Characteristics and Difference between Traditional and Convergent Approaches to Marketing Communication

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
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Table of Contents
Assessment 1..............................................................................................................................2
Characteristics and difference between traditional and convergent approaches to marketing
communication.......................................................................................................................2
Customers take a central and empowered role within convergent marketing........................3
Role of the traditional siloed sectors to client requirements..................................................5
Impact of convergence on the traditional siloed industry......................................................7
Current key technologies and distributed services that impact on convergent solutions.......9
Potential points of integration..............................................................................................10
Types of experts and business networks appropriate to a convergent marketing solution. .12
Relevant Acts, regulations or mandatory codes of practice impacting the field of marketing
communication.....................................................................................................................13
Assessment 2............................................................................................................................15
Cost effectiveness of convergent tools.................................................................................15
Proposing a suite of convergent tools...................................................................................17
Reference to pieces of legislation, regulations and codes with organisational policies.......18
Other organisational requirement.........................................................................................19
Examples of divergent and convergent tools........................................................................20
Reference..................................................................................................................................22

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Assessment 1
Characteristics and difference between traditional and convergent approaches to
marketing communication
Traditional marketing communications are considered as old school promotional
techniques that organisations implied in order to gain attraction in the business. On the other
hand, Birgili (2015) pointed out that the convergent approach to marketing communication
involves the application of two or more combined technologies in one device. Two
characteristics that can be associated with the different forms of marketing include:
Traditional approach to market communication
One of the characteristic that define the traditional approach to marketing
communication is the ability of it to reach a large mass of people. According to Hatchuel, Le
Masson and Weil (2017) the use of traditional approach to marketing is usually done by using
television or print media. This helps in reaching various people all across the world with
similar interest.
Another characteristic that defines the traditional approach to marketing
communication is the fact that organisations using the approach need to have a strong
financial position. Paulus et al. (2016) is of the opinion that the finances of the organisations
required for maintaining the television channels as well as the print media can dictate the
competitive advantage that an organisation can possess. Therefore, it can be said that these
two characteristics define the existence and application of traditional approach to marketing
and differentiate it from the convergent approach to marketing.
Convergent approach to market communication

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Convergent approach to market communication can be characterised by the manner in
which it can change the way it markets products. The objective is to prove that traditional
approach is not the only source of promotion and that the use of more than one promotional
platform can help in the development of the products and services of the organisations
(Runco 2017). Hence, it can be said that convergent approach is the most modern form of
approaching the market to gain the attention of the customers.
Another characteristic of the convergent market communication is the fact that it
focuses on the customers itself. Paulus et al. (2015) is of the opinion that convergent
marketing aims to maintain customers at the centre and work towards the development of the
target market with the use of technology. Hence, convergent approach to marketing can
include a link with the traditional marketing approach so that approach that is more effective
can be gained in addressing the target market. In this regard, Kaufman (2016) stated that
differences between the two approaches could be pointed out to understand the effectiveness
of the market.
The difference between the two approaches is that unlike the convergent approach,
the traditional approach does not address a particular type of customers. As stated earlier in
the analysis, the convergent approach is more customers centric and thus targets the
customers based on the specific products or services it provides. In the traditional approach,
such specification of customers cannot be made available as various people witness the as the
newspapers and television advertisements across the world (Im, Hokanson and Johnson
2015).
Customers take a central and empowered role within convergent marketing
Convergence marketing allows marketers to use the internet in a way that allows the
application of integrated, interactive and consistent messages to be sent from various media

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sources. In this regard, the application and use of convergent marketing can be associated
with the empowered role of the customers. As stated by Rawlinson (2017) the desire of the
customers to purchase products convinces them to interact with the organisations. The fact
that customers are empowered does not need special mention as the manner in which they
interact with the organisations signify the fact that they remain well informed about the
products or services (Montag-Smit and Maertz Jr 2017).
The change in the buying behaviour of the customers and the method obtained to
generate information has an impact on the business. It has been seen that customers tend to
take the roles that they are mostly comfortable with since it is important for them to
understand the type of products that they are willing to purchase. Hence, in the case of the
application of convergent marketing, organisations tend to generate information needed for
attracting the customers. Seeber et al. (2017) stated that the fact that customers are more
empowered in the purchase factor provides organisations to indulge in a cross channel
approach that involves the application of both traditional as well as convergent styles of
marketing approach.
Figure: Development of the empowerment of the customers
(Source: Beaty et al. 2016)

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The figure shows the development stages that have spurred the empowerment of the
customers. The central stage taken by the customers sheds light to the fact that the
preferences of the customers are to interact with the organisations before making any type of
purchases. As seen from the figure, the current stage of the customers is based on the
interaction via social media like Facebook. However, as pointed out by Toynbee (2016) it is
necessary to understand the difference between the needs of the customers as well as
empowerment of the customers. The needs of the customers can be attributed to the fact that
the customers tend to purchase products that fulfil the basic need. On the other hand,
customer empowerment denotes the information that the customers possess so that they can
purchase the correct brand of products (Wokke, Ridderinkhof and Padding 2018).
Therefore, it can be said that customer empowerment can be considered as one of the
strategic moves that are adopted by every customer so that they can remain educated in the
business market. According to Colzato et al. (2107), without proper knowledge it can be
difficult for the customers to continue with the perfect purchase of the products. It needs to be
taken into account that every customer can maintain the traditional sources that provide
information about the type of purchase that they intend to make. In this regard, Goldschmidt
(2016) stated that the duty of the marketers is to use the convergent form of marketing to
enhance the involvement of the customers so that new business ideas can be used effectively.
Role of the traditional siloed sectors to client requirements
Siloed marketing can be considered as a method that reduces the efficiency of a
company to establish communication. According to Brodin (2016), the volume of the markets
leaves every channel to compete in trying to gain the attention of the customers. Hence, the
impact of every message is diluted, as various messages that are received by the organisations
are not interpreted in a correct manner. At the same time, departments within an organisation
that work in an independent manner often refuses to share data. Hence, as stated by Chen et