Chapter 14—Marketing Communications and Advertising
TRUE/FALSE
1. Promotion is communication by marketers that informs, persuades, and reminds potential buyers of a
product in order to influence their opinion or elicit a response.
2. The elements of the promotional mix include advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, and
competitive advantage.
3. Black & Mild FT are the only cigars on the market made with “a skillful blend of premium pipe
tobaccos and a filter tip for extra smoothness.” This feature creates a competitive advantage for the
product.
4. Promotion is the process by which we exchange or share meanings through a common set of symbols.
5. Coca-Cola uses popular magazines, radio, and cable television to promote its products. Coca-Cola uses
mass communication.
6. When a marketer sends a message to the target market, the marketer must first decode the symbols
used.
7. NutriFoods is concerned that its advertising messages are not getting through to the target market as
intended because there are so many advertisements on television and in the magazines in which it
advertises. The other ads are examples of noise in the communication process.
8. Even though a message is received, it will not necessarily be properly decoded; receivers interpret
messages based on their own frames of reference.
9. If a business studied its promotional strategies by looking at sales trends and market research, it would
be using direct feedback to evaluate its promotional strategies.
10. Corporate blogs are those monitored by major search engines such as Google and Yahoo!
11. Effective promotions are designed to either inform, persuade, or remind the target audience.
12. The promotional mix is the combination of promotional tools used to reach the target market and
fulfill the organization’s overall goals.
13. Advertising is any form of impersonal (one-way) paid communication in which the sponsor is
identified.
14. Sales promotion is a promotional tool generally used to stimulate consumer buying and dealer
effectiveness.
15. Compared to the other promotion mix tools, personal selling offers the marketer the greatest control
over the situation.
16. AIDA is an acronym for Attention-Interaction-Desire-Action.
17. In terms of the AIDA process, public relations has its greatest impact in gaining action from the targets
of the message.
18. The key benefit of the AIDA concept is that it explains how all promotions influence purchase
decisions.
19. From the consumer’s point of view, a company’s communications are already integrated, no matter
how the company itself defines them.
20. IMC stands for interactive marketing communications.
21. One of the reasons for the growing popularity of integrated marketing communications is the reduction
of media choices.
22. Allyson Brown is trying to develop a promotional mix for her firm’s new product, a sophisticated
modular sunporch designed for use all year. She reasons that because her product is complex and
carries high financial risks for consumers, the mix should concentrate on personal selling.
23. A blend of more advertising and sales promotion and less personal selling is useful when the target
market is informed, loyal to the product in question, and geographically widely scattered.
24. Lansky sells 60 different knife and garden tool sharpeners. It uses aggressive personal selling and sales
promotions to encourage intermediaries to carry and sell its sharpener. Lansky is using a pull strategy.
25. Marketers typically use either a push or a pull strategy exclusively.
26. Spending on advertising varies by industry.
27. The advertising response function is a phenomenon in which increased spending for advertising and
sales promotion increases sales or market share up to a certain level but then produces diminishing
results.
28. The goal of advertising is to change people’s values.
29. A small high-tech company has just launched a new writing pen that has a memory, much like a small
computer. The advertising campaign focuses on the innovativeness of the new product. This is an
example of pioneering advertising.
30. On Subway napkins, they compare the nutritional information for their 6-inch subs to McDonald’s Big
Mac and Burger King Whopper. This is an example of competitive advertising.
31. Unlike other types of advertising, a comparative advertising campaign can be readily globalized.
32. The DAGMAR approach is method one of setting advertising objectives.
33. A print ad depicts a picture of a frozen dessert accompanied by information about the dessert: “two
servings, only 300 calories per serving, no cholesterol, and 100 percent of the RDA of vitamins and
minerals.” This is an example of an advertisement selling the product’s benefits.
34. An appeal to vanity and egotism is the reason that celebrity spokespeople are used so often in
advertising.
35. An insurance company’s advertisement poses the question, “Will your family survive if you die
uninsured?” This is an example of a health appeal.
36. There are many snack foods for children, but only Nature’s Path makes an organic snack designed for
a child’s palate. The product’s unique selling proposition is that it is completely organic.
37. A commercial for frozen pot pies showed two moms sitting in the stands at their sons’ soccer game
talking about feeding their family this product. This is an example of a slice-of-life executional style
for advertising.
38. Testing the effectiveness of a media campaign can be done either before or after the campaign is run.
39. The primary advantage of newspaper advertising is demographic selectivity.
40. The manufacturer of the George Forman grill has produced a 30-minute sales pitch in the form of a
talk and demonstration show to be aired on local cable TV channels. This is an example of an
infomercial.
