Compare six different communication tools based on the following criteria:

definition, characteristics, and platforms/activities. Be sure to provide examples

for each tool.

1. ADVERTISING:
- Definition: Advertising is a paid form of non-personal promotion of
products, services, or ideas by an identified sponsor through various
media channels. The primary goal of advertising is to inform, persuade,
and remind potential customers about a brand or its offerings.
- Characteristics: there are 10 characteristics of advertising.
+ Tool for Market Promotion: There are various tools used for
market communication, such as advertising, sales promotion,
personal selling, and publicity. Advertising is a powerful,
expensive, and popular element of promotion mix. One of the
most important characteristics of advertising includes various
factors of the promotional mix such as: social media, email
marketing, content marketing, SEO, website optimization.
+ Non-personal or Personal: Advertising is a type of
non-personal or mass communication with the target audience. A
large number of people are addressed at time. It is called
non-personal salesmanship. Meanwhile, Personal advertising is
related to the direct promotion of a product or service to a
particular individual. For example, direct mail, email, SMS,
social media, and telemarketing. Typically, Brands and
advertisers use personal advertising to target potential customers
and build awareness of their brand.
+ Paid Form: Paid promotion is a form of marketing strategy in
which companies or businesses pay to have their products or
services promoted, usually in the form of paid advertising. It is
also referred to as PPC( Pay Per Click) advertising and involves
using platforms such as search engines, websites, social media,
and other mediums to reach potential customers. Most paid
promotion campaigns are designed to increase brand awareness,
increase sales, and boost website traffic.
+ Wide Applicability: Advertising is a popular and widely used
means for communicating with the target market. It is not used
only for business and profession, but is widely used by museums,
charitable trusts, government agencies, educational institutions,
and others to inform and attract various target audiences.
 + Varied Objectives: Advertising is aimed at achieving various
objectives. It is targeted to increase sales, create and improve
brand image, face competition, build relations with the public, or
to educate people.
+ Forms of Advertising: Advertising messages can be expressed
in written, oral, audible, or visual forms. Mostly, messages are
expressed in a joint form, such as oral-visual, audio-visual, etc.
+ Use of Media: Advertisers can use any of the several advertising
media to convey the message. Widely used media are print media
(newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, booklets, letters, etc.),
outdoor media (hoardings, sign boards, wall-printing, vehicle,
banners, etc.), audio-visual media (radio, television, film,
Internet, etc.), or any other to address the target audience.
+ Advertising as an Art: Today’s advertising task is much
complicated. Message creation and presentation require a good
deal of knowledge, creativity, skills, and experience. So,
advertising can be said as an art. It is an artful activity.
+ Element of Truth: It is difficult to say that advertising messages
always reveals the truth. In many cases, exaggerated facts are
advertised. However, due to certain legal provisions, the element
of truth can be fairly assured. But, there is no guarantee that the
claim made in the advertisement is completely true. Most
advertisements are erotic, materialistic, misleading, and
producer-centered.
+ One-way Communication: Advertising involves one-way
communication. Message moves from company to customers,
from sponsor to audience. Message from consumers to marketer
is not possible. Marketers cannot know how far the advertisement
has influenced the audience. An example of one-way
communication includes television and radio broadcasts, and
print media such as newspapers and magazines.
- Platforms/activities: Advertising consists of all activities involved in
presenting to a group a non-personal, oral or visual, openly sponsored
identified message regarding a product, service, or idea. The message,
called an advertisement, is disseminated through one or more media and
is paid for by the identified sponsor. Advertising platforms are digital or
traditional mediums that allow businesses to promote their products or
services to a target audience. These platforms can include social media
sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and search engines like Google,
and display networks that showcase banner ads on various websites.
 Additionally, traditional channels such as television, radio, and print
media play a significant role in advertising. Each platform offers unique
targeting capabilities, audience reach, and ad formats, enabling
marketers to tailor their campaigns to maximize engagement and
conversion rates effectively.\
- Example of Advertising: A great example of advertising is Nike's "Just Do It"
campaign. This campaign uses a mix of non-personal advertising across
various platforms like television, social media, and print media, reaching a
wide audience. It includes paid forms of promotion, such as PPC ads on
Google and social media, to increase brand visibility and sales. The compain
has powerful visuals and motivational messages. While it communicates in a
one-way manner, primarily sending messages from the brand to consumers, it
effectively builds brand awareness and inspires action among its target
audience.

