Final Evt Mktg

7/27/2019 Final Evt Mktg

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T.Y.B.M.S. Project Different Aspects Of Marketing In EventsMithibai College

Design of the StudyDesign of the Study

Event marketing has rapidly become a significant element within the marketing mix. Its

strategies enable marketers to communicate with consumers in a personal and relevant

manner to fully experience their brands. It also provides a framework for an integrated

marketing plan that can support a number of corporate, brand and trade objectives.

ObjectivesObjectives

1. To know event marketing as a significant element within the marketing mix.

2. To recognize the variety of concerns that own and / or represent the various

categories that entail event marketing.

3. To know and understand the intent of event marketing.

4. To realize the importance of communication, advertising and media in event

marketing, in making the marketing process effective, making the key messages

more relevant & personal and reaching the customers successfully.

5. To comprehend the way event marketing builds brand equity.

6. To figure out the key issues and areas to be considered during the process of event

marketing.

7. To know the various strategies and tactics required to leverage the event

sponsorship.

8. To know the various opportunities involved in event marketing.

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ScopeScope

This project deals with the various strategies and tactics used in making event marketing

successful. This project explains the significance of event marketing in building a strong

relationship between the sponsoror and the event marketer, and also in positioning the

brand competitively for reaching the target customer.This project will be of help in

knowing the plan and the process of event marketing.

MethodologyMethodology

Taking into consideration the time and resources available, the project has been

completed by collecting the requisite substance by:

Scanning the books available in the library,

Surfing the net.

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It is important to note that the field of marketing includes sales, but it alsoincludes many functions besides sales. Many people mistakenly think that marketing andsales are the same-they are not.

These are the fundamentals of a true marketing mindset:

Producing what the customer wants should be the focus of businessoperations and planning.

Creating profitable sales volume, not just sales volume, is a necessarygoal.

Coordinating between marketing activities and all other functions within abusiness that affect marketing efforts.

Everywhere we go, every time we buy, when we eat, when we drink, weare exposed to marketing at work. Why do we wear Nike shoes instead of Reebok? Levi's instead of no name brand jeans? Why do we prefer BMW's to Volvo's? How do we make our decisions? What influences our choices? How do businesses know what we want to buy and where wewant to buy it from? How do businesses convince you, the customer topart with your money and buy their products instead of a competitor'sproduct?

This is what marketing is all about. Bringing consumers and productstogether. The beauty of marketing is that it is not restricted to those whowant to be specialist marketers - an understanding of marketing will be of value to you as members of the business community and as consumers.

As a discipline, marketing draws upon studies of communication,mathematics, psychology, sociology, economics and management. It isthe discipline that determines what strategies are needed to movebusinesses into stronger competitive positions.

In marketing we study: Who makes what and sells through which channel to

whom, where and with what effects? here who means the manufacturer; makes is

process of manufacture; what is product; channels of distribution: wholesalers, sub-

wholesalers, retailers, etc; whom are the purchasers or the consumers; where means

the geographical areas where the product is sold; and effects are the results of the

marketing process, whether the product is selling well or not, and to what extent.

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Four Ps

Traditionally marketing students have recognized that product, promotion, price, public

relation and location, or place, are critical components in the marketing process. Each of

these 5 Ps of marketing is a catalyst for sales. Although marketing has become moresophisticated in the twentieth century, savvy event marketers recognize that marketing is

ultimately only a three-syllable word for sales.

Marketing Objectives

The marketing mix:1 Product

2 Price

3 Promotions

4 Place

The promotion mix:

1 Advertising2 Publicity

3 Sales promotions

4 Direct marketing

5 Personal selling

The media mix:

1 Television2 Print

3 Radio

4 Outdoor poster

5 Cinema

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6 Direct mail

7 Internet

8 Brochures

9 Flyers

The role of the promotional mix is to:

1. Create or increase awareness of the event

2. Create or enhance a positive image

3. Position the event relative to its competition

4. Infer target markets of pertinent details or the event5. Generate demand for the event

6. Remind target markets of the events details

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EVENTEVENT

Marketing Guru, Philip Kotler, considers events as an additional media whereby two-way

communication is possible.

An event is a live-multimedia package carried out with a preconceived concept,

customized or modified to achieve the clients objectives of reaching out and suitably

influencing the sharply defined, specially gathered target audience by providing a

complete sensual experience and an avenue for two way interaction.

Deepak Gattani, Director, Unirapport Events, one of Indias foremost events agencies

defines events as something noteworthy which happens according to a set plan involving

networking of a multimedia package, thereby achieving the clients objectives and

justifying their need for associating with events.

Events are occurrences designed to communicate particular messages to target audiences.

