Abstract
One of the integral parts of the marketing process is the product launch event. These events are designed and executed with an aim to create memorable experiences among the attending participants with an aim to create a relationship between them and the brand. Given that such events focus on creating a relationship between the target customers and the brand, branding becomes an integral part of the product launch events. It is therefore expected to play a role in the design and choice of decoration in the product launch events. This paper aims to establish how important branding is in ensuring the effectiveness of the product launch events by having an influence on the product launch event design and the choice of decorations in such events. The study then provides an in-depth analysis of the importance of branding and the likely influence it has on product launch events. It further provides an insight on product launch events, the importance of selecting the right event design and the importance of using decorations that create a lasting impact. The research combine primary and secondary research where primary research involves the use of questionnaires which have been administered on players in the product launch events industry as well as the persons who have attended such events. The findings of the research indicate that branding does contribute to the effectiveness of product launch events. This is especially so where branding is accurately matched to the event designs with decorations emphasising on a theme that channels all the attention to the brand. The discussions of the research and the findings thereof are as outlined in the subsequent sections of this research.
This
chapter introduces product launch events and outlines the main elements of the
same as well as the requirements that need to be met to ensure that product
launch events create the desired impact among the audience and the target
market. The concept of branding has also been briefly outlined. The effect of
branding on the marketing process and corporate events has also been briefly
focused on. The chapter also introduces
the research statement which is provides a glimpse into what the paper intends
to examine and report on.
Events
that launch products are a marketing strategy with many potential benefits.
Companies today are making use of choreographed product launches to build the
reputation of the base line of the company and the company itself. In order to
have a successful product launch care is given to the details of the
development and planning process. Allen et al., (2008) points
out that the main factor that is considered when launching a
product is winning of the audience’s attention. In order for this launch to be
successful, marketer’s advice that the use of effective marketing tools that
provide a good strategy in the design to be used.
According
to Getz, (2007), one of the modern-day challenges for product launch events is
the ability for a business to attract people to actually attend the events. The
increasingly busy population in most markets may not easily be convinced to
attend an event unless there is some big news or some sought of a draw from
which they hope to cash in on. This can also be done by offering event
discounts for the people who will attend the event. Discounts are known to motivate
attendance from persons who may wish to make certain savings depending on the
amount of discounts offered (Getz, 2007). The attendance may also be boosted by
inviting key personalities in the society to give speeches during such events.
Research
to determine the kind of persons adored by the target audience needs to be done
with accuracy in order to ensure that attendance is inspired as intended. The
product launch event also needs to be well advertised with the promise to
create a memorable experience for the persons that attend it (Klein, 2000). As
opposed to merely offering information about the product, the launch event
should necessitate the actual use of the product where their benefits can be
demonstrated and experienced by those attending the event. This is as opposed
to advertisement where information on the qualities and functionality of the
products is merely provided. As a general rule, the market views advertisements
as statement that often contain certain exaggerations and would only trust
their own experiences in relation to the benefits associated with the products
(Kotler, 2003).
The
choice of location for the product launch event is also crucial. As Goldblatt
(2005) observes, the event needs to be in proximity to the target audience who
would then easily access the launch cite and therefore be in attendance as
intended. The choice of location also needs to reflect on the product. For
instance, a product aimed for sale to a high class society must be launch in a
high class location in order to avoid sending the wrong messages. Product
events only last for a short time- in most cases, for just a day. However, the
need for building the sales momentum does not last for a similarly short time.
Organisations
must of necessity come up with adequate follow up strategies in order to
realise the maximum benefits realisable from a launch event. The launch event must be accompanied by
prolonged marketing campaigns in order to generate the desired results from a
launch event (Kotler, 2003). The traditional definition of a product launch
event is the holding of ceremonies accompanied by press conferences that
basically formalise the event. However, this definition is being challenged by
innovating ideas in the market where the definition of a product launch event
can be extended to apply to flash mobs, cyber events, street teams and so on
(Jacobson, 2006).
Some
of the most effective strategies in marketing that can give product launch
success are the identification of the four Ps in marketing (Kotler, 2003).
These are product, pricing, place and promotion. Selling the product entails
having a good description of the product being launched, for this reason; the
marketer of the event must have details of the product. This means the
usefulness, colour, and any fact about the product. Pricing must also be
considered; this is because prices of products often give competition to other
similar products in the market. When launching the product, the price must
attract customers and therefore give the product a competitive advantage.
Place
entails the location where to best market and sell the product and therefore
reach a majority of the customers (Kotler, 2003). Location will determine the
best place to launch a product in order to gain most of the clients. Promotion
is the marketing style that will be used in order to attract many clients and
for that reason a successful launch. Therefore in order for the product launch
event to be successful, these four factors must be taken into consideration.
Fundamentally,
in order to have a good product launch, the event marketer must take into
consideration the best design for the event. Berridge (2007) defined event
design as the set of fields used for problem solving which use the user-centric
properties to understand the needs of users. This is done to provide the user
with solutions that will solve their problems. Design is used as a means to
provide the users with change in the system or market. For this reason, design
of events is the provision of solutions that clients can use to solve problems.
From that view, this study draws the conclusion that when design is used in
events, it is meant to give the solution to problems that are being solved by
the event.
In
the process of trying to solve problems, the event designer is trying to create
the desired perception, behaviour and cognitive responses in the consumer
(Bowdin et al., 2006). The reason
being when it comes to event marketing, the designer realizes that it is
important that the event creates a feeling of satisfaction in the clients. In
the process, they apply perception psychological approaches to attract the
clients (Getz, 2007). This is done by giving events an aesthetic value, where
the eyes play the central role in marketing the products and services. For this
reason product launch events must have an aesthetic value to the client.
According
to Berridge (2007), the event design to be arrived at in a product launch event
is supposed to be a reflection of research conducted on the target audience to
determine which kind of events would satisfy them the most. This is due to the
fact that events are expected to produce valuable and memorable experiences
among the persons attending any events. This event design refers to the nature
of activities to be undertaken during the events as well as the duration of
such activities. For instance, Zeo, which had invented a sleep monitoring
machine that would gather data from brain waves of people while they slept,
opted to have a launch event that required the attendees to spend the night at
the product launch event where the functionality and benefits of the machine
could be explicitly demonstrated (Ramsborg, et
al, 2008). Similarly, launch events for beauty products often include
experiential sessions where those in the audience that may wish to have a first
hand experience of the product are given the opportunity where they are exposed
to sophisticated treatment by the company’s employees (Ramsborg, et al, 2008).
The
determination of the nature of presentation and the choice of who to make the
presentation is equally crucial to determine the extent to which the audience
believes the information offered (Ramsborg, et
al, 2008). One of the most effective approaches taken by organisations
involves the use of customers who have already tested the product and have been
satisfied by it. They are allowed an opportunity to recount their experiences
while the company employees involved demonstrate on the functionality of such
products. This enhances the effectiveness of the product launch events. The
presentation styles also need to reflect on both the product and the level of
understanding of the audience in question (Ramsborg, et al, 2008). The presenters need to have a thorough knowledge of
the communication styles that are most effective in relaying meaning to the
target audience. Where the wrong choice of communication is adopted, the
product launch event is as good as failed. Moreover, the nature of the product
must also be considered in designing the communication styles to be adopted.
For instance, the communication adopted for launching a face cream would be
definitely different from that used for launching computer software.
Similarly,
event design refers to the choice of venue and sequence of events during the
launch including the choice of whether or not to provide food and refreshments
(Goldblatt, 2002). Given that the launch event is aimed at creating valuable
and memorable experiences on the target customers, the aspects of human comfort
that may not necessarily have anything to do with the product must also be
considered. As Jacobson (2006) observes, trivial details such as the provision
of enough sitting space could potentially lead to the failure of a well
designed event. The audience that attend such an event and are forced to be on
their feet till they are exhausted may not be able to fully appreciate the
information being presented. The event should also be accompanied by the
provision of reference materials detailing the functionality of the products
that the audience can later refer to at their own convenience (Bowdin et al, 2006). This should be provided
together with the contact information that the target customers would need
whenever they need to any clarifications.
The
elements of event design that include the choice of decoration are as outlined
in the section below.
When
it comes to event creation, the designer is aware that there must be creativity
in the design of the event. This means that for events to be successful the
designer must come up with new ideas and concepts (Goldblatt, 2005). Such ideas and concepts are reflected
in the theme of the event, look, design, decorations and the items at the
event. In the process the designer will end up with a generic design, where
location, site characteristics, social cultural aspects, amenities, programme,
services, security and control will attract the customer (Goldblatt, 2005).
Therefore
when applied to product launch, creativity of the products will translate to
the initial success of the product in the market. In order to create something
that will leave a lasting impression on the client, the product launch event
must have an eye catching occasion (Goliath, 2006). In this, the event manager must make
sure the overall process brings together the various creative disciplines of
decorations and design. They must understand the experiences of design and
decoration to the client, the finishing touches must be good, creative
techniques should be used (Malouf,
1999).
The decorations must take into consideration backdrops and props design, colours,
lines, balance and flow, the centre piece and focal points of interest and the
general décor of the event (Kaputa, 2008). All these aspects must be in sync
for the event to attract the customer’s attention.
Decorations
can be effectively used to create the emotional backing that the events need. Colours
have been acknowledged as effective instruments of mood creation and the event
designers must be alive to the need to ensure that the event must of necessity
be lively in order to engrave memorable experiences in the audience’s minds
(Sherman, 2011). The level of interest developed among the audience is often a
product of the creativity of the decorations used in the event. These
decorations need to present a level of uniqueness that can only be associated
with it and not a mere reflection of previous events that the audience may have
had the opportunity to attend (Sherman, 2011). This is where creativity plays a
role in ensuring that the products launch event remains memorable.
The
decorations must however not be haphazard: they must reflect on the theme of
the event and the products being launched. This focus on the theme and product
must however be creatively done to avoid creating a monotonous tone that may
cause the audience to get bored and therefore erode the gains made through
effective designing of the other elements of the launch event.
Branding
is increasingly being used for the creative design and decoration of the
product launch events (Kaputa, 2008). Event marketers have come to realize the
importance of branding events in order to make them creative, unique and
successful. It is seen as the means to which the product and the company are
recognized by the customer.
Marketers
use branding since it offers the markers that clients associate companies and
what they offer (Kolb, 2006). The realization is that brands give the customer
a simple choice, offer quality, develop trust and reduce risks. Brand marketing
builds on the company, product, use by customers and the marketing event.
Therefore branding reflects the whole marketing experience. Branding an event
and product entails the creation of a direction to which the activities and
programs will follow. In the process, the marketer creates a single theme for
the event and product that will be used to associate the product and company.
According to Malouf, (1999) this
central theme is created with the help of color themes, shapes, slogans,
taglines, logo, trademark, exclusive element and celebrity touch. This is
because everything in the event has a meaning, therefore designs and decorations
used end up with a central theme.
In
order to fully understand the effects branding have on the design and
decorations used in product launching events, a research will be conducted.
This is because this paper realizes that branding is increasingly being used in
product launches. Since events main purpose is to capture the customers
attention through the creation of an aesthetic aspect, this research shall look
at the effects branding have on the aesthetic factor. Taking this into
consideration, it has been noted that aesthetic quality has been achieved over
the years through event design and decorations. Hence the effects of this
branding on the product launch event design and decorations will be the main
concern of the paper.
The main objective of
this research is the identification of the effects and influences branding has
on the decorations and design used in product launch events with a focus on
drawing insights from the experiences of MAC Cosmetics. The paper also creates
understanding of the concept of branding and tries to justify why branding may
be necessary in ensuring the effectiveness of product launch events. The paper
then explores the theories of event design and decorations in order to
establish to what extent branding can influence the choice of the same. The
specific objectives of this research are to analyze;
·
the importance of branding to product
launch events especially when it relates to beauty products,
·
what aspects of the brand (product
tangible and product intangible) are most useful to launch events of cosmetic
and beauty products
·
the effects branding has on the
decorations and design of product launch events as experienced at MAC Cosmetics
events,
·
the effects of the branded decorations
and design on the product launch events,
·
Effects of the branded product launch
events on the customers
·
The use of marketing theories, to
analyze the overall branding of product launches events.
This
chapter highlights the importance of product launch events as well as their
significance as part of the marketing process. It also explains the concept of
branding and how branding adds value to the launch events. This concludes by
highlighting some of the experiences of MAC cosmetics in the product launch
events.
