Research Report: Ford's Promotional Techniques for UK Residents

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Ford's promotional techniques, specifically targeting UK residents. It begins with an overview of Ford's current operations, detailing its customer touchpoints (stores, offices, reception areas), external spaces (billboards), and digital platforms (websites, social media). The report highlights the company's use of advertising, personal selling, window displays, and loyalty programs at customer touchpoints. External promotions, including billboards, are discussed in terms of their strategic placement and effectiveness. Digital marketing strategies, such as social media campaigns and website promotions, are also examined. The report further explores promotional activities through third parties, like news articles and analyst reports. The application of two key marketing theories, the AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) and the theory of Reasoned Action are discussed in the context of Ford's marketing efforts. The AIDA model is used to explain how Ford attracts and maintains customer interest, while the Theory of Reasoned Action is applied to understand consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions towards Ford products. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of effective promotional activities in differentiating Ford's brand and driving profitability. The report includes figures and references to support the analysis and findings.

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techniques, targeting UK
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Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the company’s current operations.......................................................................................3
Promotional activity that occurs:.............................................................................................................4
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................................7
Marketing Theories.................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Promotion refers to an attempt that is made by the marketers of an organization to inform,
persuade as well as remind the consumers in order to influence their opinion. Different
organizations use different promotional techniques in order to create awareness about their
products as well as services among the target audience. The target population across different
markets is different and their needs as well as preferences also vary (Aerts and Smits, 2019). The
organization chosen for this report is Ford, which is an American multinational automotive
company. The company is headquartered in Michigan and was founded by Henry Ford in the
year 1903. The company sells commercial vehicles as well as automobiles under the brand name
Ford. The portfolio explains the promotional activity of the company that occurs at customer
facing touchpoints, in external spaces as well as via digital platforms. The report includes
application of two marketing theories to the company.
Task 1
Overview of the company’s current operations
Ford is a multinational automobile company that sells both commercial vehicles as well
as automobiles. The company is among the widely recognized companies across the world with a
large base of customers. Ford Motors operates across different geographic locations and sells
different types of automobiles. Currently, the company has nearly 186,000 people working in
plants as well as offices across different countries. currently, the company operates in three
segments, Mobility, Automotive as well as Ford Credit (Aronczyk, Edwards and Kantola, 2017).
The Automotive phase is engaged in growing, production, distributing, and servicing the cars,
elements and add-ons of Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The Automotive section is engaged in
growing, manufacturing, distributing, and servicing the vehicles, parts and accessories of Ford
and Lincoln motors. The Mobility phase on the whole includes the development of Ford’s
autonomous automobiles and related groups. The Company additionally holds ownership is Argo
AI, that's a developer of autonomous driving systems, and Spin, which is a micro-mobility
service provider (Ford Motor Company, 2021). The Ford Credit segment is constituted of the
Ford Credit commercial enterprise on a consolidated basis, that's typically car-associated
financing and leasing sports. It can be said that Ford is always focused on enhancing its overall
brand image in the market and thus, engages in different promotional activities.

Promotional activity that occurs:
At customer facing touchpoints (i.e., store/ offices/ reception areas)
Ford uses advertising as the main tactic in order to promote its products as well as
services to the target audience. The most prominent promotional activities of the company
include television as well as online advertisements. As far as customer touchpoints such as store,
offices as well as reception areas are concerned, the sales employees as well as personnel of the
company use personal selling in order to persuade the buyers to make a purchase at Ford
dealerships as well as at other venues (Boyland and Tatlow-Golden, 2017). Window display is
another promotional activity that the company undertakes in order to capture the attention of the
customers as they are walking or driving by the store. This encourages them to visit the store and
take a look on the products that are offered by the company. The staff of the company is one of
the major touchpoints for its customers and thus, the company is focused on ensuring that its
staff is well trained in advanced sales techniques and are aware of the entire inventory as well.
with the help of well-trained staff, the company has been able to gain an increased number of
orders and also, there has been an increase in its overall profitability (Bozkurt and Gligor, 2019).
This has also helped the company in addressing the concerns as well as queries of the customers.
Ford also offers various loyalty programs in its retail stores in order to attract the customers and
encourage them to learn about its products as well as services. The main promotional activity
that the company is engaged in is advertising through different platforms as well as mediums.
Figure 1 Ford Promotions
Source: Ford Privilege Deals & Special Offers, 2021
In external spaces (i.e., advertising billboards)
Promotional activities also take place in external spaces and with advancements in
technology, advertising through billboards has become much more creative and innovative in
terms of content as well as form. Digital billboards have made it easier and possible for the

