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Basics of Marketing - Kotler Philip

Propaganda

Along with stimulating sales, one of the main means of stimulation is propaganda.

Advocacy includes "using editorial rather than paid space and / or time in all means of disseminating information, available for reading, viewing or listening to existing or potential customers of the company, for the specific task - to contribute to the attainment of the goals" 25.

The results of propaganda are sometimes brilliant. Take, for example, the movie "Return of the Jedi".

"Return of the Jedi" - this is the third film in the series "Star Wars" and at the same time a marketing phenomenon. Since the premiere sale of posters, toys, T-shirts and suits with the heroes of the film is booming. The illustrated scenario of the film is on the first place in the bestseller lists in all parts of the country. Network of restaurants and snack bars "Berger King" intensively advertises its sales promotion campaign, prizes in which are glasses with images of the characters of the film. The firm "Pepperidge Farms" sells cookies called "Jedi". Vanilla personifies heroes, walnut - different living things, and chocolate - villains. The Time magazine devoted the title article to the film, carrying out a photo of the scenes from it on the cover. Newspapers and information programs of television tell about devoted fans, for several days standing in lines for tickets, and interview those who want to see the film again and again.

Propaganda is used to popularize vintage and conventional goods, individuals, places, ideas, activities, organizations and even whole countries. Trade associations resort to propaganda to revive interest in products such as eggs, milk, potatoes. Organizations resort to advocacy to attract attention or to correct an unfavorable self-image. Countries resort to propaganda to attract tourists, foreign investment and to secure international support.

Propaganda is part of a broader concept, in the notion of public opinion organization (public relations). Before the organization of public opinion, several tasks are set, including ensuring the company well-known fame, forming a view of it as an organization with a high civil responsibility and countering the spread of unfavorable rumors and information. To solve these problems, the departments for organizing public opinion use several means26.

1. Establishing and maintaining links with the press. The purpose of this activity is to post cognitive-event information in the media to attract attention to individuals, goods or services.

2. Commodity propaganda. Activities that combine a variety of efforts to promote specific products.

3. Company-wide communication. Activity on internal and external communication, aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the company's specifics.

4. Lobbyism. Work with lawmakers and government officials to achieve the strengthening or avoidance of any legislation or regulation.

5. Counseling. Issuance of recommendations to management on matters of public significance, position and image of the firm. Specialists in propaganda are usually not concentrated in the marketing department of the firm, but in the department for organizing public opinion. This department is usually located at the headquarters of the firm, and its employees are so busy with working with various contact audiences-shareholders, their own employees, legislators, representatives of city authorities-that they can forget about propaganda designed to promote the tasks of commodity marketing. To prevent this from happening, you can, for example, include a propaganda specialist and a marketing department staff. Propaganda is often called the stepdaughter of marketing, because it is used on a limited scale and quite rarely. But propaganda can produce a memorable impact on them the level of public awareness, and it will cost many times cheaper than advertising costs, since the firm does not pay for a place, or for a time in the means of dissemination of information. Only the work of the staff and distribution of propaganda materials themselves are paid. If the company prepares interesting material, it can use all means of information dissemination at once, which is equivalent to saving millions of advertising costs. Moreover, the material is believed to be more than advertising.

When deciding on when and how to use commodity propaganda, management should formulate its tasks, select propaganda messages and the means for their dissemination, monitor the implementation of the outreach plan and evaluate the results achieved through this activity.