One of the areas of focus for this week is the management of marketing communications (promotions) as part of the strategic marketing function. Finding out who the right folks are (target market), developing a communication that they will interpret properly (resonance), and deliver it using the right channel (t.v., radio, social media, billboard, etc.) is critical to having a positive MROI or marketing return on investment. This is especially true for organizations that have a limited marketing communication budget (some say 5-10% of gross sales should be dedicated to marketing communications). So if you ever have decoded (interpreted a marketing communication stimulus) and said "I don't get it…" it likely was due to either you not being in the target market or poor execution on the brands end.

Question: Cite a marketing communication example that you think is superior in that it was focused with a single voice that resonates with the target market via the proper channel of communication. Describe what the promotion did specifically (colors, music, words, use of humor, etc) that made it so effective. Likely it will be the result of a hedonic (emotional) pull rather than a utilitarian (functional) purpose. Make sure you cite where the promotion appeared. Then describe why some might not think it is effective or is a poor communication piece...i.e. not in the target market, not the appropriate channel, etc.