41. Research has shown banner ads on Web sites to be very effective.
42. Advergaming is an Internet advertising format where companies put ad messages in Web-based or
video games to advertise or promote products.
43. Nature’s Path makes EnviroKids brand organic cereals, rice bars, and cookies. It is determining
whether to put its advertisements in newspapers or on television. Its primary concern is with how
many people in its target market will be exposed to its ads. In other words, the company is concerned
about frequency.
44. A costume rental company only runs newspaper advertisements the week before holidays, such as
Christmas and Halloween. This is an example of a flighted schedule.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. _____ is communications by marketers that inform, persuade, and remind potential buyers of a product
in order to influence an opinion or elicit a response.
a.
Distributive communication
b.
Perceptual communication
c.
Statistically provable advertising
d.
Promotion
e.
Publicity
2. A plan for the optimal use of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations is
called a:
a.
promotional strategy
b.
set of promotion goals
c.
marketing mix
d.
communication mix
e.
selling plan
3. The American Plastics Council wants to create more consumer demand for products that are packaged
in plastic. The council has developed a(n) _____ that sets out how it will use all of the elements of the
promotional mix to create a coordinated plan that will become an integral part of the organization’s
marketing strategy.
a.
promotional strategy
b.
tactic for communication
c.
mass aggregation strategy
d.
communication objective
e.
informative strategy
4. The Americans for Balanced Energy Choices has spent $1.3 million on billboard, newspaper,
television and radio ads to rally public support for coal-fired electricity. The council has developed
a(n) _____ that sets out how it will use all of the elements of the promotional mix to create a
coordinated plan that will become an integral part of the organization’s marketing strategy.
a.
promotional strategy
b.
tactic for communication
c.
mass aggregation strategy
d.
communication objective
e.
informative strategy
5. One or more unique aspects of an organization that causes target consumers to patronize that firm
rather than competitors is called:
a.
comparative differentiation
b.
competitive advantage
c.
marketing mix
d.
special benefit
e.
promotional plan
6. Consumers are looking more toward organic products to avoid exposure to pesticides, fungicides,
herbicides, and antibiotics. Kashi provides a variety of products ranging from cereal to frozen dinners
that are USDA organic. Being organic and having such a great variety gives Kashi a _____.
a.
differential parity
b.
synergistic goal
c.
competitive advantage
d.
comparative benefit
e.
tactical objective for implementing strategy
7. The main function of a promotional strategy is to:
a.
convince the target customers that a firm’s products offer competitive advantages over
those of its competition
b.
find a niche in the marketplace for the firm and its products
c.
provide the firm with research information about the success of its marketing effort
d.
create efficient distribution channels
e.
guarantee control over the length of the stages of the product life cycle
8. People who love to fish prefer American Magic Lures that are cut from ash or cedar and then hand–
painted and hand-tied with a feather skirt. Advertising for American Magic Lures emphasizes how its
lures, unlike others, are all handcrafted. This is its:
a.
publicity objective
b.
marketing differentiator
c.
competitive advantage
d.
one-to-one marketing advantage
e.
sales promotional theme
9. The ads for Don Francisco’s ground coffee simply state, “The highest quality coffee doesn’t have to be
expensive.” This is an example of how a product communicates its _____ with promotion.
a.
marketing mix
b.
comparative differentiation
c.
competitive advantage
d.
researchable objective
e.
promotional theme
10. _____ is the process by which we exchange or share meanings through a common set of symbols.
People also assign meanings to feelings, ideas, facts, and attitudes.
a.
Feedback
b.
Promotion
c.
Advertising
d.
Publicity
e.
Communication
11. The two major categories of communications are:
a.
primary and secondary
b.
direct and indirect
c.
long term and short term
d.
mass and interpersonal
e.
informative and persuasive
12. Interpersonal communication is:
a.
nonpaid information such as publicity
b.
paid communication placed in personal media
c.
long-distance communication between a business and its target market
d.
direct face-to–face communication between two or more people
e.
noise-free communication
13. Bag Media is a British company that sells space on paper bags to advertisers who want to drive
consumers to their Web sites. A Bag Media representative is making a presentation to several Internet
entrepreneurs who are interested in getting traffic to their Web sites. The company rep is engaged in:
a.
telemarketing
b.
interpersonal communication
c.
publicity
d.
mass communication
e.
crowd selling
14. Progressive Bank uses billboard, television, newspaper, and magazine advertising to inform consumers
about their products. This is an example of _____ communication.
a.
referential
b.
mass
c.
factual
d.
interpersonal
e.
public
15. The _____ is the originator of the message in the communication process.
a.
communicator
b.
encoder
c.
channeler
d.
sender
e.
receiver
16. Chick-fil-A uses cows as its mascot. The cows are sometimes dressed in funny costumes or involved
in some kind of behavior that defies cow-like conduct. Always they message is to encourage people to
eat chicken, not beef. Chick-fil-A is the _____ of the message in this communication process.
a.
sender
b.
decoder
c.
channeler
d.
receiver
e.
communicator
17. All of the following are elements of the communication process EXCEPT:
a.
encoding
b.
sender
c.
channel
d.
comprehension
e.
receiver
18. _____ is the conversion of the sender’s ideas and thoughts into a message.
a.
