Week 3 Reflections and Textbook Chapter 2

Lecture Response

During today's lecture, I was being introduced to the term "experiential marketing". A concept used to involve elements of emotions, logic, and principles in engaging with consumers, marketers aim to establish a connection with consumers by allowing the latter to respond positively to the marketed products as a result of certain emotions that was generated within them.

As compared to traditional marketing, experiential marketing attempts to connect to consumer personally in memorable ways. It should deliver product meaning and benefits to consumers in order to receive positive response from them. Hence experiential marketing is a consumer based approach and as a result tap onto the emotions of the consumers.

However, I felt that such marketing approach may be a little risky as different consumers may respond differently to the products or services being introduced. For instance, a toy may invoke positive feeling from someone who had good childhood memories and as a result receive positive response from these consumers. However, it does not necessarily apply to all as a person with the lack of childhood would never comprehend the benefits of these products and thus respond negatively.

Therefore, marketers should be sensitive when engaging in such approach because consumers may feel emotionally offended and this would be detrimental to the products' popularity.

Reflections on Textbook Chapter Two - Trends and Developments

This chapter discussed how public relations practitioners could adjust to the changing environment. The types of method adopted in the past may no longer serve relevant in today's context and so there is a need to constantly revise our method in dealing with clients, especially when it comes something that extends beyond our culture.

I would like to discuss how public relations practitioners should deal with campaigns that are on an international stage. This means that there would be a myriad of cultures and ethnic groups that we will be exposed to. Public relations practitioners should thus avoid being ethnocentric and think that foreign and unknown cultures are inferior to theirs. It is important the public relations practitioners conduct a thorough research on the background of the respective cultures to ensure that no culture or ethnic group is being offended. For instance, you would not want to campaign a beef burger to a country like India where it is known to avoid beef as a source of food.

In addition, I think that being multinational companies that have tapped onto a variety of cultures in all parts of the region would find themselves suitable to help connect and narrow the gap that exists between foreign operations and top management.

Thus , I can not emphasize any further how important it is for public relations practitioners to understand the respective countries' culture, and ethnic particularities to enable the success of international campaigns.