Product launch events
are an integral part of the marketing processes in the organisations. According
to Monroe and Kates (2005), product launch events provide organisations with a
unique opportunity to boost their brands and give their products a good start
in the markets. Properly planned and executed product launch events make an
accurate reflection of the brand image and contribute significantly towards brand
awareness among the target customers (Raj, Walters and Rashid, 2008). The hype
surrounding the events helps create memorable experiences that create a greater
impression in customers’ minds than any other marketing campaigns (Shone and
Parry, 2001). This is more evident where the events are designed in a manner
that maximises the exposure that the attendees have to the benefits offered by
the products. The promise of a successful launch event is therefore worth the
resources invested in them (Shone and Parry, 2001). However, the events are
equally risky. The campaigns surrounding such events draw attention of the
consumers to them, and this makes any mistakes significantly visible (Raj,
Walters and Rashid, 2008). Any miscalculation in terms of brand image
projection, or a reflection of a poorly organised event is likely to negatively
affect the organisations and their products over prolonged lengths of time and
it may therefore lead to poor product performance in the markets (Raj, Walters
and Rashid, 2008). The cost of erasing the negative perceptions from the target
customers may be enormous, and often beyond the capacity of most organisations
(Monroe and Kates, 2005). Product launch events must therefore be organised
with tact and precision in order to ensure their value is realised.
As Silvers (2003)
records, product launch events and branding are an integral part of the
marketing process. Marketing basically have to do with the process of getting
target consumers to demand for the products in question (Kotler, 2009).
Marketing can broadly defined as the process of determining which products can
be of interest to consumers and the strategy to use to not only generate demand
for the products, but also to ensure that such products can be accessed by the
target consumers with relative ease (Kotler, 2009). It therefore relates the
value building for both customers and the organizations. Some of the main
elements to be considered in the marketing process include product, place,
promotion and price (Stanton, 1981). The element of product refers to the
tangible and intangible goods that are to be offered to their customers. The
products are typically created in response to certain customer needs (Schmitt,
2003). Mastery of the features of products on offer and the utility they are
expected to give to the target consumers is integral to the marketing process
(Schmitt, 2003). Place refers to the physical location of the products and is
often synonymous with the distribution channels used by an organization.
Pricing outlines the pricing strategy embraced by organizations (Schmitt,
2003). An organization may either choose to price their products higher in
apparent reference to the superior quality of their products; or they may
choose to price in the same range as their competitors (either slightly lower
or at the same price levels) (Pike, 2008). Promotion on the other hand refers
to the communications made to stimulate demand for the products. The promotion
mix involves personal selling, advertising, public relations, and sales
promotions (Pike, 2008).
Knowledge of the
various elements of the marketing mix is useful in shaping the design of
product launch events (Goldblatt, 2005). Strategic marketing theories demand
that the organisations take consideration of a number of factors. To start
with, the organisations must gather information in order to establish the
prevailing needs in the market (Kotler, 2003). This gathered information is
useful in ascertaining what marketing approaches would be most effective.
Secondly, consideration of the aim of the marketing exercise should be made
(Kotler, 2003). In the case of product launch events, the objective of the
marketing exercise would be to ensure good attendance of the event especially
by the target customers (Goldblatt, 2005). The targeting of customers must be
strategic and different approaches taken to reach out to them. The same applies
to the choice of marketing media used to publicise the events. These must take
into consideration their level of effectiveness among the target customers. For
instance, some of the MAC cosmetics events that targeted the young consumers
made use of the social media and was largely successful (Jaykwaywes, 2011). The
choice of message when promoting the events must also be strategic and able to
inspire those encountering the message to attend the events. It must make a
promise that is strong enough to create some level of curiosity. The events
must however be designed to meet the created levels of expectations to avoid
turning them into items of negative publicity for the organisations (Goldblatt,
2005). Focus on the customers as well as the brand image to be projected is
crucial for the success of such events. Considerations of ‘place’ allows event
organizers to take due consideration to the ability of the target customers to
access the launch venue with relative ease (Tum, Norton and Nevan Wright, 2005).
The choice of venue should also widely reflect on the preferences of the target
customers and this necessitates the conduct of an intensive marketing research.
Pricing is often used to attract customers to product launch events (Goldblatt,
2002). The prices in such events may be priced lower in order to provide the
motivation for customers to attend such events. As Berridge (2007) observes,
consideration of the promotion mix gives product launch event organizers the
opportunity to consider the promotion tools that would best suit the event. The
use of advertising can be done to promote awareness of the launch events in
order to get customers to meet the event (Berridge, 2007). The event organizers
could then make provisions for personal selling in order to get the attendees
to purchase the products while demonstrating the product use and their benefits
(Van der Wagen, 2006). Product refers to the tangible and intangible goods on
offer. The features of the products and the benefits expected to be passed on
to customers must be highlighted to prompt customers to use them ((Pike, 2008)).
Knowledge of the product life cycle is also crucial in designing such events. As
Allen (2010) observes, most product launch events are conducted at the market
introduction stage of the product life cycle. At this stage, consumers have to
be prompted to consume the products. The launch events should therefore be
designed in a manner that emphasizes the functionality of the products (Monroe
and Kates, 2005). According to Yeoman, et
al(2003) these events may also be
conducted after the introduction of the products where products may be launched
after undergoing a re-designing process where the new features should be
highlighted effectively in order to get customers to consume the products.
Branding
has variously been described in by many scholars as the identity of a given
organisation or a product (Gregory, 2003). It’s the medium through which a
product or an organisation can be identified. It could take the form of symbol,
sign, name, or slogan and describes how the product or organisation in question
relates to its target customers (Gregory, 2003). The brand experience may
therefore be described as the experiential function resulting from all points
of contact with the brand in question (Gregory, 2003). This brand experience
leads to the generation of the brand image which is psychological and includes
the mental constructions of the brand based on the information gathered about
the brand and the expectations that the market has on it. According to Kotler
(2006), organisations therefore strive to align the market’s expectations with
the brand experience in order to highlight the unique qualities of its products
and therefore build the desired brand image. A brand is therefore the most
central part of any marketing event including product launch events.
A brand image differs from the brand identity
in the sense that whereas the image refers to the perception of the consumers
towards the brand, the brand identity refers to the producers perception of the
benefits, qualities and values that they wish to portray while marketing their
products (Olins, 2004). It refers to how a producer would wish their goods to
be perceived and therefore influences the choice of brand names and symbols as
well as the communication styles to be adopted while marketing the brand (Fan,
2002). This is of high relevance when it comes to marketing events such as new
product launch events that organisations undertake from time to time.
A
successful brand management process often results in the alignment of the brand
image and the brand identity (Schmidt and Ludlow, 2002). Organisations need to
conduct constant enquiries in the market to ascertain the success of their
brand management exercise with a view to making requisite corrective measures
whenever need arises. Before a brand can be well established in any
organisation, the internal processes and the human resources need to be aligned
to it in a process known as brand orientation (Fan, 2002). This process is part
of the brand management process which refers to the process of creating and
maintaining a brand.
The
brand management process should always result in the offering of products and
services that are relevant to the target market. As Holt (2004) observes, the
brand management process is always aimed at pushing the brand to a point of
brand recognition. This is the point at which the brand becomes widely known in
the market. However, marketers rarely stop at the brand recognition point and
continue their campaign to the point at which the brand enjoys overwhelming
positive sentiments in a given market (Klein, 2000). This is the point at which
the brand achieves brand franchise. According to recent research, brand owners
strive at creating a positive brand image due to the fact that consumers tend
to prefer purchasing products whose prices have been adjusted to accommodate a
brand premium (Birkin, 1994). This means that where similar products are priced
slightly differently with the branded ones being a little more expensive, an
average consumer would purchase the branded one despite the price
differentials.
A
brand should be memorable and consumers should be able to recognise it at any
point and in different situations. This is called brand awareness. Where brand
awareness exists, customers are able to associate brands with the products that
the brand is related to and the recognition of their needs that are supposed to
be satisfied through the brand in question (Neumeier, 2004). Studies indicate
that over 95% of the purchases made are done on the basis of brand awareness (Miller,
2004). This implies that consumers only consider products whose brands they are
aware of. A brand must also be clear on what it stands for in relation to the
characteristics and value it wishes to offer to its customers: it should have a
clear brand promise. For instance, a brand could stand for quality, trust,
performance, or even unreliability. It is also possible for individual products
under a larger parent brand to offer distinct brand promises. For instance, a
cosmetic organisation that mainly stands for quality could have a product under
it whose brand promise is a smoother skin or strong smooth hair (Van der Wagen,
2002).
Organisations
that operate on a global scale also have the option of creating global brands
which reflect the same values and qualities across national and regional
boundaries (Fan, 2002). Brands such as MAC Cosmetics, Coca Cola, Nike,
Face-book, Apple and Toyota are good examples of this. This enables such brands
to gain worldwide recognition with relative ease and in a manner that allows
them the economies of scale as far as brand management is concerned. It also
enables organisations to tap into the increasing growth of globalisation on an
international scale where expansion is easier for organisations that have
already created a global brand (Dowling, 1994; Barich and Kotler, 1991).
However, caution must be taken to ensure that the global brands factor in
cultural differences in modifying their brands to suit the cultural contexts of
the different countries. Aspects such as the language of use, style of
communication and statutory requirements must be looked into if a global brand
is to remain successful on a global scale (Fan, 2002). Brands can also be local
where the products are mainly distributed on a relatively small and restricted
geographical area.
Ambient
brands on the other hand take advantage of social needs and values to promote
the sale of its products (Fan, 2002). This may be through participation in
social events and social movements whose slogans are then adopted to be
representative of the products in question. These brands more often than not
originate from the consumers who, in recognition of the alignment of the
corporations to their needs, brand their products as such and opt to prioritise
them over other products when making purchase decisions (Goliath, 2006). Brand
names come in different styles as outlined below: they can either be acronyms
such as IBM; descriptive where the names describe the benefit of the products
such as Airbus; Alliteration and rhymes where words that easily stick in
people’s minds due to the fun in mentioning them such as Dunkin’s Donuts;
Geographical brand names; personification brand names which are coined from
mythical characters such as Nike; Use of the founder’s names as is the case
with Disney; use of foreign words; evocative names that create clear relevant
images such as Amazon; and Neologisms which are brand names that are creatively
coined from nothing such as Kodak (Aggrawal, 1996).
The
use of multi-brands is also quite effective when used creatively in a market.
This entails the running of several brands that have deliberately been set up
to compete against each other in the market. The end result is that each of the
competing brands gains on its own market share and therefore pre-empts the risk
of entry by other organisations hence stabilising the parent company’s hold of
the market (Aggrawal, 1996). In the US, Proctor & Gamble run at least 10
detergent brands. Similar approach is taken by the giant soft drink company, Coca
Cola which runs various competing soft drink brands that effectively compete
against each other to guarantee Coca Cola the largest market share globally
(Aggrawal, 1996). MAC Cosmetics also offers several brands of beauty products
across more than 10 countries where some of the brands are seen as competing
with each other to grow the overall market share of the corporation (MAC
Cosmetics, 2010).
The
importance of branding to businesses is beyond question as per the view of most
business researchers. This is due to the direct relationship between branding
and the customer experience. According to Goliath (2006), branding does affect
the experiences of the customer with the product and the company. He asserts
that these experiences occur in five different types. The first experience the
customer will have is the sense experience, where brand affects their sensory
perception. This is followed by the experience associated with affect and
emotions, creative and cognition, behavior and lifestyles and the last relate
to experiences (Goliath, 2006;
Berridge, 2007). Therefore branding has an overall
effect on the customer’s senses, emotions, cognition, behavior and relations.
It is for these reasons that marketers use branding to manipulate the
perception of the customer of the product.
