A marketing organization can be simply referred to as an organization consisting of a group of people working towards a common purpose, that is, profit and sales maximization, image building and customer satisfaction. Today, I would like to talk about how a marketing organization, with the use of media strategies and tools, can create an effective awareness campaign. And, for that, I’d like to use the same example I have used previously for education purposes.
The example is: Samsuix Ltd, a marketing organization that has the mission of creating an awareness campaign to introduce the new product, Samsung Note 20Ultra, to the Mauritian Market. If I were the campaign leader or manager, what would I do to create and promote that campaign?
The Awareness Campaign
Neil Patel, an entrepreneur, believed that good communication is a functional prerequisite for a product launch. However, what does he mean by good communication? According to Ruler, Vercic and Flodin (2014), “Communication is a method of passing information from one person to another.” Good and effective communication occurs when the desired reaction or response from the recipient is achieved.
In order to obtain a successful campaign, Samsuix Ltd has to ensure that there is efficient internal communication and that proper policies and strategies are being implemented. There are various factors that will influence the outcome of the awareness campaign and communication plays a prominent role.
The hierarchy within the organizational structure of Samsuix Ltd, includes several ranks and each rank has specific roles and responsibilities. The awareness campaign project requires Samsuix Ltd to have proper planning and good decision-making. The chain of command gives rise to equilibrium and lines of authority are established to prevent miscommunication and conflicts among employees in the organization. And, as per Professor Wheeler’s claim, “Internal organization is the structural framework of duties and responsibilities required of personal within the company.”
The smooth flow of communication within Samsuix Ltd contributes to the development of the launch of Samsung Note 20Ultra. For instance, the higher-ups would assign the awareness campaign project to qualified employees. Necessary instructions, such as the Samsung Note 20Ultra’s features would be sent by superiors so as to make sure that their subordinates have understood the objective of the product launch properly and to meet the required goal. This process can be referred to as downward communication.
Employees at the same level work together as a team and communicate with each other to achieve the same objectives. This is known as the horizontal communication, whereby informal meetings are conducted for the pre-launch phase. Employees work together to carry out research, identify the targeted audience and share the collected data among themselves. Small group meetings are carried out to create the awareness campaign message. Mediated interpersonal communication is involved when employees communicate with sponsors through telephone conversations or electronic mail. In order to inform the public about the launch of the new Samsung, pamphlets are also used as public communication. Employees also make use of new technology, such as social media, to share ideas for the campaign. For instance, Twitter is a platform that is greatly used by employees within the marketing organization. Social media is viewed as a reliable means for promoting campaigns and delivering the proper message to a heterogeneous audience. For example, Dacia, a car brand, used Facebook to boost its promotional campaign.
Furthermore, employees may give a written or spoken account of the data collected to the higher levels through reports and meetings. This consists of upward communication, whereby reviews, proposals and suggestions such as, the awareness campaign’s main message, are conveyed to superiors for approval. Presentations are carried out by employees to obtain the consent of superiors for the marketing plan and the preparation of the launch event and its activities. In addition, diagonal communication takes place when workers responsible for the campaign project ask for information from the accounting department for a better pricing strategy.
Moreover, grapevine communication is inevitable in the workplace. It is a form of informal communication that occurs between employees and superiors, regardless of the rank of authority. Grapevine communication displays a genuine picture of the motivation of employees in their work for the campaign and offers valid feedback to the higher levels.
Finally, during the post-launch stage, there is the follow-up, whereby feedback is gathered from the public to assess the result of the campaign and its impact on the Mauritian public. It is eminent that employees analyze whether the campaign’s message has been correctly decoded by individuals. The end results are then processed and presented formally to the superiors. Hence, communication is not only a part of the marketing organization but is rather the largest and most crucial part of the organization. The campaign can only have a favorable outcome when the relevant communication channels are used and when there is a proper flow of information in the organization.
