Research Topics: Creative Technologies

RESEARCH PAPER ON MARKETING STRATEGIES OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES ON ITS EXPANSION TO DIGITAL CONSUMERS PRODUCTS

MARKETING STRATEGIES OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES ON ITS EXPANSION TO DIGITAL CONSUMERS PRODUCTS              INTRODUCTION             Creative Technologies Ltd is a digital technology company based in Singapore. Known as the brainchild behind the SoundBlaster sound card for personal computers, Creative Technologies is now trying its luck on digital consumer products such as digital audio players and digital cameras. The situation for company with those product lines however, is different from what the SoundBlaster has given them. Because the SoundBlaster has revolutionized the way a personal computer sound, it gave the company the prestige it needed to uplift its brand internationally. But with the case of digital consumer products, it is different in a sense that the company markets new product lines that were not innovated by them. In those product lines, they have strong competitors such as strong Japanese brands in the digital audio player and digital camera lines. This situation is both a challenge and a threat to the company. Japanese digital consumer product brands such as Sony, Toshiba, Canon, and Nikon to name a few, have already established a strong global presence and have already made their mark on the respective product lines they represent. Because of this case, it is imperative that Creative Technologies create an effective marketing scheme so as to subdue the pressure of competing with stronger brands internationally. In an internet news article, it was revealed that Singaporean analysts believe that “Creative is still at a disadvantage to the Japanese companies, who have a headstart in the field and a huge marketing war chest” (Bink and Hoffman, 2006). It is yet to be seen on whether Creative Technologies can be a force to reckon with in the digital consumer products industry. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

RESEARCH PAPER ON MARKETING STRATEGIES OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES ON ITS EXPANSION TO DIGITAL CONSUMERS PRODUCTS

MARKETING STRATEGIES OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES ON ITS EXPANSION TO DIGITAL CONSUMERS PRODUCTS INTRODUCTION Creati...

How Important is Internet Privacy?

While the Internet has altered and significantly enhanced our lives, this enormous network and its related tools have opened the door to an escalating number of security and privacy coercion from which individuals, families and business must protect themselves. The prominence on Internet Privacy has become more and more essential. The consequences of attacks can range from the placidly tiresome to the fully devastating.   Many concerned in online business assume that time alone will liquefy consumer concerns regarding the privacy and security of online shopping, yet people concerned argue that larger Internet experience and more prevalent promotion of the latent risks of online shopping will direct to amplified risk discernments. To date, no recognized research has scrutinized whether advanced levels of Internet practice are connected to higher or lower levels of apparent hazards and concerns about privacy and security of online shopping. In addition, the mounting body of consumer-oriented Internet research that is focusing on privacy- and security-related issues suggests that these issues may play a significant role in the development of online retailing. However, there has been little available research concerning how privacy and security issues relate to purchaser risk awareness and probable acquisition actions.   With the increase in convention of the Internet, certain concerns about security and privacy arise. In 1995 study of Kapowski, pornography, privacy violations, transaction security infringes, unsolicited e-mail and other questionable or illegal actions being conducted through internet have become hotly debated issues. Some see directives as the only answer to guard from unwelcome infringement; but due to the universal nature of the Internet, ruling will be tremendously difficult, if not impossible.   According to a survey conducted by Udo, security concerns are a major reason that users give for not shopping online. Many consumer organizations and government agencies provide tips on how to transact safely on the Internet by providing key information such as its return policy and privacy practices. In theory, consumers could choose not to patronize sites that fail to provide key information, but in practice, consumers do not search for this information, if at all, until after they have spent considerable time investigating a site’s product offerings.   The purpose of Udo’s study was to investigate the privacy and security concerns of internet users in order to establish a consensus among them. The survey data used in this study came from 158 participants. As indicated by the study findings, the majority of the online IT users today have serious concerns about their privacy and security while shopping on the Internet. They are also concerned about the safety and confidentiality of their e-mails. IT users do not only lose confidence in the technology but they also have very little hope that the government is capable of significantly reducing their concerns in the near future.   The majority of the internet users who participated in Udo’s study believed that the advancements in such technology as encryption and other security features are not sufficient to reduce their privacy and security concerns. Based on the responses of those who took part in the study, an overwhelming majority of employees prefer the organization to have policies for e-mail and Internet use and to also notify the employees of the policies.   Actually, the main security issue relevant to internet privacy is the people who sell private or personal information through the internet. This security issue is brought about by purchases or transactions made online. Individuals who access and sell private information are particularly dangerous as they are not concerned about confidentiality and protecting others’ privacy. While data brokers and hackers are known threats to internet security, people that develop profiles derived from illegally acquired personal data are big threats as well\. Illegal profiling has been occurring even before the internet was introduced. However, at that time, personal records are difficult to obtain. With online access, profiles containing various information, from the user’s activities, interests, location and contacts, can easily be acquired and sold to anyone who needs it for whatever purpose.   To a lesser degree, e-mail addresses and messages displayed on online groups are not private or secure and can be searched by anyone easily. The problem on Spam e-mailers is then the result. The main sources of information for spammers are postings on Usenet bulletin boards as well as mailing list servers. In some cases, spammers even extract e-mail addresses from user web browsers. Not only do spammers caused annoyance for users whose e-mail addresses had been extracted, but spam e-mails also cause significant costs to the users brought about by e-mail traffic.   In order to resolve these security issues, companies utilized various means of protection. One of which is through the installation of a firewall. A firewall is a means of securing internet users that is basically made up of a system of a group of systems, which serves as the enforcer of a control policy between two networks. In a way, a firewall works like a membrane of a computer system, wherein it could either block or permit traffic. Some firewalls however, emphasizes more on blocking traffic, while some are developed to stress more on permitting it. The main purpose of putting firewalls on computer systems is to hinder unauthorized internet users from accessing the user’s private networks, particularly the networks of major organizations or companies whose data are highly confidential.   Apparently, Schafer has noted that aside from firewalls, encryption is another useful measure in preventing internet security issues. Encryption is actually a process which changes a message into a sequence of coded numbers, which makes the message incomprehensible to users other than the intended recipient. The process of encryption utilizes mathematical algorithms for concealing private or confidential information. This is mainly used for protecting system files as well as e-mail messages (Levin). A number of other possible programs or software applications that could protect users for internet security problems are also used by organizations.               With respect to these discussions, security and privacy risks have been a common problem not only to individual but also to business organizations. Either caused by computer crimes or unethical work practices, security and privacy troubles direct to even greater unenthusiastic brunt such as organization losses, dwindled efficiency and abridged morale. Due to this dispute, organizations had picked to utilize a variety of crime preclusion schemes including encryption procedures, firewall installation and employee examination techniques. Based on discussions of this paper the use of technology to implement these crime preclusion techniques has been highlighted.               Despite the fact that schemes for checking internet privacy and security problems in organizational scenery are vital, appropriate management should be valued as well. Through appropriate or good management, the organization is able to converse efficiently with its internal and external associates concerning the implication of executing different security procedures. This practice also allows employers to hire successfully as well as build up distinct hiring guidelines and systems. Furthermore, appropriate management also allows organizations to monitor their security systems through established measures.               However, based on evaluation, both crime preclusion techniques and appropriate organization management have diverse roles in making security and privacy. Additionally, putting equivalent value on these two phases can direct to better organizational upshots such as sanctioned organizational members, protection of resources, ensured security and better work relations. Hence, rather than placing more assessment on organization management in consideration with the problem of modern security, organizations should give equal assessment to methods and knowledge. In this way, the attempts towards an improved security and privacy system are make the most of.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

How Important is Internet Privacy?

