BRETT DYER 2023/2024

Brett Dyer
Module: Advertising 5N0748
Topic: Comparing the reach of different media in advertising

1. What is the difference between ATL and BTL in marketing strategies?

To understand each you first need to understand the different roles involved with
Above the Line Marketing (ATL) and Below the Line Marketing (BTL)

Figure 1 ATL and BTL Marketing, thaovoblog

Posted on March 22, 2017

Scope and Reach:

ATL Marketing: ATL marketing involves reaching a broad audience through mass
media channels such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and outdoor
advertising (e.g., billboards). It aims to create brand awareness and visibility on a
large scale. An example may be a television advertisement promoting a cookery
school or college.
BTL Marketing: BTL marketing targets specific segments or individuals through
personalized communication channels such as direct mail, email marketing,
sponsorships, events, promotions, and point-of-sale displays. It focuses on engaging
with consumers directly and driving immediate action. An example may include a

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potential student who, saw a television advertisement and signed onto a mailing list
enquiring about the said cookery school.

Targeting:

ATL Marketing: ATL marketing typically targets a mass audience without specific
demographic or behavioural criteria. It aims to create broad brand awareness and
exposure among consumers. Such as an advertisement during a cookery program
(Master Chef etc.) promoting a new cookery school.
BTL Marketing: BTL marketing targets specific audience segments based on
demographics, interests, behaviours, or purchasing patterns. It allows for more
precise targeting and personalized communication with consumers.
Cost and Budget:

ATL Marketing: ATL marketing campaigns often require substantial budgets due to
the high costs associated with mass media advertising channels such as television
and print media. They are suitable for brands with larger marketing budgets.
BTL Marketing: BTL marketing campaigns can be more cost-effective and
efficient, as they often involve targeted and measurable activities. Companies can
allocate budgets based on specific campaign objectives and audience segments. Such
as through mailers and online, social media marketing.

Measurability and ROI:

ATL Marketing: Measuring the effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of

ATL marketing campaigns can be challenging due to the broad reach and indirect
response mechanisms. Metrics such as brand awareness surveys and sales trends may
be used to assess impact.
BTL Marketing: BTL marketing campaigns are more measurable and offer clearer
indicators of ROI since they often involve direct interactions with consumers.
Metrics such as response rates, conversion rates, and customer engagement levels
can be tracked more effectively.

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Engagement and Interaction:

ATL Marketing: ATL marketing campaigns rely on one-way communication

channels where the brand communicates its message to the audience. Interaction with
consumers is limited, and immediate response mechanisms may not be present.
BTL Marketing: BTL marketing campaigns encourage interaction and engagement
with consumers through personalized communication channels. Consumers can
participate in promotions, events, and activities, leading to direct feedback and
relationship-building opportunities. Interaction is in real time.

2. Combining ATL and BTL marketing strategies effectively

To reiterate, ATL (Above the Line) and BTL (Below the Line) marketing are two
distinct approaches used to reach and engage with audiences, each with its own
strengths and strategies. Here's how we can effectively combine them for the cookery
school, café and lodge:

ATL Marketing: Above the Line marketing involves mass media channels that
reach a broad audience. For a cookery school and lodge, ATL strategies might
include:

 Television and radio advertisements during Cookery shows for instance

 Print advertising in newspapers and magazines in lifestyle magazines
 Outdoor advertising such as billboards and posters
 Online display ads on websites and social media platforms that are linked to
vacation, lifestyle and food centric sites.
 These channels are effective for building brand awareness and reaching a
wide audience quickly.

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BTL Marketing: Below the Line marketing focuses on more targeted and
personalized tactics to engage with specific segments of the audience. For a cookery
school and lodge, BTL strategies could include:

 Hosting cooking workshops or demonstrations in local communities or

community days.
 Participating in food festivals and events to showcase culinary skills
 Offering promotional deals or packages through email marketing and direct
mail
 Creating engaging content on social media platforms to interact with
followers and encourage user-generated content
 These tactics are more personalized and allow for direct interaction with
potential customers, making them ideal for driving conversions and building
relationships. It is real time and personal.

Combining ATL and BTL:

Integrated Campaigns: Develop integrated marketing campaigns that leverage both

ATL and BTL channels to create a cohesive brand experience. For example, run a
TV ad promoting the cookery school and lodge, during a cookery show such as
Master Chef, and follow up with targeted social media ads offering a discount on
cooking classes.

Consistent Messaging: Ensure that your messaging is consistent across all channels
to reinforce brand identity and key messages. Whether it's a TV commercial or a
social media post, maintain a unified brand voice and message.

Track and Measure Results: Use analytics and tracking tools to monitor the
performance of your ATL and BTL efforts. Measure key metrics such as website
traffic, leads generated, and conversion rates to understand the effectiveness of each
channel and optimize your marketing mix accordingly.

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Personalization: Tailor your BTL activities to specific audience segments based on

their interests, preferences, and behaviour. For example, offer specialized cooking
workshops for different skill levels or dietary preferences to appeal to a diverse
audience. Dietary trends need to be monitored and catered for.

By combining ATL and BTL marketing strategies, you can maximize your reach,
engage with your target audience effectively, and drive meaningful interactions and
conversions for your cookery school and lodge.

An example of how ATL and BTL can be used in tandem. A Flyer for a
cookery school promoting its courses using Mothers as a Marketing
tool. This brochure can be found on the cooking schools landing page
and on social media. Source: Lismullen Cookery School

In summary, ATL marketing aims to create broad brand awareness through mass
media channels, while BTL marketing focuses on targeted communication and
engagement with specific audience segments through personalized channels and
activities. Both strategies complement each other and can be integrated into a
comprehensive marketing plan based on the brand's objectives, target audience, and
available resources.

