Entertainment Marketing: A sweet marketing mix<\/p>\n
Syafruddin Chan
\nContributor
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The writer is the author of Relationship Marketing: Marketing
\ninnovation that wins the hearts of customers<\/p>\n
Entertainment in marketing, or what is usually succinctly
\nreferred to as entertainment marketing, is becoming an ever more
\neffective tool for increasing brand awareness as it creates a
\ncloser bond between a brand and its customers. Clearly, as an
\ninseparable part of the entire marketing strategy, to achieve
\nsuccess the theme and implementation of entertainment marketing
\nshould be consistent and in line with brand positioning and
\npersonality.<\/p>\n
Among the various options available, music concerts featuring
\npopular singers seem to be the foremost choice for entertainment
\nmarketing. Using celebrities in the music world and their hit
\nsongs are expected by marketers to produce a positive impact and
\nbrand association. One example is the \"Livin' La Vida Loca Tour\"
\nwith highly popular singer Ricky Martin, which was sponsored by
\nFord Focus and organized by one of the pioneers specializing in
\nmusical entertainment marketing, Entertainment Marketing &
\nCommunications International (EMCI).<\/p>\n
To fund such musical concerts, some companies invite other
\nnon-competing companies, those with different product categories,
\nto co-sponsor the events. Or, a company can leave the entire
\nproduction and coordination to a professional organizer and
\nremain as the main sponsor. However, to ensure the presence of
\nthe company's brand and its personality, the company has to
\ninsist on the relevant specific details of the entire ambience.<\/p>\n
Here, one of the successful examples of entertainment
\nmarketing is BCA's variety show, Gebyar BCA, aired by Indosiar.
\nThe wide range of BCA products and their features are
\ncommunicated aggressively through the conventional media as well
\nas on Gebyar BCA. Having achieved a high rating within a short
\nperiod of time, this program is now chased by various
\nadvertisers, including even another bank. Although initially the
\nentire cost of production and airtime blocking was borne by BCA,
\nthe revenue from other advertisers has lightened its burden and
\nit is now at breakeven point.<\/p>\n
Another positive result arises from a hit entertainment event
\nif it is widely covered by the media, which further increases the
\nbrand awareness. In fact, in planning it is only natural for
\nmarketing managers to include conventional advertising and
\npromotion to strengthen the entire communications effort. In this
\nway the total message comprising the intangible plus points of a
\nsinger or celebrity and the personality of the brand is glued to
\nthe consumers' minds.<\/p>\n
Another successful example is what Sears, a major department
\nstore in the United States, has done to attract teenagers. During
\nthe \"back to school\" season some time back, Sears promoted its
\nstores by using Backstreet Boys to attract this potential niche
\nmarket. Apart from increasing teenager traffic or crowds in the
\nstores, the promotion was enhanced by broadcasting through MTV,
\nvarious radio stations and coverage in teenage magazines. The
\nnationwide media coverage turned out to be effective in
\n\"recruiting\" a new cluster of consumers, especially from the
\nteenagers group.<\/p>\n
Some companies incorporate direct or indirect sales in the
\nentertainment events besides the intangible return, like high
\nbrand exposure. The Unilever shampoo, Clear, for example,
\nrecently used an indirect sales method in the Clear Top Ten
\nAwards. Tickets for the event were exchangeable for two 150
\nmilliliter bottles or one 300 milliliter bottle of Clear shampoo.
\nThis was one of the ways to gauge the success of the event as
\nwell as increase sales of the product.<\/p>\n
The world's leading retailer, Wal Mart, has another method.
\nCustomers attending its retailtainment are given vouchers or
\ncoupons with special offers. To measure the response to the event
\nas well as the increase in sales, the store's supervisor only has
\nto check the total number of vouchers or coupons used in the days
\nfollowing the event. This way Wal Mart can categorize the
\nresponse rate of the event -- whether it was a hit or a failure.<\/p>\n
Whether a marketing event, especially entertainment marketing,
\nincorporates sales and other promotional activities next to brand
\nexposure is really up to the marketing managers and how they
\ntreat such marketing tools. However, there are four basic
\nelements to be taken care of. The first is to provide
\nentertainment that can bring the target market closer to the
\nbrand, meaning a kind of empathy that eventually leads to
\ncustomer loyalty. The second element is product sampling,
\nespecially in the case of new or recently launched products. This
\nis intended to induce trial purchases. For products at a more
\nmature stage, marketing-wise that is, a sales counter with a
\ndiscounted price or special offer, like \"buy two get three\", is
\nmore appropriate. That is element number three. The fourth
\nelement is the collection of data on consumers or attendees
\nduring the event. This data will prove to be useful for
\nascertaining consumer profiles, attitudes and so forth, which are
\noften included in a company's current and future marketing plans.<\/p>\n
Like any other marketing activity, entertainment marketing has
\nto be implemented according to a brand's intended personality and
\nits positioning in the large map of competing brands. Plus,
\nconsistency in execution is a must. Otherwise, sporadic and off-
\nkey events will only harm the brand more than anything else.<\/p>",
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