sales promotion is a very effective tool to promote products/brands, especially if the goal is to increase sales volume in the short term. However, one of the biggest criticisms against relying heavily on sales promotion to promote a product or a brand is that it will dilute the brand image over time. Sales promotion critics believe that by constantly using monetary incentives rather than emotional connections to attract people to buy a product from a brand, people will become numb to everything embedded in the meaning behind the brand and will only react to a discounted price tag. Over time, this will not allow brands to charge any premium from their products.

However, the sales promotion proponents argue that there is nothing wrong with attracting people with deals, otherwise, a significant portion of people might not even considerproducts from certain brands in the first place. Regardless of the reasons people use to justify their decision to buy, brands can increase their exposure through sales promotions. The proponents of sales promotion also argue that in this cutthroat competition environment, brands might not have the luxury to be picky. Some people might be attracted to the brand because of the deal, but if they become satisfied with the brand, they might or might not care so much about the deal later.

• Give 2 examples of brands whose strategies align with the first argument.
• Give 2 examples of brands whose strategies align with the second argument.
• Which argument do you support? Explain why.