Big Idea of an Integrated Marketing
Communication Campaign
Case study: Edunation’s “Pathway” Product in Vietnam

LAB University of Applied Sciences
Bachelor’s Degree Programme in International Business
2020

Loc Nguyen


Abstract
Author(s)

Publication type

Completion year

Nguyen, Loc

Bachelor’s Thesis

2020

Number of pages

40
Title of the thesis

Big Idea of an Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign
Case study: Edunation’s “Pathway” Product in Vietnam

Degree

Bachelor in International Business
Name, title, and organization of the thesis supervisor

Sami Lanu, Senior Lecturer, LAB University of Applied Sciences
Name, title, and organization of the client

Edunation Oy

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to figure out a big idea for an IMC campaign
towards the target audience of Edunation’s “Pathway” product. The big idea
will be applied in a complete integrated marketing communication campaign
to raise brand and product awareness, acting as communication objectives.
The main question was, what is the big idea of the campaign? Along with the
sub-questions: how to create a big idea? Furthermore, what is the target
audience insight? The research was done with Edunation, an educational
consultancy company located in Tampere, Finland. The big idea is the first
step to build up an integrated marketing communication campaign.
The qualitative research method is applied in the thesis. Data collected for
the big idea generation is from Edunation’s research, books, and case study;
hence, data collection source is secondary.
The thesis's theoretical framework covers all concepts and terms regarding
big idea generation in an IMC campaign to gain a general picture. The result
of the research question is “Đừng mù đường”, or “Don’t get lost.”
Keywords
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC), digital marketing, Edunation, Pathway,
customer persona, customer insights, big idea.



Contents

1

2

Introduction ..........................................................................................................1
1.1

Market context .............................................................................................1

1.2

Brand context ...............................................................................................3

1.3

Motivation .....................................................................................................3

1.4

Thesis objectives and scope .......................................................................3

1.5

Research questions .....................................................................................3

1.6


Research Methodology and Data Collection ..............................................4

1.7

Thesis Structure ...........................................................................................4

Theoretical framework .........................................................................................5
2.1

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) ...............................................5

2.1.1
2.2

Digital marketing ........................................................................................11

2.2.1

Definition of digital marketing .............................................................11

2.2.2

Benefits of digital marketing ...............................................................14

2.2.3

Key digital media channels ................................................................15

2.3


Big idea ......................................................................................................19

2.3.1

Communication objectives.........................................................................22

2.5

Customer path 5A’s and O Zone (O3) model ...........................................23

2.6

Customer persona .....................................................................................27

2.7

Communication process ............................................................................27

2.8

4

Big idea components ..........................................................................20

2.4

2.7.1
3


Promotion Mix.......................................................................................8

Message design .................................................................................28

Customer insight ........................................................................................29

Big idea for Edunation’s Pathway campaign ....................................................32
3.1

Edunation company ...................................................................................32

3.2

Pathway product ........................................................................................34

3.3

Communication objectives and target audience persona.........................34

3.3.1

Students..............................................................................................34

3.3.2

Parents................................................................................................36

3.4

Target audience insight .............................................................................37


3.5

Brand connection and big idea ..................................................................38

Conclusion .........................................................................................................40
4.1

Answers to Research Questions ...............................................................40


4.2

Suggestions or Further Research .............................................................40

References................................................................................................................41


1

1
1.1

Introduction
Market context

Undoubtedly, studying abroad has been becoming a big dream for many Vietnamese
students. Their parents also wish that their children can approach superior educational
systems.
The statistics reveal that the number of Vietnamese overseas students has climbed up by

69% in the past six years (UIS UNESCO 2019). According to Vietnam’s Minister of
Education and Training, 2019 saw approximately 108,527 students from Vietnam living and
studying in foreign countries. Such figures rank Vietnam standing in the top 10 countries
outbound students in the world. (The Pie News 2019.) Besides that, about 3 billion USD
yearly contributed to Vietnam's global educational market (HSBC 2019).
Plus, having the high economic growth from 1990, by approximately 5.5% GDP annually,
with the peak in 2015 at 6.7%, Vietnam is named in one of Asia’s strongest economies,
resulting in Vietnamese families having sufficient spending power to send their children
abroad from 2016. (The World Bank 2020.)
Such numbers show that Vietnam is becoming an enormously dynamic and promising
playground where developed educational system countries can jump in and hold market
share in that industry.