Development
b.
Envelopment
c.
Processing
d.
Decoding
e.
Encoding
19. Encoding is the:
a.
creation of the original ideas and thoughts of a message
b.
conversion of the sender’s ideas and thoughts into a message
c.
transmission of a message
d.
receipt and comprehension of a message
e.
deciphering and understanding of a message
20. The Richards Group, a Dallas ad agency, created the Chick-fil-A cows. Since the time they created the
cows the message has always been “Eat more chikin.” The ad agency acted as the _____ of the
message.
a.
decoder
b.
sender
c.
encoder
d.
receiver
e.
channeler
21. Media, salespeople, or a retail store best represent which element of the communication process?
a.
sender
b.
encoding
c.
message channel
d.
decoding
e.
noise
22. A channel in communication is:
a.
the only source of noise
b.
the same as in distribution
c.
usually an ad agency or public relations firm
d.
someone who places advertising into media
e.
any communication medium
23. Tide laundry detergent has been promoted with television commercials, radio spots, newspaper
coupons, and magazine advertisements. In the communication process, these media served as _____
for transmitting the message.
a.
senders
b.
decoders
c.
encoders
d.
channels
e.
receivers
24. When Castrol Syntec, a premium motor oil, sought a new way to reach its young, car-passionate
audience, the brand found its mark with video games. In its first-ever attempt at in-game advertising,
Castrol Syntec found a way to show consumers (in a virtual world) the brand’s power and
performance. In the communication process, the game served as a(n) ____ for transmitting the
message.
a.
sender
b.
decoder
c.
encoder
d.
channel
e.
receiver
25. Anything that interferes with, distorts, or slows the transmission of information in the communication
process is referred to as:
a.
media communication
b.
feedback
c.
static
d.
nonpaid communication
e.
noise
26. Just as Melanie was in sight of a billboard for the McDonald’s, a police car drove by with its lights
flashing. Melanie was so concerned with watching where the police car went that she totally missed
seeing the fast-feeders billboard. In terms of the communication process, the police car acted as:
a.
media interruptus
b.
negative feedback
c.
static
d.
explicit communication
e.
noise
27. Within the communication process for a car dealer’s ad, which of the following would be an example
of noise?
a.
competing ads
b.
news stories in the newspaper
c.
the physical surroundings in which the individual reading the ad is located
d.
the presence of other people while the ad is being read
e.
all of these
28. The person who decodes a message in the communication process is called the:
a.
target
b.
audience
c.
channel
d.
receiver
e.
recipient
29. _____ is the interpretation of the language and symbols sent by the source through a channel.
a.
Encoding
b.
Perceiving communication
c.
Decoding
d.
Channeling
e.
Semiotics
30. For communication to be effective:
a.
marketing managers should use both interpersonal and mass communications
b.
all steps of the communications process model must take place
c.
marketing managers must ensure a proper match between the message to be conveyed and
the target market’s attitudes and ideas
d.
advertising messages must be general enough to cover all ages, social classes, and
education levels
e.
marketers should use televised instead of print communication
31. The most successful global marketing managers realize that:
a.
senders of messages can communicate effectively with other cultures even if they know
nothing of the other culture
b.
any message can be considered uniform by easily translating the message into all the other
languages
c.
consumers’ cultural environments do not play a large role in the communication process
and affect decoding
d.
it is imperative that every message be completely customized to each subculture
e.
translation and possible miscommunication of their promotional messages can occur
32. Some large retailers are successful in most areas of the country yet fail in certain regions that are
heavily populated with different races and subcultures. This is because it is difficult to communicate
without an understanding of:
a.
culture
b.
locational variants
c.
gender differences
d.
income influences
e.
hypergraphics
33. The receiver’s response to a message is _____ to the source.
a.
decoded
b.
noise
c.
feedback
d.
channeled
e.
static filled
34. When a doctor asks a pharmaceutical sales representative about the side effects of a new drug the rep
was informing the doctor about in hopes that he will prescribe it for patients, it was an example of:
a.
