Marketing and Promotion: Aspects of Marketing - Essay Example

Marketing and Promotion: Aspects of Marketing Marketing and Promotion: Aspects of Marketing In the 21st century, marketing and advertising has changed immensely and has become increasingly complex. With the emergence of Web 2.0, the communication channels have expanded to the digital sphere. Examples include that of social media and blogs that compliment traditional advertising campaigns. So instead of running a single advertising campaign on the conventional media, organizations now choose to run several advertising and promotional campaigns on a wide range of media including social media, television, hoardings, and so on. In fact, the digital media is acquiring a far greater role in the marketing mix in the present times (Vollmer and Precourt, 2008). The arrival of newer forms of media have revolutionized marketing and advertising in the modern century however these present opportunities as well as challenges for marketing effectively. Artists have been closely associated with advertising when one gets to speculate on the early procedures of advertising and promotion. This is clearly evident in the acceptance of billboards and hoardings as a form of mural art. Calkins was the first to realize this after the billboard was going through a tough time in the advertising history when many people were thinking of getting rid of the form of advertising (Bogart, 1995). Calkins proposed that seeking the services of mural artists would be a far better option than getting rid of billboards (Bogart, 1995). This gave rise to creative billboards that were not only visually pleasing but also engendered certain appeals in their form that aroused emotions and were meant to persuade the target market. Thus, there started a synchrony between art, illustration, and advertising that aimed to interest, persuade, and generate a desire within the target. Art and advertising has enjoyed a close association. The arrival of new media has greatly transformed the realm of marketing and promotion. Apart from being involved in the execution process of effective advertising, art itself has become an abstract object for promotion and advertising. The art objects for advertising could include an artist, a collection of artistic artifacts in a museum, artworks in a gallery, Avant Garde, and so on. The nature of the object to be promoted greatly impacts the method employed in order to market a product. In this case, an art piece that has to be marketed will use a different strategy than marketing, say, a car. Artistic products require different strategies and tactics in order to promote them to their target audiences. So is the case with products of the cultural industry. According to some, marketing is a new concept for arts organizations that is soon gaining momentum (Rentschler, 1999). However, this is arguable because marketing of British art can be traced back to the 18th century when art was bought and sold, and where marketing was an essential part of the capitalistic economy (Gould and Mesplede, 2012). In recent times, promotion of arts and artistic products has gained popularity due to changing global trends. One trend is the increase in cultural tourism and the important of museums, galleries, exhibitions, art events, and other cultural attractions that promote cultural exchange (Kotler, Kotler, and Kotler, 2008). At the same time, this trend stimulates the promotion of art events in the same way any tangible product is marketed in the society. However, since most events differ in their dynamics from other market offerings, their promotion involves several considerations. Many art exhibitions are, for example, sponsored by large organizations. This means that the resources involved differ from other domains thereby affecting the promotion P of the marketing mix. Attracting resources is an important part of conducting an art event such as exhibition, gallery, and so on. The various entities involved in the collection of resources include donors, sponsors, volunteers, artists, institutions, and corporate sectors. Availability of resources is a critical factor in ensuring a successful execution of a museum exhibition. Development of goals is also another important factor and so is strategic planning. Like any other organization or entity in the business environment, museums, art institutions, and organizations are also exposed to the uncertainty of the macro-environment. This means that the external environment, composed of diverse forces, impacts the way art organizations operate in the business environment. All the promotional strategies are specifically designed taking the competition and the external environment in account. Choice of media for promotion and advertising is an important step. While other tangible products like cars, soaps, detergents and mobile phones can be conveniently advertised through television commercials. Place advertising such as hoardings and public space usage could be used for advertising and promoting artistic offerings (Kotler and Keller, 2009). However, newspaper ads, brochures, and flyers could also be helpful in promoting art events like exhibitions, Avant Garde events, and so on. In recent times, social media has also provided a useful platform for disseminating information. Most art organizations, institutions, and museums such as Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA) also have their own website and social media accounts in order to update their followers about the latest art- or organization-related news. Websites like Facebook and Twitter have provided a great way for maintaining an online presence and engaging an audience. The platforms serve as excellent communication tools that can be utilized by organizations for enhancing the responsiveness of their customers to their brands and art. Weekly or regular competitions hosted on these websites allow customers to regularly pay a visit to their pages thereby providing them an incentive to get involved with the brand. This develops a relationship between the customer and the organization. Often art events can be promoted in this way which can communicate the audiences of the details regarding a particular event. Social media provides a great tool for online marketers to promote any offering. In the case of artistic products, social media can be used to create awareness and attract audiences. It is also a great way of involving individuals with like interests including people who like arts and culture. However, a challenge which surrounds this way of communication is the generation of negative electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) as messages spread quite quickly on the cyber sphere. This can hurt the image of a particular art event. In most cases however, social media generally serves in favor of most brands. Promoting and advertising for art-related offerings and events involves an unconventional strategy. Electronic and new media are useful ways of advertising art-related products. Media such as television, print media, hoardings, and billboards comprise some ways of promoting such products. The recent move towards innovation introduces novel ways of promotion such as sponsoring events, making creative use of a public space, and attracting audiences via social media. Holding regular cultural events and activities also helps promote art and inform people who are interested in arts. Many museums, art galleries, and other places employ promotional strategies in order to promote arts and culture. The audiences consist of mainly culture tourists and other interested people who enjoy art. The artist community is also expanding and the increase in interested people implies a greater demand for artworks and artistic products, and a greater need to promote these products. In conclusion, advertising is a central aspect of marketing art-related artifacts. Marketing of artistic products dates back a long time and the relation between the art community and advertising is also not a new one. The increase in cultural tourism has also triggered the need for creative advertising processes to promote art and culture. Advertising centering about art involves usage of many forms of media most importantly the social media then space advertising and traditional media such as television and print media. References Bogart, M. (1995). Artists, advertising, and the borders of art (1st ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Gould, C., & Mesplede, S. (2012). Marketing Art in the British Isles, 1700 to the Present: A Cultural History (1st ed.). Surrey: Ashgate Publishing. Kotler, N., Kotler, P., & Kotler, W. (2008). Museum marketing and strategy (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2009). Marketing management (1st ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Rentschler, R. (1999). Innovative arts marketing (1st ed.). St. Leonards, NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin. Vollmer, C., & Precourt, G. (2008). Always on (1st ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Read More