Events have now come a long way in terms of classification and specialization that are

possible in the marketing field. In fact, in this new millennium, events as a medium will

be catering to all demographic segments of the population. Events have proved to be a

versatile marketing communications toll since they can be easily customized to cater to

the communication needs of the industry; be it pharmaceutical, financial services or any

other. To add to the benefits that an event offers, live media integrates the three

traditional modes of marketing communication, viz. advertising, sales promotion and

public relations. An event can also act as a focus for specific campaigns and help ingiving a guideline to media related decision making such as when to change, stop or

introduce new campaigns

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EVENTS AND ECONOMYEVENTS AND ECONOMY

The economic benefits to the region hosting the event is also a positive aspect. Countries

like India should be not only investing in information technology but also other

communication infrastructure to be ready in this millennium to host similar mega-events.

Events like 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi gave an impetus to the Indian economy

with the setting up of an Asian Games village for the participants with all modern

facilities essentially in transportation and infrastructure. The buses which were

introduced during the games to transport athletes are in fact still in operation and are

plying between various cities such as Mumbai and Pune, 18 years later!

To illustrate these concepts, the following list shows the marketing activities that an event

marketer undertakes to product a successful festival or a special event:

1. Analyses the needs of the target market to establish appropriate event

components, or products.

2. Establishes what other competitive events could satisfy similar needs to ensure

their event has a unique selling proposition.

3. Predicts how many people will attend the event.

4. Estimate what price they will be willing to pay to attend the event.

5. Decides on the type and quantity of promotional activities making aware the

target market about the event.

6. Decides on how tickets to the event can reach the target market.

7. Establishes the degree of success of the marketing activities.

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5 Cs OF EVENT MARKETING5 Cs OF EVENT MARKETING

The activities required for marketing events need certain steps to be followed that can be

called the five Cs of event marketing. The first is Conceptualisation of the creative

idea/ambience followed by the Costing i.e. calculation of cost of production and margins

on the event. Canvassing for clients / sponsors, customers / audience and networking is

the next step. Depending on the customers needs and marketing objectives,

Customisation of the concept is required. Finally, the most important part of event

management is the execution of the event as planned. We term this activity as Carrying-

out the event.

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CANVASSING

COSTING

INITIALCONCEPT

CUSTOMISATIONConceptual-

isation

FINALCONCEPT

CARRY OUT

EVENTS


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production budget to the tune of Rs.7 lakhs. The event was a ticketed show

partially sponsored by multiple sponsors. Tickets for the show were sold at a

variety of outlets as well as at the venue for Rs.250 per couple. Art was given

more importance leaving hardly any scope for customisation.

Initial concept for Holi 2002

A2Z wanted to repeat the previous years event ad verbatim.

Costing

The costing for Holi 2000 worked out to Rs.10 lakhs.

Canvassing

Many corporates were approached with the initial concept to sponsor the event.

The Leads generated through canvassing for sponsors and negotiation with venue

owners gave a strong impetus and indications of success for particular variation.

A leading soft drinks company could be persuaded to fully sponsor the event.

Customisation

The target audience of the soft drinks company was predominantly fun-seekingyouth. The initial concept needed to be changed from a family-oriented event to

a youthful event. The budget needed to be drastically reduced to Rs.2 lakhs per

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center and the event was to be conducted simultaneously, in 5 locations spread

across the country.

Final concept and carrying-out

Constraint of budget and specific requirements of the client changed the initial

concept of a two day programme to a 3 hour forenoon programme titled Holi

Gyrations 2003. The programme essentially revolved around a colour rain dance

and colour blasts for young people with coverage on a popular youth oriented

music channel on the television. It was also decided to use the event coverage as

software for future use by the channel. Now the event was a fully sponsored

show for a single sponsor with invitat ions to a small l imited number of

participants. The show was now fully customized to give predominant

importance to the sponsors colours viz. blue and red. Both the colour blasts and

the colour rain were predominantly blue and red. The carryout stage involved

being exceptiona lly careful and prepared for eventualities such as hazards of

drunken misbehaviour of the youth even though liquor was not allowed inside the

venue. The interaction revolved around a popular VJ anchoring the show and

except for dancing, there would be hardly anything else actually happening. The

carryout stage gets completely taken over by the music channel.

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MARKET IN EVENTSMARKET IN EVENTS

Prof. Philip Kotler of Kellogg Graduate School of Management, A market consists of

all the potential customers sharing a particular need or want who might be willing and

able to engage in exchange to satisfy that need or want.

In event, there are two distinct types of customers customers from whom there is

revenue generated for the event organizer and non-revenue generating customers.

REVENUE GENERATING CUSTOMERSREVENUE GENERATING CUSTOMERS

The event marketers receives money for organizing an event from these

customers. Revenue generating customers are classified primarily into two broad

categories, viz. clients and target audience.

CLIENTS

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Clients are the people or organizations who act as sponsors at any event. They

sponsor the events because they use events as a more effective marketing

communication tool to create for themselves a desired position in the minds of

the target audience. They provide funds that either fully or partially subsidise an

event to make it affordable for the target audience. The risk rating of an event

increases if enough monies from sponsors do not support the event affecting the

event marketers.

The clients include institutions, corporate houses, media houses, etc.