Branding
is also used to build the corporate image, reputation and products. This has
been studied intensively by (Dowling, 1994; Barich & Kotler, 1991). In these reviews branding has
been seen to evoke associations of products and their attributes by the
customer. The customer will always associate the branded product with benefits,
companies, people, values and programmes. Other studies by Keller and Aaker,
(1998) in have
shown that when branding is used, the product is associated with a willing,
able and reliable company. Through this MAC cosmetics has been able to
establish itself as a leader in the beauty market, building an empire that runs
into millions (MAC cosmetics, 2010). Therefore branding of products is simply
the creation of a perception in the customer that will lead them to always
associate certain values, attributes, themes, relationships and benefits with
the products. For this reason any type of product branding aims at the creation
of perceptions, experiences and associative behaviours in customers. If these
characteristics are not realized then the branding was not successful. According
to Jarujet, et al (2009), the brand
identity that MAC Cosmetics intend to create is based on their organisation’s
objectives which are two fold: it intends to remain the deliverer of trusted
creativity in the long run while staying ahead of fashion and trends in the
short run.
The
branding of events is a common practice in event development within the
advertisement and marketing community. According to Allen et al (2008), branding provides the basis on which every activity
in the event is to be tailored on. This is due to the fact that branding is
used to direct the emotions created during the events towards the desired goal-
that of generating revenue through the sale of the products being launched and
subsequent customer loyalty that would lead to enhanced market share (Wernick,
1991). Product launch events, like most corporate events provide a mild
semblance of a ceremony where the attendants of such events are treated to a
series of gratifying entertainment and presentations that are aimed at
sustaining their attention and interest in the events going on (Water4fish,
2011). This attention is further enhanced by the presence of decoration which
not only comprise of the decorations on the walls through banners and
paintings, but also those on the furniture and the floor. As Baines and Gaynor
(2006) observe, the decorations and the design of the event need to be
consistent with the branding of the organisation or product in order to draw
lasting impression on the target audience.
There
are many leading event planners and companies who use branding in the corporate
events. These organisations include the following: Brand events UK, coca cola,
Kodak, beauty industry like MAC cosmetics and Edinburgh international festival
Kolb, (Getz, 2007). These event planners and organizations use branding to
launch products like soft drinks, cars, festivals, fashion and other items. It
should be realized that branding of events and products is not limited but
broadly covers any product produced in the market. Researchers categorise
product launch events as one of the crucial steps in the marketing process
(Getz, 2007). It is considered to be just as important as the rest of the
marketing processes and the determination of the marketing mix due to its
potential to give the product a befitting head start in the market (Barnes and
Gaynor, 2006). It is therefore conducted, not with the simple goal of
celebration and declaring that a new product is on sale in the market, but with
the intention of drawing as many consumers as possible to embrace and purchase
the products.
Product
launch events therefore need to be creatively designed in a manner that not
only intrigues the target consumers but also draws attention to the central
part of the product: the Brand (Brand Events, 2011). The importance of making
the brand visible during such an event can therefore not be overemphasised.
Event design also needs to largely reflect on the benefits advocated for by the
brand. For instance, in a launch event where beauty products are to be
launched, and the brand emphasises the enhancement of elegance among the
consumers, the decorations and the physical design of the venue should be done
in such a way that any observers would be able to appreciate the elegance in
not only the products but also in the event itself (Ramsborg et all, 2008).
Events
must not be viewed as simply sessions where product- related activities are
carried out but as the grand opportunity to present the target customers with
the unique opportunity that would enable them to fully appreciate their brand
and the products being launched (Robinson, Wale and Dickson, 2010). Thorough
preparations therefore need to be made in order to project the message that the
organisation desires to project using the event. The planning process stretches
from the determination of the event timing, procedure of events, design of the
event as well as the determination of the decorations to be included in the
event (Tum, Norton and Wright, 2005). The underlying factor is to attract as
much attention as possible while remaining careful to maintain focus on the
qualities of the products being launched. The choice of persons to invite for
the event as well as the manner in which the event proceedings are propagated
to the general public is also important (Goldblatt, 2010). Most organisations
ensure that their launch proceedings are aired live on mass media or captured
during news highlights to ensure maximum exposure to the public (Tum, Norton
and Wright, 2005). This may either be on national or international media
outlets.
Other
events in which branding could be useful includes events such as corporate
anniversaries, awareness programs, food and wine festivals, and product
re-launches among others (Wood and Brotherton, 2008). For instance, the use of
branding in events such as the food and wine festivals draws the customers’
attention to the unique look and feel of the foods in question. This often
leads to the stimulation of demand by way of persuading customers who
previously didn’t consume such foods to start doing so, and in so doing,
contribute to the good performance of the foods in the market. Examples of such
food and wine festivals are the Abergavenny food festival and the Ludlow
marches Food and Drink festival (Goldblatt, 2010). Each of these events
showcases food and drink products that are associated with the respective
regions. This is because the festivals’ organizers have been able to create
certain tastes, colours, designs, logos, trademarks of foods and drinks that
are displayed in these festivals (Matthews, 2008). In the process customers have over
time associated foods and drinks from these regions with the related designs
used when marketing. In addition to this the customer is given a feeling of
quality and standard from the consumption of such foods and drinks that are
launched by these festivals. Through the identification of certain colours,
lines and design types, the customer is conditioned to associate these with the
products and quality products.
According
to Berridge (2007) branding of events presents the marketer a chance to give
the customers a unique experience. Experience is seen as the key player in the
influence of the purchasing power of the customer. Through branding, the
marketer is able to give the customer the motivation and satisfaction that can
be realized from the products (Kotler, 2009). For example in the leisure
business the experience of the customer can be created through branded products
that depict quality service and good relations with the companies. The idea
behind leisure branding is the creation of aesthetic perception. In this
context, the event manager will launch a holiday or leisure product through
scenic views, catchy slogans and bright colours.
Like
many researches have shown, branding has an effect on the senses of the
customer. It is able to evoke emotions that are associated with the product.
According to Monroe, CMP and CSEP,
(2006) the
association that the customer has is created though the design of the event. A
branded event often has a central theme that directs the overall look and
perception of the event. A good example is the Edinburgh city which is
associated with the festival look, for this reason, themes behind the events
are based on festivity (Silvers, 2003). Colour tones, architecture and
trademarks are given a festival look.
The
use of the brand as the underlying base for decoration allows the event
planners to factor in a myriad of matching and contrasting colours as well as
other settings that enable them appreciate the cultural context in which they
are operating (Monroe, CMP, and CSEP, 2006). This is in accordance with the
underlying maxim that requires organisations to tailor their branding to suit
the unique circumstances of the locals which include culture among other
factors. The factoring in of the thematic outlook of the event to the cultural
context enhances the acceptability of the brand among the people in question
leading to the enhancement of a strong performance of the products in the
market (Yeoman, et al, 2003).
According
to Robinson, Wale and Dickson, (2010) branding
gives the event the culture of the people targeted. For example, food and wine
that comes from Ludlow is associated with the culture of the people in that
area. This is because the event organizers use cultural colours, themes, shapes
and objects in the design of the event. In the process customers who identify a
certain colour, object or shape in the market, will straight away associate it
with the culture. Customers will associate a product launched in this house
with the designer decorations and ornaments used during the fashion launch
(Mustonen, 2011). This is because the fashion house has been seen to have
different themes for each season. The customer is then drawn to new designs,
fashionable labels, quality clothes, and perfumes from that season. By making
each show unique event designers give the customer an unforgettable experience Wood and Brotherton, (2008).
They work on the customer’s senses that will make them always associate certain
themes to the product. In the end, the product will sell as unique and
different due to the associated feelings created in the client. Branding of the
event and the product creates the feeling of authenticity in the customer. Each
branding aspect used in the event makes the customer feel like they are having
quality and value products from the company. Since brands aims at uniquely
creating colours and designs that will represent the product, the process ends
up creating a common colour scheme and decorations. For this reason branding
creates ‘hot images’ through the use of colours, design and decorations.
The most notable events
by MAC Cosmetics that can be used to illustrate the impact of branding on the
design and decoration choice for product launch events are the wonder woman
launch and the company’s product line launch in Los Angeles. In the case of Wonder
Woman, the choice of term was very strategic (Harvery, 2011).
It
was aimed at portraying its products as having the ability to bring out the
hero in every woman and therefore appeal to the women who adores a sense of
courage, confidence and charisma to identify with the product (Harvery, 2011).
The outstanding pictures in the decorations were therefore those of a heroic
woman together with pictures depicting her conquest in overcoming her
adversaries with an amazing combination of colours that were not only warm, but
also exciting and a portrayal of sheer genius. This experience was designed for
sheer excitement and the number of guests was restricted in order to allow the
attending guests to experience the thrills of the products to the fullest. The
company also provided enough make up artists who were both courteous and
helpful thereby further enriching the experiences of those in attendance
(Jaykaywes, 2011). As can be learned from the success of this event, event
design must be approached with creativity and with the intended brand
personality in mind in order for the event to be not only memorable but also
relevant to the products being launched.
A
second experience can be observed from the event conducted by MAC Cosmetics in
Los Angeles. With the intention of creating an exciting event that carried with
it some measure of ‘shock value’, MAC Cosmetics chose to host a party at a
studio, Milk studios (Dubin, 2011). The choice of the venue was in itself a
portrayal of excitement as studios are always associated with thrill and
excitement. The company went further to invite a popular music band, the cult
punk band (Dubin, 2011). The band would adorn themselves in costumes whose
design and colouring were in line with the colour themes that would reflect on
the brand personality intended by MAC Cosmetics. The two events portray the
success that can be achieved when product launch event designs and choice of
decorations are selected with creativity and a clear focus on the brand image
to be projected.
This
chapter explains the process that was used in the collection of data for the
research as well as the approach to data analysis that was taken to come up
with the results and recommendations listed in the subsequent chapters of this
paper. The philosophical paradigms used in the research have also been
expounded on in order to give a reflection on the level of objectivity with
which the findings and recommendations should be regarded. The research made
use of both primary and secondary research where the primary research was done
through interviews with players in the event management industry. Professionals
in the industry were viewed as the most reliable sources of the information
sought after. On the other hand, secondary research was done through analysis
of previous works in related subjects as reflected in various books, academic
journals, professional and company websites, and other relevant literature.
According
to Kumar (2005), research is the systematic investigation of the field of knowledge
to generate facts and answers to research questions. The main question was
derived from the topic of the paper: What
are the effects and influences of branding on decorations and design of the MAC
cosmetics product launching events?
This
research topic was comprehensively broken down in order to generate the
supporting elements which were in form of the research questions outlined
below:
·
What is the importance of branding on
product launch events?
·
What are the effects of branding on the
decorations and design of product launch events?
·
What are the effects of the branded
decorations and design on the product launch events?
·
The effects of the branded product
launch event on the customer?
4.3. Research philosophy
The
study made use of various research paradigms; ontology and epistemology issues
in order to establish the beliefs, assumptions, perceptions, concepts and
considerations of the research. In order to reduce the effects of perceptions
and assumptions that are made by the researcher, the research should have a
philosophical condition (Easterby-smith et
al., 2008). The first condition that is satisfied to reduce these
perceptions is ontology. This has been seen as the study of ‘being’ that is
based on social sciences that is used to describe knowledge and reality on what
knowledge looks like and what makes it up. According to Blaikie, (1993) when
research is based on ‘ontology’, a research approach should be able to define
the views of the researcher based on either subjective or objective reality.
For this reason, the researcher should identify any assumptions that may create
biased, wrong conclusions on the research (Easterby-smith et al., 2008).
Therefore
the following assumptions were made for this research;
·
There exist effects of branding on the
design of events for product launch, which greatly affect the product launch.
·
For this reason products like MAC
cosmetics are associated with happiness beauty, joy, youthfulness and dreams
coming true.
·
These effects are either negative or
positive and are reflected on the experiences of the customer with the
products.
·
Branding intentionally manipulates the
perception and senses of the customer in order to motivate them to buy the
products.
In
addition to these, there exist perceptions that are under the influence of the
researcher’s culture, religion, language, politics and relationships (Eriksson
and Kovalainen, 2008). These perceptions and assumptions can be identified by
the philosophical conditions of axiology. According to Graham, (2004) axiology
is the study of values that are patterned by choices made by people. Based on
this condition, the researcher observes that this research has no personal
values, social cultural influences or perceptions that will affect the manner in
which knowledge generation and the overall research will be carried out
(Flowers, 2009). The research bears no political, religious or value biasness,
perceptions or assumptions drawn from the researcher’s view.
Finally
the research tries to develop a philosophical research, where all knowledge is
argued and formed on. According to Eriksson and Kovalainen, (2008), this means
that the research process must make use of appropriate research methods.
