EVENT MARKETING

Submitted By – Tanvi Maheshwari

MBA Event Management, Batch 1 (2018)

Great Eastern Management School Pvt Ltd.

JUNE 2020

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 Abstract

The primary aim of the thesis is find out the importance of marketing in event management. It carefully
explains various terminologies related to event management and marketing; and the latter’s importance in
executing an event successfully.

The secondary aim is for the author to gather the working experiences of the event industry professionals
during data collection process on the basis of which he can set the base in developing and keeping
references for his future career needs as an event planner.

The thesis writing process consists of two parts i.e. theoretical and empirical. The theoretical framework of
the thesis describes key factors that are connected with the event management and marketing. Literatures
in the form of books, journals, Internet etc. relevant to the thesis topic are reviewed and the process carried
out during this stage is explained simultaneously.

The empirical framework of the thesis describes the process of collecting the data with the help of various
research methodologies. In this case, the author has chosen qualitative analysis as the research method.
The author carries semi-structured interviews with representatives of five different event management
companies in Helsinki.

Furthermore, the collected data is classified into categorizes and the patterns are explained. Developmental
ideas are also put forward for the future researchers working on similar topics. The research findings show
that organizing an event is a challenging task.

There are various stages of event management, which should be followed in a systematic order to yield
better customer satisfaction.

One of the most important variables of the management process is marketing which should be planned
carefully to reach the designated target market Keywords: event, event management, marketing, interview

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 Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following:

Event Management lecturers who have taught and directly assisted me during my time at
university

My parents for the amazing amount of support they offer me and for the fabulous
education they provided me with that enabled me to attend university. Not forgetting
their belief in me that spurred me on to achieve the best of my abilities

A thanks also goes to everyone who provide support and assistance in my dissertation!

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 Table of Content

Introduction about the Company 1

1. INTRODUCTION 1

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 9

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL MEDIA 12

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EVENT MEDIA AND 5P’s 13

EVOLUTION OF EVENT MARKETING 14

KEY ISSUES FOR EVENT MARKETING 17

WHY EVENT 20

SPONSORSHIP Vs EVENT MARKETING 25

SIZE OF EVENT 28

TYPES OF EVENT 29

2.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 37

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 37

NEED OF THE PROJECT 38

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT 38

METHODOLOGY 39

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3.EVENT MANAGEMENT A PROMOTIONAL TOOL 50

EVENT DESIGNING 50

COMMUNICATION EFFECTS OF EVENT MARKETING 54

EVALUATION OF EVENTS 57

REACH INTERACTION MATRIX 67

RETURN ON ONVESTMENT 67

KEY PROSPECT ANALYSIS 71

HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

PROMOTION AND MARKETING PLAN 73

STATEGIC ALTERNATIVES 75

RISK Vs RETURN MATRIX 83

APPICABILITY 84

ADVANTAGES OF EVENT 85

4. ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS 86

PRIMARY DATA ANALYSIS 87

INTERVIEWS AND DETAILED DISCUSSIONS 94

5. RECOMMENDATIONS 96

6. CONCLUSION 98

7. ANNEXURE 99

8. KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL EVENT MARKETING 101

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY 105

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 CHAPTER 1: Introduction about the company

Skotch N Water Events - Staying true to our vision, we always revel in partnering
with you to deliver the best. In fact, every single event is a personalized blend of skill,
sensitivity, and support, all the way. While traditional ‘event managers’ simply put
together a basket of vendors, we focus on bringing you the right answer to your
problem – whatever it takes.

EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Skotch N Water ( SNW) is an event management company, we supervise corporate

events, such as product launches, Annual Day / Family day, corporate anniversary
parties, meetings, conferences, Dealers Meet and marketing programs such as road
shows and grand opening events. In addition, we coordinate special corporate hospitality
events such as concerts, award ceremonies, parties to launch new products or services,
fashion shows, commercial events Event management firms can handle a variety of
specific event-related services, which can range from a few select services for clients
with limited budgets, to handling all creative, technical and logistical aspects of an event.

SNW is a well-established Event management Company with the strategy to

establish an exciting and inspiring environment around the audience so that our
guests or prospective clients experience cutting edge art direction of every visual
element - We lift the impact of each and every event, M.I.C.E. (Meetings,
Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) or Branding Portfolio to new level of
success and unparalleled identity.
Event management involves visualizing concepts, planning, budgeting, organizing
and executing events such as fashion shows, musical concerts, corporate
seminars, wedding celebrations, theme parties, product launching etc.
We at SNW, help our clients achieve their objectives through the development and
execution of customized special events. Maximum client satisfaction will be achieved
through our involvement.
Currently, with a global footprint in 100 cities across 40 countries, we offer perfectly
curated, customized experiences to over 100 brands. And world over, we’ve created a
stir – with originality, innovation and sheer dependability. For over 18 years, we’ve
strived in building a legacy of delivering not just events across the globe, but
experiences that are nothing ordinary.

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OBJECTIVE

To generate opportunities and employment for the skilled, thereby aiding social sustenance.

To generate wealth for our shareholders, employees and partners inducing inclusive growth.

VALUE PROPOSITION

We work to create not just a unique event, but a unique story. Our constant pursuit to create
memorable customer experiences, drives us to deliver
tailor-made solutions for our clients, given their evolving needs and expectations.

Our Vision

” To be an indispensable event partner for every conceivable event around us. “

Headquarters

Scotch & Water Innovations Pvt Ltd

RAB-810, Purva Riviera, Marathahalli, Bangalore – 560037

[email protected]

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MEANING OF THE WORD ‘EVENT’

“The use of method involving people witnessing a happening within a capsule of time, for the
purpose of communication of a message”

An event is a live multimedia package carried out with some special concept, modified to
achieve the clients’ objectives.

Event in terms of social and Cultural life

In social and cultural life, an event refers to a social gathering or activity, such as:
• A festival, for example a musical festival

• A party, for example a birthday party

• A ceremony, for example a marriage

Event in terms of science

In science, an event is something that takes place at a particular place and time.
Specifically, event may refer to:

• Phenomenon, something observable at a given time

• A point in space time, a concept of the theory of relativity

• Extinction event, when a large number of biological species die out in a relatively short
period of time

• Event (probability theory), a possible outcome of an experiment

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Meaning of the Word ‘Management’

The term "management" characterizes the personnel leading and directing all or part of an
organization through the manipulation of resources and deployment (human, financial, material,
intellectual or intangible).

Management has to do with power by position, whereas leadership involves power by influence.

Functions of management

Management operates through various functions, often classified as planning, leading

controlling, organizing and staffing.

1. Planning : Deciding what has to happen in the future (today, next week, next
month, next year, over the next five years, etc.) and generating plans for action.

2. Leading : Exhibiting skills in these areas for getting others to play an effective
part in achieving plans.

3. Controlling : Monitoring — checking progress against plans, which may need

modification based on feedback
4. Organizing : Making optimum use of the resources required to enable the
successful carrying out of plans.

5. Staffing : Appointing skill and unskilled workers, and efficient personnel.

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 EVENT MANAGEMENT

Event management is the application of management sciences to the creation and

development of events at domestic and international level such as festivals, conferences,
ceremonies, formal parties, concerts, or conventions. It involves study of identifying the
target audience, planning the logistics, devising the event concept, coordinating the
technical aspects before getting down to actually executing the modalities of the event.

The recent growth of events as an industry around the world means that the management can
no longer be ad hoc.

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The industry now includes events of all sizes as every industry, society charity, and group
will hold events of some type/size in order to market themselves raise money or celebrate.
Event marketing is growing at a rate of three times that of traditional advertising. Corporate
sponsorships in India in 2017 were estimated at $3.9 billion-with 65% of this total going to
sports events and most of the remainder spent on festival and fairs or sponsoring
entertainment tours.

Thousands of companies invest in some form of event sponsorship. Event marketing is a

form of brand promotion that ties a brand to a meaningful entertainment, athletic, social,
cultural, or other type of public activity. Event marketing is distinct from point-of purchase
merchandising, sales promotion, advertising, or public relations. Event promotions have
an opportunity to achieve success from other forms of marketing communications. Events
reach people when they are receptive to marketing messages and focused on people who
live in relaxed atmosphere.

Event marketing is growing rapidly as it provides companies alternatives to the cluttered

mass media. It is ability to segment on a local or regional basis. It is also an opportunity for
reaching narrow lifestyle groups whose consumption behavior can be linked with the event.

Event marketing integrates the corporate sponsorship of an event with a whole range of
marketing elements such as sales promotion advertising and public relations.
Corporations both large and small have grown this industry at a rate of 17 percent per
year, and yet they have achieved a high level of success.

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

What is marketing?
Marketing can be defined as a process by which individuals and groups obtain what they want
through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others.

Marketing Tools
The “marketing mix”, an organization can use can be classified into four categories:

Place

Product

Price

Promotion

Tools of Promotion
Advertising

Public Relations

Direct marketing etc.

Advertising

It is the method of communicating the message. The event manager can modify the message.
It includes the following:

Give-Away : Leaflets, Posters, Brochures

Radio : Commercial, Community, National

Internet : Web Sites, Radio

Television : Cable, Free To Air, Satellite

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 Press : Newspapers, Magazines
Non-Media Alternatives: Outdoor Advertising, Street Banners, Aerial,
Innovative

It can be done by the event manager or, if the event and promotional campaign is too big, by
an appointed advertising agency.

Public Relations

Often it is the part of the event manager's job to gain maximum publicity for the event. PR
is different from advertising. It communicates a more complex message than advertising.
It is free but the event manager looses control over the result.

It can be publicity can be positive or negative. To this end it is important that the event
manager maintains control over the public relations. Although PR is mostly proactive, it is
important for an event to have a reactive PR strategy as part of the event risk management.
Who will make public statements to the press when there is an emergency? The PR
campaign is a plan to gain maximum positive publicity for the event. For an event it would
include:

• Data collection:

1. Preparing a media list of suitable targeted media.

2. Preparing a contact list and club list, interested people and opinion leaders -
often called media talent - who can be called on to make suitable comments or
actions which promote the event.

• List ideas for continuous exposure such as interesting media ready stories,
competitions, public appearances, stunts, speeches, feeding the chooks.

When these lists are prepared, the ideas prioritized and the story angles determined, the
journalist, editor or producer is contacted to ascertain the exposure potential of the item.

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These publicity items are then placed into an overall promotion schedule. The critical path
is ascertained to ensure growing interest in the event.

Although PR involves the event's relation to the public, it is the relations that the event
manager develops with the media that can create interest in the event. It implies developing
an image with the media - finding out what they want and how best to supply it.

If the manager does not have time to do this then the event organization should consider hiring
a PR company.

