Advertisement and Promoting - Assignment Example

Advertisement and Promoting Advertisement and Promoting Part advertising and promoting A green car or an environmentally friendly car refers to a car that consumes less fuel or uses energy that is friendly to the environment (Becker, 2010). Hybrid cars, such as Toyota Prius use both gasoline and electronic sources of energy and they are therefore able to produce higher mileage before refueling (Becker, 2010). Due to their sophisticated designs and additional features such as batteries for storage of electrical energy, hybrid cars are not affordable by the working population, or the minimum wage workers (Kerin et al., 2009). Advertisement for this car therefore needs to target the middle class in the society, as they are the people most concerned about the environment and prices of fuel (Becker, 2010). To reach this target group, the advertisement for the hybrid cars needs to be in television at prime times. The middle class are working people and are not available to watch television during the days. However, most of them are keen followers of the evening news. Placing the advertisement at such a time is there fore likely to catch their attention. The middle class are also keen followers of sports in the weekend. In the United States, the follow American football and baseball, in Europe, the most popular sport is football. Therefore, it would be productive to advertise the car during sports or by sponsoring team kits such that a popular team plays in labeled kits (for instance Juventus is a big soccer club in Europe and play in kits marked ‘jeep’) (Becker, 2010). Such advertisements may work wonders, as the audience is relaxed when watching the game and more likely to notice the advert (Becker, 2010). Inclusion of impressive statistics about the car is also helpful as the target group is interested in a car that offers them comfort as well as power on the road. This target group is also knowledgeable and is bound to know the limitations of a ‘green car’. These limitations include short refueling mileage (electric cars should recharge after between 100 and 160 miles) (Fort Bend Toyota in Richmond, par 3). This distance is too small a hybrid car covers more distance, more than 300 miles. Inclusion of this kind of information in the adverts is likely to persuade potential buyers with reservations about the refueling mileage to change their minds. The advertisements should also show the amount of money that the user would save on fuel by using the hybrid cars. The main advantages of use of television and sports endorsements are a wide area of coverage as well as the discounts related to large-scale advertisements. However, such advertisements have the limitations of huge costs and higher risks. For example if such a venture were to backfire, it would do so on a grand scale and find it difficult to rise again. Large scale advertisements are serve to discourage people of limited means as they view such a grand advertisement object to be out of their reach. Toyota prius is a brand of hybrid cars that emerged in the year 2000 (Becker, 2010). It is the most successful hybrid car, having sold more than two million units. The advertisement of the prius mainly contained its main features such as improvement of the batteries to the more durable li-ion batteries (Becker, 2010). The advertisement also featured an increase in the refueling mileage of the car as well as other features fitted in the car for user comfort. Advertisement also ran during presentation of popular television shows to capture the most number of people. According to the adverts, users saved 150 dollars in fuel when they upgraded to the new model of Toyota prius. There is also a mention of the power abilities of the prius from exclusively using electric energy (65 miles per hour) (Becker, 2010). For a reopening of a restaurant with the target being youthful people in the neighborhood, the most effective mode of advertisement, both economically and in terms of reaching most people is the use of local radio and use of fliers (Kerin et al., 2009). Social media is also an option because it is cost effective and most young people use it. Since the budget is small, use local radio during off peak hours as most young people listen to the radio even as they work. In addition, flyers in places frequented by young people are effective. Such places include nightclubs, the local gym and around stadiums as young people are big followers of sports. In the social media, most people are friend with their local peers (for example on face book). Forming a group and tagging a friend in the local population and suggesting they invite more friends could attract many people, at virtually no charges. To attract young people to a restaurant, the content of the adverts should be appealing to them. Advertise popular fast food such as burgers in colorful pictures in the flyers. Application of humor in the radio adverts and suggestions of friendly prices as most young people are in the process of building their career or in colleges and are unable to afford costly meal (Kerin et al., 2009). The main advantage of flyers is their relative low costs and durability (TV and radio adverts last for several minutes at most). Social media has a similar advantage. However, their intended target group overlooks them. Most people do not remember advertisements (Kerin et al., 2009). To advertise a charity for protection of cats is much trickier because there are no funds. In addition, it is my opinion that not many people are interested in cats. A stray cat is a nuisance as opposed to something to protect in the opinion of most people. Use of social media is the best way to get donations for such a project. Start a group and give it an attractive name (Kerin et al., 2009). Try to use pictures that