Learning Unit 6

Question 1

Critically discuss Twitchell’s opinion that we take for granted the ways in which advertisers shape our culture and society/ Twitchell’s notion of ‘festivals of consumption.’

Answer 1

• church used to dictate time, now TV does
• breakfast - Kelloggs USA
• Coffee
• alcohol (blue monday)
• separate work from leisure
• go through the year (table) – look at how advertisers control the world adcult

Question 2

Define ‘Adcult’

Answer 2

• effect of advertising on American society
• massive advertising influence
• ie Christmas, New year, Mothers day, Valentines day
• shapes likes, dislikes, tastes, trends, what you eat, whereto got what you wear…

Question 3

Benefits and costs of customisable programming and advertisements for the individual

Answer 3

BENEFITS

• your choice – the viewer decides what they want to watch
• no set time
• fast forward through adverts
• adverts relate to what you’re watching

COSTS

• narrow variety – you only see small amount of info which affects your media literacy
• advert not being seen
• repetitive adverts (same show)

Question 4

Discuss ways that DSTV has tried to incorporate personalisation to interactivity.

Answer 4

• experiments with variations on traditional push approach
• aim: link database marketing capabilities to 30 second commercials during the programmes
• still traditional because it assumed consumer wouldn’t change behaviour in the face of adverts
• PVR - record what you want to watch
• DSTV Catch-Up - popular programmes that go onto hard drive
• only one advert before catch up programme, no adverts during programme

Question 5

Why is it difficult to define TV today?

Answer 5

• dont know if news is true today
• ‘TV’ can be replaced with ‘screens’
• social media and online media are new sources of entertainment and information
• people look at various programmes for news and entertainment

Question 6

Define cause-related marketing.

Answer 6

A business strategy that integrates a social issue/cause into brand equity and org identity to gain bottom line impacts.

• corporate philanthropy = PR tool to push sales short term
• cause-related marketing can come in the form of ‘purchase-triggered’ donations, business will use % of a commercial transaction and donate to a cause
• usually business will explicitly team up with an NPO
• provides company with a tool to improve public image, build closer relations with consumers and boost sales and profits :)
• business uses a social problem to improve public image and profits while social problem continues:(
• close association with NPO may increase employee satisfaction and loyalty
• may ward off criticism directed at corporates, if they help society

Question 7

Is cause-related marketing influential?

Answer 7

• consumers report high degree of satisfaction
• more positive image of a company if it did something to make the world better
• more likely to buy a product associated with a cause they care about
• would switch brands/retail stores to support a cause they believed in
• cause marketing should be a standard part of company acts
• preference for brand associated with good cause if product didn’t differ in price or quality
• more trust in a company that is socially and environmentally responsible

Question 8

What are purchase triggered donations?

Answer 8

• company pledges to contribute a % or set amount of a product’s price to a charitable cause or NPO
• widely used
• KFC Add Hope

Question 9

What are the criticisms of CRM?

Answer 9

• unequal partnership between corporate and NPO
• potential of causing more harm than good
• causes aren’t always selected on basis of potential good that can be achieved ie sales
• deception because they highlight the cause and downplay the business objective (usually the nature of the business contribution isn’t explained)
• harm NPO
• corporate influenced by financial self-interests
• CRM threatens to commercialise non-profits