Aryan started a Super Specialty Store, Sampada. Its products are sourced from hand-picked suppliers. These products are sold under Sampada own brand. Its promotion strategy is very specific and focuses on targeted groups of customers. The purpose of this promotions strategy is to develop the brand Sampada by creating awareness among the customers. To do this, Sampada Facebook and Twitter pages encourage two-way communication with customers. These social media channels provide a platform through which Sampada can interact with customers. It can then assess their opinions about the brand. (a) Identify the promotion strategy adopted by Sampada. (b) List the activities that are included in the strategy identified in (a) above for creating brand awareness. (c) Also, explain the promotion strategies other than the one identified in (a) above.

Question

Accepted Answer

(a) The promotion strategy adopted by Sampada is **Below-the-line (BTL)** promotion. BTL methods are very specific, memorable activities focused on targeted groups of consumers. They are under the control of the organisation. The purpose of these activities has been to develop the brand by creating awareness and building a brand profile.

(b) Activities included in the BTL strategy for creating brand awareness are:
1. **Sponsorship** of events or activities
2. **Sales promotions** such as discounts, offers, and loyalty programmes
3. **Public relations** activities to build favourable image
4. **Personal selling** through direct interaction with customers
5. **Direct marketing** including social media engagement, as Sampada uses Facebook and Twitter pages for two-way communication with customers

(c) Other promotion strategies besides BTL are:

**Above-the-line (ATL)** promotion uses mass media methods focused on advertising to a large audience. It includes conventional media like print, online, television, and cinema advertising. ATL activities include advertisements in the press, online banner advertisements, placing advertisements on billboards, and using websites. Making a message memorable to a large audience is not always easy, and ATL promotion is also very expensive.

**Through-the-line (TTL)** promotion refers to an advertising strategy involving both above-the-line and below-the-line communications, where one form of advertising points the target to another form, thereby crossing the line. This integrated approach combines the broad reach of ATL with the targeted precision of BTL for maximum impact.