Therefore the research method will satisfy this condition if they are reliable,
valid and proven over time. This research meets this condition by using interviews
as the dominant research method. For consistency the research questions to be
answered were based on the objectives of the research, and find out the effects
branding has on products like MAC cosmetics in the market.
There
exist many research paradigms that are used in research approach. One of these
is the positivist approach which is based on the testing of the hypothesis of the
research by drawing from theory. According to Flowers, (2003), this means the
use of deductive testing of the observed reality; this type of approach basis
research on the truth, reasons and valid facts. When applied to this research
the assumption that would be derived is that what happens in product launch
events can only be revealed through the use of scientific methods of
measurement. It therefore emphasises the use of verifiable data through the use
of statistically proven methodologies with the aim of establishing a
relationship between given sets of realities (Eaterby-Smith, Thorpe and
Jackson, 2008).
The
Interpretivist approach according to Hatch and Cunliffe, (2006), is the
approach where research is based on the experiences, expectations and memories
of people. Using this approach the research will base assumptions on the
experience of the person. This however makes the research significantly biased
since reality and facts will be derived from the perceptions of the person. The
interpretivist paradigm also acknowledges the importance of constant research
in order to capture changing perceptions in the market occasioned by the
influence of societal changes on peoples’ perspectives on various phenomena
(Chia, 2002). This philosophical approach therefore emphasises the analysis of
not only the perceptions of the interviews but also the environmental factors
that may possibly lead them to hold the kind of views that they hold (James and
Vinnicombe, 2002). The most common influences on perceptions are occupation,
socio-cultural values, and current events in the market. The realist approach
on the other hand acknowledges the existence of subjectivism and objectivism
and therefore comes across as an amalgamation of both the positivist approach
and the interpretivist approach (James and Vinnicombe, 2002). It acknowledges
the influence of people’s perceptions while also accepting that realities exist
that do not necessarily reflect on the perceptions that the people hold (James
and Vinnicombe, 2002). It focuses more on explanation rather than prediction
and it acknowledges the existence of realities that are yet to be proven;
unlike the positivist approach (Chia, 2002). Therefore, this research made use
of the realist approach in order to ensure a more comprehensive approach. This
is due to the fact that the bulk of the interviews are likely to be a
reflection of personal opinions of the respective respondents. These responses
are expected to be analysed in light of established realities from relevant
academic findings in order to come up with reliable findings and
recommendations in the study.
The
data sources used in this study were both primary and secondary sources.
Primary data was collected using interviews that were conducted on professional
event managers who provided information based on their wealth of experience in
the field. Secondary data was collected through in-depth analysis of previous
studies as reflected in academic journals, books, and websites for product
launch events. These analyses were useful in the data analysis and the
provision of reliable recommendations.
Interviews
were conducted due to their ability to ensure a better understanding of the
interviewee responses through the presentation of the opportunity to seek
immediate clarifications. Kvale (1996) stated that to have a qualitative
interview, the research must cover the factual as well as the level of meaning.
A one on one interaction gives the interviewer a chance to gain interpretation
of the information given by the interviewee. The converse is also true where
the interviewee is able to get immediate clarifications on the questions asked
(Kvale, 1996). This minimises the negative effect that would be associated with
the situations where there is a misunderstanding as to what information the
interviewer seeks from the interviewee.
This
understanding is achieved through the interpretation of verbal as well as
non-verbal language. Non-verbal language is often left out in other modes of data
collection. Verbal language to be observed in this research will involve the
choice of words, connotations and tones that are used in speech to signify some
meaning (Kvale, 1996). This will give the interviewer a chance to make
interpretation of the answers they are given by the interviewee. Elements such
emotions and passion can never be adequately expressed by use of words. Non
verbal communication therefore enables the researcher to understand the level
of importance that the interviewees attach to various ideas enabling the
researcher to have a more meaningful approach to recording his/her findings and
recommendations (Durham and Kellner, 2005). The non-verbal language are seen
from the bodily actions, facial and hand gestures and the position of the body
of the interviewee. The interviewer will have a constructed questionnaire that
will be used during the interview process. While respecting the view that
interviews are strongly influenced by the personalities of both the researcher
and the interviewee and how they connect with each other, the use of a
questionnaire ensures that the core content of the interview essentially
remains the same (Kvale, 1996). This provides the researcher with ease of
analysis and interpretation due to the fact that every interviewee gets to
respond to similar questions.
The
research conditions identified in this proposal indicate that the validity and
reliability of data collected in research is influenced by the choice of the
methods used. This research is by nature qualitative in that it seeks to derive
meaning from data obtained. The use of interviews as the primary method of data
collection is valuable in this research based on this research’s opinion that:
·
They provided a platform for the
researcher to obtain enriched data; the researcher freely interacted with
respondents and make interpretations based on respondents’ direct responses as
well as indirect responses that may be hard to collect through other methods
such as questionnaires.
·
They also offered flexibility through
use of open ended questions in which respondents could give additional
information useful to the research.
·
It ensured lower default rates due to
the fact that the researcher was in constant communication with targeted
respondents and the interview schedules and venues were mutually agreed upon by
both the researcher and the interviewees.
4.6. Population
The
research focused on event management organisations whose range of services had
at any point involved managing events for MAC Cosmetics product launches and
other marketing campaign events as well as a selected number of clients who’ve
attended some launch events. These organisations include Brand Events, Event
Designer and Creative, and Water4fish. Employees of MAC Cosmetics especially
those commonly involved in marketing were also interviewed. The total
population size was therefore about 2000 employees and a couple of thousands of
events’ attendants.
The
research factored in the resources and time available to the researcher in
determining the sample size to be considered for the research. Despite the
absoluteness associated with research on entire populations, sampling becomes
the best alternative in order to ensure that studies are carried out within the
scope and resources available (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2008). The population
size of over 2000 would be impossible to interview in the time available and
this necessitated the designing of a sample whose views would be assumed to be
representative of the entire population. Scholars define a sample as a
representative portion of the whole.
The
rationale for sampling is based on the belief that samples bear characteristics
that are similar to the population and can therefore be studied in order to
draw inferences applicable to the rest of the population (Saunders, Lewis and
Thornhill, 2007). Although this assumption is arguable, it is generally
considered that larger samples are more reflective of the whole than smaller
samples (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2008). A researcher therefore needs to ensure
that the sample arrived at is the largest one possible for the set of time and
resources available for the study. This is especially true with subjects
greatly influenced by personal perceptions where individuals are believed to
hold unique views on the matters in question. However, circumstances often
necessitate the use of samples and care must therefore be taken to ensure that
the samples picked are, to the best knowledge of the researcher, representative
of the whole (Kvale, 1996).
The
sample size picked for this study was 150 respondents who included 50 customers
and 100 players in the event management industry. The number of employees to be
interviewed per organisation is 25 (twenty five). Of the 25, 10 would be
managerial level staff, while the rest would staff members normally involved in
management and running of marketing events including product launch events. This
sample size, in the opinion of the researcher, would be adequate in determining
the answers to the research questions with relative reliability.
The
determination of the specific candidates for interviews is the function of the
sampling process (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). Various sampling
methods are used in research including random sampling and judgmental sampling
among others. Random sampling is one of
the most common methods of sampling used by scholars. In this method, the
samples are selected arbitrarily from the population: without any order or the use of any formula
(Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). This method is the preferred method
where there is a high level of homogeneity among the members of the given
population. On the other hand, judgmental sampling is suitable for populations
with little or no level of homogeneity. Under this method, the researcher
determines the respondents based on his own perception of the sample’s
characteristics and their ability to reflect the overall views of the
population (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). In so doing, the researcher
must take into account the common mitigating factors such as the environment
and the experiences of the persons to be interviewed.
For
instance, employees of different organisations are likely to have different
experiences and therefore different perceptions and the researcher may need to
take this into consideration (Kvale, 1996). Judgmental sampling reduces the
risk of a research’s findings being dominated by a segment of population with
unique experiences which are significantly different from those of the other
members of the population (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). This research
combines random sampling and judgmental sampling. Judgemental sampling was used
to determine the number of interviewees to be considered from each of the
organisations based on the perceived relevance of their experience to the
research and in determining the ranks of employees to be interviewed in every
organisation. Once these numbers were determined, the determination of the
particular persons to be interviewed was determined randomly.
The
importance of data analysis and interpretation in any research cannot be
overemphasised. Data analysis allows for presentation of the collected data in
a manner that reflects on the various theories and perceptions prevailing in
relation to the research subject (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2008). Palatability
of any information in a research is key concern to any researcher as it
determines the kind of value that such a study would contribute to the existing
body of knowledge. In other words, it determines the usability of any research
findings. Data analysis can either be qualitative or quantitative. Quantitative
analysis mainly deals with statistics and figures while and are instrumental in
establishing statistical relationship between various variables
(Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2008). Qualitative analysis on the other
hand emphasises on interpretations, perceptions and generating explanations
(Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2008). In this research, both qualitative
and quantitative data analysis methods were used. The data has been presented
using various visual aids for ease of reference and clarity of the information
presented.
The
first ethical consideration is maintenance of the integrity of the
interviewees, through the attainment of consent and maintenance of
confidentiality (Kvale, 1996). The commitment to protect the anonymity of the
interviewees was done in writing in a bid to reiterate the researcher’s
commitment and to encourage the interviewees to freely discuss the issues
relevant to the research. Identity was not required during the interview, and the
interviews were conducted at the convenience of the interviewee in terms of
time and venue. The respondents were also promised that if they so wished, they
would be furnished with the research findings for their own use and record.
The
right of the respondents to refrain from answering various sections of the
questionnaires must also be respected. This right was respected and the
researcher refrained from coercion in securing cooperation from prospective
interviewees and from insisting on obtaining answers for questions that the
interviewees were reluctant to answer. The research also refrained from
reporting sensitive information that could potentially compromise the image of
the organisations represented by these interviewees.
This
research had to contend with a number of challenges. First among these was the
unavailability of interviewees after the schedules had already been fixed. Such
challenges may have been occasioned by changing commitments to their times, and
in some cases the target interviewees would just develop cold feet. Where
commitments were the issue, alternative appointments were fixed at their
convenience and where the interviewee became uncooperative, the researcher
endeavoured to find a replacement in the shortest time possible in order to
maintain the sample size. However, despite these efforts, only about 92 of the
targeted 100 interviewees were actually interviewed. This deviation is in the
opinion of the researcher minimal and is not expected to adversely affect the
integrity of the findings.
The
research also suffered a drawback in relation to the availability of relevant
secondary material of an academic nature that would give a theoretical backing
to the findings of the study. The bulk of resources in this field tend to
concentrate on branding and its importance to the marketing process but they
seldom discuss the subject in light of event management. The bulk of resources
available in this regard are drawn from event management organisations whose
primary goal is to highlight the importance of creativity and originality in
event management and do not necessarily go into the theoretical frameworks that
would add immense value to this research. This limitation forms the basis for
some of the recommendations in subsequent sections of this study.
The
questionnaire that will guide the course of the interviews takes the following
format, as seen in appendix I.
This
section presents the findings of the primary research that was conducted using interviews
that were conducted on event management professionals and MAC Cosmetics
employees. It provides both a qualitative and quantitative representation of
the findings in order to promote clarity. The results have been presented in
both pros and through the use of visual aids to enable the readers grasp the
content at a glance and with relative accuracy. As mentioned above, the results
are based on the data collected from 92 interviewees as opposed to the 100
interviewees intended at the beginning of the research. A sample script of some
of the results of the questionnaire surveys as reflected by the responses of a
MAC employee involved in product launch event management; and a player in the
event management industry. The results from the questionnaires are largely
reflective of the results of the questionnaire surveys. The results were as
outlined in the sections below:
The
determination of the length of experience was sought in order to create a
picture of the level of information that the interviewees may be in possession
of and the relevance thereof. The wealth of experience is as tabulated below:
Table
1: length of experience
Length of experience
|
No. of
interviewees
|
Percentage
|
Less than one
year
|
18
|
20%
|
1-2 years
|
17
|
18%
|
2-5 years
|
12
|
13%
|
5-10 years
|
25
|
27%
|
Over 10 years
|
20
|
22%
|
51%
of the interviewees had less than 5 years experience while the rest had over 5
years experience with 5 having been in the industry for about 25 years and 3
registering a 30 years wealth of experience. The fact that the majority of the
interviewees have relatively little experience may be both advantageous and
disadvantageous. The disadvantage may be in the fact that their level of
experience may not be adequate for them to establish cause-effect relationship
in the factors critical to this research. However, this statistic may be
indicative of an inflow of valuable ideas into the industry that may help
contribute to the effectiveness of the marketing process which include product
launch effects.
