Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
ON
AMBUSH MARKETING
Names:
Sarbjit Singh(BAM17002)
Deepjyoti Nath (BAM17008)
Saumick Kumar Das (BAM17014)
SonaliSaikia (BAM17031)
ChandralekhaDoley (BAM17043)
Date:
Place:
AKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to give our heartiest thanks and express our deep sense of
gratitude to our academic guide Dr. (Prof.) Chandan Goswami under whose care
and supervision we were able to carry out our assignment titled STUDY ON
AMBUSH MARKETING. His technical and academic guidance helped us in
We would also like to thank our batchmates who helped us with their
valuable advice and positive criticism.
PREFACE
In this project report, we have included various topics such as Meaning and
Definition of Ambush Marketing, Features of Ambush Marketing, its Advantages
and Disadvantages and its various strategies along with notable examples.
Doing this report has helped us to enhance our overall knowledge regarding
AMBUSH MARKETING.
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION 1-3
One of the most widely used marketing strategies in todays business world is the
concept of AMBUSH MARKETING. Ambush marketing represents efforts by
no sponsors to attach themselves to a favorable event or property. If implemented
or executed efficiently it can confuse the customers and diminishes the value of
any actual sponsors relationship with the property or event.
1) PREDATORY AMBUSHING
2) COATTAIL AMBUSHING
3) PROPERTY OR TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT
4) SELF AMBUSHING
STRATEGIES
d. Entertainment events:
Events like music concerts, fairs, festivals, fashion shows, award
functions, celebrity nights, beauty peagents, flash mob, jewellery
shows, stage shows etc.
e. Political events:
Events like political procession, demonstration, rally, political
functions etc.
f. Corporate events:
Events like MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions),
product launches, road shows, buyer-seller meet etc.
g. Religious events:
Events like religious festivals / fairs, religious procession, Katha,
Pravachan, Diwali fair, Dusherra fair etc.
h. Fund raising/ cause related events:
Any event can be turned into a fund raising or cause related event.
E.g.auctions.
3. Evaluation of alternatives:
The event selection should be in places where there are huge crowds like
Football match, stadium, and mainly the crowded places of the city.
In ambush marketing, there are no such cost involved for marketing the
product. There may be some low amount of expenditure which the company
might have to incur. For eg. they may need to prepare banners, hoarders and
other posters which they will need to put up across streets so that customers
have a look upon them.
AMBUSH MARKETING STRATEGIES
When the event is broadcast via electronic media such as radio, TV, or video
streaming on the Internet, it is typically the sale of advertising that pays the costs
associated with the broadcast. In most cases, the event does not control the
broadcast; consequently it may have little influence over which companies are
allowed to advertise during its transmission. Ambushers can purchase time to
broadcast their own advertisements during the broadcast. While the advertisers do
not reach the spectators and attendees at the venue, they do reach the media
audience. For major events, sports or otherwise, the media audience is much
larger than the live audience. The reality is that the ambusher may care very little
about the attendees at the venue because the media audience represents the more
important target for the marketer.
Efforts of this type are legal; therefore, they are deemed by many to be legitimate
competitive responses that attempt to overcome a competitive advantage held by
an official sponsor of a particular event. While Fuji Film was a sponsor of the Los
Angeles Olympics, a major competitor (Kodak) purchased time and ran
advertisements during the TV broadcast of the event. Ambush marketing is not just
a sports-related phenomenon but there are a number of high-profile non-sports
events that have sponsors, are broadcast by electronic media, and are vulnerable to
ambush marketing of this type. Live concerts and awards shows are but two
examples. The point is that property owners and their sponsors cannot afford to
make the mistake of assuming that they are safe from ambushers simply because
they are not a sports event. It is also important to determine what is being
ambushed. Is it a sponsor or is it the event itself? The Kodak example is evident;
its efforts were aimed at Fuji
2. Sponsor subcategories
Adidas sponsored the most recent World Cup of Soccer. Nike sponsored several of
the top teams that were competing. Nikes sponsorship of a lower category
germane to the event constituted a legitimate marketing decision. In a similar
scenario, Reebok sponsored the U.S. mens basketball team at the Barcelona
Olympics; at a lower level, Nike sponsored several of the players on the team,
including the most noteworthy, Michael Jordan. This strategy is sometimes
referred to as ambushing up . The term is derived from the fact that the ambusher is
involved with an official sponsorship of some lower level (at a lesser cost) but uses
techniques designed to create the impression that it is involved with the event at
some higher level of sponsorship. Again, for the ambushing to take place, there is
no need for the marketer to be targeting a direct competitor. Many events today
have multiple levels of sponsorship. For example, a firm might choose to be an
official supplier of the World Cup or the Olympics, but it might try to create the
impression that it is a sponsor at the highest level. Some people question whether
the Sydney Olympics official service provider TNT Delivery diminished the
consumers ability to recognize UPS delivery as a TOP sponsor. This issue
highlights the need to negotiate broad category exclusivity in the early stages of
establishing the terms of the sponsor-ship contract.