2

Outbound Vietnamese students from 2016 to 2020
120000
108527
100000
80000

94662
82668

60000
40000
20000
0
2016


2017

2020

Number of outbound students

Chart 1 Uprise trend in outbound student numbers in 2016, 2017, and 2020 (World Bank
& UIS UNESCO 2020)
On a more profound aspect, the recruitment market currently is dominated by three major
countries, namely Japan, Australia, and the U.S.A (UIS UNESCO 2020). Respectively, they
make up 38,000 students (29.2%), 23.8% with 31,000 and 28,000 (21,5%) to the total
number of Vietnamese international students. Such nations are followed by China (13,000
– 10%) and the U.K. (11,000 - 8.4%). (OECD 2020.)
However, Vietnamese students consider Europe as an uninteresting destination. To be
more specific, the number of students from Vietnam studying in European nations is 28,000
contributing to around 14,7% (Tienphong 2020). Especially, Finland is now home to only
2500 Vietnamese students in higher education, a small number that the country deserves
to be known.
The problems can be identified that, firstly, Finland, and studying in Finland have been
unpopular among the Vietnamese students despite the vibrant market. Secondly,
Vietnamese students who paid great efforts to start studies in Finland, some of them
unqualify Finnish universities’ English skills requirements in the Entrance Exam or SAT.
Thirdly, travel restriction, and social distancing policies due to COVID-19 hamper the
students' approach to overseas universities. That is to say; such obstacles are blocking the
way to their dreams.


3
1.2


Brand context

Edunation, who believes that everyone deserves high-level education, is an educational
support company that partners with many Finnish academic universities and universities of
applied sciences recruiting students from Vietnam for Bachelor's Degrees.
In a stream of the Vietnam educational consultancy industry, there are not many brands
raising their voices to deliver offers as the Pathway towards customers; therefore, this is a
chance that Edunation, a new player, can penetrate, anticipate and strongly connect to
solve their target customers’ problems that mentioned above with Pathway – a new product.

1.3

Motivation

In more than three years studying in the university, the author was inspired by marketing
mindset through marketing campaigns run by successful brands, particularly how brands
solve their target audience’s insights to deliver messages touching to customers’ minds and
souls. Fortunately, the author secured a position of ambassador for Edunation when he was
searching for the thesis topic. After meetings and talks, the author would like to contribute
knowledge that the author has learned and collected from studying time to add values and
help them somehow.

1.4

Thesis objectives and scope

The purpose of this thesis is to figure out a big idea for an IMC campaign to target the
audience of Edunation’s “Pathway” product. The big idea will be applied in a complete
integrated marketing communication campaign to raise brand and product awareness,

acting as communication objectives.
Because the author mainly concentrates on creating a big idea in the campaign, other
aspects of creative strategy in an IMC campaign will not be mentioned.

1.5

Research questions

The thesis concentrates on looking for answers to the main question:
What is the big idea of the campaign?
To support the main question, sub-questions should be:
What is the target audience insight?
How to create a big idea?


4
1.6

Research Methodology and Data Collection

The qualitative research method is applied in the thesis. Data is shown in the form of words
to express ideas in qualitative. In this thesis, qualitative focus on data is shown in the form
of words to express ideas supporting customer insight and big idea creation steps. Primarily,
Edunation provided the author insight into the target audience; the insight is demonstrated
in words.
In terms of data collection, the practical chapter is based on secondary sources. Data
collected for the big idea generation is from Edunation’s research, books, and case study.
Building up a big idea, customer insights as fundamental elements provided by Edunation,
who has interviewed target customers, collected, analyzed, and figured out their insights,
are essential. The author was offered access to the company database and collect such

insights as materials for this thesis. Therefore, the data collection source is secondary.

1.7

Thesis Structure

The thesis consists of four main chapters. Chapter 1 is the thesis introduction, where the
author introduces the market context to develop this thesis and mentions thesis objectives,
questions, and research methodology. In chapter 2, the author will cover the theoretical
framework of integrated marketing communication (IMC), digital marketing along with steps
to create a big idea in IMC. Chapter 3 presents steps to big idea applied to Edunation with
case product “Pathway program.” Chapter 4 shows the conclusion and answers to the
research questions.


5
2

Theoretical framework

As being explained by American Marketing Association (2017), marketing is defined as “the
activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and
exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
In other words, marketing is figuring out customers’ wants and giving it to them. Specifically,
figuring out refers to “the activity, set of institutions, and processes” of identifying and
anticipating the customers’ wants and needs. Your “customers” are essentially scrutinized
as “customers, clients, partners, and society,” in which clients can be associated with B2B
marketing while a CSR marketing campaign can be executed to society. Lastly, giving it to
them is a set of activities, namely creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging to
satisfy the customers. The model of marketing mix 4Ps: Product, Price, Place, and

