Re: UKNM: Internet advertising for food or drink brands.

[Carol]

The key distinction is between "having a Web site" and "advertising online".

It's the same distinction as between "publishing a magazine" and "advertising

in magazines".


If Coke wants to get its branding message across to a group of people (say

teenage boys for the sake of argument) it must advertise in the contexts where

the message will be seen by those people.  If they are targeting teenage boys

it would make sense to advertise in magazines such as Shoot or Nintendo

Magazine, in TV slots around relevant programmes and on Web sites which are

attracting teenage boys such as football, computer games or even

homework-related sites.  Obviously a banner ad can click through to a bit more

information or a competition entry form or somesuch, but this is not a Web

site.


There are very few reasons why an FMCG brand should bother with a Web site of

its own any more than it should bother publishing its own magazine or

operating its own TV channel.  If they do invest in their own Web site (and we

all know that this will be a continually growing investment!) then they have

to invest further in advertising for that Web site in order to attract traffic

to it.  Which seems mad when presumably they should be investing their

advertising budget in encouraging people to buy their product in the shops,

rather than to visit a Web site.


Carol Dukes




Alexander Sampson wrote:


> Dear Sir or Madam,

>

> Have you ever wondered why a brand such as Coke or Ragu should be

> advertised online and/or have a web site?

>

> The Internet gives the opportunity to involve the audience, provide

> customer support and rich product specific information while the gap

> between the advertising exposure and the sale can be minimised by

> selling online. But for common, repeat-purchase food or drink brands,

> some research has shown that customer support is not necessary and that

> little product-specific information is required prior to purchase.

> Furthermore, such brands can only be sold offline and it is uncertain

> whether their target audience are Internet users or whether other media

> would satisfy marketing objectives in a better way.

>

> So why are such brands advertised online? Does exposure in the Internet

> affect the brand's equity or is presence in the medium driven by hype

> and competitive actions? Your opinion, as an Internet

> advertising/marketing expert is necessary in order to give an answer to

> the above

> questions! Responses will remain confidential and be included in a

> thesis that is a prerequisite for acquiring a Masters degree in

> marketing from the University of Stirling in the UK.

>

> ...So why not take a moment and respond to a short survey and get an

> All-in-one Internet advertising and marketing resources web page and

> exclusive access to the full report (when finished) in return?

>

> Just click on the link below:

> http://www.inetsurvey.com/Survey.cgi/as077/Brands

>

> Regards,

>

> Alexander Sampson, MSc Marketing, University of Stirling, UK, 1999.

>

e-mail:as077stir [dot] ac [dot] uk

> URL:http://www.stir.ac.uk/marketing


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