While the Internet has altered and significantly enhanced our lives, this enormous network and its related tools have opened the door ...

Development of Creativity

INTRODUCTION             I agree that even in small moments of creativity arid creative problem-solving can imply better results.  There is an ample need to understand and analyze the process of creativity among people in applying the needed information that helps integrate the importance of creativity within the development of the problem solving skills amicably. Moreover, creativity and problem solving (CPS) skills cultivate whole brain thinking that helps in their search for ideas for efficiencies in procedures and coping with changes in the environment. Thus, nurturing creativity in individuals can come up with creative ideas as needed. Many people think creativity is soft and fuzzy then, used as an excuse for wasting time and believe creativity is not practical since it only involves with fine arts such as music and dance. Creativity needs to be encouraged within the appropriate intelligence in order for the individuals and groups to be creative and intelligent within to act freely and right in the views of other people. Creativity is arguably the most important element in achieving success in life goals as it is argued that, to encourage and enhance creativity people involved in every aspect should address the effects of fear of taking risks and criticism.  The Importance of Creativity             Creativity is at once the least scientific aspect of advertising and the most important (Reid, King and DeLorme, 1998). To be successful, it must have impact, quality, style and relevance. Ideas must be new, unique, and relevant to the product and to the target audience in order to be useful as solutions to marketing communications problems (Belch and Belch, 1998). This is because a “winning creative idea,” one that stands out from the crowd and is memorable, can have enormous impact on sales, may influence the hiring and firing of advertising agencies, and affect their remuneration (Michell and Cataquet, 1992; Rossiter and Percy, 1997). This is because there is a high degree of chance in coming up with a winning creative idea, and random creativity is pivotal (O’Connor, Willemain, and MacLachlan, 1996). Academic researchers (Amabile, 1982; Runco and Sakamoto, 1999) have found creativity to be among the most complex of human behaviors to describe. It has even been suggested that creativity cannot be defined or measured (Callahan, 1991; Khatena, 1982). The importance of creativity is acknowledged by the scale and scope of the research activity that has been conducted both to understand it and to examine its application in diverse fields. (Brower, 2000)  Creative Individuals             I have learned that creativity is described in terms as creative thinking and problem solving, where the solution to the problem requires insight (Simonton, 1999; Sternberg and Davidson, 1995). Most involve an aspect of originality for example, “Creativity is the ability to produce work that is novel’’ (Sternberg and Lubart, 1999). Originality is a required but insufficient condition for creativity: the work must also be of value; that is, it should be “appropriate. (Sternberg and Lubart, 1999, p. 3) There are differences of opinion about the role and importance of creativity in advertising and marketing. I believe that managers tend to value “effectiveness,” usually measured by changes in awareness levels or in market sales, whereas creative people generally have a low regard for these kinds of measures (Kover, Goldberg, and James, 1995). Creative individuals tended to see an opportunity to demonstrate their own skills and aesthetic values and thereby to promote their careers (Hirschman, 1989) but it has been found that creativity is necessary for effectiveness and that it is this that “pushes the message into viewers’ minds” (Kover, Goldberg, and James, 1995, p. 29).             Combining two existing items, materials, ideas, thoughts, concepts in a new way can not only be creative, it is considered by many to be the essence of creativity providing,” the combinatorial leap which is generally described as the hallmark of creativity” (Martindale, 1999, p. 139). Creative people switch between the two because the primary state enables the discovery of new combinations of mental elements, while the secondary state is necessary for elaboration of creative concepts identified in the associative primary state. The theory of Associative Hierarchies was first proposed by Mednick in 1962. He stated that creativity is an associative process involving, “the ability or tendency which serves to bring otherwise mutually remote ideas into contiguity facilitate a creative solution.” According to Mednick (1962), creative individuals have flat associative hierarchies, so are more able to make original associations and thus have more creative ideas. The creative person persists in the face of this resistance and is able to “sell high.” Creativity requires the confluence of six factors: intellectual ability, knowledge, styles of thinking, personality, motivation, and environment. Again the link to the idea of associative ability can be made. Creative Development Process             Creativity is an essential part of the creative problem-solving (CPS) process as CPS itself is a useful analytical process which can be applied in many different business contexts. Training in CPS can help employees avoid poor thinking habits and logical errors. It can make them aware of the dangers of jumping to solutions, the importance of correct problem identification and the risks of satisficing. (Guzdial, Hohmann, Konneman, Walton, & Soloway, 1998; Deek, 1997)  Creativity refers to the skills and attitudes needed for generating ideas and products that are (a) relatively novel (b) high in quality (c) appropriate to the task at hand. Creativity is important for leadership because it is the component whereby one generates the ideas that others will follow. A leader who lacks creativity may get along and get others to go along but he may get others to go along with inferior or stale ideas. A good leader is one who embodies a creative vision. (Sternberg & Lubart, 1996) Creative leaders do not define a problem the way everyone else does, simply because everyone else defines the problem that way. They decide on the exact nature of the problem using their own judgment. Most importantly, they are willing to defy the crowd in defining a problem differently from the way others do (Sternberg, 2002; Sternberg & Lubart, 1995).  Creative Leadership             Creative leaders recognize that they must decide to take sensible risks, which can lead them to success but also can lead them, from time to time, to failure (Lubart & Sternberg, 1995). Gifted leaders are more willing to take large risks and to fail as often as they need in order to accomplish their long-term goals. Creative leaders are willing to surmount the obstacles that confront anyone who decides to defy the crowd (Sternberg & Lubart, 1995). Creativity, involves quality as well as novelty. One can have a very novel idea that is nevertheless not good. Henceforth, creativity often involves defying the crowd, buying low and selling high in the world of ideas as creativity is relatively domain specific and could be weakly related to intelligence but certainly is not the same as development process of intelligence (Williams & Sternberg, 1988). Successfully intelligent people balance adaptation to shaping and selection of environments by capitalizing on strengths and correcting weaknesses as it is clear how the relationship between creativity and intelligence would have aspects of the problem solving skills. The main way is through the decision to apply it.             