Direct Marketing

This is delivering the promotional message directly to the interested individual. The basis
of direct marketing is the establishment of a strategy to best reach those individuals.
The mail out is the most common traditional method. The database can be created from
previous events through competitions, inquiries, guest books, and point of sale information
or just by asking the participants if they would like to receive information on other similar
events.

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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL MEDIA
The problems associated with traditional media that has been used for satisfying marketing
needs discussed in the previous section are listed below:

1. Huge amount of advertisements have led to a cluttering on T.V, print and other
media. This has given rise to a need for avenues, which provide exclusivity to the
sponsor while not sacrificing the benefits of reach and impact.

2. Proliferation of low intensity television viewers who view a little of each channel
leads to the need for capturing the full attention of the target audience.

3. Media cost inflation – Due to rising inflation which has been eroding the
advertising budget, advertisers are demanding the beat return from every adrupee
spent. Media planning has become more complex and therefore the need for
increase the effectiveness in terms of tangible impact which can be instantly
evaluated has risen.

4. Proliferation of various media channels, therefore the requirement for intelligent

media buying.

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RELATION BETWEEN EVENT MARKETING AND THE 5PS
The five Ps of marketing: place, product, people, price and promotion play an essential role
in Event Marketing. To successfully use Event Marketing the marketer must understand
how Event Marketing fits together with the other parts of the marketing strategy.
Event Marketing fits under promotion in the marketing mix. Other marketing tools that
goes under this section are advertising, sales promotion, personal sales, direct sales, public
relations, and sponsoring.

Event Marketing is not a substitute for any of the other components- it is a complement. It
takes an imaginative mix of all the communication tools available to extend the impact of
the event.

Marketing Mix vs. Event Marketing

If an organization uses Event Marketing, they still need to use the other parts of the promotion
mix before, during, and after the event.

An example of this could be how a car producer can have advertisements to inform about
a new car launch, and then use events to get people to test drive the new car, and then
follow up with direct marketing with a discount coupon.

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One of the main advantages with Event Marketing compared to the other channels is that the
objective can both be direct sales, and image building, depending on how it is used.

EVOLUTION OF EVENT MARKETING

From its origins in event planning, the event marketing industry has seen great growth in
the last five years and has consistently been one of the most effective tools that marketing
professionals have at their disposal in terms of making a tangible connection to current and
potential customers.

The increasing competitive pressures brought on by globalization are forcing business

professionals to find new ways to engage customers. While it is important to garner leads,
marketing and specifically event marketing professionals cannot lose sight of the fact that
the sales cycle only begins at lead generation and that current and prospective customers
must also be nurtured even beyond purchase. Companies can benefited from the deeper
event marketing touch points that promote nurturing such as proprietary conferences that
provide a controlled environment for delivering messages and closing business.

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EVENT MARKETING

An event is a live multimedia package with a preconceived concept, modified or

customized to achieve the client’s objective.

REACH LIVE INTERACTION

EVENT

S
Right
Communication Live Desired
WITH CREATES Impact
From the Audienc
client e

Events Definition In-Short

This is a diagrammatic representation of the above definition. The model implies that an
event is a package which interacts between the target audience and the client to achieve the
desired impact.

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Event marketing involves arranging feedback for the creative concepts during and after the
concept initiation so as to arrive at a customized package for the client, keeping the brand
values and target audience in mind.
Marketing plays an important role in pricing as well as identifying opportunities to define
and retain event properties by gathering marketing intelligence with regard to pricing,
timing etc.

In fact, ideally event marketing involves studying the brand prints; understanding what the
brand stands for, identifying the target audience, it’s positioning and values, and liaison
with the creative conceptualizes to create an event for a prefect mesh with the brand’s
personality.

PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

• If one knows how to organize an event he should also know how to market it.

• If there is something very peculiar or special about the event then that main point
has to be highlighted.

• A product launch for example requires a sales promotion campaign either before or
after the launch. In that case the product is advertised through banners and media
and even door to door services.

• Effort is taken to ensure that people sit up and take notice of the event. Sometimes
it could be an event like an award ceremony, which is to be shown on television
and different companies make a beeline for sponsoring their respective products in
the due course of the program. This is the way publicity and promotions work.

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KEY ISSUE FOR EVENT MARKETING
The Human Dimension

• A key issue for Event Marketing is having the right human resources
communicating the brand values. The importance of having the right people
working that truly understand the brand was emphasized by almost all the
interviewees.

• The human dimension of Event Marketing is what creates the uniqueness to the
brand in an event, especially for high-involvement purchases.
• In the capital goods industry, where high involvement decisions are taken and more
reliable information is needed, interaction serves as a great function. When buying a
car, the consumer is making one of his/her biggest investments, the consumer is
more sensitive and might require more than one-way communication to convert to
another brand.

What makes the 3D advertisement more unique is adding a human dimension, by placing
someone who is familiar with and can communicate the company brand and product.

The Human Context

To add a human dimension might sound an easy solution in order to communicate the brand
identity. However, the human being is rather complex in her way of learning, interpreting
and understanding, since the person is characterized by her context.

Everything the human being experiences will affect the way the person interprets
situations. Unless she experiences a situation, which requires new behavior and this
behavior is positive, person will not change her way of acting. However, if person is put in
a situation in which person has to experience a new way of acting and if the experience is
interpreted as positive, it is most likely that person will repeat the behavior in a similar
situation.

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Mental Models are deeply ingrained assumptions and generalizations that influence how
we understand the world and how we take action. The models keep us in the same pattern
of both thinking and acting.

By questioning the Mental Models people see matters from a different perspective and
openness. But in order to be able to question the Mental Models we first must realize that
there has to be something to gain by questioning them.

Most managers today only see the brand as the company’s logo and corporate identity
program, but in the future the company “brand” will have to communicate what an
organization is and what it stands for. Therefore the manager must change the interpretation
of the brand.
It is as important to win a distinctive place in the perception of a company’s actual and
perspective customers, as it is the same with the employees.

Since it is the human dimension that adds the value to a customer in an event, all members
and functions in the organization must not only be market orientated in general but also
market orientated in combination with the brand values? It is a common fact that people
are different and cannot adjust to all situations.

Several interviewees supported this when mentioning that there has to be a match between the
individual values and the company values.

One crucial factor might be the individual’s ability to learn, since the individual must not
only understand the added values in the brand identity but also learn to interpret the
different situations that might occur during an event, and combine the behavior to the
specific situation.

It is the individual’s perception of the current situation together with how he/she translates
the added values to fit to that specific situation that will help or not help the company.

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Integrated Organization

When working with Event Marketing it is important to have a well-integrated organization,

therefore we agree, “That internal marketing builds service quality”.

By learning how different components in a system interact will increase the understanding
of how the entire system works. Understanding just one component by itself that is isolated
from the others will not be enough.

A company itself is a complex system that is connected by a series of contacts and the
components in this system are highly integrated.

Since we are a part of this network, we most often only see specific components and are
puzzled by that we cannot find good solutions to our greatest problems. System thinking
is a term that contains knowledge and different tools, which can help us, understand and
influence the entire patterns in an organization.

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WHY EVENTS
1 . Brand Building
Creating awareness about the launch of new products/brand

• Enormous nos. of brand/product is launched every month. Similarly innumerable

new music albums, films, etc get released periodically. This tends to create clutter
of product launches.

• The large no. of launches also leads to need to overcome the another-product.

• The need to therefore catch the attention of the target audience at the time of launch
becomes very important.

Presentation of brand description to highlight the added features of product/services

• Sometimes technological changes pave the way for manufactures or service

providers to augment their products. To convey this via traditional modes of
communication to the existing and potential customer base may sometimes be
futile.

• Special service camps of exhibitions are the perfect events that provide the
opportunity for a two way interaction and error free communication.

• For Example, IMTEX, the Industrial Machine Tools Exhibition, is an event used
by most machine tool manufactures to explain and highlight the new and improved
features of their product.

Helping in communicating the repositioning of brands/products

Events can be designed to assist in changing beliefs about firms/products/services.

Associating the brand personality of clients with the personality of target market

Citibank is an elite bank where people do banking with pride. Hence, other premium brands
would like to associate themselves with the same audience so as to benefit from the rub-
off effect.

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An exhibition-cum-sale event organized exclusively for Citibank credit card holders, small
merchandisers get to do business with the Citibank customers, as well as build and maintain
a premium image for them. Here Citibank acts as the event organizer and small
merchandiser’s acts as participants so that they can associate the personality of their
products with the personality of Citibank customers.

Creating and maintaining brand identity

• By satisfying individuals need.

• By fulfilling client’s objective.

• By providing quality in their work

• By working effectively and efficiently.

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2. Image Building

• By building trust.

• By providing quality at reasonable prices

• Not doing cheats with the customers • By dealing at a regular basis

Constructing the Brand Value Chain

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3. Focusing the Target Market
Helping in avoidance of clutter

Even though some events do get congested with too many advertisements, events still provide
and effective means of being spotted.

For example, Title sponsorship of a major event provides the sponsor immense benefit
since the sponsors name is mentioned along with the event like Hero Cup, Femina Miss
India, Lux Zee Cine Awards.

Enabling interactive mode of communication

Events generally provide an opportunity for buyers and sellers to interact. They also provide
a foundation for exchange and sharing of knowledge between professionals.

Example: Bang! Linux2000, Auto Expo.

4. Implementation of Marketing Plan

Enabling authentic test marketing

Events bring the target audience together, thereby creating opportunity for test marketing of
products for authentic feedback.

The seller can identify exactly the traits and other characteristics that are desired. For
example, marketing events that the Frito-Lay Company used before it launched its WOW!
Brand of potato chips.

Increasing customer traffic in stores

Events can be conceptualized to increase customer traffic. They can be modified to make
available, concepts ranging from retail store specific events to mega events like one day

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international cricket tournament. For example, Nescafe 3-in-1 treasure hunt, cosponsored
by McDonald’s is a combined effect in increasing the customer traffic as well as increasing
the awareness among the upper class of the existence of new McD’s outlets.

Enabling sales promotion

Weekly events conducted by Crossword Bookstore helps in generating more revenue during
the weekends.
Motivating the sales team

The need for interaction is not restricted to external customers only. End consumers are not
always the focus of live media exercises. This is especially popular amongst FMCG
companies.

For Example, during the cricket world cup held in England HSBC introduced a unique
pattern of motivating the sales force by awarding them runs instead of the traditional points
system. This resulted in conversion of almost all of its employees into sales person.

Enabling market database assimilation, maintenance and updating

By keeping track of the reach and its effectiveness and interacting with the audience that
actually turns up for the event, event sponsors can assimilate and authentic database. The
database can be used to track various marketing trends. Events can then help in maintaining
and updating the database.

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SPONSORSHIP vs. EVENT MARKETING

• There are many other marketing tools that can build brand-awareness and create
image. Authors seem to mix up the concept of sponsorship and Event Marketing,
although there

• is a difference between the two.

