Experiential Contact: Events, Sponsorships, & Customer Service
What are the major types of events, and what roles can events play in IMC?
What types of sponsorship opportunities exist, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of events and sponsorships?
Why is customer service so important in building brand relationships and what are its strengths and limitations?
Lecture Outline
EventsEvents SponsorshipsSponsorships Customer Service
Customer ServiceEventsEvents SponsorshipsSponsorships
Ways to Increase Consumer
Involvement
Ways to Increase Consumer
Involvement
Lecture Perspective
Opening Case: Camp Jeep
A special events program featuring:• Camp Jeep, a $300 week-long event with
events like • “Jeep 101,” an off-highway course and Jeep
seminars• Hiking, tubing, and a Crafts Center for Kids
A special events program featuring:• Camp Jeep, a $300 week-long event with
events like • “Jeep 101,” an off-highway course and Jeep
seminars• Hiking, tubing, and a Crafts Center for Kids
Educate brand users and increase brand loyaltyEducate brand users and increase brand loyaltyEducate brand users and increase brand loyaltyEducate brand users and increase brand loyalty
A special events program featuring:• Camp Jeep, a $300 week-long event with
events like • “Jeep 101,” an off-highway course and Jeep
seminars• Hiking, tubing, and a Crafts Center for Kids
A special events program featuring:• Camp Jeep, a $300 week-long event with
events like • “Jeep 101,” an off-highway course and Jeep
seminars• Hiking, tubing, and a Crafts Center for Kids
• Won “Best Program Generating Brand Loyalty” award
• Each summer, 55,000 people from 48 states attend
• Won “Best Program Generating Brand Loyalty” award
• Each summer, 55,000 people from 48 states attend
Opening Case: Camp Jeep
Challenge:Challenge:
Answer:Answer:
Results:Results:
A Way To Reach Hard-to-reach Target Audiences
A Way To Reach Hard-to-reach Target Audiences
Engages Consumers With a Hands-on Experience
Engages Consumers With a Hands-on Experience
A Way To Reach Hard-to-reach Target Audiences
A Way To Reach Hard-to-reach Target Audiences
Engages Consumers With a Hands-on Experience
Engages Consumers With a Hands-on Experience
Provides a Platform for Brand PublicityProvides a Platform for Brand Publicity
Increases Brand AwarenessIncreases Brand AwarenessIncreases Brand AwarenessIncreases Brand Awareness
Event Marketing
Event marketing: A promotional occasion designed to attract and involve a brand’s target audience
EventMarketing
Usage
EventMarketing
Usage
CreatedCreated ParticipationParticipation SponsorshipSponsorshipCreatedCreated ParticipationParticipation
Event Marketing
3 Types3 Types
Baskin-Robbins Created an Event Around the World’s Largest Ice Cream Cake
Tales From the Real World
Some organizations hesitate to stage special events because they mistakenly believe that stakeholders and the press won’t think they are “important enough” to warrant attention.
In the real world, however, some of the most successful—and publicized—events are those that are completely created by the brand, including events like grand openings and the creation of a “world’s largest _________”
The COMDEX Trade Show Attracts 200,000 People
IMC In Action: Rimmel Cosmetics
An event program featuring:• A London (Rimmel’s home) double-deck
bus tour• Buses were specially outfitted• Buses also had PC’s so customers
could do virtual make-overs
An event program featuring:• A London (Rimmel’s home) double-deck
bus tour• Buses were specially outfitted• Buses also had PC’s so customers
could do virtual make-overs
Increase sales and encourage website visitsIncrease sales and encourage website visits
• Rimmel sales increased 24% at locations the event was staged
• 150,000 free samples distributed• 21,000 makeovers
• Rimmel sales increased 24% at locations the event was staged
• 150,000 free samples distributed• 21,000 makeovers
IMC In Action: Rimmel Cosmetics
Challenge:Challenge:
Answer:Answer:
Results:Results:
An event program featuring:• A London (Rimmel’s home) double-deck
bus tour• Buses were specially outfitted • Buses also had PC’s so customers
could do virtual make-overs
An event program featuring:• A London (Rimmel’s home) double-deck
bus tour• Buses were specially outfitted • Buses also had PC’s so customers
could do virtual make-overs
Increase sales and encourage website visitsIncrease sales and encourage website visits
Sponsored Events
Sponsorship:The financial support of an organization, person, or activity in exchange for brand publicity and association
3.7 Billion People Watched at Least One Event in 20033.7 Billion People Watched at Least One Event in 2003
Sports Sponsorships
SportsSports Single Largest Sporting Event: Olympics
Single Largest Sporting Event: Olympics
2/3rds of All Event Sponsorships
2/3rds of All Event Sponsorships
Single Largest Sporting Event: Olympics
Single Largest Sporting Event: Olympics
2/3rds of All Event Sponsorships
2/3rds of All Event Sponsorships
Cause And Mission Marketing
Cause and mission marketing: When a brand promises to donate money or other types of support to an organization or social activity when a customer buys or uses the brand
Insight: Special Events For Loyal Customers
Sears has found a large differential between the cost of sales to new customers and the cost of sales to loyal customers—the former cost some 20 times more. In an effort to capitalize on this, some department stores send their credit-card holders invitations to “private” sales and other special events. By maximizing the interactivity with customers, the stores are able to remain top of mind with customers and increase their buying.