Promotion has been ubiquitously presenting in forming a marketing campaign’s spine; it is
a basic and effective tool to accomplish marketing objectives and business goals at large.
Lately, the model has been expanded into 6Ps with Positioning and Packing included or
7Ps People, Physical Evidence, and Process added. Business managers will look at their
business scale and characteristic to decide which Ps matrix should be used to reach goals.
After creating valuable offers, business uses Promotion as an effective channel to
communicate with customers. Fill (2011) believes “promotion is an audience-centered
activity which attempts to encourage engagement between participants and provoke
communications.” However, Promotion is not a single tool but rather a mix of several
promotion mixes or marketing communications mix tools. “Ideally, under the concept of
integrated marketing communications, a company will carefully coordinate these promotion
elements to engage customers and build a clear, consistent, and compelling message about
the product” (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 422).
As mentioned in the thesis structure, in this chapter, the author focuses on defining
theoretical concepts of integrated marketing communication, terms, and models applied in
the campaign plan. The theoretical framework plays a fundamental role that the practical
plan can be based on and built up.

2.1

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

In the past decades, brands preferred interrupting and force-feeding the audience with a
mass message. Corporations used to spend millions or even billions of dollars in massadvertising media such as radio and television to engage their audience with a single ad.


6
Nevertheless, nowadays, traditional marketing communications face some new realities.
Particularly, Kotler and Armstrong (2018) pointed out three main reasons for a shift in
marketing communications: consumers, marketing strategies, and digital technology. The

very first change stems from no other than customers themselves. There has been a severe
modification in this crucial resource’s way of receiving and reacting to brand messages in
the digitalized era, where people are capable of hunting what they long for on the Internet
instead of passively collecting them through brands. Moreover, customers have the
authority to build a brand message and brand experience in terms of connecting to other
consumers via social media and countless digital technologies. Secondly, marketing
strategies alter from blasting messages by mass media to narrowing down target customer
segmentation with tailored marketing programs to engage customers and build customer
relationships. The last change lies within how consumers communicate with brands in the
digital age. The appearance of numerous digital gadgets, such as smartphones, tablets,
and laptops, along with the Internet, reshapes the art of interaction and engagement greatly.
“Advertisers are now adding a broad selection of more-specialized and highly targeted
media to engage smaller customer communities with more personalized, interactive
content” (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 426) such as social media, email, and blogs. They are
dominating the marketing communication world. Consumers can watch or listen to anything
they wish on any kind of platform they prefer. The fact that marketers notice a wide range
of potential digital channels delivering message enhance the definition of combining all
channels with a consistent message to optimize consumers’ experience and engagement.
(Kotler & Armstrong, 2018, 426.)
The need for integrated marketing communication comes from the failure in integrating
communicating a consistent message through channels. It is often to see that message
from TV is different from one on videos posted on YouTube. It can be a consequence of
content creating inconsistency; an agency produces the content on television while another
department is in charge of YouTube channel. At the same time, consumers receive a wide
range of brand messages from plenty of sources per day. Unfortunately, they do not
distinguish between content sources that marketers do; the fact is that brand-related content
from different sources will merge into a single message about the brand. Therefore, the
conflicting message can cause confused brand images and positioning. (Kotler &
Armstrong, 2018, 427.)
That challenge makes marketers think of and develop a solution called integrated marketing

communication, which brings all together in an organized way. Kotler & Armstrong (2018)
defined “Integrated marketing communication is carefully integrating and coordinating the
company’s many communications channels to deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling


7
message about the organization and its products.” Meanwhile, according to American
Marketing Association (2020), IMC is “a planning process designed to assure that all brand
contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service or organization are
relevant to that person and consistent over time.” Meanwhile, Floor & Van Raaji has an
intriguing statement that “IMC is a process where all messages and methods are geared to
each other in such way that they complement and reinforce each other, and that added
value is the result” (Floor & Van Raaji 2011, 541). IMC's main point is that communication
channels must be coordinated to convey a message to customers consistently and
throughout. This message must feel relevant to the customer personally, strong enough to
impress the customers, and at every touchpoint, the customers can understand what the
message says.
According to Belch and his co-writers’ perspectives (2011), several factors is contributing
to the success of IMC that will be mentioned thoroughly below (Belch et al. 2011, 13-14):
-

Consumer-oriented firms of Promotion have altered the place of mass media, which
used to be fairly common in advertising. The necessary change is to reduce the cost
of advertising while traditional media advertising is shockingly high.

-

More supreme promotion tools solve many communication problems are invented,
such as sponsorship, mail marketing, or event marketing. Because mass media
ultimately heads for boosting sales number.


-

The evolvement of information technology has a positive impact on processing
database marketing. Customer profiles are stored and preserved to determine the
target market.