Setting Strategies And Tactics

From your objectives, develop strategies and tactics to leverage your sponsorship. For

instance:

1. Reinforce, enhance or alter a brands image;2. Strengthen corporate image through community and public relations specially in

cities where your company has a large employee base;

3. Offer an opportunity for product trial through sampling;

4. Offer hospitality for your key business contacts;

5. Provide a platform to increase sales and market share;

6. Demonstrate category leadership (to your distributor);

7. Communicate product or service capabilities;8. Focus marketing efforts or provide a platform for a comprehensive marketing

program;

9. Open new channels of distribution;

10. Forge new links with opinion leaders;

11. Improve morale;

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12. Neutralize competition;

13. Launch a new product or service.

14. Make sure that your objectives are clearly articulated and understood b everyone

involved, both internally and externally.

INSTITUTIONS

Institutions involved or participating in sports and other competitive events have

the most organized and well structured governing mechanisms amongst all the

event categories. Hence, for event marketer, these represent a tangible client to

approach.

CORPORATE HOUSES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Corporates have a need for organizing both external as well as internal events.

MEDIA HOUSES

Press, television and the radio media owners also require events for generic

purposes, such as software creation. Hence they are a part of the customer group

for event marketer.

TARGET AUDIENCE

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The target audience is the ult imate customer for the event who actually

participate in the event. These are the most important lot of revenue generating

customers for the event marketers as well as their clients.

NON REVENUE GENERATING CUSTOMERS NON REVENUE GENERATING CUSTOMERS

Besides the important customers, there are several other entities that need to be

serviced or treated like a customer in the changed business scenario that requires

one to be market oriented whether there is direct monetary benefit or not.

Indirect customers who mostly are the most active carriers of word-of-mouth

publicity and do not necessarily generate a monetary gain for the event

marketers.

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IMPRESARIOS(INFLUENCERS)

Businesspersons, ambassadors, foreign embassy officials, etc. are a set of

customers who need to be cultivated for their potential to influence prospective

clients in favour of a particular event agency.

ADVERTISING AGENCIES

Ad agencies are involved with events, in that they are invariably required to

design and execute the publicity campaign for their clients who are using the

services of an event agency for any event.

REGULATORY BODIES

Regulatory bodies such as Tax and Police authorities, Cultural Affairs Ministry

etc. imply non revenue customers or stakeholders since they have to be serviced

with equal importance to any paying customer.

SEGMENTATION OF THE MARKET FOR EVENTSSEGMENTATION OF THE MARKET FOR EVENTS

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EVENT MARKET

EVENT MARKET

Like any other product or service, success of an event depends on the right

segmentation and targeting of customers. The success of the client-concept-

audience fit depends on the proper segmentation of the market and then targeting

a particular target segment. The event marketers should first segment clients and

on this basis, proceed to segmentation of target audience. The Holi example

given earlier can be used to understand this. Targeting of clients is done on the

basis of their attractiveness.

A large identifiable group of customers within a market can be termed as a

market segment. Since different customers both clients and the target audience

differ in terms of various characteristics, it Is difficult to customize the

communication to each individual. The need for segmenting the market on the

basis of broad features that make up the market also arises so as to reach a

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compromise between mass marketing and individual marketing by event

marketers.

An example of mass marketing in events is any ticketed show such as a cricket

match wherein tickets for watching the game are sold to anybody on a first-

come-first-served basis. Sponsorship is open to the highest bidding clients in

such events. In case of mass marketing, the event is designed first and then is

opened for any client. Individual marketing in events can also be termed as

customized events. These involve designing a concept suitable for a client and

its customers (i.e. the target audience).

Market segmentation is a very arduous task since the event marketer needs to

segment the market with respect to both the client as well as the target audience

to ensure the client-concept-audience fit. The segmentation of the market can be

carried out on the basis of the core concept preferences of the clients as well as

those of the target audience. The target audience can be segmented based on

standard demographic, geographic, and economic and psychographics traits.

Segmentation of the target audience becomes very important in that, they define

which clients to approach for funding the events as well as event category and

variation that the event marketer should focus on. Segmentation of clients is

very important since not only is the information on the brands, products or

services of the client important but also the target audience that the client is

going to attract is also very important.

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Benefit segmentation can be used for segmentation of clients. Segmentation on

the basis of different levels of the benefits offered by events that of reach and

interaction can be termed as benefit segmentation. Therefore, clients can be

segmented into clients seeking high reach with less interaction, equal reach and

interaction or low reach with high interaction. Each of the event variations

discussed earlier could also be converted into tangible event market segments.

Thus, market segmentation for event marketers involves understanding which

target audience and which client to serve at the same time. Segmentation of the

events market helps in identifying the synergies between the target audience and

the client. This goes a long way in ensuring the client-concept-audience fit. The

event market is made up of a large number of clients and audience. The concept

can be modified and applied to any combination. It is upto the event marketer to

define the segments and modify their event concept accordingly.