• When using Event Marketing, the organization works with the event as part of the
marketing strategy. When sponsoring an event, the organization buys exposure
during the event at different levels of the event itself.

• International Events Group (IEG) defines sponsorship this way: “The relationship
between a sponsor and a property in which the sponsor pays a cash or in-kind fee
in return for access to the commercial potential associated with the property.”
• By using the commercial right, the sponsor could associate the brand and have an
effective selection of the target group to market themselves to.

• The association makes the brand synonymous with the sponsored happening, and
thereby the sponsoring has been called association by event.

• Today sponsorship is one of the world’s fastest growing forms of marketing and
together with Event Marketing they begin to play a more dominant role in many
companies´ marketing budgets.

Given below, model shows one way to look at where traditional sponsoring fits in compared
to Event Marketing.

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 Traditional Marketing vs. Event Marketing

When the organization is sponsoring an event, (upper left corner) there is always a business
agreement between at least two parties, which Event Marketing does not necessarily have.
Usually this is the case when there is a sport competition such as the Olympics or a World
Championship. This kind of sponsoring limits the possibilities for the organization to
market their products since they have no control over the happenings at the event, etc.

There is a concept called the double lever effect, which explains the relationship between
different events. When organizations move to EM (1), EM (2) and EM (3) the organizations
increase their control and also the risk is increased. When the control is increased, there is
also a larger possibility for organizations to use the event integrated with the other
marketing strategies.

The given fig shows how it comes to be a double lever effect:

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 Control & risk depending on activity

As we can see, there is a risk in Event Marketing. There is no possibility to test the event
for the target group, and everything has to work during the event. The risk associated with
the event could be one of the reasons why some organizations choose to use pre-existing
events instead of own events. Preexisting events are events that are created by someone
else for another purpose.

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SIZE OF EVENTS
In terms of size events may be categorized as follows:

1. Mega Events

The largest events are called mega events, which are generally targeted at international
markets..

Example: The Olympic Games, World Cup Soccer, Super Bowl, Maha Kumbh Mela.

2. Regional Events

Regional events are designed to increase the appeal of a specific tourism destination or region.

Example: Delhi Half Marathon.

3. Major Events
These events attract significant local interest and large no. of participants as well as generating
significant tourism revenue.

Example: Chinese New Year Celebrations.

4. Minor Events

Most events fall into this category and it is here that most event managers gain their experience.
Annual events fall under this category.

In addition to annual events, there are many one time events including historical, dance
performances cultural, and musical. Business Meetings, parties, conventions, celebrations,
award ceremonies, exhibitions, sporting events and many other community and social
event fit into this category.

Example: Annual Trade Fair organized in Delhi, Chandipur Beach Festival

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TYPES OF EVENTS
1. Sporting Events

Sporting events are held in all towns, cities, states and throughout the nation. They attract
international sports men & women at the highest levels.

2. Entertainment Arts and Culture

Entertainment events are well known for their ability to attract large audience. This includes
musical concerts, celebrity performances, movie releases etc.

3. Commercial Marketing and Promotional Event

Promotional events tend to have high budgets and high profiles. Most frequently they
include product launches, often for computer hardware and software, perfume, alcohol or
motor cars etc. The aim of promotional events is generally to differentiate the product from
its competitors and to ensure that it is memorable.The audience for a promotional activity
might be sales staff such as travel agents, who would promote the tour of the clients or
potential purchasers. The media is usually invited to these events so that both the impact
and the risk are high, Success is vital.

4. Meetings & Exhibitions

The meetings industry is highly competitive. Many conventions attract thousands of people,
whereas some meetings include only a handful of high profile participants.

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5. Festivals

Various forms of festivals are increasingly popular providing a particular region the
opportunity to showcase its product. Wine and food festivals are the most common events
falling under this category. Religious festivals fall into this category as well.

6. Family

Weddings, anniversaries, divorces and funerals all provide opportunities for families
together. Funerals are increasingly are becoming big events with non traditional coffins,
speeches and even entertainment. It is important for the event manager to keep track of
these changing social trends.

7. Fund Raising

Fairs, which are common in most communities, are frequently run by enthusiastic local
committees. The effort in the organization required for these events are often
underestimated. As their general aim is raising funds, it is important that rides and other
such contracted activities contribute to, rather than reduce, revenue.

8. Miscellaneous

Some events defy categorization. Potatoes, walnuts, wild flowers, roses, dogs, horses, teddy
bears all provide the focus for an event organized in United States.

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KEY ELEMENTS OF EVENTS

Event
Organizer Infrastructure

Target
Venue Audience
EVENT

Media Client

Key Elements of Event Marketing

Event Infrastructure

Core Concept: Search for new top class modeling talent through a contest and pageant
interspersed with entertainment.

Core People: Participants i.e., models taking part in the competition during
entertainment slots such as well known classical musicians, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma
accompanied by Ustad. Shafat Ali Khan and popular music by Sweta Shetty and Stereo
Nation.

Core Talent: Physical looks and proportions.

Core Structure: Annual event of beauty pageant.

Importance of Infrastructure

Indian business events, particularly large trade fairs, are underdeveloped as a result of poor
infrastructure outside Delhi. New exhibition and convention centers developed in Chennai
and Hyderabad will help spur the industry’s growth. If a new facility of international

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standard can finally be built in Mumbai, this will generate a huge opportunity for business
media companies.

Smaller, traveling events, road shows which move around the country’s many secondary
markets will also be significant income generators for some business media firms.

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Event Venue
The two types of venue are as follows:

In-house Venue:

1. Any event that is executed within the premises of the company or institution or
in the private homes or proprieties belonging to the client is called an in-house
venue.

2. The use of such venue is reserved for the employees of the company or the
residents of the campus.

3. Most in-house venues do not need to be paid or even if a payment is involved,

it may be open for favorable negotiation.

4. The main advantage of in-house venue is the huge saving in the costs incurred
in hiring the venue.

External Venue:

1. Any venue over which neither the client nor the professional organizer have
any ownership rights is called an external venue.

2. These are venues open for the general public. Example: Hotels, Stadium etc,
etc…

36
ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

Environmental scanning is one of the essential components of the global environmental

analysis.

Environmental monitoring, forecasting and environmental assessment complete the

global environmental analysis. The global environment refers to the macro environment
which comprises industries, companies, markets, clients and competitors.

Consequently, there exist corresponding analyses on the micro-level. Suppliers,

customers and competitors representing the micro environment of a company are
analyzed within the industry analysis.

Environmental scanning can be defined as ‘the study and interpretation of the PEST
events. The factors which need to be considered for environmental scanning are events,
trends, issues and expectations of the different interest groups. .
Macro environment

It includes PEST and it stands for political, economic, social and technological. Two
more factors, the environmental and legal factor, are defined within the PESTEL
analysis.
PESTEL analysis
Political factors

• Taxation Policy • Governmental stability

• Trade regulations • Unemployment Policy, etc.

Economical factors

• Interest rate • Recession or Boom

• Customer liquidations
• Inflation rate
• Growth in spending power
• Rate of people in a pensionable age
• Balances of Sharing

37
Socio-cultural

• Values, beliefs
• Language
• time orientation
• lifestyle
• religion
• education
• literacy

Technological factors

• Internet
• Electronic Media
• Research and Development
• E-commerce
• Social Media
• Rate of technological change

Environmental factors

• Waste disposal
• Energy consumption
• Competitive advantage
• Pollution monitoring, etc.

Legal factors

• Product safety
• Advertising regulations
• employment law
• Health and safety
• Product labeling
• Labor laws etc.

38
POTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITORS

Porter's five forces analysis is a framework that attempts to analyze the level of
competition within an industry. Porter referred to these forces as the micro environment,
to contrast it with the more general term macro environment. A change in any of the
forces normally require business unit to re-assess the marketplace given the overall
change in industry information.

Porter's five forces include - three forces from 'horizontal' competition: the threat of
substitute products or services, the threat of established rivals, and the threat of new
entrants; and two forces from 'vertical' competition: the bargaining power of suppliers
and the bargaining power of customers.

Porter developed his five forces analysis in reaction to the then-popular SWOT analysis,
which he found unrigorous.

Here suppliers refer to the event manager or the person who is organizing the event.
Buyer refers to that person for whom the event is taking place or who is the organizer of
the event.

Event manager needs to be updated at every point of time i.e. he should know which
event company is entering in the market. What policies their competitors are using?

Event manager should have competitive advantage i.e. something more or special then
his competitor.

39
 CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

To study Event marketing as a Generic Promotional Tool:

1. The objective of this study is to understand the following things:-

• concept of event marketing

• Its benefits and

• Implementation process.

2. To evaluate the effectiveness of Event Marketing as a promotional tool.

3. To identify the problems associated with event marketing in the Indian scenario.

4. To offer suggestions for improvement to make it a more productive investment.

Also to study Event Management for organizing and managing the event in best way:

1. The objective of this study is to understand the event management as a communication

tool.

2. Launching a product or a service.

3. Communicate to a particular target audience.

4. To make proper strategy , plan and execution of an event

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NEED OF THE PROJECT
The need of the project is to study and analyze certain issues in event marketing and
management, and it need further attention and some suggestions which have been given to
make the Event Marketing and event management industry more effective in order to
utilize its full potential and serve the objective of an event and be mutually beneficial for
the Event agency, the Corporate and the customer.

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

1. To understanding the short coming of event marketing and event management.

2. How these are done today?

3. Problems faced by Indian event agencies.

4. Understand and manage the event in the best and effective way.

The few reasons for choosing event marketing as a promotion tool are as follows:

1. To accelerate your product into new markets.

2. To judge your products against the competition.

3. To promote positive product trends.

4. To reposition your company in a market.

5. To select a new approach to marketing your product.

6. To launch new products/services.

7. To network with customers not normally called upon.

8. To present your products to buyers face-to-face.

9. To target markets by types of visitors.

10. To understand customer attitudes

11. To appeal to special customer interests.

12. To make more sales calls in a shorter time cycle.

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 13. To meet potential customers for new applications.

14. To change or improve the perception of your product.

15. To invite special customers to increase business

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research is “ the manipulation of things, concepts of symbols for the purpose of generalizing
to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in construction of
theory or in the practice of an art.”

Research Design
Descriptive research is used for this study. A survey was conducted through a questionnaire
by which an analysis was drawn.

The methodology followed for the research

• Primary research detailed discussions with event management firms and the corporate
clients.

• Subsequent additions were made to the interview schedule to suit the specific events
under study.

• The secondary information was gathered from various marketing journals and books
on event marketing, sales promotions and publicity. Daily newspaper reading in order
to keep track of various kinds of events also proved helpful.

• The information gathered was studied and analyzed.

• It revels certain issues in event marketing which need further attention and some
suggestions have been given to make the Event Marketing industry more effective in

42
order to utilize its full potential and be mutually beneficial for the Event Marketing
agency, the Corporate and the customer.

