Marketing Communication : The Brand Armani

The brand that is going to be presented to the public is Armani. The marketing tool to be applied is such PR instrument as special event. Special event as a part of PR strategy is usually employed to enhance brand awareness, as well as to strengthen brand loyalty. Special event is also the best tool to draw attention of mass media and in a very gentle not pushing manner make media mention the event in their news blogs, cover stories or journal articles.

The actual event is the presentation of new Armani perfume for women. Considering the fact, that the chosen brand is a luxury one, the event organized should maintain the spirit of luxury, comfort, exquisite taste and sophistication. The name of presentation is “Armani – you and only!” Since the target audience is women from the upper rank of society, the name should emphasize not just the femininity of each particular woman, but also her status, her so-called “chosenness”, i.e. the fact that she belongs to the circle of “chosen” best people. The name is important in PR and marketing communication, as it must reflect the main idea of the event; it should be simple but sound.

The objectives of the event are:

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To create a news precedent;

To draw media awareness and interest;

To enhance brand awareness;

To strengthen customer loyalty.

The goals of the event are:

To tell about new product entering the market under “Armani brand” – to show its advantages to target audience;
To ensure initial try of the product;
To get immediate feedback from target customers;
To initiate mentioning the brand in media sources.
Target audience of the event:

celebrities – mostly women;
journalists;
market experts;
company representatives.
Planning process.

First of all, it is important to find appropriate premises where the event would be held and appropriately equip and design it. The design must be consistent with the general strategy and creed of the presentation, thus it should emphasize the luxury and style of the brand. The location of the premises must be convenient and easy to find. Otherwise, the guest will not simply be able to present there. Moreover, it is also important to understand that all business and celebrity people are very bust. So, they will not spent their time trying to get to some unknown place.

Secondly, it is important to make a list of invited guests. Special attention should be given to media representatives. It is crucial to choose TARGET media, which can be possibly interested in covering the event. Thus, for “Armani perfume” target media are:

lifestyle magazines,
journals for women,
entertainment TV channels,
lifestyle TV channels.

It is necessary to take care of invitations and ensure that all the invitations are given to guests. Invitations themselves can present a marketing tool if design appropriately. Thus, it is recommended to use the services of first class design-agencies and polygraphists. No mail or e-mail is admissible to distribute invitations. It is preferable that invitations are handled by specially hired people. It will not only ensure that all our guests get their invitations, but also will emphasize the special status of the event.

The third important point is providing for the proper announcement of the event. Both media and marketing support apply. First of all, it is important to launch a small preliminary PR campaign of informational character in order to stipulate the interest for future event. In order to provoke media interest, it is necessary to start acting about two months prior to the event implementing information campaign. This campaign should include:

the rumors about future fragrance;
short articles in press;
commentaries of company’s management that somehow slightly touch the theme of the new perfume;
Marketing campaign should be the logical continuation of the PR campaign started. Marketing campaign should be based primarily on advertising. It is preferable to use the following types of advertising:

advertising in press – the target media sources that were mentioned above (entertainment; lifestyles; for women);
billboards and citilights;
Outdoor advertising is not recommended, since we deal with a luxury product, we need to choose adequate advertising carriers.

However, it is very important to keep in mind, that it is very easy to cross the line and give too much information during this preliminary campaign. It would be a mistake, since all the essential and important the target audience must get visiting the event. Moreover, using heavy advertising it is possibly to provoke substantial interest of customers so that the latter would inquire about the product (having a desire to purchase it) at the point-of-sales and would be disappointed not be able to buy perfume.

Thus, it is crucial to mention at the advertisement something like “Soon to come” or “In future in your stores”, just letting target customers know that it is not possible to buy the product right now.

Announcing the event

Three days prior to the event, it is necessary to write and sent to all target media press-release announcing the event. Press-release is a short description of the upcoming event. The obligatory requisites of press-release are:

date of the event,

place and time of the event,

short description, key participants,

the date when the release is written and sent,

the contact details for journalists’ accreditation.

Press-release not just tells about the upcoming event, but it is also used often by the journalists to prepare their materials afterwards. Moreover, press-releases can be posted in some media and informational agencies, what will ensure additional mentioning of the company or brand in media. Press-release should not be too big. It should short but clear. Press-releases are printed on the company’s brand style paper containing logo of the brand.

The actual event

At the date of the event it is necessary to make journalists’ accreditation writing:

the name,

contacts,

media represented of the journalists present at the event.

Provided with such a list, it is easier to track whether the info about the event was published or not. Another important thing to prepare is special press kit to handle to journalists during the event. The typical press-kit should contain:

brief info about the company and the brand presented;
agenda of the event;
short description of the event (based on press-release);
detailed description of the product.

Press-kits help journalists to prepare their materials for coverage and increase the chances of the event or the brand to be covered in media. Moreover, press-kits can be also a marketing tool. Special leaflets and small booklets with info about the company and the brand should be in easy distribution, so that all visitors can take out such materials. This will ensure additional soundness of the company and brand.

Evaluation

The final stage of event organization and media support is preparing and sending-out post-release and monitoring media coverage afterwards. The post-release states in the past tense that the event took place and contains the short description of the event. Post-release are sent to all target media as well.

The monitoring phase is quite important, since it enables us to evaluate how effective the organization of the event was. The media monitoring shows:

how many articles, comments or other materials appeared in media after the event;

what emotional character those materials have –positive, negative, neutral;

what type media covered the event – magazines, TV, newspapers etc.

In general, the effectiveness of the marketing communication of the special event can be based on:

the number of visitors;
the comments and materials in press;
the width of media coverage;
the volume of sales short time after the event.
In such a way, special event organization should necessarily be supported by appropriate marketing communication that must contain both PR and advertising support. The essential instruments are press- and post-releases, press-kits and other marketing tools (info leaflets), advertising in press, billboards and citilights. An important post event procedure is media monitoring.

References

1.  Applbaum K. (2004) “The Marketing Era” Routledge, New York

2. Brown S. (2000) “Imagining Marketing: Art, aesthetics and the avant-garde” Routledge, London

3.Cateora P. (1990)”International Marketing”, 7th ed. Irwin, Homewood, IL

4.Drucker P. (1977) “People and Performance” Harper College Press, NY

5.Eastman S. (2000) “Research in Media Promotion” Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ

6. Goleman D.(1997). “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ” Reprint edition, Bantam, NY

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