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REACHREACH

Reach is defined as the adequate number of people belonging to the targetaudience of the clients which is exposed to the event. In other words, reach

implies exposing the event to the right number of the right audience.

In distinct terms, reach can again be divided into external reach from networking

and the actual event reach during the carryout phase of an event.

External Reach from Event Networking

External reach through events is obtained from the networking mix designed for

the event. This is reach in terms of the exposure of an event to the target

audience population. For a sponsor to get enough mileage out of an event,

adequate targeted pre-publicity and advertising are essential; thus making event

networking critical for the success of an event.

Event networking in terms of the media involved, is singularly more important

than anything else in events since creating a network and making it happen is the

crux of the publicity for the event. Without an adequately planned publicity

campaign, the benefit of reach would be lost.

Actual Event Reach

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synergy with these. That is, the event marketers interests, skills and long-term

objectives, which decide the event categories that it will serve, should be in tune

with the requirements of the segment. If the event marketer lacks one or more

necessary competencies and is in no position to acquire them, the segment will

obviously and automatically get scratched from existence of or ability to develop

some superior advantages for a particular segment that other event marketers

cannot acquire in the short term. Such segments where the event marketer can

provide superior value to the cl ient are the most at tractive ones.

In the simplest case, an event marketer can choose to select and operate in a

single segment. This carries higher than normal risk and at the same time the

opportunity to gain a strong knowledge of the segments needs. This can enable

the event marketer to achieve a strong position in the segment. The risk is high

since if the segment attractiveness goes down then the event marketer is left

without any succor or relief. There is also the chance that competition may enter

the segment in a major way effecting the attractiveness again. Thus, most event

marketers prefer to be present in more than one segment. These segments, each

attractive and in tune with the event marketers interests, may or may not have

any synergy amongst them, though each segment should definitely be a monetary

minefield. This leads to spreading the risk such that if one segment becomes

monetarily unattractive, the other segments prop up the event marketer and keep

the cash register ringing.

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Another way of targeting involves event specialization. The event marketer

aims at creating a particular concept within an event category for catering to

several segments. For example, an event marketer focusing only on music

concerts and who does not bother about the other avenues for artistic expression

would have various clients specifically interested in the event category. The

event specialization strategy carries with it the risk of losing clients to another

event variation within the event category. In the market specialization strategy,

the event marketer can aim at fulfilling the multiple requirements of a particular

customer group.

This is a targeting strategy in which the event marketer offers a selected list of

particular cl ients a variety of services that may be from different event

categories. Through this, the event marketer creates a strong reputation for

specializing in events for particular client industries. In terms of risks, a major

risk here is that fluctuations in the clients financial health may affect the event

marketers directly.

On the upside, though an upward swing in the clients fortunes may actually lead

to a boom time for the event marketers. By attempting to serve the entire

market, an event marketer shows the first signs of growing in size and stature.

Event marketers can serve the entire market by either ignoring the market

segment differences or by acknowledging the differences and designing events

for each segment.

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The corporates, which are the clients for event marketers, on their part, are

unabashed about their objectives. For example when it comes to college festivals

ambitious, brand-conscious students fit right into their target markets be it

for a toothpaste, website, paint or soap and the festivals offer both easy and

direct access to this audience. Even a Ford car dealer thinks that such

congregation of college students of a particular age group makes a good event to

sponsor.

Managing Director of Ford Point Automotive, Sandeep Bafna says, Right now,

students may not have the purchasing power. But the long-term investment will

bear fruit once they do. Event marketers should take this factor into account

when targeting clients.

POSITIONING IN EVENTS AND THE CONCEPT OF EVENTPOSITIONING IN EVENTS AND THE CONCEPT OF EVENT

PROPERTYPROPERTY

Positioning

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To establish and communicate the event, marketers products (events) key benefits to the

market is known as positioning. After the segmentation and targeting of the event

market, each target segment then needs to be studied for possible positioning ideas.

These are then selected, developed and communicated.

Branding in Events Event Property

What is called brand in marketing parlance associated with consumer and industrial

products can be termed as event property in events marketing. Event property is that

feature of an event concept that detaches the event from the constraints posed by

canvassing. It virtually creates an event concept that can be organized perpetually using

different artists and venues for different clients and target audiences. It involves

constraining the degrees of freedom with which the event can be carried out while at the

same time removing any constraints from the path of the event moving towards a pre-

planned affair year after year. The event property also has the characteristic that it

belongs to the event marketer and cannot be taken away or stolen by competitors.

For example, the Miss India a beauty and talent contest is the event carried out

annually irrespective of the change in the contestants, judges, venues, clients and target

audience, etc. Femina, a part of the Times of India Group, owns the event and its event

property. The event property of the Miss India pageant is its official recognition as a

national contest for selecting the Indian representatives for the Miss Universe, Miss

World and the Miss Asia Pacific contests. This makes it very difficult nigh impossible

for any competitor to steal the concept away.

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Retaining Event Property

A major part of marketing planning and strategy should be devoted at the

conceptualization stage for identifying the event property before canvassing for clients.

