Promotion and the Promotional Mix

• Promotion any form of communication a business uses to inform, persuade, or remind people about its products or to enhance its image.

Promotional Mix and Fashion

• The promotional mix is any combination of the four components of promotion:– Sales Promotion– Public Relations and Publicity– Advertising– Personal Selling

Sales Promotion

• Sales Promotion a short-term incentive used to interest customers in buying products.

• Two main types of sales promotion– Trade Promotion– Consumer Promotion

Trade Promotion

• Trade Promotion occurs within the industry.– A business directs this promotion to the next

segment of the distribution chain.• Fiber and fabric companies promote their textiles to

apparel designers and manufacturers.• Apparel manufacturers promote their styles and lines

to retailers.

Consumer Promotion

• Consumer Promotion is used by manufacturers and retailers and is directly targeted to the consumer.

Examples of Consumer Promotion

• Fashion Shows• Special Appearances by

designers• Truck Shows• Contests• Sales• Premiums• Free Samples• Free Services• Coupons• Email Offers

Public Relations and Publicity

• Public Relations is a promotional technique that uses any form of communication to create a positive image for the business.– PR Activities may include hosting various events or

raising funds for charities

Public Relations and Publicity

• Publicity Any non-paid message that communicates information about a company’s merchandise, services, and activities.– Includes: designers promoting their latest lines to

retailers announcing store openings. One method involves press releases, which are written as news stories sent out to newspapers and magazines.

Advertising

• Advertising a paid message that a business sends about its fashion products or ideas.

• The purpose of advertising is to inform, remind, and persuade.

• AIDA = Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action

Promotional and Institutional Advertising

• Two main categories of advertising– Promotional– Institutional

• Promotional Advertising in the fashion industry is designed to increase sales, introduce new products, explain product features and benefits, and support selling efforts.

• Institutional Advertising is designed to create a favorable impression and goodwill for a fashion business.

Types of Advertising Media

• Media can be grouped into four categories:– Print Media– Broadcast Media– Online Media– Specialty Media

Print Media• Magazines

– Long shelf life. High pass-along readership.– Involve extensive preparation and have long lead times.

• Newspapers– Ad cost is lower and the lead time is shorter.– Not as well targeted as magazines.

• Directory Advertising– Advertisements in the Yellow Pages or White Pages or fashion directories.

• Direct Mail– Catalogs, newsletters, mailers, and bill enclosures. – Effective way to reach a specific segment of the population.

• Outdoor Advertising– Billboards, transit ads, free-standing signs, and posters.

Broadcast Media

• Television– Use a powerful combination of sound, color, and

live-action effects to present a message.• Radio– Reach about 96% of people who are 12 years old

and over.– Difficult to present a fashion message without

visuals.

Online Media

• Pop-up ads• Banner ads• Email • Facebook / Twitter Ads

Specialty Media

• Magnets• Calendars• Pens

Planning Fashion Promotion

• A fashion business must plan carefully to effectively promote its product and image to customers.

• A fashion promotion plan is the detailed, written guide a business develops that states which promotional components will be used to reach specific goals in a designated period of time.

Promotional Plan

• Outlines the:– Organization– Budget– Preparation– Details of promotional event

Fashion Promotion PlanPlan Component Example

1. Promotional goals and objectives To promote junior sportswear during August and September to meet company sales goals

2. Message or theme Back-to-School

3. Specific activities and Timeline when these should take place

Contest with $500 back-to-school wardrobe prize (August)In-store, back-to-school fashion show narrated by popular radio DJ (September)Visual merchandising, with displays (August – September)

4. Type of media to be used Newspaper Advertising in local paperFree publicity on radio, due to station’s involvement.

5. Individual responsibilities Buyer to coordinate with store and fashion merchandisers

6. Spending budget Cost of contest, fashion show, advertising, display materials, and additional personnel

7. Evaluation and follow-up Will measure sales of junior sportswear during promotional period.

Planning Schedules

• Retail fashion marketers usually develop their promotional plans in six-month increments.

• Time periods are February – July and August – January.

Promotional Budgets

• The promotional budget can be a percentage of the business’s net sales.– The percentage is usually between 5 and 10%.

Fashion Branding and Licensing

• A consistent promotional message must be used to develop a brand image.– A brand is a name, design, or symbol that

identifies a business or organization and its products.