Many leaders know better but their actions do not reflect their knowledge as their minds tell them what they should be doing but their motives for fame, for money lead them in different directions and that these leaders often fail not because they are not smart enough, but because they choose not to use the creativity and intelligence they have (Neisser, 1979). Even if skills in problem solving is critical to success in school and the community, problem solving remains a neglected curriculum area for students being taught of problem-solving skills to achieve self-set goals in respect to promoting better creativity and intelligence channels that serves as a tool and avenue for good learning practices and process. Thus, people employed in a creative capacity perform better under certain conditions, and many researchers (Amabile, 1998; Anderson, 1992; Cummings and Oldham, 1997; Nickerson, 1999) have consequently devoted effort to establish how creativity may be encouraged and enhanced. Davies (2000) suggested that anything that can be done to reduce the complexity is worthy of consideration and recommended the use of decision-support software. According to Davies, an AHP can facilitate the creative process and encourage the generation of ideas, mainly by organizing, clarifying, and simplifying the decisions that need to be taken (Crutchfield, 1962).              Managers should encourage employees those that do not fit this profile–to take creative risks by providing their staff with a conducive work environment and “surrounding them by a context that nurtures their creative potential” (Cummings and Oldham, 1997, p. 35). This includes a social environment at work that will encourage positive interactions (Brower, 2000). The work environment can easily be changed to cater to the needs of creative people and by having a positive effect on intrinsic motivation, can thus have an immediate effect on performance (Amabile, 1998).   CONCLUSION             Nowadays, many people have negative ideas and preconceptions about creativity, their own abilities and about the value of the process with an understanding of a thorough problem solving process and why creativity is vital to the process for the determination of intelligence by looking at certain creativity and problem solving habits and that in order to encourage creativity,  a person may open the door to a wide range of business benefits and give employees the chance to make business look great. Taking into consideration the skills to address the tasks required for problem solving and development and be able to produce their solutions in an environment that does not restrict creativity and intelligence respectively.             In reflection, when people identify individuals, as gifted in such domain they often concentrate on what they know about the domain and their ability to learn about that domain thoroughly than other individuals. But gifted adults are identified as such by the leadership roles they take in their fields, not by how quickly they learned about their fields. Instead, one attains eminence by leading the field with one’s ideas. If one thinks of some of the most eminent people in the field of gifted education, one knows they got to their positions not by demonstrating high scores on tests of knowledge but by being leaders with their ideas about how to educate the gifted. Therefore, creativity is typically thought of as it pertains to the arts but it does occur in almost any kind of activity and within various groups of people such as originality and imagination, its identification can sometimes be easy. Thus, creativity, involves divergent thinking the ability to come up with unusual answers. Therefore, creative people can score lower than others of similar intelligence on the same exam. Test designers have also been imaginative and have designed ways to test divergent thinking. But creative people tend to express their originality best in spontaneous situations and not under the usual test taking conditions.             Lastly, parents can foster creativity in children by providing a stimulating environment that is possibly involved within the child’s special interests and aptitudes and availability of necessary supplies, offering children a variety of experiences and materials inside and outside the home, focusing on the child’s strengths rather than criticizing his weaknesses, trying to help balance child’s need to follow authority with peer pressure and innovative behavior, setting an example by pursuing interesting activities at home and in the community, allowing family interaction with creative children and adults and by respecting children and showing confidence in their abilities.   REFERENCES AMABILE, T. M. “The Social Psychology of Creativity: A Consensual Assessment Technique.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 43, 5 (1982): 997-1013. ANDRIOPOULOS, C. “Determinants of Organizational Creativity: A Literature Review.” Management Decision 39, 10 (2001): 834-40. BARRON, F. Creativity and Personal Freedom. New York: Van Nostrand, 1968. BARRON, F. Creative Person and Creative Process. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1969. BELCH, G. E., and M. A. BELCH. Advertising and Promotion, an Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective (International ed.). New York: Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1998. BROWER, R. “To Reach a Star: The Creativity of Vincent van Gogh.” High Ability Studies 11, 2 (2000): 179-205. BURNETT, L. “Keep Listening to That Wee, Small Voice.” In Readings in Advertising and Promotion Strategy, Arnold M. Barban and C. H. Sandage, eds. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin, 1968. CALLAHAN, C. M. “The Assessment of Creativity.” In Handbook of Gifted Education, N. Colangelo and G. A. Davis, eds. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1991. CROPLEY, A. 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FLETCHER, W. “The Management of Creativity.” International Journal of Advertising 9, 1 (1990): 1-37. FREEMAN, J. “Emotional Problems of the Gifted Child.” Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 24 (1983): 481-85. GETZELS, J., and P. JACKSON. Creativity and Intelligence: Explorations with Gifted Students. New York: Wiley, 1962. GIBSON, L. “What Can One TV Exposure Do?” Journal of Advertising Research 36, 2 (1996): 9-17. GOLANN, S. “Psychological Study of Creativity.” Psychological Bulletin 60 (1963): 548-65. GOUGH, H. “A Creativity Scale for the Adjective Check List.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 37 (1979): 1398-1405. HICKEY, M. “An Application of Amabile’s Consensual Assessment Technique for Rating the Creativity of Children’s Musical Compositions.” Journal of Research in Music Education 49, 3 (2001): 234-45. HIRSCHMAN, E. C. “Role-Based Models of Advertising Creation and Production.” Journal of Advertising 18, 4 (1989): 42-53. 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The Structure of Intellect: Its Interpretation and Uses. Columbus, OH: Charles & Merrill, 1969. MENDELSOHN, G. A. “Associative and Attentional Processes in Creative Performance.” Journal of Personality 44 (1976): 341-69. MUMFORD, M. D., and S. B. GUSTAFSON. “Creativity Syndrome: Integration, Application, and Innovation.” Psychological Bulletin 103, 1 (1988): 27-43. NICKERSON, R. S. “Enhancing Creativity.” In Handbook of Creativity, R. Sternberg, ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. O’CONNOR, G. C., T. R. WILLEMAIN, and J. MACLACHLAN. “The Value of Competition Among Agencies in Developing Ad Campaigns: Revisiting Gross’s Model.” Journal of Advertising 25, 1 (1996): 51-62. REID, L., K. KING, and D. DELORME. “Top-Level Creatives Look at Advertising Creativity Then and Now.” Journal of Advertising 27, 2 (1998): 1-16. ROSSITER, JOHN R., and LARRY PERCY. Advertising Communications & Promotion Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. RUNCO, M. A., and S. M. 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KOGAN. “Modes of Thinking in Young Children: A Study of the Creativity-Intelligence Distinction.” New York: Wiley, 1965 Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Development of Creativity

INTRODUCTION I agree that even in small moments of creativity arid creative problem-solving can imply better results. Th...