For instance, organizing a music concert without an event property would amount to

forcibly making the event a one-off affair. Since every event concept undergoes

variations and improvements it is imperative that to enable acceptance of the successful

repetition of the event, the event property be identified and incorporated in the final

concept.

Retention of the event property frees the event marketers from the hazards imposed by

the uncertainty of association of clients and target audience with the event. It also frees

them from the need to pamper the event infrastructure elements and can therefore be

more professional in their business.

Threading an event property into the event concept perpetuates the event giving it a

whole new aura of exclusivity. Just as the Miss India example , every event that has a

definite event property attached with it has a fixed periodicity of occurrence to ensure

that the maximum benefits are derived from the event. The Olympic Games in the

sporting arena is the perfect example. Occurring every four years, the Olympics move to

different countries and have different athletes, officials, clients and target audience every

time. But still, the event property is providing athletes from the entire world a common

platform to compete in different competitive events to bring glory to their respective

nations with a spirit of bonhomie. The difference between the Olympics and similar

events such as World Cups lies in the event property associated with the former. The

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Olympics provides equal opportunity to the maximum number of nations for almost

every recognized sporting event unlike the World Cup, which are game specific events.

In addition, the spirit of participation and patriotism is considered to be more important

than actual victory or defeat.

REPOSITIONING OF EVENTS

Event property remains constant like the brand name. Modifications in the event can be

done to accommodate the changed requirements of the market. The Holi Gyrations 2000

can in the next year still retain the event property and be called as Gyrations 2002 withmodifications so as to accommodate the requirements of different clients. Say for

arguments sake, if the client is now a manufacturer of childrens products, then the target

audience for Gyrations 2002 maybe children in the age group of say 7 to 12 years or 10 to

14 years. Now, the event needs to be redesigned and repositioned keeping the target

audience profile in mind. Therefore, the event property that can be cited here is the

combination of the core concept of celebration of a particular festival in a particular

manner. Periodicity is inherent in celebration of all festivals. This example also brings

out the reason why festivals have been sustained for centuries together. These

modifications in the Gyrations 2002 event have to be established and communicated to

the target audience (i.e. children belonging to a particular age group) and the clients (i.e.

manufacturers of childrens products). Therefore, at this particular juncture in time,

Gyrations 2002 is an event that caters to a different target segment than in the year 2000.

This orientation may further change in the future with the change in market and hence

might again entail a repositioning exercise.

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MEDIAMEDIA

Media is that event-specific communication mix designed to act as the front end

for the event to first inform, then cajole and entice the target audience to attend

the event. These also comprise of live and post-event coverage for those who for

some reasons such as affordability, time, distance and security constraints could

not attend it.

In Advertising, the term medium implies a medium for carrying the message or

communication and sometimes the medium itself is the message whereas in

events, media is used for achieving the reach and increasing the impact of an

event. A major role that media plays in events is that of informing details of the

event such as venue, date and time, entrance fees, etc. Media can also be used

for cajoling and enticing the target audience to attend the event.

Promotion in events is required to get the desired reach that requires an

adequately planned publici ty campaign by the event marketer. The event

marketer has to network with other media for successful publicity of an event.

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Three Stage of Media Campaign for Events

The media campaign for events has three stages pre-event, during the event and

post-event. Pre-event media involves informing the target audience and is

essentially advertising in its genuine sense. Press releases and conferences also

can be pre-event activity. Live coverage and reporting of an event is possible on

media such as Radio, TV and the Internet. This increases the reach as well as

participation in the actual proceedings of the event through remote means.

Depending on the capability of the telecommunications network, even instant

feedback can be obtained during a l ive coverage to further enhance the

productiv ity from the event in terms of reach and interaction.

Post-event media coverage involving reporting of the success to reap the post-

event benefits is a common phenomenon. This is achieved by arranging press

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This is an electronic audio media and is mainly used for pre-event publicity, though it can

also have an importance in terms of post-event coverage planned accordingly. The

programme profile, listening audience profile and time slots for airing the commercials

are the major decision making criteria. The need to create a jingle or put together an

appealing audio promotion may be expensive and thus this media needs to be understood

better as to how and when it is beneficial to use it.

Special programmes with the event as focus and which are more than just a commercial

are more helpful in providing the reach that is desired for the event though they may be

expensive. For example, the winner of LOreal Femina Elite Model Look 1998 featured

live on a programme sponsored by LOreal on the FM channel. Though not a full-

fledged programme on the event, the script for the host was modified as to thread

together an interview with the winner, Ms. Carol Gracias as part of the fillers during the

programme. Live telephone calls congratulating Carol were also aired on the

programme.

Television

For events, the television media can be the single most potent media since it can provide

pre-event, during event and post-event coverage. Depending on the reach desired, either

satellite channels or the government controlled terrestrial channels can be used. The

singularly most important feature that television as a media offers is the ability to cover

events live i.e. during the event itself. The immense popularity of competitive events and

especially sports are derived from satellite television offers dedicated channels for music,

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sports, news etc. This again provides an opportunity to narrow down the reach to focus

on the audience for the particular event category.