The
responsibility levels of the interviewees were as tabulated below:
Table
2: Responsibility levels
Responsibility level
|
No. of interviewees
|
%age
|
First level
supervisor
|
18
|
20%
|
Manager
|
19
|
20%
|
non managerial
staff
|
55
|
60%
|
The
third questioned focused on finding out how frequently the interviews made use
of branding in beauty and cosmetic product marketing. Over 90% answered to the
affirmative while a dismal 10% pledged to have had no experience with branding
in product launch events. The dissenting opinion was based on the argument that
branding was an unnecessary component of the product launch events and that
focusing on product features and making the launch event experiences enjoyable
and memorable would suffice.
The
most crucial elements of launch events that have the greatest bearing on their
effectiveness from the preparers perspectives included: the design of the
event; the theme as portrayed in the choice of decoration; the choice of
location of the event; and the pricing of the products at the event.
The
respondents were also emphatic on the fact that branding helps improve the
effectiveness of product launch events. 85% of the respondents acknowledged the
fact that branding generally served to help focus the attention of the
attendants towards the brand and what the brand stands for. This, in their
opinion, played a crucial role in creating a relationship between their target
customers and the brand. Only a dismal 15% of the respondents were of the
opinion that branding has no effect or a negative effect on the effectiveness
of such events.
The
question on how branding influences the design of the events and the choice of
decoration was answered as follows. Respondents suggested various ways in which
branding influence the design of the events. The most common influence in
design is the choice of set of activities that are to comprise the launch
event. Depending on the type of product and the brand image to be projected,
the timing, duration of the event, and the experiences the attendants are to be
put through would depend on the organiser’s perception on their effectiveness
in enhancing the brand. In relation to the choice of decoration, branding was
hailed for influencing the choice of colour themes, decoration types, and
positioning of such decorations.
The
respondents were also emphatic that it was crucial that every marketers wholly
understand the concepts of branding in order to ensure that they would be in a
position to put the concepts into good use in order to maximise the effects of
such events.
Product
tangible attributes are qualities that can be directly attributed to the
products and are often a physical feature associated with them. Such attributes
may include durability for equipment, printing speed and colouring quality for
printing machines, horsepower for vehicles, taste in the case of different
foods, and scent in the case of perfumes. On the other hand, product intangible
attributes refer to perceptions that are created in the consumers’ minds towards
a given product. Such feelings involve the feeling of security, assurance of
fashion consciousness of the user, simplicity of purchase and consumption, and
historical inferences among others. When questioned on the preference for
product attributes, whether tangible or intangible, about 80% of the
respondents were in favour of product intangible attributes in marketing beauty
and cosmetic products. While acknowledging the importance of having well
designed products that meet the desires of the target customers, the interviewees
drew from their experience to determine that proper branding using product
intangible attributes worked better for cosmetic and beauty products. In their
opinion, the users of such products tend to be moved by the psychological
feelings that are built around the products such as those of ‘fun’ and
‘fashion’. The minority view favoured product tangible attributes arguing that
irrespective of the image created around a product, it would always boil down
to the features of the products which the consumers find likable. This view was
however countered by the proponents of product intangible attributes who held
the view that when branding is done effectively; the consumer’s tastes and
preferences tend to be bent on conforming to the product features in question. Marketing
is in most cases about demand creation and this often results in persuading
consumers to consume products they probably would never have consumed in the
absence of effective marketing campaigns.
The
intangible attributes can either be considered before or after the branding
experience. The difference between the two timings depends on the origination
of such attributes. The opinion of the interviewees was almost uniformly
divided between the two options with 51% being of the view that intangible
attributes should be considered before the branding experience. In their
opinion, the producers of the product are best placed in identifying the
product features before hand and therefore be in a better position to generate
the intangible attributes that would help sell these products in the market. This
model may also at time involve modification of the product features and the
packaging design in order to ensure that the attributes are not a contradiction
of the product features. Proponents of this approach take the view that
branding is so central to the organisation’s marketing programs that it cannot
be left to the stakeholders who have little knowledge of the organisation’s
generic strategies. On the other hand, generation of intangible attributes
after the branding experience involves making enquiries on the impact of the
product in question among the customers. Proponents of this approach take the
view that considering the perceptions in the market enables the creation of a
brand that easily resonates with the market and therefore more likely to
succeed in propelling the performance of the products in the market. The
experience that was quoted by MAC Cosmetics employees and those that have
managed their events stated that the company tends to create the attributes
prior to the branding experience and this informs their product designs and
packaging thereby making the company’s products remains consistent with their
generic strategies.
The
attributes that are seen to be beneficial to beauty and cosmetic products over
the long term are varied and may include high quality, upscale, and hip. The
interviewees’ opinion on these attributes and the choices of the most
beneficial ones was equally varied. The attribute that was most advocated for
as a performance catalyst over the long term is high quality. However, this was
with an unconvincing majority where the opinion was almost equally divided
among the three intangible attributes. The opinions were as tabulated and presented
below:
Brand
attribute
|
No. of
interviewees
|
%age
|
High Quality
|
33
|
35%
|
Upscale
|
29
|
32%
|
Hip
|
30
|
33%
|
Those in favour of ‘high quality’ were of the
opinion that the need for trusted quality in the market rarely changes and the
products that are able to identify themselves with this attribute tend to win
in the long term. Those in favour of the ‘hip’ were of the opinion that
customers make purchasing decisions in response to specific needs and therefore
in the long run tend to choose products that are associated with those needs.
On the other hand, those who advocated for ‘upscale’ tended to argue that human
beings generally tend to aim at bettering their lives and will always want to
be viewed as such by identifying with products that enable them improve their
social image even when they are yet to reach the desired social status.
The
interviewees were then asked to choose the most commonly used brand
personalities during the launch of cosmetic and beauty products. The
personalities were Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication, and
Ruggedness. Of these personalities, a combination of Excitement, Sincerity, and
Competence received the highest number of endorsements. An overwhelming majority of the respondents
(over 90%) agreed that brand personalities bore great relevance in determining
the event design and the choice of decorations during the product launch
events.
There
tended to be a consensus towards emphasis of decorations and colour schemes
that were in line with the brand personality. So was the design of the event.
For instance, excitement could be portrayed by avoiding the traditional formal
arrangements normally used during events and replaced by a creative sitting
arrangement and presentation styles that put the audience into a party mood.
The feeling created later tends to resonate with the product and therefore
contribute to the brand image in subsequent times. Portrayal of sincerity was
voiced as useful as it makes the audience understand that the products actually
possess the qualities possessed and that the marketing exercise is not an
exercised riddled with unreasonable amounts of exaggeration. Portrayal of
competence on the other hand gives the audience the assurance that the products
are of merchantable quality and therefore not likely to adversely affect the
users. According to most interviewees, the factoring in of these brand
personalities in the designing of the event is crucial as it ensures the
audience have the intended attitude towards the event and the products. The
choice of decorations and event design also helps shape the expectations of the
audience. These expectations are aligned to the goings on in the event and ends
up in a situation that the audience get an exciting encounter that is not only
very satisfying, but also memorable and unique.
Various
customer experiences are created during the product launch events including
Sense experiences, Feel experiences, Think experiences, Act experiences, and
Relate experiences. The interviewees were asked draw from their experience in
event management and rank the extent to which these experiences are invoked and
their responses were recorded as contained in the table below:
Customer
Experiences
|
Impact levels
|
Column1
|
Column2
|
Column3
|
Column4
|
Very High
|
High
|
Neutral
|
Low
|
Very Low
|
|
Sense experiences;
sensory
|
30
|
23
|
15
|
18
|
6
|
Feel
experiences; affect and emotions
|
40
|
42
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
Think
experiences; creative and cognitive
|
20
|
32
|
20
|
15
|
5
|
Act
experiences; lifestyles and behaviour
|
15
|
20
|
12
|
25
|
20
|
Relate
experiences; connect with similar group
|
35
|
42
|
8
|
5
|
2
|
From
the statistics above, there is strong evidence that event design and decoration
has a significant role to play in bringing about the desired experiences among
the audience. In the case of sensory experiences, over 58% polled high and very
high. Similarly, the polling for Feel, Think, Act and Relate experiences were
high at 89%, 57%, 38%, and 84% respectively. For clarity, the figure below
illustrates the interviewees’ opinion on the level of impact that product
launch events can have on various customer experiences using the figures
submitted for high and very high impact levels:
In
general the interviewees stated that the bulk of their event design and choice
of decorations is determined by the brand. This is due to the fact that it is
the branding that provides the basis for the entire event. This enables them to
remain focused on projecting the products and the company as they should. A
manager in one of the event management organisations remarked that in the
absence of branding, product launch events could simply be equated to social
gatherings with no serious agenda. There was a general consensus on the
importance of branding in product launch events. This was based on the argument
that branding gives a deeper meaning to the products and the organisations and
enables the customers to relate to the products in a manner that goes beyond
the tangible benefits derived from the product. It is this brand experience
that inspires loyalty and shields the products from losing out their market
share in the face of stiff competition. Use of the brand in the event also
enhances brand awareness and consequently leads to higher success rates of the
products in the market.
The
experiences from customers who’ve attended product launch events confirmed that
event design bore great significance in making their experiences memorable. Of
great significance was the kind of treatment accorded to them during the launch
events as well as the choice of level of exposure to the products. A sizeable
number (60%) were also greatly impressed by the availability of price discounts
for the products bought during the events.
The
respondents were almost unanimous (90%) on the relationship between good use of
branding and the creation of long lasting brand awareness in their minds. They
admitted that where the events design and decorations focussed accurately on
the brand image, such brand images were mastered with relative ease.
To
confirm the value of launch events to organisations, interviewees were asked to
state whether they would remain loyal to the brands whose product launches they
had attended. An analysis of the results showed that those who had confirmed to
have immensely enjoyed the events almost unanimously answered to the
affirmative. These findings provide the justification for the interest accorded
such events by most organisations.
This
chapter discusses the results contained in the previous chapter and tends to
draw a relationship between the findings and known theoretical concepts
relating to the subject of the study. In this section, the results have been
framed in a manner that enables a direct linkage to the research questions and
therefore aims to answer the questions using the findings above. It also
provides a glimpse into two of the product launch events conducted by MAC
Cosmetics in the recent past and goes on to relate the exercises with the
concepts experienced in this study. It also provides an in-depth analysis of
some of the concepts alluded to in the previous chapter by the application of
analysis of relevant secondary sources.
The
results of this study bring out a strong backing for the use of branding in
event design and the choice of decorations during product launch events for
beauty and cosmetic products. It is important to acknowledge that product
launch events are part and parcel of the marketing strategy of the
organisations and not isolated events that are conducted arbitrarily (Mustonen,
2011). The processes that are associated with good marketing strategies are
therefore applicable to holding effective product launch events. According to
Keller and Aaker (2008), branding is a core component of any marketing process
and provides the basis for any marketing activity. When considering the
importance of branding to the product launch events, it is important to
consider the elements of the brand that are most important for beauty and
cosmetic products (Depack, 2008). The findings of this study are consistent
with previous research into the brand experience of cosmetic products. These
findings tend to favour intangible attributes over tangible attributes (Barnes
and Gaynor, 2006). Intangible attributes refer to the emotions and feelings
that the product is associated with as a result of its brand awareness
campaigns (Goliath, 2006). It is therefore purely psychological. Such
associations as joy, fulfilment, class, and the like are not measurable but can
be of immense value to a company when their products can be directly associated
with them. Tangible attributes on the other hand refer to features that are
found within the products (Goliath, 2006). These include things like scent in
the case of cosmetic products. They are part and parcel of the product design. Depack
(2008) however cautions that the preference for product intangible attributes
should never be misconstrued to mean that product features are irrelevant.
