Sample Research Proposal on Traditional Advertising

I.                   Introduction In today's world, competitive advantage appears to be the most sought after element in business. Vying for a greater market share and consumer base tends to drive companies on a higher level of competition with one another using their own resources and other means of getting to this end. One tried and tested way of accomplishing this is by using marketing techniques. Probably one of the most important tools in marketing, advertisements is used by companies to reach the consumers and eventually acquire a bigger part of the existing market share. In the same manner, changes in the existing consumer environment have also prompted the field of marketing to find ways to adjust and convey their message to the buying public. This triggered the emergence of alternative marketing techniques. These are marketing strategies that veer away from the traditional form of marketing through advertisements. One of these includes the more recent "buzz marketing" method. This study intends to look into the context of buzz marketing as a means of helping companies to acquire a greater market share. Specifically, the study will look into the manner in which this company advertised their product through the use of buzz marketing methods.   II.                Traditional Marketing Traditional advertising basically implements the primeval methods employed in invitations to treat and direct advertisements to the consumers. Studies have shown that what tends to be more improved lives for people. (Bright, 2000, p. 12) These articles claim that the use of "mass markets, aggressive advertising, and expanded distribution networks" has improved companies a lot in terms of searching for competitive advantages. This in turn has created improvements in existing products and services for the public. There is some difficulty in specifying what traditional marketing really is, however the difference may probably lie on the processes involved. In the article of Franz and Martin (1994, 33) indicated that marketing comprise of certain aspects such as competitive advantage, environmental concerns, product development, communication strategies, and market segmentation. And to some extent, a company having the best practices on these elements tends to be on the top of their respective industries. On another study, traditional marketing is taken as a means of strategy to improve the company. (Merrilees, 2001, 177) Companies use a "well-established kit" that will eventually help them in their quest of a perfect marketing strategy. In any case, the changes in the environment surrounding the business similarly demands for changes in the company's marketing strategies.   III.              Alternative Marketing Techniques Companies, in the same way, attempts to veer clear of any other traditional marketing schemes to still acquire that elusive competitive advantage over the other players in the industry. Thus, alternative methods of marketing have emerged. One such method is the use of "word-of-mouth marketing." In the study of Hogan, Lemon, and Libai (2004, 271) claimed that companies have incessantly neglected the potential of word-of-mouth marketing. They said that the implications of this method roughly represent a ripple effect which for certain is advantageous for the company. Companies have deemed that the processes of this method are too complex to be able to get a firm grip on it. (p271) Essentially, the method cleaves on the reputation of the company and its offered products and services. Seeing this logic, the use of the method appears to be double edged, meaning it could work for and against the company. Another alternative marketing technique is called "guerilla marketing." This type of marketing technique is often confused with the more general term "alternative marketing." (Werner, 2003, 239) In the study of Werner (2003), he noted several marketing activities that fall under guerilla marketing. Product placements in movies and television shows have been one of the pioneers of this type of marketing. The study noted that with the use of product placements, advertisers have shaped media to another level. Their exposure to the public is not limited anymore to paid advertisements; they are immersed with other forms of the popular culture. However, not all studies have seen guerilla marketing optimistically as compared to the article of Werner (2003, 239). To illustrate, the article of Kelly (2001, 27) has viewed the marketing strategy as illegitimate and even unethical.      The third kind of alternative marketing is called "viral marketing." There is yet to be a concrete definition of this type of marketing as of yet. However, Jarett (2003, 335) provided a workable definition of viral marketing. He noted that it is a process of advertising where the advertising itself are being dispersed to the users by the users themselves, not the company. This means that in a sense it is a more dignified category of word-of-mouth marketing. The term is also used to define electronic advertising. Dunn and Probstein (2003, 10) have defined the term to denote an "electronic word-of-mouth marketing." It still adheres to that basic definition provided for by Jarrett (2003) however the inclusion of new technologies and digitized communication has been infused in the process.  An example of this viral marketing is presented in the article of Vanmeenen (2005, 12) indicating that most companies tend to use the marketing technique towards the younger parts of the population. One company even employed teenage girls to promote "boy bands." This means that they are hired to encourage their peers to watch these bands in their concerts and buy their albums.         IV.            Creating a Buzz (Buzz Marketing) The context of buzz marketing is based on the three alternative marketing techniques stated above. Basically, the objective of the marketing process is to get the target group to talk about the product themselves. (Vanmeenen, 2005, 12) This means that the advertising campaign employed in this method is by infiltrating the target market and make them aware of the product as opposed to the traditional means of luring the buyers through conventional advertisements in print and television. In the article of McAlister and Turow (2002, 505), they have foreseen the possibility of alternative marketing methods in the mainstream. They called this the emergence of a new media in the commercial sphere. This shows that buzz marketing has indeed placed the existing models of marketing into a different plane. However, McAlister and Turow (2002, 5) continued to analyze the emergence of such methods. These issues include "editorial influence, deception, commodity fetishism, intrusion and privacy, and opportunities for consumer resistance." They added that the increased interactivity and connectedness created by the internet culture has aggravated the possibility of these threats to realise.           V.               Keeping it Hip (Maintaining of the Buzz) Another issue that should keep marketers vigilant is in keeping the buzz of the product and services they offer. This may not be an easy task. The use of alternative marketing methods and buzz marketing tends to create this "marketing clutter." Again, this is a double edged sword. the concept of marketing clutter tends to provide help to marketers by merely infusing the product or service into the lifestyle of the consumers by repetition. (Fulton and Maddock, 1996, p. 20) The problem in this type of marketing is that they tend to become expensive. (p. 20) Moreover, the consumers have shown the propensity to become "immune" to such clutter that they need a different approach to capture their attention. The use of marketing techniques is essentially geared towards the change in the demand of the product. However for new entrants in an industry, price could also be a consideration given that there are established firms in it. In essence, the use of marketing tools tends to facilitate the use of the firm's resources wisely so as the price elasticity of demand held by the company is kept in balance. VI.            Conclusion Improving the image through marketing of a company through advertisement will entail specific strategies to stick to established standards of social responsibility. The actions that these companies demonstrate mirror how they mean to take care of their customers. The strategies employed in drawing in people into purchasing their products do not evidently present malice on the part of the corporation. If a glimmer of implausibility emerge on their midst, then companies should recompense it to other facets like the services offered or even how they take care of the environment when they dispose of their wastes. That does not make dubious marketing strategies more tolerable; however it does guarantee that the public is receiving their money's worth. Advertisements still is a great way for companies to make a buzz on themselves. The studies presented and noted above have delineated the fundamental reasons why advertisements are tried and tested means of marketing. As stated, though effectiveness is seen, a general responsibility is still upon the companies using it. They have the opportunity to change and even create a new set of consciousness based on their use of advertisements. It would only be fair to make their campaigns worthy of this responsibility.