Timing and frequency of airing the promotions are very crucial. An event such as a

multi-city (focusing only on the metros) concert tour of a pop music band would not

prefer DD1 but prefer to promote and tie-up with an exclusive music channel for all its

promotions and event coverage. This provides a focused approached to the event. The

Coca-Cola Alisha Chinai Concert Tour, organized by UNIRAPPORT events, used the

television medium extensively to promote the event. Slick promotions were aired on the24-Hour MTV.

The Internet

The Internet is now extensively used in events for :

* Online registration for events

* Dispensing information both pre and post-event, in the form of databases

* Carrying out complex analyses of information obtained

* Providing e-commerce related opportunities.

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attention of the target audience. Posters are usually printed and stuck in areas where the

target audience population assembles and carries greater details on the event. An

advantage that posters offer is that they are not only easier to put up but also can be stuck

or pinned up on notice boards or in other prominent locations where people cannot miss

them. Handouts are also printed and distributed lavishly to the target audience population

directly either by hand or by delivering the event pamphlet through the local newspaper

vendor directly to the homes or offices of the target audience. This becomes an almost

one-to-one campaign. For example, Aptech regularly organizes events for 10 th and 12 th

Standard students after their board exams and uses a good number of hoardings, banners

and posters around schools all over Mumbai to publicise the same.

Direct Marketing, Sales Promotions, Audience Interaction

Used mainly for pre-event networking, schemes built on the foundation of the event are

used to link merchandising opportunities with the event build up and popularity. Pre-

event response sheets with contests and giveaways as incentives may be used to monitor

the reactions and responses that the target audience is generating toward the event. Such

exercises help in gathering a fair idea as to the actual attendance that can be anticipated

for the event. These also help in identifying changes in the networking mix or message if

required.

Public Relations

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Unlike the paid media publicity, which is one hundred per cent under the control of the

event marketers, reporting of the event is a purely journalistic activity and supposed to be

devoid of any undue influence. Absolutely essential both pre and during the event, public

relations activities are focused towards ensuring that a fair treatment is given to the event.

These are also directed towards creating an atmosphere of harmony and an avenue for

providing details on the event. If a major event is going to be organized, it is needless to

say that it will interest several reporters at large papers as well as television news

channels. Therefore, it becomes essential that the PR activities be well planned.

Press conferences, press releases, invites to events for impresarios are some means of

networking for good public relations. PR also becomes very important in the event that

controversies start dogging the show. PR involves identifying and creating rapport with

press reporters and networking with influencers so as to maintain a positive image of the

event marketers over and above event specific PR activity.

Merchandising

Events provide an opportunity for physical manifestation of concepts. Most popular parts

of the concept can be created into products. These products are generated from the event

and can be considered as a simultaneous launch for these specific products by default.

Unlike free giveaways, such products actually have a commercial value and can be sold

just like any other product. Event specific merchandising can be used for publicity

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before, during and after the event. Sports based events have traditionally offered

opportunities for successfully encashing on the merchandising opportunities that get

generated. T-shirts based on the colours of popular teams or carrying pictures of star

performers, toys and electronic games based on the event are only a few examples of

such opportunities. One such example that can be cited on the successful use of event

merchandising is related to the launch of the song Chui Mui See Tum by Rajshri

Music. This event featured a tiny koala hanging from the sleeves of the lovers and

symbolized the bond between them. Such innovative products actually add to the aura

and atmosphere around the event which is so very important. Entry passes, T-shirts,

publicity brochures and posters flaunt corporate logos. Round-the-clock announcements,

video scopes where corporates screen their advertisements and stalls to promote their

products are among the regular pay-offs demanded by corporates in return for their

corporate dollar or rupee (wherever you are, its still the same!).

In-Venue Publicity

The visibility, size and location of the sponsors in venue signage are essential for

publicity during the actual event.

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There are various types of sports such as water sports, motor sports, track and field events

that may be either individual or team based. Each game may attract specific sponsors

such as motor sports attract companies involved with lubricants, oil, tyre etc. This, need

not be universally appealing to the various individual companies. Honda takes extreme

pride in being associated with motor sport events. In India, MRF and JK Tyres take

exceptional interest in such sports. In fact, being associated with go-kart tracks that are

still exotic in nature for Indian audiences is also an accorded importance.

Logos, banners, posters and handouts in and around the venue are designed to deliver the promises made for the event. They are needed to act as guides for the audience during

the show. Special banners made to highlight contests, invite participation in various

activities and sales promotions are different from those used for outdoor promotions.

Unlike outdoor media, which publicise the entire event, in-venue signage works at a

micro level and publicises individual parts of the event plan. For example, say in a

college festival like IIT Bombays Mood Indigo (MI), a major attraction but still a part of

the entire event is the Aqua Games, a concept entirely MIs. Aqua Game is a concept

where fun lovers frolic in the swimming pool playing games like Chivalry Race, Tug of

War, Burma Bridge etc. Organised daily with an audience of around 2000, this micro

event offers sole sponsorship opportunities at the venue as also a mention as a co-sponsor

in all publicity material.