Studies into the perceptions of consumers reveal that the functionality of
products is the most important factor for making purchasing decisions for most
consumers (Aaker and Jacobson, 2001). However, in the face of increased
competition where products are being introduced into the market at an alarming
rate, the product features are in many cases duplicated. The end result is that
most cosmetic products are either similar or have very close substitutes and
that reduces the competitive edge that any product can command by simply
highlighting the product tangible attributes (Barnes and Gaynor, 2006). This is
where the value of branding sets in. Branding enables organisations to create
certain feelings and emotions around their product in a manner that is not
easily replicated by competitors (Girvin, 2011). It becomes the strongest tool
through which organisations can enhance customer loyalty and therefore maintain
a steady performance despite the presence of close substitutes in the market
(Girvin, 2011).
As
with any other marketing process, brand creation needs to take into account the
brand attributes that tend to create the highest impact in the market. According
to Ailawadi, Lehmann and Neslin (2003), scholars have been non-committal on the
attributes that influence the market most especially in relation to cosmetic
products. This lack of an emphatic answer may be attributed to the constantly
changing socio-cultural factors in the affected markets that cause societies to
value different attributes at a given time. However, a significant number of
scholars hold the view that in the long run, consumers appreciate consistent
high quality that is not prone to degradation in the face of constant
innovations and changes in the market (Holt, 2004). Other important attributes have been noted as
upscale and hip.
Product
launch events are aimed at serving one crucial purpose: that of marketing a new
product to the audience and therefore enable smooth introduction into the
market (Ali, 2011). The aim is therefore to draw the attention of the audience
to the products while creating memorable experiences that would enable the
audience to identify with the products thereafter. Recent research findings
indicate that successful product launching contributes immensely to good
performance of the given products in the market (Landmark Event Services Inc.,
2011). A good product launch event has been described as one which creates
unique experiences for the audience while remaining focused on the product and
the brand personality that the company wishes to have the audience identify
with the product (Bowdin et all,
2006). Brand personality has variously been described as a set of core values
that characterise a brand and are expressed in form of human personality traits
(Aaker, 1997). Such traits include being friendly, innovative, exciting,
rugged, sophisticated, competent, and sincere among others. Brand personality
provides the avenue through which consumers have a relationship with the brand
(Aaker, 1997). Research into consumer purchasing behaviour reveal that an
average consumer tends to purchase products whose brand personality is likeable
or acceptable to them (Ailawadi, Lehmann and Neslie, 2003). The reflection of
brand personality during the launch events may therefore form a strong basis
for the success or failure of such an event. According to recent research
findings, most consumers of beauty and cosmetic products tend to prefer brand
personalities that border on being friendly, exciting, and sincere (Sherman,
2011). A personality generally associated with joy, fun and personal
fulfilment. The launch event therefore needs to select a design and decoration
scheme that helps create a semblance of such personalities.
Brand
personality is therefore critical in event design and decoration. Event design
involves a number of elements such as the choice of location, the interior
design of the event venue and even the sitting arrangement to be embraced
during the event (Matthews, 2008). It also involves the choice of entertainment
and food to be served during the event. Event design may also encompass the
decision on the timing and length of the event as well and generally everything
that goes on during the event (Easy Stretch, 2011). These designs must always
be done in a manner that enhances the brand personality in order to ensure the
effectiveness of the product launch event. For instance, the traditional formal
settings normally associated with corporate events may be a wrong model to
choose for an organisation that intends to portray an exciting personality. Similarly,
the use of rude and uncaring employees may get in the way of an organisation
bent on portraying a sincere and competent personality for its products. These
considerations are crucial in any product launch event.
The
influence of branding on event design and decoration is beyond question. This
may be illustrated through the reflection of the MAC Cosmetic’s launch of the
MAC Wonder Woman cosmetic line (Harvery, 2011). The choice of the term ‘Wonder
Woman’ was strategic. It was aimed at portraying its products as having the
ability to bring out the hero in every woman and therefore appeal to the women who
adores a sense of courage, confidence and charisma to identify with the product
(Harvery, 2011). The outstanding pictures in the decorations were therefore
those of a heroic woman together with pictures depicting her conquest in
overcoming her adversaries with an amazing combination of colours that were not
only warm, but also exciting and a portrayal of sheer genius. Some of the
pictures are as portrayed in appendix II. This experience was designed for
sheer excitement and the number of guests was restricted in order to allow the
attending guests to experience the thrills of the products to the fullest. The
company also provided enough make up artists who were both courteous and
helpful thereby further enriching the experiences of those in attendance
(Jaykaywes, 2011). As can be learned from the success of this event, event
design must be approached with creativity and with the intended brand
personality in mind in order for the event to be not only memorable but also
relevant to the products being launched.
A
second experience can be observed from the event conducted by MAC Cosmetics in
Los Angeles. With the intention of creating an exciting event that carried with
it some measure of ‘shock value’, MAC Cosmetics chose to host a party at a
studio, Milk studios (Dubin, 2011). The choice of the venue was in itself a
portrayal of excitement as studios are always associated with thrill and
excitement. The company went further to invite a popular music band, the cult
punk band (Dubin, 2011). The band would adorn themselves in costumes whose
design and colouring were in line with the colour themes that would reflect on
the brand personality intended by MAC Cosmetics. As can be seen from the
experience of MAC Cosmetics, there is no limit to the level of creativity that
event managers can exercise in order to bring about a successful product launch
event that not only excites the audience, but also helps to permanently engrave
the brand awareness into them.
The
event design and decorations creates a number of experiences for the audience.
These experiences include sense experiences (sensory), feel experiences
(affections and emotions), think experiences (creative and cognitive), act
experiences (lifestyles and behaviour), and relate experiences (connect with
similar group) (Getz, 2007). The kind of experience is mostly dependent on the
types of activities being engaged in during the event. For instance, an event
that involves the audience being exposed to the products through make up may
score highly on the creation of sense experiences. Think experiences can
ideally be created where the event involves certain exciting puzzles which the
audience may be challenged to solve and obtain a reward if successful (Getz,
2007). Care should be taken when designing such activities in order to ensure
that the experience is very enjoyable to the participating audience. The
incentive must also be substantial in order to motivate them to take part in
the exercise. Similarly, feel experiences can be brought about through the
choice of pictures, decorations and entertainment during the event. The most
important thing in event design is to focus on the kind of experiences that
would be most desirable for the products being launched and then design the
activities in a manner that aims to bring out the desired experiences (Risk
management for meetings and events, 2007). The kind of experience that the
organisation wants to create during product launch events should be consistent
with the brand personality being projected during the event. For cosmetic
products, researchers are of the view that feel experiences tend to be more
effective than other experiences (Jacobson, 2011). However, events should not
overtly concentrate on creating one kind of experience. The approach popularly
advocated for by scholars involves creation of a set of experiences in order to
accommodate the different personalities in the audience.
Branding
is therefore central to any product launch event its influence must be
emphasised in order to ensure that the launch process is successful. A good
product launch event can only serve the purpose of exciting the audience and
does little to ensure that such an audience identify with and remain loyal to
the company brand and their products. It is therefore tantamount to the
proverbial shot in the dark. The conclusion drawn by Goldbatt (2005) summarises
the essence of this study. He states that “Having a basis that guides the event
design and decoration enables event managers to channel the attention of the
audience to the brand and therefore raise the brand awareness”. Research has
shown that consumers generally tend to buy products associated with the brands
they are aware of at any given time. This is the premise on which the emphasis
of using the brand as a basis for event design and choice of decorations is
based.
This
chapter contains a brief summary of the contents of the study. It outlines the
understanding of product launch events and branding before relating the two
concepts and explaining why branding has an impact on the event design and on
the choice for decorations during product launch events. The chapter also makes
recommendations for future research based on the inadequacies observed in the
course of conducting this research.
Product
launch events are part and parcel of the marketing process. They involve the
organisation of a set of activities aimed at creating memorable experiences to
the audience in order to inspire them to remain loyal to the brand and to
consume the products being launched. The importance of product launch events to
the marketing process cannot be overemphasised. This is why organisations must
ensure they come up with an appropriate design for the event that can ensure
that the audience’s experiences are memorable, but also that the audience’s
attention is focused on the brand. The most basic but crucial point in
organising a product launch event is the attraction of the audience. Without
the audience, no event can take place. Getting an audience to attend a product
launch event is increasingly challenging in the wake of all the pressures that
the average consumer is exposed to in the modern world. The organisers of the events
must therefore creatively consider how to ensure attendance by engaging in
awareness campaigns, organising draws for the event, or even offering special
discounts on the products for those who will be available for the actual event.
The
use of celebrities or key personalities to pull the crowds should also be
considered. This option should however be exercised only after adequate
research on the kind of personalities that one’s target audience may would
prefer. The product launch event should be different from marketing campaigns
in that it must allow the audience to experience the products in a manner that
would inspire them to continue using the said products.
Event
design is one of the most crucial elements of any product launch event. The
event design to be arrived at in a product launch event is supposed to be a
reflection of research conducted on the target audience to determine which kind
of events would satisfy them the most. This is due to the fact that events are
expected to produce valuable and memorable experiences among the persons
attending any events. This event design refers to the nature of activities to
be undertaken during the events as well as the duration of such activities. For
instance, Zeo, which had invented a sleep monitoring machine that would gather
data from brain waves of people while they slept, opted to have a launch event
that required the attendees to spend the night at the product launch event
where the functionality and benefits of the machine could be explicitly demonstrated.
Similarly, launch events for beauty products often include experiential
sessions where those in the audience that may wish to have a first hand
experience of the product are given the opportunity where they are exposed to
sophisticated treatment by the company’s employees.
The
determination of the nature of presentation and the choice of who to make the
presentation is equally crucial to determine the extent to which the audience
believes the information offered. One of the most effective approaches taken by
organisations involves the use of customers who have already tested the product
and have been satisfied by it. They are allowed an opportunity to recount their
experiences while the company employees involved demonstrate on the
functionality of such products. This enhances the effectiveness of the product
launch events. The presentation styles also need to reflect on both the product
and the level of understanding of the audience in question. The presenters need
to have a thorough knowledge of the communication styles that are most
effective in relaying meaning to the target audience. Where the wrong choice of
communication is adopted, the product launch event is as good as failed.
Moreover, the nature of the product must also be considered in designing the
communication styles to be adopted. For instance, the communication adopted for
launching a face cream would be definitely different from that used for
launching computer software.
Similarly,
event design refers to the choice of venue and sequence of events during the
launch including the choice of whether or not to provide food and refreshments.
Given that the launch event is aimed at creating valuable and memorable
experiences on the target customers, the aspects of human comfort that may not necessarily
have anything to do with the product must also be considered. Trivial details
such as the provision of enough sitting space could potentially lead to the
failure of a well designed event. The audience that attend such an event and
are forced to be on their feet till they are exhausted may not be able to fully
appreciate the information being presented. The event should also be
accompanied by the provision of reference materials detailing the functionality
of the products that the audience can later refer to at their own convenience.
This should be provided together with the contact information that the target
customers would need whenever they need to any clarifications.
In
order to fully understand the influence that branding has on event design and
the choice of decorations in product launch events, it is important to recap
the essentials of branding. Branding can be defined as an identity that is
assigned to a product or an organisation based on the perceptions it creates in
the minds of the market players. Brands are identified using symbols, names,
slogans or even signs. The interaction with a brand is referred to as the brand
experience which results in the creation of a brand image. Brand image is the
mental constructions of the brand based on information gathered and personal
experiences of the customer. The brand provides the basis for the creation of a
psychological relationship between the customer and the products. Where a
strong relationship exists, the clients remain loyal to the company’s products
and are not swayed by the presence of substitutes that often tend to be availed
in lower prices or with additional features. The main aim of any branding
exercise is therefore to generate customer loyalty. In oft times, there exist
differences in brand perceptions between the organisation and the consumers.
The consumers’ perception towards the brand is known as the brand image while
the company’s perception is the brand identity. The aim of marketing campaigns
is to try and harmonise the two in order to align the expectations of the
consumers with the benefits the products are able to provide or just to ensure
that differences in perceptions do not affect the product performance
negatively. This is part of the brand management process. Brand management
refers to the process by which brands are created and maintained. The aim of
any brand management process is to ensure that the brand reaches the point of
brand recognition. This the point at which the brand is known by virtually all
the consumers in the market. The aim of this emphasis is based on the premise
that consumers only tend to opt for products whose brands they are already
aware of. Brand awareness refers to a situation where consumers are in a
position to recognise a brand irrespective of the prevailing circumstances at
any given point. Making consumers aware of a brand is therefore one of the
acknowledged ways of ensuring the success of products in the market. Brand
image also insulates organisations from the hazards of stiff competition that
may push prices downwards. This is due to the influence of the brand premium
where consumers tend to prefer purchasing products from a recognised brand
despite the price differences. This is what is referred to as the brand
premium. Brands must also be clear on the brand promise. The customers must be
clear on what a brand stands for in order to gain the requisite levels of brand
awareness.