Is creative advertising essential?

Is creative advertising essential? Coke Vs Pepsi A Literature Review             Introduction             Organizational theorists regard creativity as the foundation of competitive advantage ( 1988, 1996; 1990;  1995), and further defining it (creativity) as the production of fresh and utilitarian products that heighten a firm’s ability to react to environmental opportunities ( 1983; 1990;  1986;1993). Earlier research has studied personal characteristics such as general creative ability, domain-relevant skills, and intrinsic motivation (1981), as well as organizational factors, such as job complexity and supervision style ( 1988;  1996;  1989), as factors that alleviate creative performance. Lately, researchers have also looked into the joint contribution of personal and organizational factors and have found that high levels of both factors promote the highest degrees of creative performance ( 1996).             However, creative processes in organizations are not fully understood (1993), allowing some key unanswered questions such as “Are there processes that are capable of developing creative designs, and are these processes different from those that may be used to produce designs that are not considered creative?” (1993). Such questions are especially appropriate to advertising organizations, for in spite of Ford’s (1996) conclusion that domains at the organizational level do not generally encourage creativity, the advertising domain is singled out as an exception because of its inherently creative purpose. What is ironic though is advertising creativity has hardly been studied. Creative Advertising Theories The sound of music- Many researchers have considered the impact of music in advertising, either from a classical conditioning perspective (1992; 1982; 1989; 1988), or they have examined how sound effects (1992) or different physical characteristics of the music such as the tempo, pitch, and loudness (1990; 1990;1993) affect listeners’ responses. Music can be incredibly evocative, and therefore of tremendous use to advertisers with a strong aspirational element in their advertising. Music can be used in an ad to achieve a variety of objectives – sometimes in combination such as to gain attention ( 1994 , 2000).To create a mood to give an ad pace or energy To make the ad more likeable/enjoyable To identify the brand, or emphasise it To reflect/borrow a lifestyle To provide background to a commercial To make the ad – or the brand – more memorable (1997). Furthermore  (1997) also pointed out that there is evidence to suggest that the regular use of the same music for a brand can, over time, generate familiarity and enhance involvement with the brand. Music’s main contribution to an ad is to increase interest and enjoyment. Music does little to convey a message or aid understanding of the brand – but can act as a ‘signature tune’ for it, with frequent repetition. It can, however, provide clear brand identity. It can create atmosphere. It can support a clear brand personality. It can make a lifestyle statement about the brand. Background music has little effect, though it may enhance a mood.  conclusions on the effect of music on understanding are reflected by  (2000) who found that music does not help brand understanding, but enhances brand familiarity. (1995) reports a detailed analysis of a music video that carries potentially valuable lessons for commercial producers in the ways in which music can create the structure of an ad, defining changes in mood, pace and emotional intensity. The Sounds of Coke and Pepsi  In 1969, The Coca-Cola Company and its advertising agency, , ended their popular “Things Go Better With Coke” campaign, replacing it with a campaign that centered on the slogan “It’s the Real Thing.” Beginning with a hit song, the new campaign featured what proved to be one of the most popular ads ever created. The television ad “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” was released first in Europe, where it garnered only a tepid response. It was then released in the U.S. in July, 1971, and the response was immediate and dramatic. By November of that year, Coca-Cola and its bottlers had received more than a hundred thousand letters about the ad. I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” has had a lasting connection with the viewing public. Advertising surveys consistently identify it as one of the best commercials of all time, and the sheet music continues to sell more than thirty years after the song was written. Such is the power of television advertising that through the enduring popularity of this ad, at least, Coke has borne out something of Backer’s ambitious claims for it, becoming a common connection among people. I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love, Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves. I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company. [Repeat the last two lines, and in the background:] It’s the real thing, Coke is what the world wants today.   Pepsi, likewise, have been using music as it’s identity from generation to generation of Pepsi lovers. From today’s “Joy of Pepsi,” as sung by , to yesterday’s “Nickel, Nickel” (1939), its musical ads are as memorable as the products it produce. Pepsi’s last major campaign change was in 1999, when it debuted “The Joy of Cola,” which became “The Joy of Pepsi” in 2000. Pepsi ads identifies itself with the youth and its youthful attitude and Pepsi continously updates its look with a bolder, more contemporary image that better captures the brand’s youthful attitude. Mere Exposure The Ad Size (the bigger the better) – In the late 1960s, social psychologist  (1968) offered the world a theory of mere exposure in forming a preference (attitude). Based on his experiments, he concluded that “preference is created simply from repeated exposure, with no associated cognitive activity” (1996). Few would argue that a relatively large ad is a powerful attention-grabber. Perhaps more importantly, the size of a print advertisement may convey important brand-related information that consumers use to form purchase-relevant inferences. That is, people tend to evaluate the success or reputation of the business by the size of an ad based on the notion that the bigger an ad is, the more credible the business is (1986). The impact of ad size and its ability to communicate success or credibility is, in part, due to consumer inferences about the perceived cost of the advertisement. Using ad size to manipulate perceived ad cost, it has been shown that consumers use their impression of the amount of money spent on advertising as a cue to product quality when such information is not provided in the ad (1990). Coke vs. Pepsi and Visibility Both Coke and Pepsi being international brand enjoy wider exposure and visibility. Generations after generations have seen numerous advertisements of both brands on the most popular medium, the television. Both brands also employed huge print media from magazines to huge billboards as a medium in promoting and identifying their product. At present, both brands are also highly visible in internet ads and pop-ups. Coke and Pepsi also invested on creating websites to ensure continuous and farther reach of their ads. Both brands also invest heavily on events sponsorship like Olympics, the World Cup, the NBA, and Super Bowl. Marketing Strategy in UK             In a European study, it was found out that more people drink soft drinks than tea. Pepsi and Coke are the major market players in the soft drink industry in UK. But in 1994, Virgin Cola entered the scene by taking the soft drink giants into price war. Coke answered not by matching Virgin’s price cuts but with a £40 million advertising campaign that punctuated its product as the ‘real thing’. On the larger market Pepsi has launched a world-wide advertising campaign. The £500 million ‘Project Blue’ aims to distinguish Pepsi from its chief competitor Coke and other brands such as Virgin Cola by changing the color of the Pepsi can to electric blue.             At present both Coke and Pepsi are focusing more on enhancing their Gender Marketing Strategies. Both the giant brands are investing on research about the current consumer behavior involving gender in European Countries. In progressive countries like Norway, Sweden and the UK, it has been found out that the lifestyle of men and women are increasingly becoming more similar that purchasing opportunities are also becoming gender neutral. In traditional countries like Spain, purchasing opportunity is more gender specific, because women usually do the shopping. It was also found out by Pepsi that there is a negative bias as to men dieting, in response to that they created Pepsi Max and Pepsi One as opposed to Diet Cokes (2005). Pepsi also established partnership with sports in UK especially in football (FA), and they are integrating the brand to popular websites especially football sites as part of their advertising campaign. Coke on the other hand made a deal with one of the most popular movie in the decade, Harry Potter, Coca-Cola has revealed its marketing plans for its multi-million dollar tie-in with the Harry Potter movie, including the aim to get children reading. Coca-Cola’s marketing strategy will see television advertisements, in-store promotions, giveaways and reading tours. More than 850 million Coca-Cola, Minute Maid and Hi-C promotional packages are being produced with Harry Potter imagery. Consumer Perception on Advertisement             Most of the theories on consumer perception actually can be integrated into a single one, which is selective perception. Other theories usually talks about repetitive exposure, and attention grabbing ideas. All of this theories can be incorporated to selective perception for according to this theory, we only pick information as to what we deem relevant to us.             Selective perception- Most of our knowledge about everyday life is integrated in terms of what we perceive to be relevant to us, and it follows that our actions are governed by what’s relevant to us. It thus makes sense that for advertising to be effective is to make it relevant to the consumers.  (1967) said that advertising could reach that level of significance if it speaks what are the immediate interests of the consumers or the general situation the society.  (1981) added further that essential element needed for involvement is perceived personal relevance.             Coke and Pepsi, in all its advertising themes involve both brands trying to create an image as being part of the popular culture, the “in” thing. When the diet fad became the popular thing to do, both brands produce diet soda to the market. Diet Coke and Pepsi Max were imaged as an alternative to those who enjoys soft drinks but are on the diet. They also associate the brands to world events such as coke’s partnership with the Olympics and Pepsi to European football. Coke even advocates reading to children as part of its advertising campaign. Coke was also successful in its “coke collectibles” as part of its ad campaign of trying to image coca-cola as part of the yesteryears. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Is creative advertising essential?