Changing rules regarding amateurism have led to a broader use of this strategy. It
is commonly used for both team sports and individual sports, especially those that
have international appeal. Cash or VIK may be used to fulfill this commitment.
Players salaries may be supplemented by contributions for which the contributor
may be acknowledged via logos on uniforms or recognition in TV interviews.
Another method of implementing this strategy is via bonus pools or prizes for
winning. For example, world-class swimmer Michael Phelps is sponsored by
Speedo. While this relationship best fits the previous strategy of sponsoring a
subcategory of an event, there is one key point of dif- ferentiation. Speedo
designated a total of $1 million to be awarded to Phelps if he were to win seven
gold medals in either the 2004 or 2008 Summer Olympics. Though he did not
achieve this standard at the 2004 Games, the potential for this payout generated
considerable discussion and publicity. And should Phelps succeed in 2008, there is
no doubt but that his prize will be discussed in the various media. Whether simply
an unattained incentive or a realized prize, its availability undoubtedly caused
some people to incorrectly associate Speedo with the IOC and the Olympic Games.
Events are often rebroadcast after the initial live broadcast has taken place. The
original broadcast may have been on free-to-air TV, pay-per-view, or a premium
cable or satellite network such as ESPN, Fox, or Sky Sports. These initial
broadcasts are often very expensive for advertisers, and access may be limited by
category exclusivity agreements. So it may neither be economically viable nor
even possible for some companies to purchase commercial time for the original
broadcast. Many events are shown again and again after the original airing. For
these subsequent broadcasts, access may not be limited, thus potentially opening
up opportunities for non-sponsors that were previously excluded. Additionally, the
cost of advertising time may be greatly reduced. These opportunities give
companies a chance to associate themselves with an event in the minds of some
key target markets. Events that are often aired well after the live competition takes
place include the NFLs Super Bowl, Premier League soccer matches, Super 14
rugby matches, and Formula 1 races.
Advertising designed to fit this description falls into one of two categories:
Themed
Traditional.
This category comprises of activities which dilutes the advantage held by the
sponsor. A non-sponsor may purchase tickets to an event with which it is seeking
to create the perception of an association. By distributing these tickets to
customers, employees, or as prizes in contests, an association may be assumed by
some people in the market. If so, the ambush effort has been effective. Another
commonly used dilution strategy is the confusion technique. In this technique the
ambusher to develop creative promotions that consumers naturally associate with
the event or property. Steinlager Beer was an official worldwide sponsor for the
1991 World Cup of Rugby. The English rugby team is generally a strong
contender; therefore it is a valuable property for a sponsor. During the competition,
the English team would play its anthem, the familiar song Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot. Fosters Beer introduced its advertising theme song Swing Low,
Sweet Carry-out sung to the same beat and tune as the English teams anthem
which outraged Steinlager executives.
Yet another strategy is to sponsor other events that take place in the venue
of the event being ambushed. This strategy allows the ambusher to create an
indirect association with the event. Additionally, photos used in subsequent
advertising further reinforce the misinterpretation that the ambusher is affiliated
with an event when it is not. Remember that Ansett Australian Airlines was the
official airline of the Sydney Olympics. Major competition took place at Stadium
Australia outside of Sydney. Qantas Airlines sponsored the Bledisloe Cup, a
rugby competition played between Australian and New Zealand national rugby
teams. The event was also contested at Stadium Australia. Later advertising that
featured Qantas and the stadium created further confusion as to who the official
Olympic sponsor actually was. Pictures in advertising placed Qantas at Stadium
Australia during the Olympic competition which is what the ambusher actually
wanted. This is why event organizers have begun to demand clean stadia devoid of
any signs as a condition for staging their events in a particular city, stadium, or
arena.
A tactic that was a recent source of controversy is to encourage the wearing of
clothing at an event that represented non-sponsors. Non-sponsors often give
free T-shirts to fans in the hope that they will wear them to the event. In addition to
clothing, the ambush strategy may call for the distribution of flags, signs, or other
items that display the logo of a non-sponsor. Ambushers have been known to
display of their brand names and logos by hiring fans to wear their shirts and wave
their flags. The controversy arises when a fan is confronted and the offending
items are seized. What the organizers perceive as an ambush marketing strategy
may sometimes be a fans decision.
