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University of Lagos Department of Business Administration First Semester 2024/2025 Session LAG-BUA 123 – Marketing Communication PART ONE SECTION A INTRODUCTION Marketing communication consist of two key words: marketing and communication. The need for marketing is universal. Therefore, business organisations will survive only if it can win the trust of the customers or clients and supply what they want through its marketing activities. In simple words, marketing means the establishment of mutually satisfying exchange relationships through buying and selling of goods, services or ideas. Baker (2000) defines marketing as a way of managing profitable customer relationships. Kotler and Armstrong (2006) view marketing as the process through which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to generate value in return. Strydom, Jooste and Cant (2000) conceptualize marketing as the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, marketing communication and distribution of ideas, products and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and corporate goals. According to Stapleton and Ali (2007) these definitions share some commonalities: (i) they focus on: customers; (ii) the provision of suitable offerings (goods, services, or ideas) to meet customers’ needs; (iii) suitable benefits to the organisation; and (iv) the relationship between the customer and the organisation on the basis of which value can be created. The second concept is communication. Communication is one of the most significant human activities and plays a very important role in marketing. After all, in the absence of communication, it will be difficult for businesses to convey a message without the means of effective communication. Communication means exchange of thoughts or conversations through written words, verbal conversation, communication through electronic or digital medium, and social media platforms among others to exchange ideas and information for a pre-planned purpose. Communication can also be defined as the process of using, word, sound, or visual cues to supply information to one or more people. There are four different types of communication.
One-to-many: this form of communication is the most original communication. It is generated from a single broadcast point and then available over airwaves or in mass print runs (i.e., news distribution for the general announcement). Many-to-one: many-to-one is generally connected to the one-to-many communication. For instance, a reply button in email box. One-to-one: this is the most intensive and interactive form of communication (i.e. a sales presentation; or negotiation). Many-to-many: on the basis of the highly developed Internet, many-to-many communication has been growing (i.e., online chat rooms, blogging' Websites). All organisations – large, medium and small, commercial, government, charities, educational institutions, manufacturing or service entities and even not-for-profit organisations – need to communicate with a range of stakeholders. This may be in order to get materials and services to carry their business activities, or to collaborate and coordinate with others to ensure suitable distribution of their goods and services or internally with other departments within the business. In addition, there are consumers – including you and me – people who are free to choose among the many competing good or service. Therefore, customer’s perception of a company and/or its brand is a synthesis of bundles of messages convey through communication or messages which could be of the succeeding nature: such as media advertisement, price, packaging design, direct marketing effort, publicity, sales promotion and websites. DEFINITION AND MEANING OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION Marketing communications abbreviated as - Marcom are channels and tools companies use to communicate the necessary message to the target group. Marcom allows customers to understand a company and product (goods or services). By conveying messages and information that are of significant value, to encourage audiences to offer positive attitudinal and behavioural responses. To date, there is no universal definition and meaning of marketing communications, as a result, there are many interpretations of the subject. Some of the common definitions of marketing communication are: ➢ Marketing communication is a continuous interaction between the buyers and seller in a market place. ➢ Marketing communication can also be defined as the means adopted by companies to convey messages about the products and the brands they sell, either directly or indirectly to the customers with the intention to persuade them to purchase.
PART ONE
SECTION B – The Emergence of Marketing Communication Marketing communication is not a new phenomenon. As a matter of fact, communication has been part of the marketing process for as long as people have exchanged goods. However, the advent of technology and research, among other reasons, has made the marketing communication process increasingly sophisticated in recent decades and has given rise to integrated marketing communication (IMC). In particular, consumers have changed beyond recognition, their behavior is more complex, their media habits are different and they are more confident and outspoken. More important, audiences have more choices than ever before. The evolution of marketing communication reflects a broader evolution of integrated marketing communication, where multiple channels are used to create a unified message. The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century revolutionized the way information was shared. Before this, communication was limited to handwritten manuscripts, accessible only to the elite. For businesses, this marked the birth of print advertising. The first printed advertisements appeared in 17th-century newspapers, promoting everything from medicines to real estate. Fast forward to the 20th century, when radio and television transformed the marketing domain. Radio commercials began in the 1920s, offering brands a way to reach households with engaging audio messages. By the 1950s, television had emerged as the dominant platform, combining visuals and sound to create compelling advertisements. Major campaigns such as “Think Small” campaign by Volkswagen in the 1960 demonstrated how television could be used for storytelling, fostering emotional connections with audiences. The advent of the Internet in the late 20th century ushered in the digital age and businesses quickly recognized the potential of Websites as virtual storefronts and email as a direct line to customers. One of the earliest instances of successful digital marketing was Hotmail’s viral strategy in 1996. The firm added “Get your free email at Hotmail” to every sent email, acquiring millions of users within months. The early 2000s saw the rise of social media platforms like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, essentially changing how businesses interacted with audiences. Social media turned marketing into a two-way conversation, allowing brands to engage directly with customers.
