Target marketing replaces traditional high-spend advertising campaigns, says Kotler

According to Kotler, TV advertising is losing its effectiveness because of growing advertising clutter, leaving marketers to consider other channels. These include sponsorship, product placement and celebrity endorsements.

He says, "The major challenge today is getting people's attention. Consumers are pressed for time, and many work hard to avoid advertising messages. The main challenge is to find new ways to capture attention and position a brand in the consumer's mind.

"Public relations and word-of-mouth marketing are playing a growing role within the marketing mix to build and maintain brands."

Transform

Kotler advises advertising agencies to transform themselves into full-service communication agencies, working with clients to choose the best messages and vehicles, whether adverts, press releases, events, sponsorships, or direct mail.

He comments, "Advertisers are demanding more communication effectiveness. They want to shift more of their promotion dollars into direct marketing, public relations, and newer promotion tools. When a customer sees an ad, she knows it is an ad, and an increasing number of customers are tuning ads out. Other channels have a better chance of getting the message through."

Kotler, the 'international master of marketing management', will make a rare public appearance in Africa when he holds a seminar in Johannesburg on 27 July 2006. At the event, he will present a timely and meticulous healthcheck on marketing strategy for today and in the future.

Holistic

His focus will be on a new lateral approach to marketing - the Holistic Relationship Marketing Framework - as well as latest tools for promoting and building brands, and technology-enabled marketing (TEM).

Dr Kotler will inform the audience how to replace Old Marketing with New Marketing that is holistic, technology-enabled and strategic, enabling companies to capture their target customers' activities, lifestyle, and social space more effectively.

Philip Kotler will present Winning Strategies: The Latest Marketing Thoughts on How to Create, Win, and Dominate Markets at Vodaworld in Johannesburg on July 27, 2006. Bizcommunity.com is a media partner for the event.

Dowload a brochure on the seminar here. Full details are available on www.globalleadersevents.com/kotler.