This
research sought to find out the influence that branding has on product launch
event design and the choice of decorations during such events. The study mainly
dwelt on primary research through interviews with various players in the event
management field. The study recorded an overwhelming endorsement of the fact
that branding greatly influences the event design and choice of decoration
during events. This was consistent with previous studies that confirm that the
use of branding in product launch events is critical to the success of such
events. One of the most critical elements of brand in product launch events is
the brand personality. Brand personality can be described as a set of core
values that characterise a brand and are expressed in form of human personality
traits. Such traits include being friendly, innovative, exciting, rugged,
sophisticated, competent, and sincere among others. Brand personality provides
the avenue through which consumers have a relationship with the brand. This is
based on the premise that humans tend to relate better to traits that are
similar to their own and can therefore only be loyal to personalities that are
either compatible with their aspirations or those that are acceptable to them.
The reflection of brand personality during the launch events may therefore form
a strong basis for the success or failure of such an event. According to recent
research findings, most consumers of beauty and cosmetic products tend to
prefer brand personalities that border on being friendly, exciting, and
sincere. A personality generally associated with joy, fun and personal
fulfilment is good for cosmetic products.
It
has also been established that product intangible attributes tend to be more
effective in creating lasting relationships with customers than product
tangible attributes. Intangible attributes refer to the emotions and feelings
that the product is associated with as a result of its brand awareness
campaigns. It is therefore purely psychological. Such associations as joy,
fulfilment, class, and the like are not measurable but can be of immense value
to a company when their products can be directly associated with them. Tangible
attributes on the other hand refer to features that are found within the
products. These include things like scent in the case of cosmetic products.
Having
established the importance of branding in any marketing process, of which
product launch events are an integral part of, it follows that branding must
play a crucial role in the design of such events. Branding provides the basis
through which any product launch events must be designed. Without the use of
branding, these events only amount to enjoyment forums for the audience who may
not take actions that are of value to the company after the event. It is
important that the design of the event and the decorations settled on bring out
the desired brand personality. This enables the audience to identify with the
products long after the product launch event.
This
research acknowledges that studies on the influence of branding are lacking and
recommends further study into the same. The bulk of studies aimed at creating a
relationship between the two phenomena only tend to use inferences whose main
basis is the strategic importance of the branding process to organisations’
generic strategies and the strategic marketing process. The branding process
forms the basis for marketing processes including the product launch process.
The implication of this fact is that branding is expected to have a significant
influence on these events. The sentiments of the interviewees in the project
and the secondary data reviewed also tend to confirm the same. However, little
effort has been made to quantify the value of the use of branding in such processes.
In general, the success or failure of a product launch event may be due to a
number of factors other than the use of branding. It is therefore expected that
scepticism exist on the accuracy of the presumptions quoted in the sections
above. Such a study would involve high levels of sophistication it would be a
necessary venture in order to put any prevailing doubts to rest.
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2) Background
a)
For how long have you been in the event
organization industry?
o Less than one
year
o One year to
less than two years
o Two years to less
than five years
o Five years to
less than ten years
o Ten years or
more
b)
Which of the following best describes
your position in the organization?
o First level
supervisor
o Manager/
supervisor above first level
o Not a manager /
supervisor
c)
Do you make use of branding in beauty
and cosmetic product marketing and in product launch events?
o
Yes o No
i)
If yes, how often
o Once or twice
in my career,
o Occasionally
o All the times
ii)
If no, explain why
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
d)
From your own perspective, which are the
most crucial elements of an effective product launch event? Please list the
first three in order of importance
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
e)
From you experience, does branding
affect the effectiveness of product launch events?
o
Yes o No
Please
explain …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
f)
In what ways does branding affect the
event design and choice of decorations at product launch events?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………..
g)
How crucial is the understanding of the
concept of branding to the product launch events?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
h)
In branding which of the following brand
positions are mostly used in your organization?
o Product
tangible attribute, (e.g. horsepower in cars, scent in perfumes, taste in food)
o Product
intangible attributes, (e.g. user imagery, history, experiences, purchase and
consumption imagery)
Explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
i)
Are the intangible attributes considered
before or after the branding experience?
i)
If before, explain
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
ii)
If after, explain
………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
j)
Which attributes in a brand have you
found to benefit the beauty and cosmetic product launch over a long time?
o High quality,
o Upscale,
o Hip,
Explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3)
Which of the following one or
combination of brand personalities do you use when launching beauty and
cosmetic products?
o Sincerity,
o Excitement,
o Competence,
o Sophistication,
o Ruggedness,
4)
How do the personalities identified
affect the decision of beauty and cosmetic products event design and
decoration, is it of strategic or tactical importance, explain?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5)
To what extent in your experience does
the event design and decorations affect the creation of the following
experiences in customers in the beauty and cosmetic industry? (1-very low,
2-low, 3-neutral, 4- high, 5-very high)
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
Sense
experiences; sensory
|
|||||
Feel
experiences; affect and emotions
|
|||||
Think
experiences; creative and cognitive
|
|||||
Act
experiences; lifestyles and behavior
|
|||||
Relate
experiences; connect with similar group
|
a.
Therefore in your experience, are
decorations and beauty and cosmetic event designs determined by branding,
explain?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b.
To what extent does branding have an
impact on the beauty and cosmetic product launch and the image of the company
in general, explain?
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6)
Would you say that the launch events
attended left a lasting impression on you?
Yes
o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
7)
What component of the events impressed
you the most? (Please rate in order of influence)
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|
The location of the events
|
|||||
events' timing
|
|||||
interior designs
|
|||||
decoration colour themes
|
|||||
level of service during the events
|
|||||
the suitability of products
|
|||||
price discounts at the events
|
8)
Please explain briefly what impressed
you most about the events attended (list three factors)
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
9)
Was the use of branding easily
recognisable in the event?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
10)
Would you say that branding was central
to the product launch event attended?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
11)
Would you say that the events
contributed to your brand awareness of the organisations and their products?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
12)
Based on your experience at the product
launch events, would you continue consuming the products displayed?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
Source:
http://thebohemiandiva.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/event-m-a-c-cosmetics-pre-launch-of-the-wonder-woman-spring-line/
Source:
http://www.temptalia.com/mac-cosmetics-the-originals-official-launch-information-product-photos
Appendix IV: Questionnaire results: MAC employee 1
o√
Yes o
No
2)
Background
a)
For how long have you been in the event
organization industry?
o Less
than one year
o One year to less than two years
o Two years to less than five years
o Five years to less than ten years
o√ Ten years or more
b)
Which of the following best describes
your position in the organization?
o First level supervisor
o√ Manager/
supervisor above first level
o Not a manager /
supervisor
c)
Do you make use of branding in beauty
and cosmetic product marketing and in product launch events?
o√ Yes o No
i)
If yes, how often
o Once or twice in my career,
o Occasionally
o√ All the times
ii)
If no, explain why
…N/A…………………………………………………………………………………………
d)
From your own perspective, which are the
most crucial elements of an effective product launch event? Please list the
first three in order of importance
1.
The
design of the events
2.
The
choice of location on where to hold the events
3. The use of correctly branded decoration
e)
From you experience, does branding
affect the effectiveness of product launch events?
o
√
Yes o No
Please explain Statistics collected
among the customers that had initially attended the launch event indicated that
the over 60% ended up being loyal customers making regular purchases of the
products.
f)
In what ways does branding affect the
event design and choice of decorations at product launch events?
The events must be conducted in line
with the brand image the company intends to project. The choice of activities
to be part of the event as well as the theme projected by the decorations must
be aligned to the brand image to be projected.
g)
How crucial is the understanding of the
concept of branding to the product launch events?
The knowledge of branding is critical
h)
In branding which of the following brand
positions are mostly used in your organization?
o Product tangible attribute, (e.g. horsepower
in cars, scent in perfumes, taste in food)
o √ Product
intangible attributes, (e.g. user imagery, history, experiences, purchase and
consumption imagery)
Explain
Cosmetics are mainly used by clients
who want to feel good about themselves and this makes the clients easy to
convince using an imagery of what the products could be d for them. E.g.
wonder-woman
i)
Are the intangible attributes considered
before or after the branding experience?
i)
If before, explain
The product intangible attributes can
not be derived directly from the products and can therefore not be created from
experiences with the products
ii)
If after, explain
………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
j)
Which attributes in a brand have you
found to benefit the beauty and cosmetic product launch over a long time?
o High
quality,
o √ Upscale,
o Hip,
Explain
Most cosmetics clients use the products
out of their need to want to be associated with a higher social status.
3) Which
of the following one or combination of brand personalities do you use when
launching beauty and cosmetic products?
o Sincerity,
o√ Excitement,
o Competence,
o√ Sophistication,
o Ruggedness,
4) How
do the personalities identified affect the decision of beauty and cosmetic
products event design and decoration, is it of strategic or tactical
importance, explain?
The brand personalities are of a
strategic importance- and to a little extent, of technical importance
The themes and activity schedules must
be able to reflect on the brand personalities to be projected.
5) To
what extent in your experience does the event design and decorations affect the
creation of the following experiences in customers in the beauty and cosmetic
industry? (1-very low, 2-low, 3-neutral, 4- high, 5-very high)
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
Sense
experiences; sensory
|
√
|
||||
Feel
experiences; affect and emotions
|
√
|
||||
Think
experiences; creative and cognitive
|
√
|
||||
Act
experiences; lifestyles and behaviour
|
√
|
||||
Relate
experiences; connect with similar group
|
√
|
a)
Therefore from your experience, are
decorations and beauty and cosmetic event designs determined by branding,
explain?
Yes
b)
To what extent does branding have an
impact on the beauty and cosmetic product launch and the image of the company
in general, explain?
Branding is central to the product
launch events and a key determinant to the success of the same
6) Would
you say that the launch events attended left a lasting impression on you?
Yes
o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
7) What
component of the events impressed you the most? (Please rate in order of
influence)
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|
The location of the events
|
|||||
events' timing
|
|||||
interior designs
|
|||||
decoration colour themes
|
|||||
level of service during the events
|
|||||
the suitability of products
|
|||||
price discounts at the events
|
8) Please
explain briefly what impressed you most about the events attended (list three
factors)
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
9) Was
the use of branding easily recognisable in the event?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
10) Would
you say that branding was central to the product launch event attended?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
11) Would
you say that the events contributed to your brand awareness of the
organisations and their products?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
12) Based
on your experience at the product launch events, would you continue consuming
the products displayed?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
Thank you
o√
Yes o
No
2.
Background
b)
For how long have you been in the event
organization industry?
o Less
than one year
o One year to less than two years
o Two years to less than five years
o√ Five years to less than ten years
o Ten years or more
c)
Which of the following best describes
your position in the organization?
o√ First
level supervisor
o Manager/ supervisor above first level
o Not a manager /
supervisor
d)
Do you make use of branding in beauty
and cosmetic product marketing and in product launch events?
o√ Yes o No
i)
If yes, how often
o Once or twice in my career,
o Occasionally
o√ All the times
ii)
If no, explain why
…N/A…………………………………………………………………………………………
e)
From your own perspective, which are the
most crucial elements of an effective product launch event? Please list the
first three in order of importance
1.
Branding
2.
The
design of the events
3.
The
choice of location on where to hold the events
f)
From you experience, does branding
affect the effectiveness of product launch events?
o
√
Yes o No
Please
explain
Where branding is done effectively
during the launch, we experience a surge in sales of our products.
g)
In what ways does branding affect the
event design and choice of decorations at product launch events?
The theme must reflect on the brand
The colours must be company colours
The mood created should portray the
brand personality
h)
How crucial is the understanding of the
concept of branding to the product launch events?