Is creative advertising essential? Coke Vs Pepsi A Literature Review Introduction Organizational theorists ...

Marketing Communications Plan

Marketing Communications Plan                           LAUNCH OF THE DESERT DOME IN SAUDI ARABIA                                 Prepared by:   Benny Yip (Course) (Name of Tutor/Professor) (Date of Submission)       Table of Contents Page Title Page                                                                                                                    1 Table of Contents                                                                                                        2   I. Executive Summary                                                                                                            3 II. The Challenge                                                                                                         3 III. Situational Analysis                                                                                                5 A. Climate (External Environment)                                                                5 Political Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                         6 Economic Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                     7 Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project               8 Technological Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project               9 Environmental Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project              9 Legal Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                             10   B. Market (Internal Environment)                                                                   10 Company Analysis                                                                                          10 Customer Analysis                                                                                         11 Competitor Analysis                                                                                        13 Collaborators                                                                                                  14   IV. Marketing Communications Objectives                                                                14 V. Marketing Communications Plan                                                                           15 A. Branding                                                                                                     15 B. Target Markets                                                                                           16 C. Creative Strategy                                                                                       19 D. Tactics E. Media Strategy                                                                                           21 F. Cost/Budget                                                                                                23   VI. Conclusion/Recommendation                                                                               24   References                                                                                                                 26   I. Executive Summary               This marketing communications plan is developed for the implementation of the Desert Dome project in Saudi Arabia. The plan covers a description of the project; external and internal environment analysis; marketing communications objectives; branding, media and creative strategies; costing or the proposed budget for the project; and an assessment of the success of the project. Overall, the goals for this marketing communications plan include: 1) acquisition of information on the environmental climate and marketing conditions of Saudi Arabia; 2) development of a marketing communications plan to support the launch of the project; and 3) prepare viable advertising, promotional and other marketing communications tools appropriate to the target market.     II. The Challenge   This marketing communication proposal supports the launch of a desert water dome in Saudi Arabia. The desert water dome serves as a solution to the arid lands in Saudi Arabia and communities experiencing scarcity in water supply. Saudi Arabia deserts would benefit from the desert water dome. The desert water dome comprise a tourist spot located in the desert that provides an environment with ample supply of both sea and fresh water and a consistently good weather environment where people can enjoy the environment without experiencing the harmful effects of ultraviolet exposure outside. However, marketing the concept to consumers involves a careful consideration of the rate of success based on the characteristics of the target market.             For a number of decades now, large amounts of money have been invested across the globe to re-engineer deserts and other semi-arid places to transform these lands into habitable environments. Making deserts habitable involves the use of advanced technology. The science of transforming natural environments through technology is termed as terraforming. Humans have been engaged in terraforming for centuries now as environments are transformed according to the needs of humans. This implies that although, terraforming is an artificial activity, it is not something that people will repel because it has been a continuing human activity since the establishment of the earliest civilizations. The idea of terraforming deserts to create a water dome is expected to be generally acceptable to most customers. The success of the desert water dome would encourage innovations for the transformation of other hostile environments. The technology could even extend to inhabited areas due to the expected effects of global warming. (2004)             The desert water dome works through the application of the concept of biospherics. A biospheric refers to a self-contained system using chemistry and biology as tools and requiring the importation of solar energy. The desert dome does not seek to create a completely contained system such as what are envisioned for other planets. The dome is intended to enclose a small place and make a more livable environment for humans and other living things. The desert dome would have an open bottom so that the ground will be the dessert itself and water will be produced through the integration of hydrogen fuels inside the dome.  (2004)             The dome itself is made up of carbon nano tube fibers containing nano computers inside the tubes. A computer program controls the size of the dome. The primary function of the nano computer system would be to monitor information on the condition of the enclosed environment such as temperature, humidity and other measures. The exterior of the dome serves as a solar cell and blocks ultraviolet radiation. The controlled environment provides a comfortable and healthy environment for its visitors. (2004)   III. Situational Analysis               The situational analysis looks into the specific context of the country and the market chosen for the launching of the desert dome. External environment covers the political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental and legal characteristics of Saudi Arabia while internal environment refers to the characteristics of the market and competition in the business locality of the project. Saudi Arabia is supported by an oil-based economy administered with strong government controls maintained over majority of the economic activities. The country has control over a quarter of world petroleum reserves making it an influential country in an oil-driven global economy. Saudi Arabia is also the largest petroleum exporter enabling the country to develop trade relations with many countries and play a lead role in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).    A. Climate (External Environment)   Political Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project               Saudi Arabia has established its monarchy as the central governing institution. This came about in the early 1990s, when the basic law declared that the country is to be ruled by a monarchy comprised of the male descendants of King . Apart from this, the Qur’an comprises the fundamental law of the country applied through the Shari’a. Due to this declaration, there is neither an election nor political parties in the country, except only in the municipal level in 2005. Although the king is ensured of leadership, he is accorded the responsibility to administer the affairs of the state in compliance with Islamic law and to maintain the consensus among the members of the royal family as well as the religious leaders. Legislations are made through the Council of Ministers together with the Shura Council subject to the ratification by royal decree and necessarily consistent with Shari’a.  