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In-venue publicity opportunities offered at such an event that focuses on youth would be

printing and distribution of Aqua Games T-Shirts, caps and sun shades with the sponsors

logo, locating stall(s) near the pool and inviting participation in sales promotion activities

such as slogan, writing contests etc. and displaying banners at the poolside.

Announcement of the sponsors name by the comperes from time to time is also a very

potent publicity opportunity since the audience is virtually latched on to every word

spoken by the comperes. Yet another opportunity to make an impact during the event

and at the venue is to provide gift hampers as prizes for the games at event. This usually

leaves a lasting impression on the audience at the venue.

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Niche Marketing in Events Niche Marketing in Events

Further to the segmentation approach to marketing by event marketers, some

prefer to focus on a niche area within a chosen market segment such as focusing

on only cricket or football as the niche event in the competitive events category

or only on music related events in the artistic expression category of events. By

catering to specific events and restricting their focus of clients and target

audience, event marketers can seek to fulfill the needs of a smaller sub-segment

within a market segment whose needs are not being well served.

For example, the Miss World marketers carryout only one event in the

competitive events category. The core concept is a contest between the female

participants representing different nations on the basis of their talent and beauty.

The Miss World pageant is the only event that this organization carries out and is

involved in nothing else.

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Ambush MarketingAmbush Marketing

What is known in marketing lexicon as parasitic marketing is known as ambush

marketing when used with reference to events. Ambush marketing is a term that is used

to denote such marketing activities of a disassociate firm (not involved with an event)

through which it tries to borrow or steal the imagery associated with the event. Ambush

marketing attempts at robbing vital benefits from the event and the institution behind it.

Unlike official sponsors who pay significant amounts to help support the event, ambush

marketers pay nothing.

The Nothing official about it campaign by Pepsi when Coca Cola had won the right of

being the official drink of the Cricket World Cup 96 in India is a very live example of

ambush marketing. In such cases, there is little the marketers can do, since the

ambushers dont use the events name or logo.

In recent times, contracts between sponsors and event marketers have included clauses

where it becomes obligatory for the event marketer to actively help and support the

sponsor in any litigation that can be carried out against such activities. The eventcompany can hardly do anything in this case except try to keep the client from losing

faith in events and dispel any moves by their client towards disassociating from the event.

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC MARKET PLANDEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC MARKET PLAN

The other important strategy is how the event management firm perceives itself and

where it wants to be in terms of definite time periods. Strategic market planning is

therefore an exercise to some extent in soul searching for the event agency. To set the

marketing objectives and strategies, it is essential to understand the external as well as

internal environment around the events firm.

MARKET ATTRACTIVENESSMARKET ATTRACTIVENESS

The attractiveness of an event market should be studied for a specific event category at a

time. The various parameters that need to be evaluated are :

Required investment

As the company grows, assets like technology, stage material, etc. may be acquired to

cut costs in the long run. Therefore, investment required might increase to include other

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assets like sound and light systems that may be currently outsourced separately for

separate events.

New competitive threat

It is critical in that freelancers with the niche expertise and the required contacts to

negotiate great deals can inflict damage to a leader unless converted into an useful ally.

Risk in an environment

of high demand coupled with moderate competition is relatively lower than the risk

perception in a situation of low demand and high competition.

Event Life Expectancy

All event categories are evergreen, only the type of event may differ.

Price elasticity to market demand ,

Cyclicality and seasonality of demand are also indicators of the attractiveness of the

event category market. This is so because if demand varies greatly as price varies then it

is a very unstable market. Though within this instability, if the demand only reduces

moderately or not at all, then the market can be considered average. The ideal though is a

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situation wherein the demand is not affected in spite of a rise in prices. This leads us to a

bleak picture in the Indian context since events as a marketing tool is not yet very popular

except for major sporting events like cricket. This is essentially due to the television

coverage and therefore extended mileage associated with the event. But event savvy

MNCs like Coke, PepsiCo and others are fuelling the drive towards quality events.

Market growth

in value terms is yet another powerful indicator. Declining and stationary markets

obviously are bad environments. Moderate to good market growth conditions are

obviously better environments to be in. As corporate clients become more event savvy,

more companies will budget for events in their annual plans, giving rise to better business

prospects.

Market size

(in Rs. Crores) is one of the more critical assessment parameters. From current

estimates, the market size is approximately Rs.1500 million and this is likely to grow to

greater than Rs.5000 million as corporate clients become more event savvy.

Profitability

actual or estimated is another critical factor. A profitability rate of 12% is considered

normal in the events industry, though the future with its price wars will see profitability

of events decline.

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Segmentation

The ease with which the market for events can be segmented also plays a role in defining

market attractiveness. Clients are essentially corporations with well-defined target

audience and markets for impact. A research database will help segment the market with

greater ease if it is known as to which of the benefits clients really want.