Vs.
StrengthsStrengths
• Enhances brand image through positive association
• Involve and build relationships with stakeholders
• The effectiveness of some events can be measured
• Enhances brand image through positive association
• Involve and build relationships with stakeholders
• The effectiveness of some events can be measured
StrengthsStrengths
• Enhances brand image through positive association
• Involve and build relationships with stakeholders
• The effectiveness of some events can be measured
• Enhances brand image through positive association
• Involve and build relationships with stakeholders
• The effectiveness of some events can be measured
What Are The Strengths And Limitations Of Events And Sponsorships?
LimitationsLimitations
• Many events involve only a small portion of the brand’s total target audience
• Lack of control over some aspects of an event
• Many events involve only a small portion of the brand’s total target audience
• Lack of control over some aspects of an event
Think About It
• How much control should a brand have over the content of an event they sponsor?
Customer Service
Customer service: The process of managing customers’ interactive experiences with a brand
• Includes: everything a company does to take care of customer needs when they buy and use a brand
Dedicated Customer Service DepartmentDedicated Customer Service Department
Helpful Employee PerformanceHelpful Employee Performance
Convenient Facilities, Operations, and ArrangementsConvenient Facilities, Operations, and Arrangements
Good Technical SupportGood Technical SupportGood Technical SupportGood Technical Support
Dedicated Customer Service DepartmentDedicated Customer Service Department
Helpful Employee PerformanceHelpful Employee Performance
Customer-Focused Organizations
Customer-FocusedUmbrella
Customers Are Conditioned to
Expect It
Customers Are Conditioned to
Expect It
It Helps Retain Current
Customers
It Helps Retain Current
Customers
It Creates Competitive Advantage
It Creates Competitive Advantage
Customers Demand ItCustomers Demand It
Complex, High Tech Products
Require It
Complex, High Tech Products
Require It
It Helps Retain Current
Customers
It Helps Retain Current
Customers
Customers Are Conditioned to
Expect It
Customers Are Conditioned to
Expect It
Customers Demand ItCustomers Demand It
It Creates Competitive Advantage
It Creates Competitive Advantage
5 Reasons To Focus On Customer Service
ReasonsTo
Focus
ReasonsTo
Focus
Think About It
• What is your worst customer service horror story?
• How could it have been prevented?
AttitudeAttitude
ResponsivenessResponsiveness
AccessibilityAccessibility Product Knowledge
Product Knowledge
FeedbackFeedback
ResponsivenessResponsiveness
AttitudeAttitude
Product Knowledge
Product KnowledgeAccessibilityAccessibility
5 Customer Service Strategies
StrategiesStrategies
Vs.
StrengthsStrengths
• Superior ability to help maintain long-term customer relationships
• One-to-one nature is more persuasive than mass media
• Superior ability to help maintain long-term customer relationships
• One-to-one nature is more persuasive than mass media
StrengthsStrengths
• Superior ability to help maintain long-term customer relationships
• One-to-one nature is more persuasive than mass media
• Superior ability to help maintain long-term customer relationships
• One-to-one nature is more persuasive than mass media
Why Is Customer Service So Important In Building Brand Relationships?
LimitationsLimitations
• Rarely integrated into an IMC program
• Seen by many firms as too expensive
• Rarely integrated into an IMC program
• Seen by many firms as too expensive
Final Note:
Combining interactive event experiences with positive customer service experiences leads to a positive, highly involving, and memorable link to the brand
Powerful Link To the
Consumer
Powerful Link To the
Consumer
InteractiveEvents
InteractiveEvents
CustomerService
CustomerService
Bibliography
Principles of Advertising & IMC by Tom Duncan 2nd
Edition, Published by McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Event Management For Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events by Lynn Van Der Wagen Brenda R.
Carlos Published by Pearson Prentice Hall.
Advertising Principles and Practice by W. Wells, S. Moriarty and J. Burnett, Published by Prentice Hall
International.
Integrated Marketing Communications by David Pickton & Amanda Broderick Published by Prentice
Hall.
The End:
“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at
him.”