The justice system is run by religious courts whose judges are appointed by royal decree. Law ensures that the religious courts operate independently to ensure justice. With the enactment by the king of several decrees clearing the issue of royal succession, the political system of the country in the next decades is more or less established and stable. (2002)             The political environment in Saudi Arabia creates an environment conducive to the entry of investments. The country has also maintained a good relationship with other Muslim countries as well as the Western nations, making the country free from either inter or intra state political and military conflicts. The existence of political stability in the country offers minimal investments risks for people interested in introducing new products or services to the country. If Islamic law has been complied, political factors should not be an impediment for the introduction of the desert water dome in Saudi Arabia.   Economic Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project               Saudi Arabia has developed into an economically thriving country since the discovery of oil in its territory in the 1930s. The oil resource of the country has propelled the growth of its industries and international trade especially in the 1960s and 1970s. Oil is attributed to 90 percent of exports and 75 percent of state revenue. After several decades, the country still boasts of more or less 260 billion barrels in reserves. At present, the country generates a GDP of 1 billion, a GDP per capita of ,870 and annual GDP growth of 1.2 percent. ( 2005)             Although oil prices in the world market is influenced by shifts in international relations, the economic performance of the country still places it as a strong state in the region and even in relation to western countries. This means that the economy of Saudi Arabia can support various economic activities, especially one as technologically complex as the desert water dome. The country can also offer potential consumers or visitors with the capacity to pay for access to the dome. Apart from these, Saudi Arabia is perceived as a country with a high degree of cultural tolerance so that placing the dome in Saudi Arabia would attract both domestic and international tourists.   Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                Although Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country, it is also culturally diverse. This is because the country has welcomed workers from different countries to support its economic activities especially during the time that it is gaining economic momentum in its industries. Different people of various socio-cultural backgrounds have been integrated into the labor pool of the country. This means that the country has a high tolerance for other cultures although it expects strict respect for Islamic beliefs and practices. Social norms in Saudi Arabia are based on the literal interpretations of Islamic texts and compliance is expressed in the way that Saudi Arabians dress and socialize. This means that for the dome to become acceptable in Saudi Arabia, the arrangement should comply with Islamic beliefs and practices. Thus, since the dome is expected to cater to domestic and international tourists, areas may be designated to segregate men and women in respect of Muslim practices but there would also be areas for international tourists to mingle. ( 2005)               Saudi Arabia has clusters of communities thriving in the deserts. Part of sustainable development involves the construction and operations of the dome with the least interference with the cultural life of these communities. Concern for the well-being of the desert-dwelling communities would encourage the cooperation of the local community in building the dome and in exercising certain levels of tolerance for the arrival of foreign tourists. ( 2005)   Technological Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                Oil extraction and processing involves technological capabilities so that Saudi Arabia has acquired the necessary technology to support its primary industry ( 2002). This implies two things in terms of the viability of the dome. One is the existence of a certain level of technology in country and the other is the high propensity of the country to accept the entry of new technology even as futuristic as terraformation.   Environmental Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project               Saudi Arabia has a dry and hot climate since its territory comprise of deserts, which are mostly uninhabited. Few living things are able to survive in the uninhabited areas.  Its deserts have an annual precipitation amounting to only 100 millimeters on the average. Only 2 percent of its total land area can support cultivation so that the country is also dependent upon imports to meet the needs of the people. (2005) Uninhabited deserts and water scarcity makes the country a viable candidate for the water dome, which would introduce water-producing technology to the country as well as provide investment opportunities for its business sponsors.   Legal Factors Affecting the Implementation of the Project                Saudi Arabia adheres to international business law (2005) so there should be no legal impediments in addressing the legal requirements of developing the desert water dome, except that there should be basic compliance with the applicable domestic laws of the country.   B. Market (Internal Environment)   Company Analysis               Developing the desert dome entails the cooperation of private and public entities. Private entities comprise of individual or corporate investors willing to fund the project and provide expertise in the different technical areas involved in the accomplishment of the task. These entities are engineers, architects, scientists, individual investors, sponsorship companies, and other people showing interest in launching the desert dome. Public entities refer to various government agencies with interest in the accomplishment of the project and willing to invest in both financial and technical aspects. Public entities may be the department of tourism and government owned and controlled corporations recognizing the construction of the desert dome as an opportunity for the investment of public revenue. Thus, the organization behind the construction of the desert dome is a conglomeration of various individuals and groups making monetary and technical expertise investments to the different areas of the project.             Since the organization, sponsoring the project is established especially for this purpose and the project is the first of its kind in the project location, there is no information in terms of the recorded market share of the organization. The organization is characterized by the culture of innovation since the construction of the dome is a pioneering task involving risks that is tempered only by the reliance of the various parties on their knowledge and skills in the different aspects of the project. This also comprises the strength of the organization. The organization’s weakness involves the difficulty in tying various interests, which if not property handled may adversely affect the completion of the desert dome.      Customer Analysis   The desert dome would tap into the tourism market. Tourism is the largest industry in the world both as service and employment provider (1987; 1995;  1996). This implies that there is a huge potential market for the dome comprised of domestic and international tourists. Domestic tourists are locals looking for alternative sites for rest and recreation especially during the summer when the weather is extremely hot. The desert dome providing an alternative environment where there is fresh water and lush vegetation would capture the interest of local communities. International tourists are people from different countries interested to try new concepts for rest and recreation. A wonderful thing about the desert dome is the concept’s ability to draw the attention of different market segments. In the case of domestic tourists, the only distinguishing factor for market segmentation is income. However, other factors such as age, gender and cultural background are not significant distinctions. With regard to international tourists, income would also be the most important factor affecting the development of a market for the desert dome. In relation to other ways of segmenting the market, there is almost no other significant segment since the desert dome caters to various market segments. The desert dome would attract different kinds of people from scientific and engineering marvel enthusiasts to people searching for alternative types of rest and recreation. Thus, the dome is able to provide various facets of value, to different kinds of people, which strongly influences the decision to visit the desert dome.              