Promotion - Intro
Promotion — Communicating Value and Building Loyalty
You can build a great product, price it well, and place it perfectly -- but if no one knows it exists, none of that matters.
“People don’t buy what they don’t understand.”
~ On Promotion
Why promotion matters
Promotion is the voice of marketing ~ the art and science of telling people why they should care.
It’s how a company communicates its product’s benefits and convinces customers to act.
Without it, even the best product can fade into silence.
Let’s explore this through a practical story -- the case of Trivago.
The Trivago example ~ One message, many channels
Trivago, a Berlin-based hotel search engine, helps users compare prices from 250 booking sites.
The idea is simple: “Find the best deal and save money.”
But explaining how it works? That’s not so simple.
So Trivago’s marketing team created an integrated marketing campaign ~
a coordinated effort to deliver one consistent message across multiple channels.
The campaign included:
- TV ads showing the step-by-step booking process
- Billboards and banners comparing real hotel prices
- Radio ads repeating the phrase:
“Trivago does the work for you ~ compares hundreds of sites so you save money.”
Every piece of media told the same story ~ no contradictions, no confusion.
This consistency built recognition and trust.
Integrated marketing is not shouting louder ~ it’s speaking clearly everywhere.
Promotion: The fourth P of marketing
Promotion completes the marketing mix:
Product, Price, Place, and now Promotion ~ the bridge to the customer’s mind.
It’s not just about ads. It’s about communication that persuades and connection that lasts.
The goal is to move customers along a journey ~ from knowing your brand exists to loving it enough to stay.
The three stages of brand loyalty
We’ve seen these before, but here’s how promotion fits into them:
| Stage | Description | Goal of Promotion |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Customers learn the brand exists | Make the first impression memorable |
| Preference | Customers believe it’s better than competitors | Highlight value and emotional benefits |
| Insistence | Customers buy repeatedly and recommend it | Deepen connection and identity alignment |
Let’s unpack them in human terms.
1️⃣ Awareness
“I’ve heard of that brand.”
Promotion here focuses on visibility ~ ads, social posts, PR, sponsorships.
The aim is simple: plant the seed of familiarity.
2️⃣ Preference
“I think this brand is better.”
Here, communication must compare and convince ~ show why the brand is unique or superior.
Emotion and storytelling often win this stage.
3️⃣ Insistence
“That’s my brand.”
At this point, the customer’s loyalty is emotional.
They don’t just buy the product ~ they identify with it.
They become advocates, spreading awareness on your behalf.
This is the ultimate goal of marketing communication:
turning customers into fans who tell your story for you.
Say one message, many times, across many places ~ until customers can say it for you.
Why integration matters
The Trivago case shows that consistency wins over confusion.
When every ad, post, and video reinforces the same message, the brand becomes easy to remember.
Disjointed campaigns, on the other hand, make brands forgettable.
People remember clarity ~ not noise.
That’s the beauty of integrated marketing communication (IMC):
every channel acts like an instrument in the same orchestra, playing one melody.
Summary
| Concept | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion | Communicating value and benefits | Ads, PR, content, events |
| Integrated Marketing | Unified message across all media | Trivago campaign |
| Brand Loyalty | The stages of customer attachment | Awareness → Preference → Insistence |
| Goal | Inspire trust and repeated purchases | From stranger to advocate |
Promotion turns products into stories ~ and stories into movements.
What’s next
In the next lesson, we’ll break down the five key steps before launching a marketing campaign ~
how great campaigns go from ideas to impact.