Very critical
i)
In branding which of the following brand
positions are mostly used in your organization?
o Product tangible attribute, (e.g. horsepower
in cars, scent in perfumes, taste in food)
o √ Product
intangible attributes, (e.g. user imagery, history, experiences, purchase and
consumption imagery)
Explain
The products we offer appeal more to
the imagery with people often desiring to feel good about themselves and the
products
j)
Are the intangible attributes considered
before or after the branding experience?
i)
If before, explain
………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
ii)
If after, explain
………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
k)
Which attributes in a brand have you
found to benefit the beauty and cosmetic product launch over a long time?
o High quality,
o √ Upscale,
o Hip,
Explain
Looks and class go hand in hand and
cosmetics serve this purpose for most people.
2.
Which of the following one or
combination of brand personalities do you use when launching beauty and
cosmetic products?
o Sincerity,
o√ Excitement,
o√ Competence,
o√ Sophistication,
o Ruggedness,
3.
How do the personalities identified
affect the decision of beauty and cosmetic products event design and
decoration, is it of strategic or tactical importance, explain?
N/A
4.
To what extent in your experience does
the event design and decorations affect the creation of the following
experiences in customers in the beauty and cosmetic industry? (1-very low,
2-low, 3-neutral, 4- high, 5-very high)
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
Sense
experiences; sensory
|
√
|
||||
Feel
experiences; affect and emotions
|
√
|
||||
Think
experiences; creative and cognitive
|
√
|
||||
Act
experiences; lifestyles and behaviour
|
√
|
||||
Relate
experiences; connect with similar group
|
√
|
4.1.
Therefore from your experience, are
decorations and beauty and cosmetic event designs determined by branding,
explain?
Yes
4.2.
To what extent does branding have an
impact on the beauty and cosmetic product launch and the image of the company
in general, explain?
Branding affects how the company is
perceived and it therefore has a great bearing on how the product is received
in the market
5.
Would you say that the launch events
attended left a lasting impression on you?
Yes
o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
6.
What component of the events impressed
you the most? (Please rate in order of influence)
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|
The location of the events
|
|||||
events' timing
|
|||||
interior designs
|
|||||
decoration colour themes
|
|||||
level of service during the events
|
|||||
the suitability of products
|
|||||
price discounts at the events
|
7.
Please explain briefly what impressed
you most about the events attended (list three factors)
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
8.
Was the use of branding easily
recognisable in the event?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
9.
Would you say that branding was central
to the product launch event attended?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
10.
Would you say that the events
contributed to your brand awareness of the organisations and their products?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
11.
Based on your experience at the product
launch events, would you continue consuming the products displayed?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
Thank you
Are you a player in the
event management industry or an employee of MAC Cosmetics? If yes, go to (2),
of no, go to (6)
o√
Yes o
No
Background
11.1.
For how long have you been in the event
organization industry?
o Less
than one year
o One year to less than two years
o Two years to less than five years
o√ Five years to less than ten years
o Ten years or more
11.2.
Which of the following best describes
your position in the organization?
o√ First
level supervisor
o Manager/ supervisor above first level
o Not a manager /
supervisor
11.3.
Do you make use of branding in beauty
and cosmetic product marketing and in product launch events?
o√ Yes o No
11.3.1. If
yes, how often
o Once or twice in my career,
o Occasionally
o√ All the times
11.3.2. If
no, explain why
…N/A…………………………………………………………………………………………
11.4.
From your own perspective, which are the
most crucial elements of an effective product launch event? Please list the
first three in order of importance
11.4.1.1.1.1.1.
Branding
11.4.1.1.1.1.2.
The
design of the events
11.4.1.1.1.1.3.
The
choice of location on where to hold the events
11.5.
From you experience, does branding
affect the effectiveness of product launch events?
o
√
Yes o No
Please
explain
Where branding is done effectively
during the launch, we experience a surge in sales of our products.
11.6.
In what ways does branding affect the
event design and choice of decorations at product launch events?
The theme must reflect on the brand
The colours must be company colours
The mood created should portray the
brand personality
11.7.
How crucial is the understanding of the
concept of branding to the product launch events?
Very critical
11.8.
In branding which of the following brand
positions are mostly used in your organization?
o Product tangible attribute, (e.g. horsepower
in cars, scent in perfumes, taste in food)
o √ Product
intangible attributes, (e.g. user imagery, history, experiences, purchase and
consumption imagery)
Explain
The products we offer appeal more to
the imagery with people often desiring to feel good about themselves and the
products
11.9.
Are the intangible attributes considered
before or after the branding experience?
11.9.1. If
before, explain
………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11.9.2. If
after, explain ………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11.10. Which
attributes in a brand have you found to benefit the beauty and cosmetic product
launch over a long time?
o High quality,
o √ Upscale,
o Hip,
Explain
Looks and class go hand in hand and
cosmetics serve this purpose for most people.
12.
Which of the following one or
combination of brand personalities do you use when launching beauty and
cosmetic products?
o Sincerity,
o√ Excitement,
o√ Competence,
o√ Sophistication,
o Ruggedness,
13.
How do the personalities identified
affect the decision of beauty and cosmetic products event design and
decoration, is it of strategic or tactical importance, explain?
N/A
14.
To what extent in your experience does
the event design and decorations affect the creation of the following
experiences in customers in the beauty and cosmetic industry? (1-very low,
2-low, 3-neutral, 4- high, 5-very high)
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
Sense
experiences; sensory
|
√
|
||||
Feel
experiences; affect and emotions
|
√
|
||||
Think
experiences; creative and cognitive
|
√
|
||||
Act
experiences; lifestyles and behaviour
|
√
|
||||
Relate
experiences; connect with similar group
|
√
|
14.1.
Therefore from your experience, are
decorations and beauty and cosmetic event designs determined by branding,
explain?
Yes
14.2.
To what extent does branding have an
impact on the beauty and cosmetic product launch and the image of the company
in general, explain?
Branding affects how the company is
perceived and it therefore has a great bearing on how the product is received
in the market
15.
Would you say that the launch events
attended left a lasting impression on you?
Yes
o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
16.
What component of the events impressed
you the most? (Please rate in order of influence)
5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
|
The location of the events
|
|||||
events' timing
|
|||||
interior designs
|
|||||
decoration colour themes
|
|||||
level of service during the events
|
|||||
the suitability of products
|
|||||
price discounts at the events
|
17.
Please explain briefly what impressed
you most about the events attended (list three factors)
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
18.
Was the use of branding easily
recognisable in the event?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
19.
Would you say that branding was central
to the product launch event attended?
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
20.
Would you say that the events
contributed to your brand awareness of the organisations and their products?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
21.
Based on your experience at the product
launch events, would you continue consuming the products displayed?
Yes o No o
Please
explain...................................................................................................................
Thank you
Questions
for event organisers at MAC
1.
What event designs have been used most
frequently and how effective were they in encouraging sales during and after
the events? Which other designs have been under consideration and why were they
not settled upon?
2.
What improvements to event designs (if
any) would you propose? Why?
3.
How do you determine the target audience
for the events? In your opinion, was this targeting accurate? If not, what
improvements would you propose?
4.
What limitations have you faced when
determining the appropriate targets for the product launch events?
5.
In which ways does the target groups
arrived at affect the event designs? And what challenges have been faced in the
designing of such events?
6.
Does the company follow up after the
events to establish how effective such events were? In which ways? How effective
were the follow-up tools and what improvements (if any) would you suggest?
7.
Does creativity in product launch events
improve their impact? How?
8.
Does the company factor in branding in
the design of product launch events? How?
9.
In your opinion, does this focus on
branding lead to the effectiveness of the product launch events at MAC?
Questions
for managers at MAC
1.
What marketing theories are prevalent in
the product launch events at MAC?
2.
What other approaches to marketing are
embraced by MAC in addition to the use of product launch events?
3.
What brand image does MAC intend to
project about their products?
4.
To what extent is the market aware of
the MAC brand and how does this impact on the company’s market share?
5.
How important is the product-launch
events to Brand awareness campaigns at MAC?
6.
What attributes of a brand do you think
are most relevant to the consumers of cosmetic products and to what extent do
you think MAC lives up to these expectations?
7.
What measures did you take to ensure
good attendance of your events?
Question:
What event designs have been used most frequently and how effective were they
in encouraging sales during and after the events? Which other designs have been
under consideration and why were they not settled upon?
Answer: We embrace different event designs depending
on the products and the target market. For example, where we are targeting the
young vibrant population, we can opt to place the events in an evening party
setting.
The main design that we are yet to implement that we
are considering seriously is the application of solutions in public places
where booths are placed for all interested to access the services. So far, we
have been hosting a predetermined list of guests.
Question:
What improvements to event designs (if any) would you propose? Why?
Answer: None
that I can think of at the moment
Question: How
do you determine the target audience for the events? In your opinion, was this
targeting accurate? If not, what improvements would you propose?
Answer: The target audience is determined by the
product and the persons who the products would serve best. We also tend to
concentrate on attracting role models to our events and use their endorsements
to ensure higher volumes of sales. Our targeting has been very accurate and it
has been the reason behind the success of our events. However, it was a little
challenging to get the contacts of the persons needed.
Question:
What limitations have you faced when determining the appropriate targets for
the product launch events?
Answer: whereas the targeting may have been
accurate, we tend to have challenges in getting the targeted audience to attend
especially where we lack their personal contacts or where they are out of reach
for one reason or another.
Question: In
which ways does the target groups arrived at affect the event designs? And what
challenges have been faced in the designing of such events?
Answer: Most of our events have always been in
common places that are accessible to most people through private and public
means. Accessing our events has been quite easy for the target audience.
Question:
Does the company follow up after the events to establish how effective such
events were? In which ways? How effective were the follow-up tools and what
improvements (if any) would you suggest?
The company conducts follows ups after the product
launch events to ascertain their effectiveness. We do it in a number of ways:
firstly, we monitor sales and find out if there were any noticeable changes in
sales volumes from the time the events were launched. Secondly, we provide
those who’d attended the events with special references to enable us track how
frequently they buy out products.
These follow up tools have been fairly attractive
although ways of improving them should be sought.
Question:
Does creativity in product launch events improve their impact? How?
Yes. Creativity creates a big impact in events.
It helps provide an element of surprise and these
surprises go a long way in making the events memorable.
Question:
Does the company factor in branding in the design of product launch events?
How?
Yes. The company bears in mind the brand at all
times
Branding is used in decoration and the creation of
an event them in order to reflect on the brand personality.
Question: In
your opinion, does this focus on branding lead to the effectiveness of the
product launch events at MAC?
Yes. We attribute the success of our product launch
events to the accurate application of branding in the design and decoration.
Question:
What marketing theories are prevalent in the product launch events at MAC?
Answer: At MAC we believe in consumer orientation
where our focus is mainly aimed at delivering quality that satisfies changing
consumer preferences from time to time. The product launch events are therefore
designed with the preferences of our customers in mind with an aim to ensure
they get pleasant experiences.
We also ensure that our services and pricing remain
competitive at all times in order to compete effectively; and especially during
events in order to create a team of advocates for our products in the market.
Question:
What other approaches to marketing are embraced by MAC in addition to the use
of product launch events?
Answer: We also use advertisements through mass
media and print media. Internet marketing is also used widely. We also do
direct marketing through our highly skilled sales representatives.
Question:
What brand image does MAC intend to project about their products?
Answer: Our main aim is to present our products are
reliable and high quality products that are not only capable of producing
physical benefits but also capable of uplifting the spirits of the users. In
other words, an attempt to create a happy mood
Question: To
what extent is the market aware of the MAC brand and how does this impact on
the company’s market share?
Answer: The MAC brand is well known globally and
this makes it easier for us to market our products with relative success. We
have been consolidating our market share in recent months and are on the verge
of creating strategies to make use of our strong brand to increase the market
share.
Question: How
important is the product-launch events to Brand awareness campaigns at MAC?
Answer: We consider the product launch events as
central to our brand awareness campaigns. The creation of unique experiences
during product launch events helps in building unique relationships between our
brand and the clientele in attendance.
Question:
What attributes of a brand do you think are most relevant to the consumers of
cosmetic products and to what extent do you think MAC lives up to these
expectations?
Intangible attributes
With them, clients tend to be more loyal than with
tangible attributes where one can easily switch to competitors’ products
Question:
What measures did you take to ensure good attendance of your events?
Answer: Our product launch events are well
publicised and those invited are notified well in advance. We also provide
periodic reminders prior to the events to ensure that it is not forgotten. In
some cases, we invite persons who are greatly revered by the target audience in
order to attract them to the events. So far, our events are very well attended.
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