Some Examples of Ambush Marketing
While ambush marketing happens with all types of properties ranging from
small, local festivals to major entertainment events, there is no doubt that the
most aggressive activities take place when the stakes are the highest. Many
marketers choose to ambush because the cost of sponsoring major events is so
high. Or perhaps they are given no alternative except to ambush because a
competitor aligned with the event has category exclusivity. As a result, ambush
marketing activities take place every day. The following examples illustrate the
efforts of ambush marketers across the globe.
In Canada, Montreal, Apple had a billboard promoting the iPod Nano, where the
colour of the iPod would drip down at the bottom. Home improvement chain Rona
saw a great opportunity and pulled off perhaps one of the greatest ambush
campaign stunts. They placed a banner below Apples billboard so that it looked
like the paint was falling into buckets. The text on their banner translated into:
We recycle leftover paint.
2. Snapdeal ambushes Flipkarts Big Billion Day thunder, as Amazon is
left amazed
Its not new for ecommerce players in India to troll each other; in fact all the three
market leaders Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart have openly challenged each other
with their creative campaigns; just remember #AchchaKiya,
#AchchaKiyaBataDiya & #YahanDekhlo hashtags.
But in October 2015, competition among the rivals moved to another level, when
the brand war moved to print during the Diwali festival season sale where all the
brand biggies were not only present on the front page of leading dailies in India,
but were also creatively trolling each other with witty content.
Amazon announced The Great Indian Festive Sale on Hindustan Times, Mint,
Times of India and Navbharat Times; Flipkart promoted its sale Big Billion Days
by taking over the front and back pages of The Times of India, Hindustan Times
and Dainik Bhaskar. Abhi Nahin toh Kabhi Nahin is what Flipkart reminded its
consumers. But the one that stole the show was Snapdeal with its creativity and wit
as they released a clever ad campaign by taking a dig at both its rivals Flipkart
and Amazon. The full-page ad appeared in The Times of Indias third page, which
read You dont need a BILLION offers to amaze you. You just need to snap
the best ones. For the best offers this Diwali, shop only on Snapdeal.
We cant comment on which brand got the maximum sales but Snapdeal definitely
won the Ad war over Flipkart and Amazon.
3. AUDI VS. BMW
Perhaps, one of the most famous examples is the 2009 Audi and BMW billboard
war in Santa Monica. Audi thought theyd be clever and issued a challenged to
BMW with an image of the Audi A4, accompanied by the words: Your move,
BMW. Of course, BMW answered. Right next to the Audi advert they threw up
an image of the BMW M3 and said, Checkmate. Everything then got slightly out
of control when fans took to photoshop and decided to craft their own responses,
including the BMW sign flying a blimp with a picture of its F1 entry.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
MARKETING
Competitive Marketing
Ambush marketing according to some analysts is a form of competitive marketing.
When there is an increase in competition the prices go down and there is a
complete picture for the consumer.
Ethical issue:
The argument waged against Ambush Marketing is that it is against ethical norms
to ambush someone who has paid millions of Dollars for recognition as an
Olympic Sponsor.
Financially Detrimental
The argument raised by Event Organizers is that Ambush Marketing will make
finding sponsorship difficult in the future and this will be detrimental to the
holding of such event in the future, as it will be beneficial for the company to be an
ambusher.
Confusion
The argument here is that Ambush Marketers confuse the audience about the
Sponsors of the event and decrease the commercial value of the event.
From the study it was found that Ambush Marketing helps in brand awareness of
the company. Hence,
Companies can invest less capital with high returns.
In the event a company forges Ambush Marketing it can face legal issues, so
it is better for the company to go for Intrusion Ambush Marketing.
It is evidently difficult to decide whether the practice of ambush marketing is
ethical or not. The answer would depend on who this question is asked to and the
facts involved. Clearly, sponsors which paid heavily for the right to exclusively
promote their goods and services in association with the event a must be
safeguarded against ambush marketing. Definitely for ambush tactics are to be
diminished, additional legal procedures must be adopted.
To conclude capitalism and commercialization, has led to an upsurge in
marketing and advertising. Due to the cut throat competition prevalent today, every
brand is trying to attract the maximum number of consumers through advertising.
However, a good company should just showcase the qualities of its products, rather
that mimicking others and leave it to the consumer to decide on the choices they
offer.