2. SALES PROMOTION

Sales promotion, it is often defined as marketing activities that provide added value or
incentives to the sales force, distributors, or end consumers, which can stimulate sales.
Sales promotion programs are generally divided into two main categories:
Consumer-oriented promotions and trade-oriented promotions.

● Consumer-oriented promotions: Targeted at the end users of products or

services to encourage immediate purchases. This includes promotional
activities such as coupons, samples, direct price reductions, contests,
sweepstakes, and other point-of-sale methods.
● Trade-oriented promotions: Targeted at marketing intermediaries such as
wholesalers, distributors, and retailers to promote the company's products.
These include promotional activities such as merchandising allowances, price
deals, sales contests, and trade shows.

Example: In 2018, Adidas and BVG collaborated to create a promotion that caused
Berlin residents to queue in the snow for days. To attract customers, the brand released
a limited-edition EQT Support 93/Berlin shoe at a price of only $153 USD (compared
to the previous price of $619 USD).

3. DIRECT MARKETING

Definition :
Direct marketing refers to personalized communication with consumers through
various channels to elicit an immediate response or transaction. Unlike traditional
marketing activities or advertising campaigns (which target large audiences), direct
marketing activities deliver messages that are relevant to specific audiences. The key
to the success of Direct marketing is to reach the right people at the right place, in the
right place where they already operate and interact.

Characteristics :

Targeted: Messages are tailored to specific individuals or segments.

Measurable: Marketers can track responses and conversion rates easily (e.g., through
unique URLs, codes, or calls-to-action).

Interactive: It encourages direct engagement between the business and consumer.

Personalized: Communications can be customized based on consumer preferences.

Two-way communication:Encourages interaction with customers, allowing them to

respond directly to the marketer, whether through calls, emails, or online forms.

Platforms and Activities of Direct Marketing

Direct Mail: Sending physical promotional materials like catalogs, brochures, or

postcards directly to consumers.

Telemarketing: Reaching out to potential customers via phone calls.

Email Marketing: Personalized emails targeting specific consumer segments.

SMS Marketing: Sending promotional offers or alerts directly to consumers' mobile

phones.

Social Media: Targeted ads and messages delivered through social platforms.

Direct Response TV (DRTV): Television ads with immediate response prompts, like
call numbers or URLs.

Example:

Live Event: Pepsi held a product launch for Pepsi Fresh Twist at a shopping mall.
They set up a prominent booth for product tasting and gave away free samples to
attendees.
Direct mail: Pepsi creates and sends direct mail to households with a coupon that leads
to a grocery store. This could be a “30% off any can of Pepsi Fresh Foam” to
encourage consumers to buy the product directly at the store.

Event: The direct marketing campaign that McDonald's chain in Italy used was an
SMS marketing campaign called "Merry Xmas". The content of this message said that
customers who came to eat at McDonald's restaurants in Italy would have the
opportunity to win a lucky draw. Although this was a simple campaign, it created an
extremely good effect. The number of participants reached more than 1.5 million in
just 5 weeks.

4. PR AND PUBLICITY

PR is a tool that bridges the gap between businesses and customers, aiming to
strengthen the company's brand image. This can be achieved through press
conferences, events, charity work, and sponsorships designed to build brand
recognition. Additionally, leveraging the influence of celebrities can significantly
enhance a brand's visibility.

Publicity has the following five characteristics:

Non-Paid Form: Publicity is a non-paid form of promotion. All of the media coverage
is organic.

Driven By Media: Publicity depends on media outlets that give a viral blow to the
shared information by publicising it.

No Control: The brand has no control over message, time, frequency, information, and
medium.

Focuses On A Broader Audience: Publicity isn’t targeted marketing. It focuses on the

shotgun approach, where the information is publicised to a broader audience.
Credible: The target audience considers publicity to be a more credible form of
communication as it uses trustworthy channels like news outlets.

Short-Term Focus: Publicity is a promotional strategy focused on fulfilling short-term

goals like a product launch, event promotion, etc.

● P - Publications: Published materials such as magazines, newspapers, books,

informative documents for customers, or annual reports.
● E - Events: Organizing events, sponsorship programs, or exhibitions to
promote products. These activities are voluntary initiatives undertaken by the
company.
● N - News: Positive and beneficial news about the company, its employees, and
its products. This information is voluntarily mentioned daily on news boards.
● C - Community Involvement: Activities related to community relations,
requiring a long-term, sustainable, and sincere policy. This includes both online
and offline activities.
● I - Identity Tools: Company-related items such as business cards, envelopes,
stationery, nameplates, and uniform regulations. These items help consumers
easily recognize the company through its familiar logo, colors, and imagery.
● L - Lobbying: Well-organized, professional, and legal lobbying campaigns.
These efforts aim to influence public opinion or decisions that are beneficial or
detrimental to the company.
● S - Social Investment: Improving the social environment.