43
 CHAPTER 3. CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION
CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE
EVENT MARKETING SURVEY 2006

Fifth Edition of Global Study Shows Steady March of Events Business at the Dawn of
a New Era

• Five years of research has shown that events can play a strategic role in driving
business value within every organization.

• Corporate executives, both in and out of the world of meetings and events, now see
the benefits that face-to-face interactions can provide to their bottom line.

• Current customers and prospects can benefit from meetings and events as they
provide the greatest opportunity to learn about a company’s brand, value
proposition and (new) products/ services.

• Companies can derive business value from events to strengthen product or brand
awareness; differentiate from the competition; educate or train employees and
ultimately increase sales.

44
Three key indicators in Chart 1 show, however, an interesting change from 2005:

1. The importance of event marketing has remained virtually constant from the prior year.

2. The proportion of the overall marketing budget dedicated to event marketing decreased
slightly from the prior year.

3. The perceived future importance of event marketing has declined less than 3% from 2005.
While these results at first glance could be considered disappointing, none of these indicators
should be taken as a sign of a downward trend within the event marketing industry.

In fact, these are clear signs of an industry that is stabilizing and showing signs of maturation.

45
 The Role of Event Marketing Remains Important In the Marketing Mix

• As the world economy continues its 2006 recovery, companies face ever increasing
financial pressures to generate additional revenues and improve profit margins.
Globalization has created a myriad of new opportunities for companies but has
simultaneously brought with it new challenges in terms of newfound competitors
vying for the same pool of clients and the inherent need to communicate one
cohesive message to the diversifying marketplace.

It is not surprising therefore to see that almost one third of the marketing professionals
surveyed this year stated that their top marketing concern currently is reaching new
customers. Building brand awareness was respondents’ second most frequent concern,
coming in at a distant 13%.

Due to the increased competitive pressures, companies large and small, local and global
must therefore constantly evaluate the mix of marketing tactics to ensure the best possible
approach at reaching both current and potential customers.

It is perhaps because of this need to freshen the marketing mix that we see survey
respondents’ state that event marketing was either a lead tactic or vital component of the
marketing plan slightly less than half the time (49%) — a slight decrease from last year
insofar as it was less of a vital component and taken more under consideration with other
mediums.

46
 • The current marketing mix shows in Chart 2 a slight decline as compared to last
year, almost 50% of respondents stated that the future importance of event
marketing was either increasing or increasing strongly. Furthermore, an additional
40% of respondents stated that the future importance would remain constant. This
stability in event marketing’s role is corroborated by the fact that event marketing
represents more than 25% of survey respondents’ overall marketing budget, which
is only slightly less than a one percent reduction from last year’s figure.

Another sign of the evolution of companies’ marketing mix appears in the budget
allocations for events. Much like in 2005, 59% of respondents stated that the majority of
their event marketing budget is currently allocated to trade shows while 35% are spent on
conferences. This latter figure shows a dramatic drop from the prior year’s figure of 47 %
and further augments the current shift towards a focus on lead acquisition.

47
 Event Marketing Continues to Deliver ROI

Although the results of this year’s survey suggest that the current role of event marketing
may have slipped slightly in companies’ marketing mix, the data also shows conflicting
information in so far as event marketing remains the marketing element that provides by
far the highest returns on investment.

• Chart 3 shows that almost one in four respondents to the 2006 survey believes that
event marketing provides the greatest ROI in Marketing.

Although the figure is almost identical to last year’s estimate (and decreasing over time),
it is a statistical bragging right that event marketing has held for the last three straight years,
as well as four of the five years of this study (see Chart 4).

The most common reasons given for event marketing’s high returns on investment come
from the fact that it provides the greatest opportunity for direct, in-person, face-to-face
contact (58%).

It also provides the best opportunity to reach a targeted audience (45%). Survey
respondents also attribute event marketing’s high ROI to the fact that it provides one of the
only opportunities to reach a large and engaged audience in one venue (28%).

48
Turning to specific types of events, the survey results show that Trade shows (40%)
followed by conferences and seminars (21%) are the external events that are believed to
provide the greatest ROI due primarily to their ability to attract new customers.

When asked to look at their internal events, respondents cited education/training events
(41%) followed by sales or marketing meetings (28%) as the internal events those are
deemed to provide the greatest ROI.

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Measurement Impacts Event Marketing Budgets

Seventy-one percent of respondents to this year’s survey (see Chart 5) cite that they do
engage in some post-event measurement activities. Not only is this a significant increase
from last year’s 60% mark, it is also the highest rate of measurement recorded in the history
of this study.

This is a clear sign that event marketing professionals and CMOs continue to need to
demonstrate the ROI that comes from producing successful events as greater financial
scrutiny comes from corporate finance departments.

The survey data shows that not only has the number of companies who measure increased
considerably from last year, but there has also been a slight increase in the marketing
budget allocated to measurement — up one tick from last year — to 12%.

When asked what key performance indicators (KPI) companies were measuring, over one
third of respondents (36%) cited number of qualified leads, with overall communication
effectiveness and sales increases each receiving 31% of the votes. The most common tools
used to calculate these KPI were sales reports (28%), onsite surveys (26%) and post event
surveys (24% ).

Although measurement should not be considered a panacea for event marketing’s need to
demonstrate value, this year’s survey does show one striking benefit of measurement. As
can be seen in Chart 6, companies who do engage in some form of measurement are three
times more likely to see an increase in their budgets than those who do not engage in any

50
measurement. This data is further proof that tangibly demonstrating the value of an event
marketing program can significantly increase the chances of getting increased funding.

About This Study

Event View, the annual and first-of-its-kind event marketing trends study for senior
marketing executives, was originated in 2002 by The George P. Johnson Company. The
MPI Foundation has co-sponsored this important research since 2003. Now in its fifth year,
Event View is the number-one published event marketing trends report globally and the
longest-running study for the event marketing industry, providing the insight and guidance
corporations and event marketing professionals within this field need to develop strategic
marketing programs.

Between May and June 2006, almost 900 individuals in marketing management positions
from North America, Europe and Asia Pacific in industries including automotive, high

51
technology, healthcare, and financial were interviewed via telephone with hopes of
bringing clarity to the events component of the marketing mix as it compares to other
elements in a marketer’s arsenal. The results of the 2006 survey have a +/− 3% margin of
error.

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 EVENT MANAGEMENT AS A PROMOTIONAL TOOL

EVENT DESIGNING
1. Conceptualization of the creative idea/ambience

2. Costing involves calculation of the cost of production and safety margins

3. Canvassing for sponsors, customers and networking components

4. Customization of the event according to brand personality, budgets, etc

5. Carrying-out involves execution of the event according to the final concept

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 Initial
Concept
Canvassing

Conceptuali
-zation
Customization

Costing

Final Concept

Carry-Out

EVENT

Event Designing Concept

Example:

Event: Holi

Event Category: Fairs & Festivals

Event Organizers: A2Z Events

Core Concept of Holi

It is a celebration to mark the onset of spring and the harvest season. It’s a symbolic
gesture, celebrating good harvest and fertility.

54
It draws its origin from the Hindu Mythological event in which Prahalad emerges
unscathed from a fire arranged by his father King Hiranyakashyap and aunt Holika to kill
him.

Background

Title of the Event : RANG BARSE

Place : Mumbai

Venue : Parking lot of an amusement park

Year : 1997

Duration : 2 Days

Target Audience : City dwelling families

No. of Audience : 1500

Ambience : Rural Mela

Costing : Rs. 7 lakhs

Event Type : Partially sponsor and partially ticketed

Initial Concept For Holi 2000

A2Z wanted to repeat the previous year’s event ad verbatim

Costing

Costing for Holi 2000 worked out to Rs. 10lakhs

Canvassing

Many corporate 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 indication of success for a particular variation. A leading soft drinks
company could be persuaded to fully sponsor the event.

55
Customization
The target audience of the soft drink company was pre-dominantly was fun-seeking youth.
The initial concept needed to be changed from a family oriented event to a youthful event.
The budget was needed to be drastically reduced to Rs. 2lakhs per center and the event was
to be simultaneously conducted in 5 locations spread across the country.

Final Concept and Carrying Out

Constraint of budget and specific requirement of the client changed the initial concept of a
two day program to a 3 hour forenoon program titled “HOLI GYRATIONS 2000”.

The program essentially revolved around a color rain dance and color blast 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 fully sponsored show for a single sponsor with invitations to a limited no. of
participants. The show was fully customized to give importance to the sponsors’ colors viz.
red and blue.

The carry out stage involved being exceptionally careful and prepared for eventualities
such as hazards of drunken misbehavior 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 carry out stage gets
completely taken over by the music channel.

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COMMUNICATION EFFECTS OF EVENT MARKETING
Communication is the process of moving a message that includes different elements. Those
elements include source, message, channel, receiver and the process of encoding and
decoding.

. The direct communication with the customer is one of the main advantages with Event
Marketing compared to other marketing channels. In the definition of Event Marketing, it
is said that “an event is an activity that gathers the target group in time and room.” This
means that the event is eliminated from the noise.

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 Communication Process in Event Marketing

Event Marketing is marketing communication in four different dimensions.

• The first one is the emotional communication method. The Event Marketing is a form
of “pull” marketing, where the organizations try to get closer to the feelings and
emotions of the customers.
• They do this not by “pushing” their products at the customers, but by touching the
customers’ emotional feelings.
• The second dimension touches the customers by involving them in activities. When
the customer gets a feeling from a product, he/she is informed of the value of the
product. An example of this in the car industry is the test-driving of new cars.

• The third dimension is the intellectual dimension and it regards the relevance of the
event for the customers.

• The fourth dimension is the spatial dimension, how to get the three prior dimensions
into action and to inform the customers through all marketing channels. Some
researchers say that in the future, customers will not buy just the product, but the
meaning, the event and the character, which in turn give the customers the possibility
to create their own value for the product.

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Relative Importance of Events as a Marketing Communication Tool

Dominant

Strong
Favorable

Tentative

Weak
Introduction Growth Maturity Decline
Life Cycle Stages
Position of Events and traditional modes of communication vis-à-vis the
life cycle stage
Events

l Modes of Communication

With Regard to the competitive position of events as a medium and the life cycle stage it is
in vis-à-vis other marketing communication media, it is clear that:

Traditional ways of marketing communication in the Fig are moving from the growth phase
into the maturity stage. Their effectiveness is lost due to cut throat competition which is
leading to undesirable clutter in all kinds of media including internet.

An event as a medium is in a favorable position now and will continue to remain so in the
near future and tend towards becoming stronger. Event as a strategic marketing
communication tool would gain significant followers

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EVALUATION OF EVENTS
1 . Measuring Reach

Reach is of two types – external and actual.