brands to make a great impression among customers. This is because they involve an oversized
visual along with moving graphics that help in capturing the attention of the customers towards
the brand. The respective company, For, uses billboards in order to advertise about itself and
create awareness among the customers (Bu and et.al., 2020). Billboards are typically positioned
in excessive visitors’ regions, inclusive of alongside highways and in towns, so they're visible
with the aid of the highest quantity of drivers and pedestrians. Billboard advertising is effective
for constructing emblem attention and broadcasting your business (or product or campaign) to as
many humans as possible. Billboards are strategically positioned alongside busy roads and
intersections, because of this human will usually be searching at your large and desirable show.
People have a desire to click on an Internet advert or exchange the channel faraway from a
commercial, but they couldn’t avoid searching at the corporation's billboard as they go
throughout the day. Point-of-purchase shows are revealed or virtual presentations placed close to
marketed objects and where customers make buying choices. Unlike advertising and marketing
campaigns designed to get clients in shops, POP presentations consciousness on customers' in-
store experience via bringing interest to particular manufacturers or special gives. Ford is
focused on constantly innovating its promotional activities in order to stay relevant and attract a
greater number of customers.
Figure 2 Ford Billboard
Source: Ford gets creative with its Fiesta model by combining mobile, OOH, 2021
Promotion activities are also conducted externally so that an increased number of people
get to know about the products as well as services that are offered by the company (Cronin,
2018). Other promotional activities that the company undertakes include import and export,
exhibitions etc. There are many advantages of using billboards in order to promote their products
as well as services. For instance, they help the company in reaching out to a greater number of

audience and start-up as well as maintenance costs. The company chooses billboards based on
the locations as well as their access to the target audience. Also, with the help of this, the
company has been able to target audience in a specific geographical location.
Via digital platforms (i.e., websites, social media)
Digital marketing refers to any marketing initiative that leverages online media and the
internet via linked devices inclusive of cellular phones, domestic computers, or the Internet of
Things (IoT). Common digital advertising initiatives center around distributing a logo message
through search engines like google, social media, applications, e-mail, and web sites. Today,
digital marketing frequently focuses on accomplishing a customer with increasingly more
conversion-orientated messages across more than one channels as they flow down the income
funnel (Du Plessis, 2017). Ideally, advertising teams will be capable of tune the position every of
these messages / channels played in accomplishing their ultimate purpose. There are different
digital platforms through which the respective company, Ford promotes its products and
services. It has a strong presence on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram along with its online website.
Figure 3 Ford Promotional Campaign
Source: ‘Built Ford Proud’: New Ad Campaign Kicks Off Onslaught of New Vehicles Headed to
Ford Dealers, 2020
With advancements in technology, social media has become an important part for
organizations and helps them in interacting with their customers in an enhanced manner. Apart
from this, the various social media platforms are being increasingly used by companies to
increase overall level of engagement with the customers (Fang and et.al., 2018). Ford has a
presence across these different social media platforms. Also, the company conducts giveaways as
well as live sessions so that people become aware of its products as well as services. Promoting