Example:

For instance, in the highly popular "RAP VIỆT" program, Pepsi, with its zero-calorie
canned Pepsi product, became the main sponsor. As a result, the brand and product
images were seamlessly integrated into various activities, quotes, etc., leaving a deep
impression on the audience.

5. PERSONAL SELLING

Personal selling is a form of sales where there is direct interaction between the seller
and the potential buyer, with the seller aiming to assist or persuade the buyer to
purchase the company's products or services. Unlike advertising, personal selling
involves direct contact between the buyer and seller, or through intermediaries such as
phone or website.

Personal selling differentiates itself from other sales and promotional techniques by
possessing the following characteristics:
 ● Human contact: It involves person-to-person interaction where a seller
interacts directly with the prospective customer and executes a
personalised sales strategy according to the customer’s needs, wants, and
expectations.
● Development of relationship: Personal selling involves developing a
relationship between the seller and the buyer where trust is established,
and the prospective buyer can rely on the salesperson. Moreover, this
technique even results in the salesperson becoming a part of the buying
process.
● Two-way flow of information: Unlike mass marketing, personal selling
is characterised by a two-way flow of information. The prospective
buyers get their chance to ask questions and clear their doubts directly
from the seller before purchasing.
● Quick communication: Since personal selling involves
person-to-person interaction, the communication flow is really quick.
● Flexibility: It involves the salesperson to tailor the sales pitch according
to the prospective audience’s persona and requirements, making this
sales tool flexible.
● Satisfaction: The process of personal selling requires the salesperson to
understand the customer’s needs and satisfy the same by offering the
customer the opportunity to buy something he has to offer.
● Persuasion: Personal selling isn’t just about informing prospective
customers about the company’s offerings. It also involves using the
power of persuasion to make customers accept the seller’s point of view
or convince the customer to take a particular action.

Examples:

● Retail Stores: Retail stores like Walmart, Ikea, etc., employ sales
representatives who help customers choose the best products based on their
individual needs and desires.
● Door-to-Door Sales: Some B2C companies (like Unilever) use sales
representatives who visit the homes and offices of potential customers to
introduce the company's services and persuade them to use or purchase them.
● B2B Outreach: B2B sales representatives often reach out to potential
customers online or offline and use person-to-person interaction to close sales.

6. INTERNET MARKETING
Definition of Internet Marketing: Internet marketing, often known as online
marketing, uses digital platforms and methods to promote brands by focusing on their
target markets. Internet marketing is not the only strategy for generating interest in
and knowledge about a product. The goal of internet marketing is to increase traffic to
the advertiser's website through a number of methods.

Characteristics

- Not subject to the limitations of time and domain. The ultimate goal of marketing is
occupy market share. Because the Internet can exchange information by transcending
time and space constraints, firms have more time and more space for marketing. They
could provide global marketing anytime and anywhere.

- Rich media: The Internet was designed to transmit multimedia information, such as
text, sound, image and so on information. Thus making the deal of exchange of
information can exist and exchange in many forms, moreover, marketing staff can
fully develop their creativity and initiative.

- Interactive: With the display of merchandise image, the provision of commodity

information query, internet capable to achieve interaction and communication
between supply and demand. It can also conduct product testing.

- Consumer satisfaction degree feedback and other activities. Internet provides the
best tools for product co-design, product information release, and the various technical
services.

- Personalization: Internet marketing has features of one to one, rational,

consumer-led, non-compulsory, and progressive. Besides, it brings about low-cost and
personalized promotion form, which exactly avoids a salesman compulsory sale which
lies in traditional promotion. Moreover, a long-term good relation with consumers
would be easily built up during the special information provision and interactive chat
process.

- Go on growing: Owing to the growing numbers of Internet users and throughout the
world, most of these users are young, middle-class and high educational standards. As
this part of the group has a strong market, strong purchasing power and influence, and
therefore the internet marketing has a strong populace basis and a great potential for
the development of market.

- Integration: Internet marketing able to links the vital activities in marketing,

commodity information collection, customer inquiries, purchase, payment, as well as
after-sales service as a whole sale line, makes the marketing more convenient. On the
other hand, to make use of the Internet, different marketing activities would be unified
designed coordinated, in order to convey the same information to consumers,
preventing the spread of various negative effects of inconsistency.

