The Marketing Mix: Promotion (Edexcel IGCSE Business)

The importance of promotion

Spec point — 4.3.4 · Promotion

• Promotion plays a crucial role in generating customer awareness, interest and desire for a product

  • It communicates a businesses value proposition to potential customers and helps to differentiate the product or business from competitors
  • Promotion also helps to build brand awareness and loyalty which can lead to repeat purchases and referrals

Aims of promotion

*Promotion aims to support sales of new and existing products, inform customers and improve brand and business image  *

• Above-the-line promotion refers to advertising aimed at reaching a wide audience through traditional mass media channels

  • Advertising may use media such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines and outdoor sites such as billboards

• Below-the-line promotion includes marketing communications over which a business has direct control and which do not make use of mass media

  • These channels include direct marketing, sales promotions, personal selling and public relations (PR)

Exam Hint Revise these key terms because, in the exam, you could be asked to define above-the-line or below-the-line promotion. Examiners report that students rarely provide clear definitions for these.