Competitor Analysis               As an innovative concept, the desert dome cannot be directly compared to other tourism activities in order to determine its relative position in the market. There is still no generic term coined for this type of tourism service. As a pioneer in this type of tourism activity the organization launching the desert dome holds control over the development of its own market, the stable positioning of the company in anticipation of direct competitors, and the process of price setting and adjustments. This makes up the aggregate strength of the desert dome project, its ability to provide control over market factors and marketing practices. However, the organization should be weary of the possible downside of sponsoring an innovative activity, which are over or under shooting the price the market is willing to pay for the value expected to be derived from the desert dome and the lack of continuity in service enhancements due to the lack of competitors.   Collaborators               The completion of the desert dome depends upon the collaboration of several parties and marketing of the tourism activity involves several contributing individuals and groups. Marketing the desert dome is a joint venture between the government of Saudi Arabia and the organization that developed the project. This is because despite the private nature of the project, the state of Saudi Arabia remains to be the host of the tourism activity. Apart from the role of the Saudi government in promoting the desert dome, the organization also requires companies to invest in marketing the product through sponsorship. In this way, the organization is able to market the desert dome through product and service advertisements and promotions of sponsor companies in the same way that that its partner companies are able to market their products.    IV. Marketing Communication Objectives   Overall, the goals for this marketing communications plan include: 1) acquisition of information on the environmental climate and marketing conditions of Saudi Arabia; 2) development of a marketing communications plan to support the launch of the project; and 3) prepare viable advertising, promotional and other marketing communications tools appropriate to the target market. Consequently, the marketing communications plan follows guidelines based on theories and best practices. The intended message is directly connected and relevant to the objective of influencing customers to purchase the product or engage the service. The marketing communications message introduces the benefits of the product or service, the manner that the product effectively solves problems or creates opportunities and the factor differentiating the desert dome from other tourism activities. This information is clearly expressed, straight to the point, and high-impact. (1965;  2004) Several tools for persuasion exist in marketing communications. The tools used should be appropriate to the message and the target market. There are five main areas of persuasive tools: 1) public relations; 2) direct marketing; 3) promotions; 4) packaging and 5) advertising. The task of the marketer is to effectively communicate the essence of the company, brand, product or service being marketed. Essence that will be communicated refers to that deemed most important to the target audience. ( 1999; 1999)   V. Marketing Communication Plan               To justify the launch of the desert dome in Saudi Arabia, the marketing communications plan covers the entire gamut of strategies and activities to ensure the achievement of the sales and market penetration goals defined for the project. These strategies involves branding, the determination of target markets, creative strategy, tactics, media strategy as well as cost determination or budgeting comprising interrelated factors. There are, however, factors that affect the formulation of a marketing plan that needs to be taken into consideration before launching into a company-wide facilitation of the said plan. According to , they are the following: (1) message impact and credibility; (2) cost of using databases; (3) client expertise and knowledge of market goods and services; (4) mergers and acquisitions of marketing communication agencies; (5) mass media costs; (6) media fragmentation; (7) audience fragmentation; (8) the number of existing “me-too” products in the market; (9) power of the retailer; (10) global marketing and; (11) pressure on bottom lines (1996). Such factors were regarded highly before devising the full plan stated below.  A. Branding               The Desert Dome is to be established as one of its kind, comprising an alternative tourism site and activity for customers worldwide. As an alternative tourism destination, branding strategy revolves around the manner that marketing managers are able to set the project apart from other tourist sites and introduce the Desert Dome as an innovative project. Of the different forms of tourism, adventure and ecotourism are nearest to the Desert Dome in terms of characteristics. In relation to adventure tourism, the Desert Dome offers adventure because it introduces an experience that people has not experienced before. However, it offers a different kind of adventure because it utilizes high levels of technology to recreate an environment that is impossible to exist in the desert. With regard to ecotourism, the Desert Dome is similar to environmental activities because there is enjoyment of natural surroundings. However, the Desert Dome is different since it constitutes a simulation of a natural ecosystem. Thus, the Desert Dome offers a unique tourism experience that at the least equates the value expectations of customers for the money paid towards the experience. This branding strategy of differentiation from the typical tourist spots has been viewed by the marketing managers as a surefire strategy of perking up the interest of the potential market, and given the facilities within the Desert Dome, is bound to keep them coming back for more adventure and ecotour.             In terms of the development of the brand name and enhancement of brand equity, the brand name will be The Desert Dome to indicate that it is one of its kind or that it is the only desert dome in the world. Brand equity is enhanced through the aggregate of marketing communications mix highlighting the uniqueness of The Desert Dome and the sharing of actual experiences among networked people.   B. Target Markets                The Desert Dome will cater to customers worldwide, and such,  is expected to be a profitable project due to the number of potential customers that the endeavor is expected to draw relative to a successful marketing communications campaign. Since the project is expected to be completed before the start of 2008, the initial number of customers is pegged at a minimum of 10 million for 2008 translating to a little less than 30,000 visitors in a single day. As the popularity of The Desert Dome picks up the number of both domestic and foreign visitors is expected to increase to 12 million in 2009, 15 million in 2010, and 19 million in 2011. By 2012, it is expected that the expected market for the dome will stabilize at 25 million for the succeeding years. [See Figure 1 Below] Figure 1: Estimated 5-Year Increase in The Desert Dome Market The expected aggregate market for The Desert Dome for these years will already ensure the organization of returns on their investment. Based on the five year expected revenue generating capability of the dome [See Figure 2 Below], the initial revenue for 2008 is 25 billion dollars followed by 30 billion revenue in 2009, 37.5 billion revenue in 2010, and 47.5 billion in 2011. At its peak in 2012, operating the dome would bring in 62.5 billion. Although, earnings or returns on investment are staggered, all expenses would be earned in three years.           Figure 2: Revenue Generation within 5 Years Market segmentation for The Desert Dome is comprised of two interrelated groupings, first in terms of location [See Figure 3 Below] and second in terms of income [See Figure 4 Below]. In relation to market location, dome customers are comprised of international and domestic customers. Initially, there are more domestic than international customers because of the former’s proximity to the dome and the lesser cost incurred in visiting the dome. However, in the next five years there will be an expected increase in the number of international tourists due to the spread of the popularity of the dome around the world, mostly through the aide of an effective marketing communication plan and through the meeting of the expectations of the customers. This will go on until such time that half-and-half of total market is made up of international and domestic customers respectively. Moreover, this is viewed with Figure 1 since even if there are equal percentages of domestic and international visitors, the total number of customers doubled resulting to significant increases in both the number of domestic and international tourists. In relation to income segmentation, initial customers are expected to be people belonging to the high-income groups since this segment does not need to adjust to the additional cost that the dome experience would have on their tourism budget.     