Promotional Ad Critique: Integrated Marketing Communication Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive critique of promotional campaigns conducted by Nike and Dove, two prominent global brands. The analysis delves into the application of integrated marketing communication (IMC) tools, including advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and digital marketing. The report examines how Nike's "Breaking 2" campaign and Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" leveraged these tools to achieve their marketing objectives, such as increasing brand awareness, driving sales, and fostering customer loyalty. It explores the effectiveness of different IMC elements, comparing and contrasting the approaches taken by each brand, and highlights the impact of these strategies on consumer behavior and market performance. Furthermore, the report discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each marketing tool and provides insights into how these tools are used to build and maintain a strong brand image. The report provides a detailed examination of the use of various marketing tools and their effectiveness in promoting the brands. Finally, the report concludes with a summary of the key findings and implications for future marketing strategies.

Promotional ad critique

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In marketing promotion relate to any kind of communication which used to inform or
persuade target customers of the relative products and services. The aim of this activity is to
increase awareness, create interest, sales or generate loyalty of brand among consumer. It is also
one of the tool in the promotional mix or plan. Nike is a world largest sport shoes and apparel
manufacture brand of United state. Which conduct a campaign to increase sales. Dove is a
personal care brand by Unilever which located in United Kingdom. It also conducts a campaign
for real beauty to attract more customers and increase sales. Report will be explain use of
integrated marketing communication tools in both brand campaign. These elements effective for
organizations.
MAIN BODY
Integrated marketing communication is a very simple concept. It stated that all types
of communication and messages should be carefully linked with each other. It is essential for
company to promote their brands well among the audience. The promotion of brand increases the
awareness of goods and services (Integrated Marketing Tools, 2017). It helps in increasing the
sales, yielding high revenues and profit for company. In general words, it refers to integrating all
the methods for brand promotion to promote a particular product and services among target
customers (Cullum, Zile & Welsch, 2018). There are various elements of integrated marketing
such as
 The Foundation
 The Corporate Culture
 Brand Focus
 Consumer Experience
 Communication Tools
 Promotional Tools
 Integration Tools
There are various tools of integrated marketing communication such as Advertising, Public
Relations, Sales Promotion and Personal Selling. These all tools are designed to make all aspects
and work together as a coordinated force rather than permitting each other to work in isolation.
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Dove is an international brand that is owned by Unilever developing in the United
Kingdom. It was founded in 1955 and the products are soled in more than 20 countries. Products
are for both men and women. It is one of the world famous brand recognized in the world. They
started there campaigns in order to promote there brands and build awareness of products among
the audience. Thus, they stated a 'Campaign for real beauty'. This campaign is stated in
Canada and London and ask direct questions about the women features. There are three major
questions which are asked by women's that ether they want to wrinkled face or become
wonderful, ether they want to look 44 and hot or 44 and not. Next question is either they want fat
or fit body. The result of the survey is that they 52% of women's are very concern about there
health and their physic. Dove company had incredible result after the campaign, the sales is
increases from $2.5bn to $4bn (Hamilton, Bodle & Korin, 2016). This jump in sales figure was
incredible and authentic. Dove company is using all the tools of integrated marketing
communication which are as follows-
Advertising- In order to promote brand in effective manner, advertising plays a crucial
role. With the help of advertising, company can reach to wider audience in the little possible time
frame. In the campaign of Dove advertisement is included. The coverage of advertisement is
very broad and wider. There are various channels of advertising such as newspaper, radio,
television and billboards. Advertisement is persuasive in nature. Advertisement is non-personal
nature as company does not integrate with people and it has not created any personal relationship
with customer or audience. Advertising messages may promote the adoption of goods and
services, ideas or persons. Dove also use advertisement tools to promote there goods and services
to large people. The advertisements of Dove are given by making contract with celebrities. There
are various advantages of advertisement that Dove company is getting are it increases the sales
of organisation to a large extend, it carries a message to the customers and remind them
carefully, it provides information about the products quality and utility and it develops awareness
regarding goods and services (Linden & Pieper, 2017).
Public Relations- It is defined as a functions and operations of management that
identifies, maintain and establish mutual beneficial relationships in between company and public.
