4.5 Promotion

The main advantage of using ATL promotion is the potential to reach a very large audience of potential customers. However, ATL promotion is very expensive and is largely untargeted (so many adverts are irrelevant to viewers).

Examples: Cinema, magazines, Newspaper, outdoor advert, radio, TV

Below the line (BTL) promotion refers to marketing activities which the organization has direct control over. It is aimed directly at a targeted audience instead of a general audience (as is the case for ATL promotional strategies). Unlike ATL strategies, BTL promotional strategies do not use the mass media.

Examples: direct mail, Sponsorship, Point of sale, loyalty programs, sales promos, celebrity endorsements,  trade fairs, PR (Publicity events,Speeches to targeted groups and professional organizations (such as seminars and receptions),Talk show appearances (radio or TV),Books and other writings,Direct communication (such as Newsletters or email),Blogs,Social media, such as Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook,Working with the Press / news media 

Viral marketing occurs when an advertising message is self-replicated like a virus.

Viral marketing is the spread of information about a business, its brands and its goods and services from one Internet user to others. It is a form of peer-to-peer communication between individuals connected on social media and social networks. Viral marketing relies on online content and media such as blogs, microblogs, infographics, emails, video hosting websites and online discussion forums.

Viral marketing can be a cost-effective method to create positive word of mouth marketing about a business, its brand and its products

Guerrilla marketing was a term made popular by Jay Conrad Levinson (1984). It is about using unconventional but innovative marketing strategies that make a major impact on the market, but at a fraction of cost of traditional promotional methods such as above-the-line strategies. Guerrilla marketing techniques are highly effective in surprising potential customers and capturing their attention. It is therefore suitable for organizations with very limited marketing budgets.