are emotionally captivating, such a lost and homeless cat to stir pity, or a cute cat to stir affection for the cat. The group could include good stories about cats under the program and ask for donations from well-wishers. To keep the charity going, try to provide for adoption of some cats. People who adopt cats may be grateful and pass a word to their friends (doing the advertisement work for you). Door to door, campaigns may also be useful, though I do not think they are practical in the modern day urban setting. The main benefit of using social media is that it is free and one can use as much creativity as possible. The shortcoming is the absence of followers. A group may not be popular, which inhibits advertisement. Popular\r groups attract more people while less popular ones are likely to suffer further loss of hits (Kerin et al., 2009). Part 2: sponsorship and use of celebrities Nike is a European giant in sportswear manufacturing. The company uses the major sports icons around the world to advertise their products (ELLIOTT, 2009). One of the sports is soccer. The soccer season in Europe is one of the most followed sports seasons in the world. It is so popular that names like Manchester united and Wayne Rooney are household names around the world. Nike sponsors Wayne Rooney, among a host of other celebrity soccer players. Rooney earns six million Euros an year from endorsements by coca cola, Nike and EA sports (ELLIOTT, 2009). Nike put Rooney as the face of their laser IV boot following his new contract to Manchester united in the year 2011. These endorsements add appeal to Nike products as superstars like Wayne Rooney enjoy a massive following in world soccer. Rooney is among the best players in world football and he plays for Manchester united as their star man. Manchester united football club is the biggest sporting club in the world. It is over 3 billion dollars worth. The club competes for four major trophies, including the Barclay premier league and the UEFA champion’s league (Ciletti, 2012). The sponsorship of Wayne Rooney there fore presents Nike with a big opportunity for advertisements. This is due to the large global following of the player and club. Rooney also plays for the English national team (ELLIOTT, 2009). In 2006, he represented the country in the world cup, the most watched sporting event in the world with more following than even the Olympics (ELLIOTT, 2009). Such a large audience provides Nike with a huge platform to advertise its products (ELLIOTT, 2009). Nike also has sponsorship deals with other big name in world soccer, such as Christiano Ronaldo and David Beckham. Such big names provide it with the highest possible audience for their products. Nike specializes in manufacture of sports shoes. Having big celebrities in the sporting industry rooting for their products boosts its sales (Ciletti, 2012). There are however, challenges associated with these endorsements. Just before the start of the 2006 world cup, Rooney broke a toe bone. Due to the high profile of the player coupled with high expectations from his country on their star striker, the media was obsessed with the injury. It was so widely published that it became some sort of fashion to break the toe bone in that year among the football players. The British media claimed that he boots were responsible for the injury, which injured the image of the company. Therefore, celebrity advertisements are a high-risk venture. They may work out well, but due to high profile of the celebrities, they backfire with aplomb (Kerin et al., 2009). Part 3: social marketing Anti smocking campaigns started in America in the 1960’s when studies showed there might be a relationship between smoking and many form of cancer, with lung cancer being the main cause of concern (Kotler et al., 2008). The scientist at the time used televisions to advertise their findings. Some of the citizens changed their habits after that advertisement. However, tobacco smoking did not stop and persists even to date. The government and relevant authorities have tried a variety of techniques, including use of explicit pictures that show the effects of smoking (Kotler et al., 2008). There have also been a reduction in tobacco products advertisement and a provision for a ‘smoking kills’ caption on all cigarette packets, all to no avail. Statistics show that 90% of children exposed to secondary smoking, and cigarette side effects as a result, exposed to the danger by their own parents (Weinberg, 2009). These people disregard the effects of smocking so much that they expose other members of the public to smocking. Try suggesting to a smoker that they are offending you by blowing smoke in the air and you will receive a hostile reaction from them (Weinberg, 2009). In my opinion, these people simply do not care. Shock tactics do not work on them. They point out that they know a person who has been smoking for all their lives and have not experienced such drastic side effect (Weinberg, 2009). Some go as far as suggesting that death is inevitable. The obvious solution to the problem would seem to e education. Maybe people with a deeper understanding will refrain from smoking. That is not the case as educated people are affected by smoking problems. Bibliography 2012 Toyota Prius | Richmond. (n.d.). Fort Bend Toyota in Richmond | New & Used Car Dealership Serving Houston | Parts, Service & Financing. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://www.fortbendtoyota.com/reviews/2012/Toyota/Prius/introduction.htm Becker, A. (2010). Cars. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Pub.. Ciletti, D. (2012). Sports entrepreneurship: theory and practice. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology. Elliott, S. (n.d.). Advertising - A Hybrid’s Niche? 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