itself as well as its products through social media as well as its website, the company has been
able to enhance its overall brand recognition and connecting with its audience through social
listening. Thus, Ford has an increased level of customer loyalty and also, attract a greater number
of potential followers on these platforms.
Through third parties (i.e., news articles, analyst reports)
Promotional activities can be conducted through different mediums and the respective
company Ford, also promotes itself through third parties. Promotion through third-party can be
defined as a marketing technique wherein a company utilizes journalists in order to promote its
products or services through news coverage (Hing and et.al., 2017). With the help of this
promotional activity, the company has been able to reach out to a great number of customers
across the world. Analyst reports are also published from time to time. The reports comprise of
the current as well. as previous operations of the company. A lot of companies within the
automobile industry use third parties in order to promote their products as well as services.
Ford has been creative with its marketing as well as promotional activities in order to
attract a greater number of customers. By using different types of promotional activities, the
respective company has been able to gain a competitive advantage against competitors. The
company has also taken part in various decisions that have been covered in the news. This has
increased the overall publicity of the company in the market and enhanced its goodwill as well.
Therefore, it can be said that there has been an increase in the publicity of the company.
Promotions are an important component for an organization and can help it in gaining an
increased level of profitability (Milian, 2017). The reason behind this is that the company has an
increased access to a greater number of customers. Effective promotional activities help in
differentiating one brand from the other. Also, for the customers, there is a reason to buy the
products and a communication opportunity is also created for them. Therefore, it can be said that
Ford has been able to stand out in the market by taking part in different types of promotional
activities.
Task 2
Marketing Theories
AIDA

The AIDA model is one of the best-known marketing theories/models that is widely used
across various industries (AIDA, 2020). AIDA stands for Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action
and the model describes the different steps that the customers go through during the purchase of
a product. The respective model is based on four stages and the respective company, Ford can
implement the same in order to generate interest among the target audience. The model is
explained below –
Attract attention – It is important that the products of the company attract the attention
of the customers. This is done through the advertising materials and in context to the respective
company, Ford is focused on intensive marketing (Purnama and Safira, 2017). The company uses
billboards as well as different social media platforms in order to advertise about itself and its
products. The company ensures that its employees are trained effectively so that they are able to
address the queries as well as concerns of the customers. Advertising is also done through
billboards so that the company is able to attract a greater number of potential customers.
Maintain Interest – Once the company has drawn the attention of the customers, the
next step is to maintain the interest of the customers. In order to do so, the respective company
presents the detail information to the customers. This is usually done through the company’s
website as well as across the different social media platforms. Information regarding all of the
company’s products are described on its website. This ensures that all the people who visit the
company’s website, develop an interest in the company’s products as well as services. Television
advertisements have helped the company in generating an increased amount of awareness among
the customers.
Create Desire – Ford is a multinational company with a large base of loyal customers.
When the customers develop an interest in the products of the company, it is a task for the
company to persuade them to think that they should own the product (Taherian and et.al., 2017).
Ford provides a detailed explanation of the different advantages of its automobiles as well as the
different post-purchase benefits. This helps in creating desire among the customers to purchase
the products.
Take an Action – This is the last step of the model and involves the company to take an
action as soon as the customers develop a desire to purchase the products. In case of online
shopping, the company will have to lead the customers to the final page wherein they can make a

purchase. Similarly, the staff members can encourage the customers to make a purchase for the
product that they desire to purchase.
Therefore, it can be said that AIDA model is a useful and effective model that helps
companies in sorting all the current marketing activities. The model has helped the company in
capturing the attention of the customers and thereby encouraging them to make a purchase. The
theory allows the company to provide an organized way to engage their prospective customers.
Thus, the respective model has helped the company in standing out against the competitors
(Torresi, 2020). It can also be said that the respective strategy has been implemented in an
effective manner and the company has been to attain various advantages because of
implementing the same. The advantage of the AIDA version is that you could kind all your
modern advertising activities in every category to peer if you're protecting all of the bases, or in
case you want to place more efforts in a few unique places. Also, since the UK residents have
different purchasing behavior, Ford has adopted innovative ways to capture their attention.
Developing your advertising and marketing or marketing campaign, there is globally not
a big distinction if the organization follows the steps of the AIDA model or the Hierarchy of
Effects. However, in an effort to get a better knowledge of the marketing business in standard
and the way its concepts paintings, each fashions are need to-to-realize (Wang and et.al., 2018).
Also, if the agency wants to compare the outcomes of its paintings, there may be no want for it to
war and reinvent the wheel. Knowledge, when it's far placed to properly use, can assist to a
notable extent. Therefore, it can be said that there are both positive as well as negative impacts of
the respective theory on the company over the years.

