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Basics of Marketing - Kotler Philip

Implementation of the propaganda plan

Promotional activities require special attention . Take, for example, the placement of materials in the media. Gorgeous material to place easily. However, most of the materials can not be called excellent, which means that they may not get "good" from busy editors. One of the main valuable qualities of a propaganda specialist is his personal relationships with editors of the media. Often propaganda specialists are former journalists who personally know many editors, they know that they need it. The propaganda specialist views the editors of the information dissemination tools as a market that must be met so that these editors continue to use the propaganda materials supplied by the firm.

Evaluation of the results of advocacy

The contribution of propaganda to the firm's activities is difficult to assess, because it is used in combination with other incentive measures. However, if it is resorted to before other means are involved, it is already easier to evaluate it.

The simplest method of determining the effectiveness of propaganda is to measure the number of contacts with material placed in the means of dissemination of information. The specialist gives the client a selection of clippings and information about all means of dissemination of information that used material on the product, accompanying this collection with approximately such a summary.

Coverage in information dissemination media was reflected in the publication of news and photographs with a total area of ​​3500 inches of a column in 350 editions with a total circulation of 79.4 million copies, in the use of 2500 minutes of air time of 290 radio stations with an approximate audience of 65 million people, as well as in use 660 minutes of air time 160 telecentres and with an audience of about 91 million people. The purchase of the same amount of space and time at advertising rates would cost the firm $ 1,047,000.26

Such measurements of the number of contacts do not satisfy the client very well. They do not give an idea of ​​the number of people who actually read or saw the treatment, nor about the thoughts it brought to these people. There is also no information about the net audience, because the readership of various publications overlap.

More meaningful data give an indication of the changes in the level of awareness of the product, the understanding of its essence and in the relations to it, resulting from the propaganda campaign (with the corresponding amendments to the impact of other incentives). All these variables need to be measured twice - before and after the campaign. For example, the Council for Potato Marketing found out that the number of consonants with the statement "Potato Rich in Vitamins and Minerals" increased from 36% before the start of the campaign to 67% after its end. And this is a significant increase in the understanding of the essence of the goods (see box 37).

Nevertheless, the most satisfactory in all possible cases are measuring the impact on sales and profit levels. For example, by the end of the propaganda campaign "Cat Morris" sales of cat food "Nine Lives" increased by 43%. However, from this indicator it is necessary to exclude the contribution made by more intensively conducted advertising and sales promotion.

Box 37. Two examples of successful propaganda campaigns

A propaganda specialist is able to find or create commercially useful material about the most prosaic goods. A few years ago the Council for Potato Marketing decided to finance a propaganda campaign designed to stimulate the consumption of potatoes. A nationwide study of the attitude to this culture and the nature of its consumption has shown that many people perceive potatoes as a product that promotes completeness, not too nutritious and not too rich in vitamins and minerals. Such relations were formed as a result of statements of various opinion leaders, such as editors of food departments of periodicals, supporters of dietary nutrition, doctors. In fact, the calorific value of potatoes is much lower than many believe, and it contains a number of valuable vitamins and minerals. The Council for Potato Marketing decided to develop separate outreach programs for consumers, doctors, nutritionists, nutrition specialists, housekeeping specialists and editors of food departments of periodicals. The program for consumers included the transfer of a lot of materials about potatoes to network television organizations and women's magazines, the creation and distribution of the "Dietary allowance for potato lovers", as well as the posting of articles and the publication of recipes for potato dishes in the food sections of periodicals. The program for editors of food departments of periodicals included conducting seminars by experts on problems of rational nutrition.

Propaganda can be very effective in promoting the sale of branded goods. One of the most popular brands of cat food is Nine Lives by Starkist Foods. The image of this brand personifies the advertising character cat Morris. The agency that created him, Leo Bernett, wanted to make this hero as alive as possible, the most real representative of the cat family, who would love both the owners and all lovers of cats. The agency attracted a specialized firm to organize public opinion, which for its part proposed and implemented the following ideas. 1. In nine major markets, the "Morris Morphs" competitions were held. At all these competitions, Morris was present personally, and about the search for his twins, the press published lengthy articles. 2. The book "The Personal Life of Morris" was published with a description of the adventures of the famous cat. 3. The prestigious Morris Prize was established - a bronze statue, which is awarded to the owners of animals recognized as winners in local cat reviews. 4. The "Cot of Cats Adoption Month" was proclaimed, during which Morris acts as an official feline representative, urging people to take stray cats to the house, which he himself once was. 5. Brochures-instructions for the care of cats under the name "The Morris Method" are distributed. Thanks to all these propaganda measures, the position of the brand in the market of cat food has been strengthened.