Events require massive external publicity, press, radio, television and other media are
needed to ensure that the event is noticed and the benefit of reach is provided to the
client.

External reach can be measured by using the circulation figures of newspapers and
promotion on television and radio.

Measurement of external reach should be tempered with the timings of the promotions
as effectiveness of recall and action initiated among the target audience is highly
dependent on this important variable.

A ratio of the external reach to the actual event reach is a very tangible and useful
measurement criterion.

Ideally,
External Reach
= 1
Actual Reach
The ideal situation in real life is very rare since the external reach gets drastically
reduced in terms of reaching out to the target audience and mostly impractical in most
cases.

This is because the target audience is derived from the target population which is
invariably very large. It is impractical to assume that all the constituents of the target
population can make it to the event. The above ratio is usually found to be greater than
1 in practice.

External Reach
> 1
Actual Reach

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2 . Measuring Interaction

In most event categories, compared to reach, it is much harder to access the interaction
between the audience and the event and the benefit that accrues to the client. A certain
amount of quantifiable data can be of help in measuring interaction for an event from
the clients’ point of view.

These are as follows:

No. of interaction points

The no. of direct and indirect interaction points that have been planned and
arranged for an event provide the important measurement tool. The greater the
no. of interaction points the better for the client.

No. of interactions

The opportunity for interaction between the client and the audience before,
during and after the event is also a very tangible measurement criterion. The
greater the opportunity for increasing the no. of interaction, the better for the
client.

Quality of interactions
One-way or two-way communication during interaction has a profound impact
on the quality of interaction that takes place. The quality of interaction is
perceived as good when there is an avenue for two-way interaction

Time duration of interaction

Every event has a limited time period within which both benefits the other
issues such as controversies are effective. The amount of time that is available
for interaction is very important in that the greater the duration of the
interaction, more are the chances that there are some meaningful and decisive
interaction between the client and the audience.

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Important Points to Consider When Evaluating Event Marketing

1 . Quantified Objectives

The reason why some people think that it is not possible to evaluate events is that they
have used Event Marketing without a specific purpose or objective.

The one reason why Event Marketing is not measured also depends on the objectives,
but that they are short-time objectives. The cornerstone in the evaluation of events lies
in the objective of the event.

Event Marketing can have different objectives and it is usually not directly to increase
direct sales. Whatever the goal is, the easiest one to evaluate is the one that is expressed
and quantified.

The most common criteria for a goal to be valid is that it has a time limit, is challenging,
measurable, realistic, result oriented, clear and that it could be followed. If the goal is
challenging, it is more interesting to try to reach it. If it is too, simple it is not inspiring to
work for, but at the same time it has to be realistic. Time limit and measurable goals give
a possibility to do a qualitative study. It is important that they are clear so that everyone
understands them and that they can easily be followed by developing a strategy for how to
reach

2 . Identity, Image, Positioning vs. Evaluation

Event Marketing is often used to create brand awareness, image and identity for the
products. This section shows that depending on the brand-awareness and how the
product is positioned, they can sell more products. Event Marketing can have both a
communicative as well as a teaching approach for the customer.

Identity

Identity is what the organization wants to stand for. The differences between identity
and image are that identity is as mentioned earlier what the franchiser intends to

62
 represent, while the image is how the consumers experience the brand. The Image is
on the receiver’s side, while the identity is on the sender’s side.

Image focuses on how certain groups perceive a product or brand and refers to the way
these groups decode the signals transmitted by the product service and communication
of the brand. The purpose of identity, on the other hand, is to specify the brand’s
meaning, aim and self-image. In regards to Event Marketing it could be said that the
organization sends away an Identity at the event and the customers receive it as an
image of the product or organization.

Using Event Marketing can also differentiate the product for the customer by making the
value of the brand stronger for the customer’s identity. Identity comes from Latin and
means “same”.

The event in Event Marketing can be seen as a value community. In regards to Maslow’s
thoughts, humans have needs that need to be satisfied. The Value community creates
groups, where three concepts for group development need to be filled in order to create
group belonging. Event Marketing can offer the individual a short-track to belonging by
letting the individual attend an event. Through the event, the happening and the message
will give the individual a picture of him/herself, and a sense of belonging with other
individuals.

This shows that part of the brand advantages lies in the possibility to influence the
individual’s identity, and to make possible his/her relation to other individuals and in this
way strengthen their value community. By doing this, there is a possibility to differentiate
the brand from other brands. The brand is seen as an independent method of competition.
Image

Image is how the customer understands and looks upon the product, and a definition is
“how the consumers experience the brand.” An event can give the customer a clear picture
of the corporate identity that the company is striving for. Usually the image consists of

63
different key factors that the customer receives during different times and in different
places.

These key factors could be the communication that the organization has the physical
environment, products, service, ethics, social responsibility, engagement in social and local
happenings, and the behavior of representatives from the organization

Image Building

The experience at the event may of course result in direct sales, but normally they help to
build image and create positive associations around the brand that will lead to more sales
later on. Image can create lots of competitive advantages compared to other brands. This
is especially true when the differences between the brands are small. A positive image can
lead to not only increased sales, but it can also strengthen the relationships with all
interesting parties within and outside the organization, facilitate new employment, increase
the tolerance of customers, and facilitate crises. However, even though the main objective
with the event is not to change or build image, there is always a possibility for the customer
to change his/her opinion and image of the organization.

Positioning & Branding

When a company has decided to use Event Marketing they need to understand how Event
Marketing can change the perception of the product in the customers mind, and the
positioning of the product.

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According to Kotler, it is extremely important to have a specific positioning in the
customer’s mind, due to the fact that if a similar product has the same positioning there is
no need for the customer to buy your product.

It is important to create an image and a correct positioning for customers that create
differentiation between products. The positioning distinguishes brands from each other and
creates a place on the market and in the consumer’s minds for a particular project. The idea
behind positioning is to create brand awareness, which ideally leads to longterm brand
loyalty. The positioning is a two-stage process, indicating which category the brand should
be placed in and the differences between the brands in this category.

Products are becoming more and more alike.

A company needs to change its product from competitors´ products. An organization has
three main perspectives for differentiation. They are: total perspective, more value for
money, produces trustworthy products at a reasonable price, product perspective, offer a
better product that is newer, faster, cheaper, with unique selling attributes, and customer
perspective, to know the customer better, and thereby reply to their needs faster.

The last perspective, the customer perspective, involves the relationship between the
customer and the organization. An event is the physical meeting between customer and
organization, and thereby Event Marketing can be used as a tool to build relationships and
create differentiation.

The idea behind positioning is to create brand awareness. Direct advantage of using Event
Marketing is that it creates high brand awareness around the product. The value of the
brand lies in the mind of the potential buyers, and not with the business itself. Branding is
part of the marketing strategy and product differentiation. The brand can communicate
more directly with the consumer than the product itself can; if the brand is seen as having
a personality and symbolizing certain values.
This is due to the fact that the brand has an emotional appeal to the consumers. A trend within
Event Marketing is to involve more cultural aspects at events.

65
The cultural aspects of events are not used extensively today. He further argues that culture
and brand strategy go hand in hand. Over time, a relationship between the customer and
the product can be developed into brand loyalty. This loyalty is characterized by a positive
attitude towards the brand, and over time continued purchase of the same brand. A
company seeks high brand loyalty because it creates stability and provides an opportunity
to gain high market share and profit. The development of brand loyalty can be seen as a
three-step model.

The first step is to create an interest for the product in the consumer. When time has past,
the consumers will simplify their buying detour through the product and the connection
between the brand and the target audience is strengthened. The third step is where brand
recognition is created, which is important for creating the long-term brand loyalty.

The Complexity of Evaluating Event Marketing

An event is concerned with a message, an interaction and integration. A message creates

something valuable for the customer, and gives the customer some kind of knowledge or
experience. The interaction between the organization and the customer will create a good or
better relationship. The integration part is concerned with how the Event Marketing is part
of the other marketing strategies.

Event Marketing are not being evaluated to full extent due to lack-of time, ignorance and
due to the fact that it is hard to evaluate it. Some of the interviewed persons agreed with
this theory, and believed that ignorance made evaluation complicated. Furthermore,
evaluations not conducted due to lack of time. The interviews also discussed that Event
Marketing is only one of the possible marketing channels that can be used when marketing
a product, and it is hard to evaluate it separately from the other marketing tools. The more
complex the marketing strategy, the harder it is to see what influenced the customer to buy
the product. Other reasons why it could be hard to evaluate the event are because

66
someone’s experience cannot be valued on a scale, and the interaction as a relation is not
measurable.

Furthermore, depending on all other marketing aspects it is hard to see why the customer has
a specific feeling for a product.

Kotler claims that the easiest marketing channel to evaluate is direct marketing. By using
direct marketing it is easy to follow up exactly where the customers have seen the coupons,
brochures etc. However, none of the interviewed persons mentioned that it would be easier
to evaluate direct marketing than Event Marketing.

It is as easy to argue against direct marketing as being the perfect measurable evaluation
technique as it is to argue that Event Marketing should be trickier to evaluate. This is due
to the fact that there is a possibility that the customers could be affected by other parts of
the marketing as they are when it looks like it is the direct marketing that has made them
buy a product. As long as more than one tool of the marketing mix is used and there is
always a possibility that the customers can be affected by them, and thereby there is no
100 % accurate evaluation tool.

The reason why it might be considered hard to evaluate an event depends on the fact that
it is hard to evaluate the intangible aspects of the event. When asking the interviewed
people to elaborate on intangible factors, such as the weather affecting the event, most of
them were sure that just the weather was not of importance for the success of the event,
and therefore there was no need to try to evaluate it.

There are many factors that cannot be evaluated, and that instead the focus should be on the
factors that can be evaluated.

This could be interpreted in the following way: since there is no possibility to evaluate the
event comparing to the external social happenings, the only way to elaborate on the
example weather is to work with the weather and use it. If possible, the external factors

67
should be eliminated, but if that is not possible the event should try to use them and thereby
work for the event.

Example:

Event : Olympic Games 2000

Venue : Sydney, Australia

Category : Competitive – Sports

Event Organizer : IOC

Client : General Electric, NBC

Theme : Amateur sports competition to promote world peace.

Measurement Criteria: Reach increase for cable mediums MSNBC & CNBC, % increase
revenues for client.

Reach

External : Global (over 197 countries )

Actual : Prime time audience (approx. 18.25 million )

Event Evaluation

Advertisements sales increase from $ 680 million at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games to
$ 900 million for the Sydney Olympic Games 2000. MSNBC’s reach in terms of the
subscriber base expected to increase from 59 million to 70 million. CNBC’s reach in terms
of the subscriber base expected to increase from 74 million to 80 million.