feedback
b.
decoding
c.
noise
d.
indirect transmission
e.
nonverbal communication
35. Arc Promotional Agency created the first mobile blogging competition and online reality show for
SingTel, a telecommunications company in Singapore. The campaign let SingTel customers pick their
dream couple and follow their lives through a moblog. SingTel used _____ to communicate with its
consumers.
a.
a corporate blog
b.
an interactive Web site
c.
narrowcasting
d.
a noncorporate blog
e.
a market concentration strategy
36. What are the three basic tasks of promotion?
a.
informing, persuading, and convincing
b.
persuading, convincing, and reminding
c.
informing, convincing, and reminding
d.
informing, persuading, and reminding
e.
persuading, comparing, and reminding
37. Which of the following is one of the basic tasks typically performed by promotion?
a.
managing
b.
organizing
c.
rewarding
d.
persuading
e.
perceiving
38. Mercury Solar Systems uses a video on their web site to show how solar power can be converted to
electricity in a home using a photovoltaic system. The video format is used as a(n) _____ format
because the average consumer may perceive the product as highly technical.
a.
influencer
b.
persuasive
c.
reminder
d.
reseller
e.
informative
39. Informative promotion is generally used:
a.
when memory stimulus is needed
b.
when the brand name is well-known to consumers
c.
during the early stages of the product life cycle
d.
during an attempt to gain the immediate action of a consumer
e.
when advertising a simple, nontechnical, mature product
40. When Heinz introduced its ketchup globally, it first had to deal with the fact ketchup is not a
household staple outside the United States. Heinz had to show foreign users how ketchup can be used.
Globally, Heinz has had to rely primarily on _____ advertising to convince consumers to want the
product.
a.
reminder
b.
persuasive
c.
informative
d.
compulsive
e.
influential
41. The American Plastics Council wants to stimulate more consumer demand for products that are
packaged in plastic. The ads will explain how plastics protect families from food spoilage and
contamination. The ads will also describe how tamper-evident plastic seals provide an extra measure
of product safety assurance. By trying to change customers’ perception of plastic packaging, the
council is using _____ promotion.
a.
reminder
b.
persuasive
c.
declarative
d.
diffusive
e.
mass
42. The goal of persuasive promotion is to:
a.
stimulate a purchase or other action
b.
increase brand awareness
c.
describe available services
d.
remind the consumers of where to buy the product
e.
maintain top-of-mind consumer awareness
43. Persuasion normally becomes the primary promotion goal when entering which stage of the product
life cycle?
a.
introduction
b.
growth
c.
maturity
d.
plateau
e.
decline
44. Innovyx is an e-mail marketing service provider. It has a new ad campaign aimed at changing negative
perceptions of e-mail. The ads explain how much cheaper e-mail advertising is than traditional
advertising and what a high return on investment it can generate if used properly. Finally, the message
ends by suggesting that companies who want to promote their products give e-mail a chance to show
them what it can do. This promotion has the task of:
a.
persuading
b.
informing
c.
reminding
d.
suppressing
e.
rewarding
45. _____ promotion is used to keep a familiar brand name in the public’s mind and is prevalent during the
maturity stage of the product life cycle.
a.
Influence
b.
Amusement
c.
Informative
d.
Persuasive
e.
Reminder
46. For many years Jell-O gelatin has run advertisements that tell consumers that there is “always room for
Jell-O.” This is an example of _____ promotion.
a.
influence
b.
amusement
c.
informative
d.
prevalent
e.
reminder
47. The promotional mix consists of:
a.
advertising, publicity, direct marketing, and personal selling
b.
public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, and publicity
c.
product, promotion, price, and place
d.
advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations
e.
advertising, telemarketing, public relations, and sales promotions
48. Advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations make up the:
a.
communication model
b.
advertising campaign
c.
marketing mix
d.
publicity four
e.
promotional mix
49. _____ is any form of impersonal (one way) paid communication in which the sponsor or company is
identified.
a.
Advertising
b.
Publicity
c.
Promotion
d.
Public relations
e.
Nonpaid communication
50. To increase its revenues, US Airways has decided to sell space on the tray tables to companies that
would like to use this unique channel for their promotional messages. In terms of the promotional
strategy, the tray tables will be used for:
a.
implicit communications
b.
publicity
c.
sales promotion
d.
public relations
e.
advertising
51. The marketing function that evaluates public attitudes, identifies areas within the organization that are
of public interest, and executes a program of action to gain public understanding is:
a.
public relations
b.
advertising
c.
implicit communications
d.
personal selling