- Advancement: Internet is the most powerful marketing tool. It encompasses

marketing channel, promotion, electronic transaction and interactive customer service,
market information analysis and delivery of a variety of functions. Moreover, it has a
one to one marketing capability, which is consistent with future trends of customized
marketing and direct marketing.

- High efficiency: Computer has the ability of store vast amounts of information and
inquiries automatically. The amount and accuracy of information it carries and
transmits is far more than other media, so it is better to attain market demand.
Through updating the product or adjusting the price promptly, they can meet customer
needs more effectively.

- Economy: In virtual of present exchange of information through the Internet instead

of the previous exchange ways, on the one hand, it reduces printing and mailing costs,
people can enjoy rent-free, as well as free of water and labor costs. On the other hand,
losses caused by multiple exchanges can be reduced.

- Technology-supportive: Network marketing is built on Internet which was supported

by high-tech, a firm wants to conduct network marketing must have a certain technical
investments and technical support. At the same time, it may changes the traditional
organizational form, and to enhance information management function, as well as
introduces talents who proficient in both IT and marketing. Therefore the firm can
have sustainable competitive advantage.

Platforms/activities

1. Social Media Platforms

Facebook: Engaging with users through posts, ads, and events.

Instagram: Visual storytelling, influencer partnerships, and ads.

Twitter (X): Real-time engagement, customer service, and trending topics.

LinkedIn: B2B marketing, networking, and professional content sharing.

TikTok: Short-form video content, trends, and challenges.

2. Search Engine Platforms

Google: Search results, Google Ads, Google My Business.

Bing: Bing Ads, local business listings.

Yahoo: Search ads and sponsored listings.

3. Email Marketing Platforms

Mailchimp: Email campaigns, automation, and analytics.

Constant Contact: Email marketing and social media integration.

SendGrid: Email API and marketing automation.

ActiveCampaign: Email automation and CRM features.

4. Content Marketing Platforms

WordPress: Blogging and website management.

Medium: Publishing articles and reaching a wider audience.

YouTube: Video content creation and sharing.

Podcasts (Spotify, Apple Podcasts): Audio content distribution.

5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising Platforms

Google Ads: Search, display, video ads.

Facebook Ads: Social media advertising.

LinkedIn Ads: B2B advertising and sponsored content.

Instagram Ads: Visual ads in feeds and stories.

6. Webinar and Online Event Platforms

Zoom: Video conferencing and webinars.

GoToWebinar: Webinar hosting and management.

Webex: Online meetings and events.

7. Analytics and Tracking Platforms

Google Analytics: Website traffic analysis and behavior tracking.

Facebook Insights: Analytics for social media performance.

HubSpot: Comprehensive marketing, sales, and analytics tools.

Examples:

Website Content and Design

Content marketing creates and shares valuable content to attract and retain customers,
emphasizing communication over direct sales. Example: A cooking website offering
free recipes and cooking tips to engage food enthusiasts.

Email Marketing
Email marketing involves sending direct communications to potential and existing
customers. It’s cost-effective and targets both broad and specific audiences. Example:
An online bookstore sending a monthly newsletter featuring new releases and reading
recommendations.

Social Media Marketing

This strategy promotes products and services through social media to boost brand
awareness, engage customers, and generate leads. It includes both organic marketing
(building community) and paid advertising. Example: A fitness brand sharing workout
videos and success stories on Facebook to inspire its audience.

SEO
Search Engine Optimization enhances a website's visibility in search results through
keyword research and quality content. Example: A home improvement blog
optimizing its articles for phrases like "DIY home renovation tips."

Blogging
Blogging improves SEO by using targeted keywords, keeping content fresh, and
engaging audiences. It fosters customer loyalty. Example: A travel agency maintaining
a blog with travel guides and personal stories to connect with customers.

Video and Podcasting

These formats add personality and storytelling to marketing strategies, fostering
deeper connections. Example: A financial services company hosting a podcast
discussing money management tips and inviting guest experts.

Online Advertising
Online advertising methods include Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and banner ads. Example: A
local gym running PPC ads on Google to attract new members searching for fitness
options.

Influencer Marketing
This approach collaborates with influencers to promote brand messages. Example: A
sustainable fashion brand partnering with eco-conscious influencers to showcase their
latest collection.
Infographics
Infographics present complex information visually, making it more engaging and
easier to understand. Example: A tech blog creating infographics that explain
emerging technologies and trends in an accessible format.

Sponsorships and Paid Promotions

These strategies leverage other audiences to promote products or services effectively.
Example: A local coffee shop sponsoring a local art festival to attract community
members and build brand awareness.