Assignment

Listed below are several descriptions of different promotion situations. In each case:

1. Identify the problem element of the communication process. There is a problem with the promotion effort. For some reason, communication has not been effective. You may see different elements of the promotion process that may be related to the problem.
2. Offer an explanation - briefly explain why you think that element is a problem, and how the communication process might need to be changed to correct the problem. (Note: your recommendation may include changing one or more elements of the traditional communication process other than the one that you noted as the major problem.)

Case scenarios:

1. A vitamin company has been doing advertising for its line of weightloss diet supplements. The supplements are targeted to overweight, middleaged men and women. The company's ads appear on TV exercise programs that are viewed by the same target market. In the ad, a trim professional model explains the product and how safely and effectively it works. But the ads do not seem to be effective. Apparently, the overweight viewers don't believe that a trim model really knows about the difficulties of losing weight.

Problem __________________________________________

Why _____________________________________________

Recommendation __________________________________

1. An insurance company has a list of customers whose policies are about to expire. The company has hired sales reps to telephone these customers and ask them if they would like to renew their policies. Research shows that most customers appreciate this servicesince it means that there will not be a lapse in their policy. The company has screened and hired sales reps carefully. Each salesperson has been trained to be knowledgeable about the prices for different policies. The company leaves it to each sales rep to decide what to sayso that the presentation will be as natural as possible. But, the inexperienced salespeople have trouble getting the conversation started and often the customer hangs up before the point of the call is clear.

Problem __________________________________________

Why _____________________________________________

Recommendation __________________________________