Exploring Advertisement as Promotional Activity in the Digital Age

This essay explores the role of advertisement as a promotional activity in the context of increasing digitalization and cloud-based data storage. It discusses the prevalence of digital ads and personalized text messages from various businesses, highlighting both the benefits and drawbacks of these marketing communications. The essay references studies on consumer attitudes towards mobile marketing, noting that while some appreciate the personalized touch, many find it annoying or manipulative. It also touches on the effectiveness of online advertisements, particularly for fashion brands, and the potential for impulsive shopping driven by discounts. The essay concludes by advocating for a filtration process for promotional texts and legal boundaries to protect customer data, emphasizing the need for transparency and ethical considerations in advertising practices. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study resources for students.

Running head: ADVERTISEMENT AS PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY
Advertisement as Promotional Activity
Name of the university
Name of the student
Author note

1ADVERTISEMENT AS PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY
In a world of digitalization, it is common to share phone number and e-mail address
with various business organisations; especially, when I go for shopping. Systems are
paperless now a days, so bills are coming straight to my inboxes. As contemporary business
organisations follow cloud-based data storage methodology, it ensures security to customers’
data and simultaneously opens opportunities of conducting marketing communications.
According to Grunig and Grunig (2013), among 300 largest US corporations, 81% have their
different public relations and marketing department.
As stated in Hansson, Wrangmo and Solberg Søilen (2013), apart from social media
platforms where digital ads are circulated, I receive 10 to 20 text messages per day on
average from banks, clothing stores like GAP Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Tommy Hilfiger,
restaurants, and retail stores like Walmart or from online shopping sites. For last three days, I
have received texts from banks where I have accounts, restaurants where I previously went
and shopping sites I frequently shop from. These all are part of organisations’ marketing
operations, a personalized touch to let the consumers know about latest offerings within
budget or according to bespoke preferences. As discussed in Watson, McCarthy and Rowley
(2013), on average 37% of the respondents have admitted that it would be better if these
promotions are dependable on customers’ permission and choice. While 30% of them strictly
want to have an option to adjust the frequency of such alerts and 42% literally find this
process annoying or manipulative. According to Ahmetoglu, Furnham and Fagan (2014),
such promotional and different pricing strategies create necessary brand image among
customer base. However, in practical cases, people are finding it unnecessary and ineffective
as well. I personally, feel these communication methods are manipulative as those introduce
deals and discounts every week to attract customers targeting the impulsive shopping
behaviour.

2ADVERTISEMENT AS PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY
According to Wolny and Mueller (2013), it can be said the consumers are the most
responsive towards advertisements of online shopping sites in case of choosing fashion
brands, if both the general and personal perspectives are considered. In my case as well, I
tend to visit sites if genuinely this deals are true or not. Even sometimes I shop and exploit
such deals too. Bank advertisements are occasionally helpful, on the contrary messages and
pop-ups from telecommunication providers are ignored mostly (Watson, McCarthy &
Rowley, 2013). It is because I am more dependent on internet and likely to recharge data to
communicate and stay updated. Therefore, I do not feel interested to recharge for additional
cricket or astrological updates.
I feel, as globalisation has approached the most effective platform is online
advertisement as it is able to approach global audiences within a shorter span of time.
Moreover, the usage of smartphone has increased. Although, traditional modes are helpful
too yet companies have developed a trend of cost-effective promotions through internet.
Occasionally, it feels manipulated by such advertisements as people go for impulsive
shopping driven by offered discounts and receive products which fail to meet their
expectation. Realization must occur regarding hidden truth behind addition charges and
pricing strategy. A filtration process will be helpful in terms of receiving such promotional
texts and legal boundaries should be there against using customers’ data without permission.

3ADVERTISEMENT AS PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY
References
Ahmetoglu, G., Furnham, A., & Fagan, P. (2014). Pricing practices: A critical review of their
effects on consumer perceptions and behaviour. Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services, 21(5), 696-707.
Grunig, L. A., & Grunig, J. E. (2013). The relationship between public relations and
marketing in excellent organizations: evidence from the IABC study. In Public
Relations and Communication Management (pp. 93-118). Routledge.
Hansson, L., Wrangmo, A., & Solberg Søilen, K. (2013). Optimal ways for companies to use
Facebook as a marketing channel. Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics
in Society, 11(2), 112-126.
Watson, C., McCarthy, J., & Rowley, J. (2013). Consumer attitudes towards mobile
marketing in the smart phone era. International Journal of Information
Management, 33(5), 840-849.
Wolny, J., & Mueller, C. (2013). Analysis of fashion consumers’ motives to engage in
electronic word-of-mouth communication through social media platforms. Journal of
marketing management, 29(5-6), 562-583.