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 REACH INTERACTION MATRIX
It summarizes the generic characteristics of each of the category to enable a bird’s eye view
on events. However, each category can be designed in such a way as to change the degree
of reach and interaction.
REACH
High Low

Exhibition
Cultural
Special Business

Competitive
Charitable
Artistic

Reach Interaction Matrix

Amongst the various categories corporate interest have been concentrated on competitive
events, especially so on cricket. Such events have a broad based character and high media
coverage. This implies high reach and added excitement through live coverage on various
popular channels.

Post-event benefits trough highlights aid in the event recall over and above the normal
benefits that an event can offer. The fact that interaction is given short shrift is an anomaly
that needs to be corrected. Competitive events are closely followed by events for artistic
expression, then by exhibitions, special business events, cultural & charitable events in that
order for popularity with event-savvy sponsors.

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RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Solely coming up with the sponsorship fee (cash expenditure paid out to be associated with
the event) for a specific event is not nearly enough of a guarantee for tangible business
results. The need to leverage the maximum benefits of the sponsorship is of the highest
priority. As a rule, this can be accomplished by spending at least two or three rupees per
rupee invested in the sponsorship.

In other words, the sponsorship fee is just a mere ante, and you must budget to properly
exploit the product that you have just purchased. Too many companies spend the big bucks
to get into the event marketing business and then never do anything with it.
Leveraging your sponsorship includes an integrated marketing program involving product
sampling, on-site signage, event logo usage, and myriad multilevel cross promotions.

ROI MEASUREMENT TOOLS:

1. Quantitative

In the world of trade shows and corporate events, surveys are a frequent choice for
evaluating results. Even if we use lead generation forecasts or gross margin from show
sales to measure ROI on an event, a survey can help you understand the reasons why the
business event performed the way it did.

Pre-Post Show Surveys

Often used to measure less tangible variables like brand awareness or perceived
competitive positioning, pre-post surveys sample a group of attendees on their way
into the exhibit hall at the beginning of the trade show, and then sample another
batch as they are leaving the exhibit hall toward the end of the event.

Pre-post surveys are effective in measuring changes in variables such as:

Brand awareness

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 Memorability or recall of key messages

Attitude or image change

Message impact

New product consideration

Audience profile

Booth Exit Interviews

To measure the immediate effectiveness of the booth and experience there, an exit
interview can be helpful, especially for exhibitors using a sizable booth footprint.
An interviewer intercepts visitors on their way out of the booth, and requests that
they answer some quick questions. Exit interviews can explore such areas as:
What prompted you to visit the booth?

Were you treated well by the staff?

Did someone approach you right away?

How useful was the product demo?

As a result of your visit to the booth, how likely are you to add the company to
your short list of considered vendors?

One of the big advantages of the exit interview, when done early in the business event, is that
it allows mid-course correction of any problems uncovered.

Post-Event Surveys

Contacting a sample of show attendees to ask questions about their experience is

another method of evaluating trade show and corporate event results. Depending
on your information needs, you may want to survey the entire attendee population,
the people who visited your booth, or the group that participated in a certain activity
at the business event. Surveys typically support the following event objectives:

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 Perform detailed reporting and benchmarking of the attendee profile

Obtain feedback on your exhibit’s ability to attract and communicate with high-
potential prospects

Benchmark your performance against the competition

Provide clues as to the value of your investment in events compared to other

elements in the marketing mix

Post-show surveys can be used to explore such issues as:

Competitive comparisons

Which products are most effective to exhibit or demonstrate?

Effectiveness of promotions and premiums

Audience attendance/experience at other trade shows

Audience quality
Audience motivation for attending the trade show

Attendee activity at the trade show

Strengths and weaknesses of your exhibit, staff, design, signage

2. Qualitative Tools :

Qualitative metrics, while not projectable to the entire population, can be helpful in
assessing your performance. Following are a few of the more beneficial qualitative
approaches.

Mystery Shopping

If you’re looking for an objective means of analyzing your booth’s effectiveness,

consider hiring a professional evaluator to “mystery shop” your booth and assess
the experience from the point of view of a customer or prospect. Many trade show
consultants offer this service.

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Staff Feedback

The booth staff is your first line of customer contact, and a rich source of data on
most elements of interest. Staff feedback forms can be used for continuous
improvement in training, exhibit effectiveness, placement, and other marketing
tactics during the trade show.

One Word of Caution Don’t rely too heavily on informal feedback from booth
senior and staff management when assessing the value of the trade show. Such
comments as “Booth was crowded,” “Mostly junior people,” and “Felt light to me”
can do more harm than good.

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KEY ACCOUNT OR KEY PROSPECT ANALYSIS
Keeping track of key account attendance can be an important success metric, especially at
trade shows where we expect a relatively high level of current customer attendance.

Make a list of key accounts, noting which were invited in advance by the sales team to visit
the booth or attend a business event.

Distribute the list to booth staff and other company representatives at the trade show. Ask
them to check off any who were engaged in conversation, and make other comments.
Subsequent analysis of customer spending correlated to contact points can often then help
identify the relative importance of the trade show visit in helping to secure orders from
specific customers.

Competitive Analysis

Assessing the presence of the competition is best approached qualitatively. Check the trade
show guide to see who among your competitors is exhibiting, speaking, or sponsoring
events.

Assign competitive sleuthing duty to several of your booth staff and other company
attendees, if possible. Provide them with a form to fill out that covers such items as booth
size and location, products featured, staff size, visitor experience, etc.

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Business Event Objectives and Associated Metrics

75
3.11 HOW BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PROMOTION AND
MARKETING PLAN

A good marketing plan summarizes of ‘w’ family i.e. who, what, where, when, and how much
questions of the company:

Who are the target buyers?

What sources of uniqueness or positioning in the market does your product have?

Where will you implement your marketing spending plans?

When will marketing spending plans occur?

How much sales, spending, and profits will you achieve?

The financial projections contained in our business plan are based on the assumptions
contained in our marketing plan. It is the marketing plan that details when expenditures will
be made, what level of sales will be achieved, and how and when advertising and promotional
expenditures will be made.

The major elements of a marketing plan:

The situation analysis describes the total marketing environment in which the company
competes and the status of company products and distribution channels.

The opportunity and issue analysis the major external opportunities and threats to the
company and the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company, along with a
discussion of key issues facing the company.

The goals and objectives section outlines major company goals and the marketing and
financial objectives.

The marketing strategy section provides the company's marketing strategy statement,
summarizing the key target buyer description, competitive market segments the
company will compete in, the unique positioning of the company and its products

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 compared to the competition, the reasons why it is unique or compelling to buyers,
price strategy versus the competition, marketing spending strategy with advertising and
promotion, and possible R&D and market research expenditure strategies.

The sales and marketing plan outlines each specific marketing event or action plan to
increase sales. For example, it may contain a summary of quarterly promotion and
advertising plans, with spending, timing, and share or shipment goals for each program.

The sales and marketing plan outlines each specific marketing event or action plan to
increase sales. For example, it may contain a summary of quarterly promotion and
advertising plans, with spending, timing, and share or shipment goals for each program.

Some of the ways to market your product or service are

• Write letters (on issues and news items that have SOME relation to your business)
to the editors of local papers.
• Have give-away (e.g. bookmarks or pens) that are useful and give details of your
business.
• Send news releases about your products and your business to local papers, radio
and TV shows.
• Take out an ad in a publication of a local group.
• Offer to make presentations, on a topic related to your product or service at
appropriate fora.
• Keep your eyes open for "specialized" newsletters, newspapers, or other
publications which might welcome an article written by you.
• Get on the Internet and connect to the world with your own home page.
Remember marketing is the face you show to public, highlighting uniqueness and quality of the product.
Check the content and layout before releasing an advertisement or distributing pamphlet. Marketing is
becoming an ever important tool in the present competitive scenario, tell what your product or services
can do, but don't promise what you cannot deliver.

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SWOT ANALYSIS
STRAGEGIC ALTERNATIVES ARISING FROM ENVIRONMENTAL
ANALYSES
INTERNAL

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
Maintenance Strategy Developmental Strategy
Utilizing company’s strengths
Maximize Opportunities to
take maximum by minimizing weaknesses advantage of
opportunity

Survival Strategy Pre-

Emptive Strategy
Minimizing both weaknesses and
Maximizing strengths threats by considering options and their usage
to such as:
overcome threats Joint Ventures, Retrenchment,
Liquidation, etc

SWOT Based Strategy Matrix

The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses within the
company, and describes the opportunities and threats facing Corporate Retreat
Professionals.

Strengths
• Superior, specialized service offerings.

• Well-trained, enthusiastic employees.

• Strong relationships with complementary service providers.

Weaknesses
• The concentration of a small niche of the market that will limit the potential size of the
market.

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 • The difficulty of generating awareness and visibility of the company in its first few
years of operation.

• The inability to rapidly scale to meet large, unexpected increases in demand.

Opportunities
• A growing market of companies that are outsourcing event planning activities.

• Being one of the first service providers concentrating on this specific niche.

• Relatively low overhead.

Threats
• A slump in the economy that could have a ripple effect on service providers.

• Future competition from existing service providers competing in different but

complimentary market spaces.

• The inability to find qualified, high quality employees.

Competition
Currently there are three other companies that offer event planning specifically to
corporations. They, however, tend do events that are more general in scope such as
parties to reward customers or employees, or events to change the company's image.
There is no company that specializes in event planning of corporate training and product
release events. There are companies that offer corporate training, but these companies
provide the actual training and do not do any of the actual event planning/ logistics of the
entire event.

There is also no company that specializes in product release events. There are companies
that do provide this service, but they do not specialize in it. Because event planning is a tight
market, CRP will benefit from specialization.

The buying pattern for the larger corporations was, in the past, to have an in-house
solution. This pattern is disappearing in favor of outsourcing as there is the constant drive
for gains in efficiency, something outsourcing can offer.

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Maintenance Strategy

Arising from a situation of strength and favorable opportunities, the maintenance strategy
provides reasons to carry out activities that maximize available advantages. This is the
perfect position to be in. Beyond this, every activity gets focused on maintaining the
winning edge and the lead over competitors. The event company here can well afford to
be aggressive knowing very well that it has the relevant strengths to back its claim on the
opportunity.

Developmental Strategy

To gain advantage of potential opportunities while not having sufficient strengths calls for
gaining a winning edge by using tactical retreats where irrelevant yet not giving up.

It requires passive and defensive strategy, which attacks relevant opportunities in such a way
as to cover up on weakness.

Pre-emptive Strategy

This strategy is usually used by entrenched market leaders on new entrants. Potential threats
are nipped in the bird by exercising the full power of the company’s strength.

This is a very powerful and aggressive strategy as it requires foresight to fully understand
the threats looming on the horizon. Selecting which one to tackle requires careful study
since some points of strength could get eroded if used unnecessarily.