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3. The Importance of Reach In Marketing and Advertising

What do we mean by ‘Reach’?

Reach is crucial in advertising and marketing because it determines the extent of
your message's exposure to potential customers, increasing brand awareness and
recognition. It enables you to connect with a broader audience, allowing your
products or services to be seen by more people, which can lead to increased sales and
business growth. Additionally, reach helps to amplify your messaging and influence
consumer behaviour, ultimately contributing to the success of your marketing
campaigns and achieving your business objectives. In short, how many people are
seeing your message and how often.

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4. Suitable channels to Market the School, Lodge and Café

With the above in mind, the following are recommendations to advertise the new
business:

Social Media Platforms

Pros Cons
Wide reach: Time-consuming:

Social media platforms have billions of Managing social media accounts and
active users worldwide, allowing you to creating compelling content requires
reach a large audience. time and effort.

Visual storytelling: Algorithm changes:

You can showcase stunning images and Platforms may change their algorithms,
videos of your lodge, culinary creations, affecting the reach and visibility of your
and cooking classes to attract and content.
engage potential guests and students.

Engagement opportunities: Paid advertising:

Social media platforms enable direct While organic reach is possible,

interaction with followers through reaching a broader audience often
comments, messages, and user- requires investment in paid advertising.
generated content, fostering
relationships and loyalty.

Website and Blog

Pros Cons
Central hub: Initial investment:

Your website serves as a central hub for Building and maintaining a professional
information about your lodge, cookery website and producing high-quality
school, facilities, amenities, and course content require upfront investment.
offerings.

Search engine visibility: Competition:

Optimizing your website and blog for The online space is crowded with
search engines can improve your competitors, making it challenging to
visibility and attract organic traffic from stand out and attract visitors to your
people searching for related keywords. website.

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Authority building: Technical maintenance:

A well-maintained blog featuring Websites require regular updates,

cooking tips, recipes, travel guides, and security patches, and maintenance to
guest experiences can establish your ensure optimal performance and user
lodge and cookery school as experience.
authoritative sources in the industry.

Email Marketing
Pros Cons
Personalized communication: Deliverability challenges:

Email allows you to deliver Emails may end up in spam folders or

personalized messages, promotions, and go undelivered due to spam filters and
offers directly to subscribers' inboxes, email server issues, impacting the reach
nurturing relationships and driving and effectiveness of your campaigns.
conversions.

Targeted segmentation: Content fatigue:

Segmenting your email list based on
interests, preferences, and behaviours
enables you to send relevant and
tailored content to specific audience
segments.
Sending too many promotional emails
or irrelevant content can lead to
subscriber fatigue and increased
unsubscribe rates.

Cost-effective:

Compared to traditional advertising

channels, email marketing is relatively
cost-effective and offers a high return
on investment (ROI).

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5. How do we measure the success of the proposed campaign?

Social Media Platforms:

Track metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement (likes, comments, shares),

follower growth, and click-through rates (CTR) for links shared.

Monitor conversions, such as website visits, bookings, and course enrolments

attributed to social media referrals.

Analyse audience demographics and behaviour to understand who is engaging

with your content and how they are interacting with your brand.

Website and Blog:

 Use web analytics tools like Google Analytics to track website
traffic, user behaviour (pages visited, time spent), bounce rates, and
conversion rates.

 Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of

inquiries, online bookings, and course registrations generated
through your website.

 Analyse search engine rankings and organic search traffic to assess

the effectiveness of your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.

Email Marketing:

 Track email open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates,

and unsubscribe rates to gauge the performance of your email
campaigns.

 Monitor metrics related to deliverability, such as bounce rates and

spam complaints, to ensure that your emails are reaching recipients'
inboxes.

 Measure revenue generated directly attributed to email marketing

campaigns, including bookings, purchases, and course enrolments.

Overall Performance:

 Calculate return on investment (ROI) for each marketing channel

by comparing the cost of marketing efforts to the revenue
generated.

 Set specific goals and objectives for each channel and track
progress toward achieving them over time.

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 Conduct regular performance reviews and analysis to identify

trends, patterns, and areas for improvement.

 Solicit feedback from customers and students through surveys,

reviews, and testimonials to gauge satisfaction and identify areas
for enhancement.

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Conclusion:
By regularly monitoring and analysing these metrics, you can gain valuable insights
into the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, identify opportunities for
optimization, and make data-driven decisions to improve overall performance and
achieve your business goals for the lodge and cookery school.
In summary, ATL marketing aims to create broad brand awareness through mass
media channels, while BTL marketing focuses on targeted communication and
engagement with specific audience segments through personalized channels and
activities. Both strategies complement each other and can be integrated into a
comprehensive marketing plan based on the brand's objectives, target audience, and
available resources.

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Landecy, Clara (2023) ‘ATL and BTL in marketing: what are the differences?’
HUBSPOT (21/2/2024) https://blog.hubspot.fr/marketing/atl-btl

Solomon, N (2024) ‘Understanding ATL, BTL, and TTL Marketing Strategies’ Wise
Stamp (21/2/2024)
https://www.wisestamp.com/blog/atl-btl-ttl-marketing/#:~:text=ATL%20stands
%20for%3A%20%E2%80%9CAbove%20the,and%20direct%20approach%20to
%20marketing.

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