Figure 4 AIDA Model
Source: How The AIDA Model Can Improve Marketing for Your Online Store, 2020
Above / below the line
Above the line advertising – This theory is used when the focus is on mass media
promotion to reach to a large audience. Above the line advertising includes different types of
media such as TV, radio as well as print media such as magazines, newspapers as well as
billboards. There are different benefits of application of the respective theory (Yan and et.al.,
2019). For example, ATL is best for boosting the overall brand awareness on a very large scale.
Also, no other form of advertising is as effective in reaching a large number of people.
The overall financial impact of this theory has been positive and helped the company in
gaining a greater number of customers which the company intends to. Implementing a strong
ATL advertising and marketing plan can assist the emblem reach some distance and wide. Most
of the banks in addition to retail showrooms frequently market it their attain through ATL media
to lure clients to visit their showrooms. With a mixture of Audio and visible, the penetration
ranges of ATL media is higher than every other kind of advertising. Television and radio actually
call for interest via their creatives. Whereas newspapers have high involvement in order that the
patron does study through the advertisements additionally. Finally, out of domestic too, when
positioned nicely has a massive impact on selection making and developing pleasure.

Below the line advertising – This is another theory that the respective company
implements in its workplace. There are many advantages of the same and the company has been
able to effectively gain the different advantages of the same. With below the line advertising and
marketing it’s less complicated to focus on particular segments of your target market and to
correctly target a selected market. BTL advertising is quite measurable and gives the marketer
exquisite insight into their target market (Yan and et.al., 2019). This frequently consequences in
accurate return on funding with advertising campaigns. Being capable of tune click on-via-rates,
for example, is a awesome arms-on dimension of your advertising and marketing.
Unlike ATL, BTL is likewise extraordinarily measurable. This gives entrepreneurs an
perception into the go back on investment which can then be used to generate an excellent
greater targeted and focused BTL conversation. With electronic mail campaigns, you can tune
the open costs and click on-thru quotes, as well as figuring out what users do once they click
through. In markets where competition is high, customer loyalty is crucial. So, being able to at
once regulate campaigns for existing or potential customers is prime. With a mixture of Audio
and visible, the penetration degrees of ATL media are better than another kind of marketing.
Television and radio literally call for interest thru their creatives (Bu and et.al., 2020). Whereas
newspapers have high involvement so that the customer does read through the advertisements
also. Finally, out of domestic too, while positioned well has a huge impact on choice making and
growing excitement. Any emblem which wants a name for itself has to invest in logo building
through ATL channels. Most of those manufacturers begin with Out of domestic advertising,
then progress to Radio and print. And in the end a number of them might progress to TVC or will
retain with the alternative media. Nonetheless, an emblem cannot be built simply through
underneath the line marketing.

Figure 5 Above/ below the line
Source: Above or below the line – where are you?, 2020
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that promotional activities are an important
component for an organization and can help it in enhancing its overall presence in the market.
There are different promotional techniques that an organization can use in order to reach out to a
greater number of people and create awareness about its products as well as services. Different
promotional activities can include billboards, promotions through digital media such as social
media as well as at stores and offices. AIDA and Above/Below the line are some marketing
theories that the company can apply in order to enhance their existing position in the market.
Both the theories have been effective in helping organizations improve their marketing activities
to a great extent.