Survival Strategy

This strategy is used to ensure that the company is alive for a battle on another day when
it will have the requisite strengths to grab its share of opportunities in the market. It allows
one to make drastic decisions in the face of harsh environment.

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 USE EXISTING CREATE NEW

STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES ARISING FROM COMPETITIVE ALANYSIS

Further to the strategy from the environmental analysis a mapping of event concepts can
be used as a variable component along with decisions on facing competition, which can
lead to more detailed and in-depth strategic alternatives.
EVENT CONCEPTS

Sustenance Strategy Rebuttal Strategy

Manage critical success factors Respond to new initiatives by

more effectively competition with a similar move

Venture Strategy
Accomplishment Strategy
Maximize user benefits by using path breaking, trend setting
Relative superiority
initiatives to take a lead vis-à-vis
Exploit competitor’s weakness
competition by being first in the market.

Concept vs. Competition Matrix

Sustenance Strategy

This is a strategy to be used when faced with no options but to take on the adversary with
the existing arsenal of event concepts that may be out dated or still current but nearing the
end of its life cycle.

It becomes essential that the event company manage its resources and advantages in terms
of CSFs that have been identified with greater efficacy. Successful concepts need to be
brushed up and revamped to meet customer expectations in the face of competitive
offerings.

Accomplishment Strategy

This strategy is viable when an existing concept is doing better than any of the competitors’
equivalent offering. This strategy, therefore, essentially says that sticks to the winning

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concepts and exploits the fact that competition cannot offer a similar quality concept and
thereby wants to avoid a head-on conflict by itself. The danger here is that competition
may use any of the other strategic alternatives available to a challenger to combat the
situation.
Venture Strategy

This strategy envisages making use of the first mover advantage by creating new concepts
of competition by creating niche markets. This may even involve a redefinition of market
segmentation.

By maximizing user benefits and creating path breaking trend setting concepts the event
company positions itself to take a lead vis-à-vis competition by being first in the market.
This is a double-edge strategy in that failure is as devastating as the benefits of a successful
launch.

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STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES ARISING FROM DEFINED OBJECTIVES

EVENT CONCEPTS

EXISTING NEW

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
RETAIN CLIENTS
OF CLIENTS

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
OF CONCEPTS

Client/Concept Fit Matrix

The above matrix provides options that event organizers have an offer in terms of concepts
and their market.

The basic strategic alternatives here revolve around whether the objective is to retain
customers or market development. These objectives further lead to the strategic options of
achieving them either to customization or new concept development.

By offering new concepts to a existing customers, a strategy of increasing business from

increasing clients can be discerned. Similarly by offering an existing event to a new client,
a strategy of increasing productivity of the event concept can be followed.

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PREP MODEL

This framework has its roots, in the fact that, events as a business proposition for
corporatization is relatively nascent in nature. Therefore, the concept of strategic
perspective to growth through and along with clients is a major decision to be taken by an
event agency having major growth plans. This model deals with the strategic options
available by playing off objectives relating to market development against growth in
competition.

CLIENTS

EXISTING NEW

Enrichment Strategy Predatorial Strategy

Retaliatory Strategy Proactive Strategy

PREP Matrix

The above matrix provides the choices before the event company when it comes to a trade
off between clients and competition in terms of assigning priorities in decision making.

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Predatorial Market Development Strategy

If the development of new clients from existing competitors is the need of the situation
then the event company will adopt this strategy. This is essentially an offensive through
focused strategy wherein clients of other event companies are targeted.
Enrichment Strategy

In a market situation where the event company is forced to compete fiercely for retaining
its market, this strategy is followed. It is used where the need to maintain and improve the
quality of service becomes predominant.

Retaliatory Strategy

This is basically a defense mechanism wherein the event company tries to defend it self
from preditorial strategies of essentially new entrants. This strategy involves taking action
aimed at retaining its existing clientele and potential client base.

Pro-active Strategy

The event company here can explore new client bases and stretch the limit of its concepts
across untried event categories. Every event category has its own special environmental
and competitive structures.

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 RISKS VERSUS RETURN MATRIX
Time
Pre-Planned Ad-hoe

Low Risk
Assured Returns
Zero Risk
( can charge extra
Assured Returns since chances of
failure are high)

Medium Risk High Risk

Assured Returns Assured Returns to cover costs + to cover
costs but
chances of loss lower chances of are low profit
Very High Risk High
Risk
Very less time to
Chances of high ensure reach profits with equal
Chances of failure chances
of losses
& loss are high

Risk vs. Return Matrix

The above matrix considers two of the most important risk factors as well as the degree to
which it can affect the events company – Type of Finance and Planning Lead Time

Events based on time can be divided into pre-planned i.e., events carried out after thorough
planning with enough time for taking decisions and ad-hoc events i.e., those that are taken
up on the spur of the moment. On the basis of finance, events can be fully sponsored, fully
ticketed or partially ticketed and sponsored. Each decision carries with it an element of
risk, the gradations of which can vary from zero risk to very high risk as shown in fig.

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APPLICABILITY
Differentiation and Focus in Event Marketing

Event Marketing has several advantages with multiple purposes, which normal marketing
media do not have. For example, when advertising in a magazine, a company needs to
decide which message they want to communicate as well as with whom they want to
communicate.

For companies using differentiation as a competitive advantage, spreading several

messages in many different magazines, the result might not cover investment. On the other
hand, for companies using focus as a basic strategy, the cost for gathering information
about the specific target group must match the possibility to actually reach the right
segment. Depending on how Event Marketing is used both differentiation and focus can
be achieved.

There are two major differences when using events. The events are pre-
communicated; the companies have a possibility to control, who will attend, or the event
just happens; whoever is there has an opportunity to be a part of the event. Of course,
depending on which place the company selects for the event, different types of consumers
will be reached. When using general events; meaning that no single target group is invited,
the company can still gain on the situation since they have a chance to adjust the added
value to specific customers during the event.
The employees working during the event “read” the situation and adjust his/her behavior.
Further the event itself might also communicate an added value to other people, although
they might not be interested in the specific event.

On the other hand mean that Event Marketing can also be used when focusing on specific
target groups.

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3.15 ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY EVENTS
As it is clear from the preceding section, use of events as a marketing communication tool
not only take care of the problems associated with traditional media but also offer certain
advantages because of which events are gaining importance over them. Some of the
advantages are detailed below:

1. Events have the ability to bring together sharply defined participants since the
capacity for a particular event is usually limited. A specific no. of the target
audience could be invited of enticed to buy tickets for a show especially created for
a particular profile of the target audience.

2. Since the audience is actively targeted, the option of control reach can be exercised
and ideal audience for narrow-casting of information can be gathered. This leads to
lowering of the media networking budgets and focused communication with the
specially gathered audience. The audience that has been specially invited invariably
is an ideal audience.

3. An event carried out professionally and cleanly is a memorable experience. The

word-of-mouth publicity that this generates is an advantage that lingers on a long
time after the event is actually been carried out. This provides an advantage of
higher brand recall to the client.

4. The involvement of all the senses in experiencing the event is one of the greatest
advantages that events can offer. Events can be designed such that the audience is
actively involved in every part of the event and made to feel good. Thus, events as
a live media offer a certain amount of immediacy to the experience – of being there
while it‘s happening. For the audience, it is undoubtedly a thrilling situation.

5. Live media also enables interactive communication. Live media scores over
conventional advertising in terms of reach, impact and tangible immediacy of
measurement. Live media communication is a complete sensual experience as

88
 compared to a press advertisement or TV/Radio commercial. This is so because of
press ad is basically a flat piece of paper and a commercial is just an audiovisual
experience. The high recall value of live media communication is also a major
factor.

6. No other media can boast of the ability to provide such massive collection of feed
back instantly as events. Being a live media, it is possible to feel and deduce the
reactions of the audience to the aim or objective that the event was conceived for.

7. Easily customizable nature of events, mean that specific traits of the local
inhabitants can be incorporated in the big picture to ensure that the event is socially
and culturally in tune with the local culture. Thus, the localization of events is very
easy.

8. The advantage in terms of post-event publicity that events can offer over and above
the paid or bartered media is the benefit associated with reports of the event in the
newspaper and news on the electronic media. For such reports there is no extra cost
to be borne – neither by the sponsor nor by the event organizer. This is a double
edged sword because, in case the event is not up to the mark or is dogged y
controversies, then the same is also reported impartially.

9. The conversion of good events into television software for future use either by the
sponsors for their commercials or by media house for programming is also a unique
benefit that events offer. Such software become products by themselves and can be
used profitability in the future.

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 CHAPTER 4 :DATA ANALYSIS
DATA ANALYSIS ON THE BASIS OF ANNEXURE

1: Buying Behavior after a positive experience of an EVENT.

Where,

a = Product/service you have heard but not checked out yet

b = Product/service you have never heard of c =
Product/service you already use

Interpretation

If people had a positive experience, about the event 88% are more likely to buy a product
just when they were aware of it. Surprisingly, 78% are more likely to enter into the buying
process even if it’s a new product.

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2: Gender influence on purchase

Where,
a = Product/service you already use
b = Product/service you have heard but not checked out yet c
= Product/service you have never heard of

Interpretation

After a positive experience of the events, women are more likely to purchase a product
they already use while men are a bit more adventures and may even be inclined to purchase
a product that they are not using or haven’t yet heard about that product.
3: Men are explorers whereas women love samples

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Interpretation

The female folk are drawn towards the event because they love samples which was
confirmed when 68% out of the female respondents gave the same reply where as the male
counterpart are more interested in exploring the product inside out.
Graph 4: Create events for right ages

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Interpretation

Fun and free best describes the motivation of younger event attendees while education and
interaction are what the older crowd is looking for.
5: Events spur immediate sales

Interpretation

26% of the attendees are ready to purchase a product immediately after the event, 25% within
a month and 15% wont purchase the product at all.

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Graph 6: Reasons for participation in any event

Interpretation

Over all the age groups it was observed that if the product/service is of interest to the
attendees they are more likely to participate in an event. The next best reason for
participation across all age groups is the activity which the attendees enjoy.

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Graph 7: People spend time at mobile events.

Interpretation

68% of the total respondents spend approximately 15 mins on a mobile event and every less
people spend over 30 mins.

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8: Mobile events create better product understanding

Interpretation

Mobile events which demonstrate product features are more likely to generate better
understanding about a company or its product.

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INTERVIEWS AND DETAILED DISCUSSIONS with various event managers and
corporate helped me identify the problems in the event marketing industry.

1. The event marketing industry in India is highly unorganized.

2. Corporate are not fully aware of the concept, implementation process and
effectiveness of event marketing.

3. No post-event analysis is carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of an event. As

a result of which a lot of money is wasted and nothing productive happens.