Public Relation is included in the campaigns of Dove. The failure and success of company is
depends on public relations. Advertisement is one way communication but public relations are
two way communication as it considers many people like customers, employees, vendors and
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suppliers. In public relation there is system of feedbacks, as company take feedback from there
stakeholders about products and services they are offering. It is a strategic procedure of
communication of companies. Dove also have healthy and happy relationship with there
stakeholders as they use several media (direct or indirect) to develop a strong relationship with
the targeted audience as well as to maintain and create an optimistic brand image. The
stakeholders of Dove company are fully satisfied as they there is positive image of brand among
their customers (Kaneva, 2016).
Sales Promotion- It is a process of persuading potential customers to purchase the goods
or products of company. Sales promotion is included in the campaigns of Dove. It is directed at
the trade and users of company. In order to boost sales of company, they use this tool. Dove
company is also using sales promotion tool to increase there sales revenue. Dove use various
types of sales promotion tools to attract more customer towards them like they offer discount
offers, gifting, coupons, refund and rebates and many other tools that boost here sales to the great
extend. Whenever Dove introduce there new product they use sales promotion tool to attract
customers and to increase sales of the product.
Personal Selling- It included person to person contact with buyers in order to introduce
the product to them. In persona selling, customers are convinced through various techniques.
Personal selling is depends on size and scale of company. Mostly small and medium companies
use most. This is the best way to interact with customers and develop personal relations with
them. In the campaign of Dove, personal selling is not included as they did not prefer personal
selling because it has broad range of coverage as well as Dove is not at the stage where they had
gain trust from there customer. Personal selling is also a very good medium to boost the sales but
it is good for medium or small companies (Brodmerkel, 2014).
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Marketing communication tools- Integrated marketing communication tools like advertising,
digital marketing, sales campaigns, public relation, direct marketing to brand promotion and
deliver similar message at the same time to wider customers. Products or services are promoted
by effectively different communication tools.
Basic Advertising Public Relation
Paid vs. Free With advertising an
organization pays for ad space,
which is generally more costly.
A public relation job is get free
publicity for company and its
services through media, press.
Controlling the message vs.
Influencing the message
Through this company deliver
clear or specific message to
customers.
In this organization don't have
much control on what it gets
into the paper.
Creative vs. Nose for news Ads are creative and attract
consumer through colourful or
In PR customers are searching
for the news, looking for
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Illustration 1: Integrated Marketing Tools, 2017.
(Source: Integrated Marketing Tools, 2017 )

descriptive language. angles behind events.
Nike, Inc.- Nike is a United State multinational corporation which is busy with design,
manufacturing, development footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and sales them across the
world. It has headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon. Nike is the largest supplier of athletic shoes
and apparel or manufacture sports equipments at large scale (Spencer, 2017). Organization was
founded on 25 January 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports. It takes its name from Nike, the Greek
goddess of victory. In the 1990's company faced criticism for the child labour in Cambodia and
Pakistan in soccer balls factories. In 2007 Nike got ranked among the top three companies in
climate friendly survey.
To increase sales Nike organized campaign activities and try to attract more customers. In 2017
Company conduct a promotional activity which name was Nike- “Breaking 2”. As a part of the
strategy for new shoe, the Zoom Vaporfly Elite, organization live streamed an attempt to finish a
marathon in two hours (Koinig, Diehl & Mueller, 2017). It was a love operation on Facebook,
Twitter, and share photos on Instagram. This campaign is the best example of effective
marketing can be combining relevant, uplifting message and good product content. Through this
promotional activity company wanted to not only increase sales but also capture the maximum
sports market. Breaking 2 was a Nike project to break the 2 hour barrier for the marathon. This
event was held on Formula One Autodromo Nazionale Monza race track in Italy. For make this
event more effective company used integrated marketing communication tools like-
Advertising- It is the one of the most important brand promotional activity. It helps company to
reach a huge numbers of audience within the short time. This takes place in newspaper,
television, radio, broadcasting etc. It is a paid marketing medium which expensive (Thaler &
Shiffman, 2015). Nike used advertising not only increase the consumption of products and
services but also create brand awareness among existing or potential customers. The main aim of
company's product advertising is circulated right message to the relevant customers at the right
time.