The journey from the printing press to social media illustrates an enduring truth: marketing communication is ever-evolving. Therefore, by understanding its history, businesses can anticipate future trends and craft strategies that resonate with their audiences. PART ONE SECTION C – Marketing Communication and the Process of Exchange The concept of marketing as an exchange, according to most academics and business practitioners, is central to improve understanding of marketing. This is so because for an exchange to take place there must be some conditions, namely: i. There must be at least two parties. ii. Each must have something that might be of value to the other. iii. Each can communicate and deliver what they are offering. iv. Each is free to accept or reject what is on offer. v. Each party trusts/respects the other sufficiently to take the exchange seriously. The concept of exchange transactions is seen by many commentators as underpinning the marketing concept. Of the different types of exchange, market and relational are the two that can be readily observed and marketing communications have numerous roles to play in the context of both these types of exchange, but – as will be seen later in the course of this course – there is a strong paradigm shift from the reliance on market exchanges to longer-term perspective to foster creation and maintenance of enduring partnerships or relationships. This approach is referred to as ‘relationship marketing’ and it lends credence to the assertion that "Marketing is not just about selling products; it's about building relationships and creating value." The exchange concept is a key factor in understanding the expanding role of marketing. The exchange process is the act of obtaining a desired object from someone by offering something of value in return. The exchange between the person in need (e.g., someone who offers money or some other resources) and the company selling the products, which could be goods, service, or idea results in a transaction. Thus, the formation of partnerships between brands and consumers, and between organisations within distribution channels or networks, is a vital perspective of marketing communications.
Influence Purchase Intent Motivating customers to purchase is a crucial communication goal. It is typically achieved by compelling ads, which generally focus on the superior benefits to users compared to competitors. Stimulate Trial Purchase and Repeat Patronage Two different but strongly linked communications objectives are to boost the use of trials and drive repeat purchases. Free trials or product samples are popular ways of attracting consumers first to try out your product. In doing so, you can manage to take the risk off and get company brand to be experienced by the customer. Drive Brand Switching Another goal closely linked to boosting the use of trials is to drive brand switching. It aims to get customers who purchase competing products to switch to your brand. Connecting companies with consumers In terms of marketing, the task of marketing communications is of course to convey messages from the company to consumers. This important role aims to build a brand so that it is better known and trusted. Building a brand image Branding is not built within a short time. Therefore, one of the major objectives of marketing communications is to build the right brand image for a company to captured consumers attention. Conduct research for the company Some marketing communications also have the objective or task of connecting company stakeholders with the market. They must be good at reading trend movements that occur in the sector the company is involved in. Do direct selling Marketing communication is also required to be able to market products directly into the hands of end users to build customer trust about the products being marketed. Roles of Marketing Communications Marketing communications perform a number of important roles. Some of the important roles are: Building brand awareness: Marketing communications is responsible for making sure customers know that the organisation or business exists, and what it offers. Maintaining customer loyalty: It is one of marketing communications’ jobs to ensure that customer develops positive bond with the company and its brands. Creating demand for products and services: It is not enough to have improved or innovative goods or service – people need to know it exists in order to buy it.
Shortening the sales cycle: This can be achieved by better understanding customer needs – as well as customers’ buying motivations, influences, and processes – and then harnessing this insight when engaging with consumers. Highlighting a competitive edge: The 21st century marketplace is a crowded one, this is why marketing communications are need to ensure that points of differentiation – the things that make their products and services unique – are shared with the public as a basis of enhancing competitive advantages. Other specific roles of marketing communications are: i. Influences consumer behaviour to drive sales. ii. Engages customers at various points along the buying journey. iii. Integrates all marketing tools to achieve seamless communication. PART TWO SECTION A – Marketing Communication Context and Mix The whole process of marketing is executed through marketing communication mix. The marketing communications mix consists of a set of tools (disciplines) that can be used in various combinations and different degrees of intensity in order to communicate with a target audience. Traditionally there are five main marketing communication mix or tools: advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations and direct marketing. In addition, there are media in which time and space can be bought or used to deliver messages to target audiences. Figure 1 below depict the marketing communication mix. Figure 1: Marketing Communication Mix
Word-of- Mouth Marketing: It is one of the most widely practiced method of communication tool wherein customer share their experiences with their peers and friends about the goods and services they bought recently. PART TWO SECTION B – Marketing Communication: Selection Criteria A number factors influence the choice of marketing communication mix and the relative frequency or usage of each element. The factors can be grouped into four classifications: 1) Product related factors, 2) Customer related factors, 3) Organization related factors, and 4) Competition and Situation related factors. Product Related Factors ❑ The amount and complexity of product information to be communicated, ❑ The stage of the product in the product life cycle, and ❑ Product type and unit price. Customer Related Factors ❑ characteristics of the target market, and ❑ type of buying decision. Organization Related Factors ❑ marketing channel adopted ❑ branding strategies. ❑ budget Competition and Situation Related Factors ❑ visibility of the firm and its political, legal and social, environment, and ❑ impact of competition REFERENCES Brassington F, Pettitt S (2000). Sales promotion In: Principles of marketing. 2nd ed, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow. Baines, P. & Fill, C. ( 2014 ). Marketing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Blythe, J. (2006). Essentials of marketing communications. London: Prentice Hill. Clow, K.E., Baack, D. (2004). Integrated advertising, promotions and marketing communications. New Jersey USA: Pearson Education Inc Upper Saddle Rwer,
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