads air between the two segments of the
long-form ad. The company’s website was enhanced
to stimulate selling, and sales promotions featuring
“free gifts” of aprons, spatulas, and bowl covers
were included. Buyers also received three free
issues of Food & Wine. And let’s not forget the
website’s recipe page—with instructions written in
“KitchenAid-ese.” For consumers reluctant to purchase
on their first visit, direct-mail pieces were
sent. The results speak for themselves: 45 percent
of the company’s mixers are now sold through
462
14. Direct Marketing © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
the website. Retail sales are up, and many of the
viewers already own mixers but come to buy
attachments.
And now about those Indy races. The Indy races
include a circuit of 12 races plus the Indianapolis
500. Given that the races are not as well known as
the NASCAR series, the goal of the infomercial was
to educate racing fans on the Indy races’ strengths
relative to NASCAR. Included are shots from inside
the race cars, interviews with drivers like Al Unser
Jr., and testimonials from fans. Besides an overall
increase in sales, attendance has been up by 15 percent
at every track in areas where the infomercials
have run preceding the races. And you thought
infomercials were only for Tummy Tuckers.
Sources: Charles Wesley Orton; “KitchenAid Shares Its Recipe
for DRTV,” Response, January 2002, pp. 26–30; Bernard Stamler,
“Indy Racing Uses Infomercial to Lure Viewers to the Track,”
New York Times.com, Aug. 8, 2001, pp. 1–2; Evantheia
Schibsted, “Ab Rockers, Ginshu Knives, E320s,” Business 2.0,
May 29, 2001, pp. 46–49.
As marketers continue to explore options for delivering their messages, the media
landscape is itself changing. The addition of new options like the Internet and interactive
media is one change that has occurred. Another is the variety of innovations taking
place in regard to existing media and the companies using them. Earlier in this text
we discussed the changing role of support media such as product placements and
movie theater advertising. The examples in this chapter’s lead-in demonstrate one of
the changes occurring in the direct-marketing area, specifically in regard to infomercials.
But it is important to realize that the infomercial is only one of the tools used by
direct marketers.
While most companies continue to rely primarily on the other promotional mix
elements to move their products and services through intermediaries, an
increasing number are going directly to the consumer. These companies
believe that while the traditional promotional mix tools such as advertising, sales promotion,
and personal selling are effective in creating brand image, conveying information,
and/or creating awareness, going direct with these same tools can generate an
immediate behavioral response. Direct marketing is a valuable tool in the integrated
communications program, though it seeks somewhat different objectives.
In this chapter, we discuss direct marketing and its role as a communications tool.
Direct marketing is one of the fastest-growing forms of promotion in terms of dollar
expenditures, and for many marketers it is rapidly becoming the medium of choice for
reaching consumers. Stan Rapp and Thomas Collins, in their book Maximarketing,
propose that direct marketing be the driving force behind the overall marketing program.
1 Direct Marketing
Recently, others have agreed. Ropp and Collins present a nine-step model that
includes creating a database, reaching prospects, developing the sale, and developing
the relationship. We begin by defining direct marketing and then examine directmarketing
media and their use in the overall communications strategy. The section
concludes with a basis for evaluating the direct-marketing program and a discussion of
the advantages and disadvantages of this marketing tool.