Public relation- It is the communication method of organization, companies, communicate with
media and public. Public relation (PR) specialist deliver message to target customers through
media with an object to create positive image and maintain strong relationship. Nike use this
method to become famous among sports and increase numbers of more users. It is all about
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building relations to advance, benefits or promotion of Nike. These ads in marketing for
recruitment purpose and can improved quality of products and services. This helps reinforce
company other marketing efforts through a purported third-party from publications which
mention in their print ads.
Digital marketing- It is the one of the most popular marketing medium. Nike used this way to
cover more customers through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Company show its ads on
social media and attract customers towards the products and services (Casale, 2015). This
method is expensive but in today's world people like to spend their most of time on online media.
Nike published ads on google, others website or get more consumers' attention.
Personal selling- Personal selling is also one of the effective tools for interrogated marketing
communication. It takes place when marketer or sales representative sells company's products
and services to clients directly. Nike is a world largest sports shoes or appeal manufacture, which
not follow this marketing tool because its not possible that organization sell its goods directly
clients.
(Source: Promotional Mix, 2017)
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Illustration
2: Promotional mix

Sales promotion- Brands can also be promoted through discount coupons, loyalty clubs,
membership etc. At the time of off season Nike give flat discount to customers to increase sale
and earn their trust towards brand. This type of promotional activities also like by consumers.
Company can also be promoted more effectively with the help of newspaper, danglers, banners
at right places, wobbler's etc.
Targeted mailing- Direct marketing is the tool of productive way to stay in touch with
customers who like to see Nike advertising and give their response. Its includes direct mail like
postcards, fliers and sales letters which contain special offers for customers to increase sales of
products and services (Brown and et.al., 2015). In this method organization also send direct mail
or message on consumers relevant email I'd's or mobile numbers. At the time of selling season
Nike send information to regular or loyal customers about new arrivals in outlates or discount
scheme on goods and services. It is not a costly way of promotional activities.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it was concluded to integrated marketing communication is very
essential for company to promote their brands well among the audience as the promotion of
brand increases the awareness of goods and services. Moreover, the difference in between tools
of integrated marketing communication was also discussed in this assignment. Further, this
report also makes understood the tools of integrated marketing communication. This report also
included campaigns of both the companies i.e. Dove and Nike.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brodmerkel, S. (2014). Dressed in irony: Advertising critique and the imagined consumer on
The Gruen Transfer.The Journal of Popular Television.2(1), 21-39.
Brown, D., Cockayne, J., Daeley, J. J., Griffioen, A. L., Lepojärvi, J., Mcnabb, T. D., & Todd, P.
(2015). eligious Studies. Theology, and the University.
Casale, A. J. (2015). Going native: The rise of online native advertising and a recommended
regulatory approach. Cath. UL Rev., 65, 129.
Cullum, M. E., Zile, M. H., & Welsch, C. W. (2018). Retinoids and Mammary Gland
Tumorigenesis: A Critique. In Diet, Nutrition and Cancer: A Critical Evaluation (pp. 1-
22). CRC Press.
Hamilton, J. F., Bodle, R., & Korin, E. (2016). Crisis and Contradiction: Promotional
Authenticity in the Digital World. In Explorations in Critical Studies of Advertising (pp.
64-76). Routledge.
Kaneva, N. (2016). Nation branding and commercial nationalism: Notes for a materialist
critique. InCommercial Nationalism(pp. 175-193). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Koinig, I., Diehl, S., & Mueller, B. (2017). The Effects of Different Ad Appeals in Non-
Prescription Drug Advertising: A Cross-Cultural Investigation. In Advances in Advertising
Research (Vol. VII) (pp. 265-280). Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.
Linden, A. D., & Pieper, L. P. (2017). Writing Sport Online: An Analysis of the Pitfalls and
Potential of Academic Blogging.Journal of Sport History.44(2), 257-274.
Spencer, A. (2017). Voluntary Exploitation and Forced Assimilation: John Steinbeck's Critique
of American Advertising in The Grapes of Wrath. The Journal of American Culture, 40(4),
313-324.
Thaler, A. D., & Shiffman, D. (2015). Fish tales: combating fake science in popular
media. Ocean & Coastal Management, 115, 88-91.
Online
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Integrated Marketing Tools. 2017. [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://www.mbaknol.com/marketing-management/different-tools-of-integrated-
marketing-communications-imc/>.
Promotional Mix. 2017. [Online]. Accessed through: <https://businessjargons.com/promotion-
mix.html>.
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