Promotional Mix: Advertising, Sales Promotion, and Direct Marketing - Essay Example

Being a company with a unique business model, AAFES uniquely conducts its advertising too. AAFES is not to act in using television and other media as active channels for advertising purposes however advertising is being done indirectly through the use of local means of advertising to the soldiers at the bases. Since AAFES is almost also a monopoly advertising is not mostly done in its most conventional means. Sales promotion activities of the firm take place in-store i.e. firm displays various sales promotional activities and items in the house besides offering sales promotion on its website.

The website of the firm provides different sales promotional activities for making a purchase online. In-store sales promotional activities involve displaying different sales promotional materials. Since AAFES is a sort of monopoly it mostly utilizes direct marketing as one of the most important means of promoting the firm’s products and services. However, this is not on the individual basis however it is done based on the groups of customers i.e. army bases where soldiers are stationed.

There is no personal selling done by the firm however it offers an opportunity for personal selling through its website where it offers different services and products customized to individual needs and demands. The firm maintain good public relation activities which are also evident from the fact that recently it has recalled some of its products, especially toys because of toxic issues in them. Public relations at the firm are also done through the issuance of a magazine The Exchange Post; through which the firm tends to provide information about the latest developments at the firm.

While analyzing the promotional mix of the firm, it is important to consider the unique business model and structure that it follows.