Seasonality

Certain times of the year like the monsoon season significantly affect the demand for

events. But since these phenomena are pretty much anticipated, there is only a partial

effect on the functioning and these situations are mostly planned for. In fact seasonal

events can be designed and scheduled to make the best of seasonality effects.

One of the most irritating parameters, the regulatory climate and the political interference

need to be tackled by assessing how much are quality, specifications, price,

environmental concerns going to be affected. If its little or none, then its definitely a

good market for the concerned event agency.

Return on investmentReturn on investment (compared to company yardstick)

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Moderate competition, smaller set up imply higher return on investments. But as the

events agency itself grows larger, greater competition and overheads will imply greater

investments and therefore relatively lower return on investment.

Yet another critical parameter for estimating market attractiveness is the ease of handling

logistics. National and international tie-ups for logistical assistance give a geographic

reach which competitors cannot copy easily. This can mean a good advantage to the

events agency.

One of the quickest and proxy means of estimating market attractiveness is by thenumber of events generated over a time period. An event per agency per client every 6 to

12 months indicates a very healthy environment and thus an attractive market. As event

savvy companies increase in number and give annual contracts, the number of events

sponsored will go up thus increasing the event market attractiveness.

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EXPECTATION AND GOALSEXPECTATION AND GOALS

Event Marketing: An Added DimensionEvent Marketing: An Added Dimension

Event marketings popularity is a relatively recent phenomenon, which evolved to reach

an increasingly cynical consumer activity.

Event marketing is an important part of any integrated communications plan because it

extends the impact of other elements (advertising, promotions, etc) in an environment

where consumers are more open and receptive.

Events overwhelmed by media clutter and promotional activity. Events offered marketers

close, personal contact with consumers. Like traditional advertising and promotions,

events can be selected to fit demographic requirements. But unlike those vehicles, events

offer the opportunity to connect with consumers one-on-one for this reasons and more

this relatively young discipline has become very valuable.

When event marketing is done properly, it can: Generate sales and increase traffic;

Even after brand personality traits through associations with the qualities of the event;

Associate companies with customer lifestyles;

Create opportunities to build personal relationships with customers that many eventually

positively affect sales; Create an imprint, not just an impression; Extend impact through

advertising media coverage and outreach to people attracted to the event because of

personal interests;

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Allow for niche marketing because the marketer can manage demographics, psycho

graphics, time and location;

Extend the value of advertising campaigns by creating a dynamic, interactive

environment that makes key messages more relevant and personal;

Associate a company(brand, product) with the qualities of the event itself while

simultaneously projecting the companys personality, values and style;

Position a company to be n touch with peoples interests and responsive to their preferences, lifestyles and attitudes;

Allow for promotions that tie-in and ten build on the sponsorship.

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RECENT TRENDS

Event Marketing is done at a very huge scale in India. We have the greatest stage and

television shows in the world. The growth of sophisticated and mega companies have

brought forth a spurt of Meetings, Seminars, Exhibitions, Conferences, Product Launches

and all have to be a matter of class and style. Then come the celebrity shows,

international artists shows, shows for a cause, road shows competitions and you name it

and India has it. In India even personal functions like marriages and Birthday parties have

become such important social matters, that they have to be managed professionally.

Research have showed that there was no formalized education to teach Event Marketing.

Event Marketing companies found that they had to spend a lot of time in training

personnel and they would lose a perfectly trained person to a competitor for a better bait.

Companies found that their executives lacked expertise to handle events, and hence a

growing need was felt, to have a formalized training in Event Marketing. If it could be

done in Advertising, in communication and Public Relations, Why not in Event

Marketing? But it was not so easy because Event Marketing encompasses all; it includes

Organizational skills, Technical and Production knowledge, P.R. Marketing, Advertising,

Glamour Industry, Human Relations, Study of Law and Licenses, Risk Management,

Budgeting, Study of Allied Lines like Television and other medias, and the list does not

end here. There are many courses started up recently.

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The main objective of these courses are

To train and give the entertainment industry a highly motivetd and correctly

trained work force.

To bring our country on a higher footing in the event world.

To supply highly qualified personnel to Industry as an additional qualification of

Event Marketing study will go a long way in ful filling the needs of the

companies to have a complete Marketer, who is trained, motivated and organized.

To create a new class of Event Marketers and consultants.

Thus with the help of these courses, the growth of Event Industry will enhanced further.

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QUESTIONAIRE

1.

ConclusionConclusion

EVENT MARKETING is clearly grown out to be one of the most happening industry of

today, it is projected to grow quadruple. Many companies and individuals have been off

late planning many new events and its becoming a new trend in the society to have some

creativity in the events, the event should not be same as the previous one or should notlook a like the one managed by neighbors or other company.

This is the right time for event marketing companies to grab the rapidly growing market.

Hence they should market their events (products) very well in order to tap the market.

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Final Evt Mktg

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