Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications, 4th Edition

5 Promotion

DOI: 10.4324/9781003169635-7

In the last chapter, we introduced the fundamental distinction between advertising and promotion, emphasizing their strategic character. Advertising is strategically aimed at building brand awareness and positive brand attitudes, leading to a strong brand equity. This is reflected in the etymology of the word, ‘to turn towards’.

Promotion is strategically aimed at driving short-term sales or brand usage. This, too, is reflected in the etymology of the word, to ‘move ahead’. Even though brand purchase intention is the primary objective of promotion, as with all marketing communication, it too must contribute to building brand awareness and brand attitude, something Prentice (1977) long ago referred to ...