Marketing
2016-05-20
As we can see, nowadays, marketing events play a crucial role in the almost all companies, which work with the end-consumers. One can say that such activities as show-business, fashion and related industries are based on the marketing activities and events. In this case, marketing events during the annual Eurovision Song Contest can be relevant theme for the blog.
The Eurovision Song Contest is a great event that can be considered as the most meaningful for singers not only from Europe, but from other regions also. As we know, representatives from Turkey, Australia, some countries of Africa also took part in this contest at different times. The average annual audience of televiewers is around 180-200 million people. It is a huge number of potential clients of different goods and services.
Let’s analyze market strategy that has been used in the Eurovision Song Contest during last years and which tactical activities have been implemented. Each contest has a specific symbol. For example, the last symbols were butterfly and dandelion. Each singer shows his short story, which is usually recorded in his own country, in order to introduce himself to people. Also, dresses or suits are one more specific feature of each singer, which can attract attention of fans and televiewers. Voting is carried out by paid phone calls or SMS. As a rule, all expanses to the participation of the singer in the contest and his performance are covered by single or several sponsors.
Thus, one can divide the following types of companies, which can be interested in event marketing during song contest: mobile network operators, clothing and jewelry brands, TV and radio channels, public organizations. Graphical show was the basis for performance background during the last song contest. In this case, such contest can be interesting for representatives of companies, which specializes on new graphical technologies and designers.
Let’s analyze tactical activities, which have been implemented during such song contest. Marketing tactic is a concrete action towards the implementation of the chosen marketing strategy. Marketing activities during such contest can be examples of the so-called event marketing. Event marketing is perceived in two contexts: as a business and as a tool for marketing communications. Event marketing is inextricably linked with the event management, because direct implementation of any event requires professional management skills.
Bright examples of marketing activities during Eurovision song contests can be the following:
marketing campaign of the mobile network operators;
some participants have focused public attention to the problems of LGBT-society;
promotion of dresses of singers;
TV and radio channels are often the general sponsors of singers from different countries (Daykin, 2016).
Let’s analyze them in more detail. For example, the mobile network operators had the following objectives:
The main goal of the designers, who invent dresses, jewelers and the whole style of singer’s appearance, is additional promotion and formation more loyal image among potential clients, especially on the domestic market.
TV and radio channels, who act as sponsors of the singer’s participation in the contest, seek to increase the number of their viewers and listeners (Alison, 2016). Such TV and radio channels have priority right to conduct interviews with the singers during and after the contest and showing the live broadcast of all stages of the competition in the native country of the participant.
Greater attention also must be paid to the souvenirs. The Annual Eurovision Song Contest is accompanied by the selling of different souvenirs, accessories, T-shirts and gifts. For example, special online-store worked for Eurovision 2016. There is a great assortment of goods that is also available now:
clothing,
accessories,
collectibles;
special offers (“Collectibles”).
In addition to the new products, accessories with the symbols of the previous years of the competition are also available in the store. They are offered at discounted prices. It should be noted that a really new industry has arisen thanks to the annual song contest.
Let’s analyze the main strengths and limitations of the event marketing that is presented in this paper. Event marketing remains an unusual type of activity until now.
Firstly, each event-project contains a strong news component that is associated with participation of any well-known persons in the event (Hoyle, 2002). And if there is the maximum number of journalists and other media representatives in the event, it acquires a powerful PR-support in the form of the following media publications and reports (offline as well as online). Secondly, event marketing has long-term effect, because begins long before the events in the announcements, billboards, press conferences, and continues in subsequent performances, tours and publications in the media.
Moreover, event-marketing can highlight another very important detail, among other advantages. They are savings of finance (Hoyle, 2002). After all, compared to traditional advertising, event marketing can save up to thirty percentages of the total budget, while the efficiency is much faster achieved through a well-planned and original advertising campaign. Event marketing activities can not only promote the brand, but also in some cases serve as an alternative to market research. In addition, event-marketing gives companies the opportunity to make direct sales by tying them to the event. At the same time, Eurovision Song Contest does not always imply a sale of products. The selling of tickets to the contest is still the main part of the profits received.
But there are also many disadvantages of the event marketing. One of them is ignorance of the special features of the target audience or its part. Thus, the global marketing strategy is much more difficult to convey to everyone, and activities at the local level make it possible to reach out to individual customers. Global marketing campaigns can differ by less effective than local ones. At the same time, the last ones cover a smaller number of people. Anyway, an event marketing is a universal tool of changes: at the level of both internal and external marketing environments.
In conclusion one can say that event marketing can effectively build a strong emotional connection between the consumer and the brand in a relatively short period of time. With the help of well-conducted activities, it is possible not only enhancing the brand awareness of more than 30%, but also to instill in the audience loyalty to the promoted brand.
References
“Collectibles”. The Official Eurovision Song Contest Shop. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 May 2016.
Alison,. "Sponsorship: Pros And Cons - Marketing Agency In Exeter, Devon". Marketing Agency in Exeter, Devon. N.p., 2013. Web. 20 May 2016.
Daykin, Jerry. "The Marketers' Guide To Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up About Sponsorship". The Drum. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 May 2016.
Hoyle, Leonard H. Event Marketing. New York: J. Wiley, 2002. Print.