Figure 3: Market Segmentation by Location         Figure 4: Market Segmentation by Income               C. Creative Strategy               The creative strategy for marketing the Desert Dome involves the development of a marketing message covering possible customer demands of customers belonging to the targeted market segments. In relation to the domestic market, the marketing message would be to provide a water and vegetation abundant atmosphere for rest and recreation accessible to them without leaving the desert to go to other countries or to the summer destinations in the country. Since most tourists have to go through the trouble of packing up and going out of the country just to experience such an atmosphere, the company developed a strategy that would impress on the proximity of the place to the customer’s origin and would therefore provide an edge over the other adventure and ecotourism spots abroad.  In relation to foreign tourists, the marketing message for encouraging visits to The Desert Dome is the offer of a unique experience that they can only experience in Saudi Arabia through The Desert Dome. The exclusivity of the dome would encourage international customers to try this once in a lifetime experience. The uniqueness of the experience that the Desert Dome promises to extend will also be one of the main pulling forces for attracting customers from outside the country.             In relation to income segmentation, the marketing message to the high- income group is the opportunity to show their extent of wealth through a technologically advanced project. The Desert Dome is an advanced project with important ramifications for the future particularly since the world is experiencing incessant global warming. Those belonging to the high-income groups hold great interest in the dome not only as an opportunity for future investment but also for their personal protection and security. This means that people belonging to the high-income groups would be interested in not only rest and recreation but likewise in the technology behind the dome. In the case of middle-income groups, the marketing message would be the offer of a unique rest and recreation ecosystem in the desert. For this market segment, The Desert Dome constitutes an alternative tourist destination because of the unique experience it offers to customers together with the marketing message of having a unique rest and recreation experience valued at par with the price paid by customers.             The various market segments targeted by The Desert Dome means that the company has to maximize all marketing communication tools available to deliver these marketing communications messages to the desired target market through the appropriate tools. And because of the very diverse market that the Desert Dome is targeting, extra care should be given in utilizing these tools to effectively communicate the appropriate and desired messages to them.                                                          D. Tactics               Marketing the dome involves the implementation of the complex process of communicating messages to target market segments. The process involves various elements, which are 1) sender; 2) message; 3) receivers; 4) medium or channel; and 5) feedback particularly applicable to two-way communications (2004). Since this is a general process, marketing communications for the launch of the dome should be specifically developed for the marketing context of the project. Key to the success of the communications plan is having control over the parties in the communications process, the information sent to and from the parties, and the channels of communication in order to achieve predetermined objectives.             The marketing communications objectives set for the medium term communications plan are 1) to achieve initial customer number for the first year of 10 million to increase within five years to 25 million visitors; 2) to achieve initial revenue of 25 billion and hike up to 62.5 billion during the fifth year; and 3) to achieve return of investment within the first five years of operation.                 Apart from being guided by the objectives, the marketing should also be developed through the four-phase model. This model covers the initial phase of exploration and pre-setup followed by actual startup and then by consolidation to be concluded by maintenance or expansion (2006). The application of the model means that the marketing communications plan should again be based on the context of the objectives of the project and the plan involves a trial period to determine what works.       E. Media Strategy               Contemporary marketing communications mix is made up of advertising, sales promotions, publicity, direct marketing, cyber marketing and personal selling. These different tools work best for different kinds of market segments. As long as at least a single tool is utilized in the plan, there is an ensured market. However, to optimize the achievement of the objectives of the project, all these tools will be utilized. Although, all these may work for different market segments, cyber marketing, advertising, promotions and publicity are most effective for international tourists while advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing are most effective for domestic tourists. In relation to income segmentation, advertising, promotions and publicity attract those of the higher income groups while advertising, promotions and cyber marketing are top three of the most effective tools for middle-income groups. These are the tools identified and matched to the different target market segments because these are communications tools that are most accessible to them. Table 1: The Desert Dome Media Strategy Marketing Communications Mix   Actual Marketing Communications Activities Advertising Print, Television, Radio, Internet Sales Promotions Brochures, Papers, Studies, Trade Shows Publicity Interviews & Television/Radio Guestings Cyber Marketing E-mails, Website Maintenance, Online Advertisements Direct Marketing Customer Services or Call Center Services   Personal Selling Passage of Positive Feedback over the Experience by Word-of-Mouth and other personal networking tools               Table 1 above shows the particular marketing communications activities to be implemented to launch the project. All these channels of communication are either directly or indirectly controllable by the marketing management team that increases the chances of actualizing these activities. F. Cost/Budget             The budget for all the marketing communications tools to be utilized to launch the dome totals 1,000 or less than one million dollars [See Figure 5 Below]. This amount already covers all the tools. Advertising accounts for the biggest cost to be incurred in launching the project. This is because advertising is the most costly but the most far-reaching in terms of market reach. This is followed by electronic marketing, sales promotions and direct marketing. Personal Selling accounts for a negligible cost because the company only spends for customer satisfaction evaluations to determine the level of satisfaction that customers have in The Desert Dome experience. Apart from the initial cost, the venture would also allot 0,000 annually to maintain the marketing communications tools. Figure 5: Cost for Marketing Communications Mix             Since these costs would accrue to the company in launching the dome, these expenses will form part of the financial reports of the company for the first year or 2008. To determine the feasibility of the budget set for the marketing communications plan, expenses should be compared with expected revenue generation capabilities of the project. Figure 6 below shows that in comparing expected revenue generation of the dome, expenses are easily offset by revenue generation. Table 6: Comparison of Marketing Communications Cost and Expenses This shows that the marketing communications budget allocation to launch The Desert Dome is both economically reasonable and feasible when the amounts are compared to the revenue generating capacity of the project.   VI. Conclusions/Recommendations               The Desert Dome is an innovative concept with great potential for actualization. As a project, the dome is offers a water and vegetation based ecosystem typically not seen in the Saudi Arabian desert. As such, it offers a unique experience to tourists, which is distinguishable with other forms of tourism. In relation to the feasibility of the marketing communications plan, the various valuation projections show that the plan is viable and efficient in achieving the objectives set for the project.             Since the actualization of the marketing communications plan is medium term, there are several activities to be accomplished in the exploration and pre-setup phase of the plan, which the marketing managers should be commencing as early as now.                                           Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Marketing Communications Plan

Marketing Communications Plan LAUNCH OF THE DESERT DOME IN SAUDI ARABIA ...