4. Lately, event marketing has become a fad and even small entrepreneurs are blindly
following the multinationals such as Coke and Pepsi that have presence all over in
the event marketing industry (cricket, music, movies & road shows)

5. Even when large sums of money are involved, sponsorships have too often been
handed out on nothing stronger than the managing director’s whim. In such cases,
virtually no thought is given to their likely benefit to the company, or even how
such a benefit could be measured.

In the late 1980s, the Hill & Knowlton sports marketing division conducted a
survey of Western Australian companies involved in sponsorship. Many were
giving more than $100,000 a year. Yet a staggering 68% of them had no procedures
in place to check the value of their sponsorships. How many of those companies
would spend $100,000 on advertising without monitoring every year stage of the
campaign? How many would pay an executive $100,000 a year without demanding
accountability for performance.

6. Sponsorship today should be made as accountable as any other part of the marketing
mix. Some forms of sponsorship have long-term networking goals that don’t lend
themselves to immediate measurement. But if sponsorship is linked directly to a
product, measurement should be possible through the only criteria that ultimately
matter, Sales.

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7. T.V. and press coverage of the event cannot be equated with success-even if a
company’s logo appears often and prominently. Instead, we need to take a close
look at the sales results and see if they go up during the sponsorship period.

8. Not all sponsorships are readily measurable. There are many, especially in the non-
sporting field, where it’s almost impossible to establish a direct cause-andeffect
relationship between sponsorship and sales. Carefully planned sponsorships can be
a cost-efficient way to enhance corporate profile. They can link a company and
brand with their customers’ lifestyles and aspirations. They can create a difference
for the product, boost the effectiveness of the total promotional program, and put
one in touch with people who can do a great deal for the business.

9. Sponsorship itself never is a major communications thrust. It is always and only a

complement to it. For every Rs. 100,000 you spend on sponsorship, you need to
spend at least another Rs. 100,000 on more conventional promotional activities.
And your sponsorship venture must not happen in isolation from them. It must be
an integral part of your total promotional program. It must tie in closely in theme
and message with everything else you are doing. Only then, will you get real benefit
from your sponsorship investment.

10. Commit large amounts of time and marketing expertise to it as well in order to bring
about a long-term product association with the event. It means monitoring the event
constantly, to ensure that your name, logo, product and so on are being featured,
exactly as agreed. It means developing reliable ways of measuring its results, if
that’s possible. It means thinking about extensions-spin-off consumer and trade
promotions, staff motivation programs, hospitality functions and so on.

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 CHAPTER 5. RESEARCH FINDINGS
&RECOMMENDATIONS

RESARCH FINDINGS
• The present study has been undertaken to get the first hand exposure on the mindset of
people towards Event Marketing concept & their involvement in events as and when
they come across, if any.

• A questionnaire was designed keeping in mind the requirements for study & analysis
of my thesis for comparing the hypothesis with the outcome of this survey.

• A general survey conducted with a sample size of 50 respondents revealed the

following facts regarding the mindset of people towards the Event Marketing concept.

• This survey also gave scope to take necessary steps for organizing an event at right
place, right time and in front of the right target audience.

• Event Marketing companies were also targeted and their response was also taken which
added value to my thesis.

Let’s have a look at what people feel about Event Marketing.

When people were asked what they feel about a particular company which promotes its
product/service through Event Marketing 82% of the respondents replied that it gives a
positive impression about the company and establishes the quality of their product/service.

When people were asked about the reasons for which they have participated 53% replied that
the event appeared amusing which was followed by reasons like a powerful brand or eye
catching signs & banners.

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 RECOMMENDATIONS

To improve the condition of the event marketing industry and make it more professional and
profitable, the following recommendations have been listed:

1. Understand the corporate objectives, target audience, brand image and positioning
clearly.

2. Do not go overboard with your concept or preference for a certain event.

3. Conduct a situational analysis for appropriate event selection which synergies with
the company objective and brand personality.

4. Create extensive databases of the target consumers in order to conduct pre- and
post-event analysis and evaluation to check the success of the event and consumer
perception, also to assess the top of mind awareness and brand recall.

5. Conduct extensive market research to establish which parts of the program are
working and which ones are not. Those in the first category should be maintained
and strengthened. Those in the second should be relinquished.

6. In all sponsorship activities, it is important to protect the integrity of the activity

being supported. If it is cheapened or its identity threatened, the sponsorship could
rebound on the sponsor’s head.

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 CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION
Event marketing allows a company to break through the advertising clutter and target an
audience by enhancing or creating an image through an association to a particular event.

Brand awareness reinforces the product or service, and drives sales.

Property or event, also profits, a financial partner, a supplemented advertising budget, and
added leverage.

Event marketing also offers companies the flexibility to reach specific geographic and
demographic audiences. It is a benefit that allows depth of exposure, as opposed to the breadth
of exposure.

As CMOs continue to face increasing financial pressures, they must continuously provide
higher levels of value, both in pure financial terms and overall measurement of ROI.

When considering the entire sales cycle, marketing professionals must think beyond traditional
methods and bring transparency and measurement to their activities in order to demonstrate the
fundamental value of their field. To answer this challenge, the event marketing industry must
redefine itself to recognize the power of the “brand” to forge deep connections, as well as also
adapt events to contribute to branding in more sophisticated ways.

The perception of events as a form of media is quickly moving away from standalone activities
to integrated forms of communication. These forms of communication synchronize with
overall marketing goals through new applications of techniques rooted in traditional event
marketing that project the brand more powerfully. Defining what an organization stands for,
mapping out a clear brand strategy, and then formulating event activities that align with overall
marketing goals is the next great step in the evolution of the industry.

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 ANNEXURE
Questionnaire

Name :
Age :
Gender :
Occupation :

1. What are your feelings about a company that creates or sponsors events?
a) They are willing to let people try them out
b) Support activities that I enjoy
c) They understand my interests and needs
d) They like to have fun with me
e) They want to know more about me

2. Assuming you had a positive experience, would you be more or less inclined to purchase a
product or service after having participated in an event?
a) Product/service you have heard but not checked out yet
i. More likely
ii. Less likely
iii. Neither more nor less
b) Product/service you have never heard of
i. More likely
ii. Less likely
iii. Neither more nor less
c) Product/service you already use
i. More likely
ii. Less likely iii. Neither more nor less

3. What was it that got you to notice or participate in the event?

a) It looked like fun
b) I recognize the company/brand running the event
c) Signs and Banners
d) Somebody invited me to participate
e) The crowd that was already taking part in the event
f) Others

4. Which of the following is your favorite part of marketing events?

a) I get to touch and feel a product/services
b) I get to learn more about a product/services
c) I get to ask questions about a product/services

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 d) I get a free sample of a product/services
e) I get to have fun by participating in activities

5. Which would most likely cause you to participate in a product demonstration or event?
a) The product/services matched my interest
b) The product or company was sponsoring an activity I enjoy
c) My friend/relative had a positive experience
d) The event offered an activity I could participate
e) Other

6. How long did you stay at the mobile event?

a) 1-15 minutes
b) 15-30 minutes
c) over 30 minutes

7. Which of the following is true? After leaving the mobile event I understood the
company/product…
a) better
b) same
c) less

8. How soon after attending a company-sponsored event at/near a store did you purchase the
product or service being offered?
a) Immediately
b) Within a month
c) Within a week
d) Did not purchase
e) Within 3 months
f) Within 6 month
g) More than 6 months

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 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL EVENT MARKETING

While marketing an event, there are a few key methods that can be employed to ensure that
the event gains the maximum response.

Event is managed in the minimum cost possible. Event marketing has been a concept that
has only recently been pioneered in India. But, though new, the concept has taken off very
well with the Indian consumers who are evolving rapidly.

Some of the methods are listed below. Following them can ensure a cost effective
implementation of the event marketing.

If the event is meant to market a certain product, then it is necessary to ensure that the
purchase decision-maker attends the event. It is important to get the message across to the
target audience and therefore enough research about the profile of the attendees is
important to be able to communicate effectively to them about the product. It is important
that least 50-60% of the people attending the event are targets of the product to be
promoted.

It is also important to evaluate the value-added benefits that the venue or the trade show
organizer makes available to your business. Make sure you find out if they allow access to
the attendee mailing list so you can implement a pre-mailing process in order to promote
your one-day trade show special, as well as the location of your booth.

Make sure you get participant contact information before the event as well as after. Other
value-added benefits that can be expected from the show organizer include: being included
in participant email distributions promoting the event, as well as an advertisement in the
event show guide.

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Before the event is undertaken, the cost effectiveness of promoting the product through
the event should be questioned by asking yourself event qualifying questions around the
“who" instead of the “how many”.
The giveaways at the event should be relevant to the business being promoted through the
event. And make sure you don't give something away for free just for the heck of it.

The location chosen for the event is perhaps the most important aspect. Make sure you
don't purchase a cheap booth at a popular exhibition because there are strong chances that
no one will be visiting you, since your booth will be tucked away hidden from all eyes.
The most ideal locations in any exhibition areas are found at the entryway to the event
and near the pathway to the food stations and restrooms.

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 OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS

A sponsorship checklist has been devised for the benefit of all those who are in the business
of event marketing or related to it.

1. Are you clear on your sponsorship objectives?

2. Does the activity or event have a link with your product?

3. Is the public perception of it a positive one?

4. Is it watched, attended, shared in or enjoyed by your target market?

5. Will your sponsorship raise your image in their eyes?

6. Is the activity or event free of close identification with a previous sponsor?

7. Will it create good ‘rubbing shoulders’ opportunities for you?

8. Can you measure its results?

9. Will it give you tangible benefits, such as naming rights, program advertising, on-site
displays or merchandise?

10. Will it have PR possibilities that reach beyond the immediate audience into your target
market?

11. Will it be a natural extension to your main advertising and promotional activities?

12. Are you prepared to commit yourself to it for a considerable period of time?

13. Are you prepared to put a great deal of effort as well as money into it?

14. Will your key personnel commit themselves to it enthusiastically?

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BASIC COVERAGE
Event Management Lynn Van Der Wagen & Brenda R. Carlos

Principles of Marketing Kotler & Amstrong

Marketing Management Philip Kotler

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WEBSITES
• www.indiatradepromotion.org
• www.exhibitionsindia.com
• www.supercommindia2004.com
• www.branders.com
• www.eventmarketer.com
• www.marketersadvantage.net/articles.htm?k=Network%20Marketing
• www.mobilemarketingjoblist.com
• www.fundsmanagementworld.com/india
• www.sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/marketing/g/promotion.htm
• www.wilsonweb.com
• www.marketingnpv.com
• www.india.gov.in/business/growing_business.php
• www.frost.com/prod/servlet/events-asia-pac.pag
• www.indialine.com/events/automotive.html
• www.hindustantimes.com/3g/
• www.informatm.com www.MrSeeker.com

• www.google.com
• www.slideshare.com
• www.shopairte.com

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