-

These days, not only are the compensation advertising agencies requited for high
responsibility, but they also have to ensure a good IMC strategy for their clients since
their commission relies on the market sales, share, and profitability.

-

The state-of-art platforms within the Internet and social media such as Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram shorten their customers' interactive distance.

Marketers have to combine the right communication tools and techniques to create a
sufficient IMC program. The role and capability of these tools and techniques should be
scrutinized. Achieving this goal requires communication executives to own decent
knowledge of IMC tools and know how to use them. (Belch & Belch 2018, 16.)


8
2.1.1 Promotion Mix
First and foremost, the definition of Promotion should be presented. Promotion is the
cooperation of every selling effort to build up data and alignment channels for selling
products or services and promoting an idea. Most of a company’s communications with the
marketplaces are executed under a detailed and tailored promotional program during

numerous marketing mix factors controlling implicit communication. (Belch & Belch 2018,
16.)
Either maintaining or boosting consumers’ demand is one of the marketers’ goals.
Promotion mix (Marketing Communication Mix) is an appropriate means for them to conquer
their markets. Before explaining the irreplaceable roles of the promotion mix, its
interpretation should be exposed. A promotion mix is a combination of six promotion tools
that aim for efficient promotional practices and a larger audience. They are Advertising,
Sales Promotion, Personal selling, Public relation, Direct Marketing, and Digital Marketing
(Belch & Belch 2018, 16):
•

Advertising: is a fee-included “nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas,
goods, or services by an identified sponsor” (Kotler & Armstrong 2006, 425).
Advertising allows consumers to understand the product’s features and benefits.
Mass media is the advertising environment; both traditional media (television,
newspaper, magazines) and new media (blogs, websites, text messages) are places
for advertising to exist and evolve. The presence of advertising from scratch to now
has been for raising consumers’ awareness of brands. Advertising is considered to
be an extremely promotion tool since it is, in fact, pervasive (Belch & Belch 2018,
17). It can design a differentiated image for the brand while the product has the
same functional attributes as those from other competitors (Belch & Belch 2018, 17).
Especially nowadays, state-of-art advertising does not stop at solely delivering a
message to consumers; it also attempts to sway consumers’ buying behaviors with
every chance and effort. In other words, advertising help a company communicate
effectively and persistently with their market. A campaign could be shattered if
marketers cannot speak consumers’ language and advertising is their translator.

•

Sales Promotion is a short-term motivation for consumers to escalate the purchase

or sales of a product or service. In most cases, Sales Promotion is misunderstood
as Advertising. Even though the mutual purpose of both sections is convincing
consumers to buy the product; Sales Promotion, however, encourages consumers
to experience the product at stores, which impulses consumers to buy the product
right at that moment (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 440). There are two main categories


9
in Sales Promotion: Consumer-oriented and Trade-oriented (Belch & Belch 2018,
23). Consumer-oriented Sales Promotion aims for the final consumers of the product
in which point-of-sale materials, coupons, discounts, free offers, contests, and
giveaways, loyalty cards are included to encourage instant purchases from
consumers (Belch & Belch 2018, 23). Meanwhile, Trade-oriented Sales Promotion
aims for marketing intermediaries like wholesalers, distributors, and retailers in
which price deals, sales contests, and trade shows are the promotional tools
convincing the trade to stock and promote the product (Belch & Belch 2018, 23).
If Sales Promotion is executed wisely, it may be an enormous advantage over
competitors in the market. Sales Promotions are operated ubiquitously at retailers
and wholesalers. The more successful these distributors apply for Sales
Promotions, the stronger brand awareness becomes. The most special benefit
Sales Promotion could earn to a brand is gaining consumer database since they do
not hesitate to leave personal information to receive, for example, loyalty card which
owns promising treats in future purchases.
The marketers should carefully handle sales promotion because although it can
trigger interest, trial, and purchase from consumers, an inaccurate group of
consumers may be attracted too. Actualizing Sales Promotions deducts the
company’s equity, so the sales promotion strategy should be calculated cleverly.
Overwhelming Sales Promotion could cause severe damage to brand and product
image.
•


Personal selling: is a customer-oriented tool of the promotion mix. According to
Kotler & Armstrong, personal selling indicates “personal customer interactions”
performed by the sales force (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 425). It is considered the
most effective tool in the selling process because consumers' characteristics and
actions can be directly observed and processed through face-to-face interactions
and telesales communication. Personal selling is an “old but gold” method of
boosting sales by persuading consumers to choose the product and build consumer
relationships. Sales presentations, trade shows, and incentive programs are
elements of personal selling. (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 425.) The brand can modify
its message through this kind of promotion tool since consumers' feedback shall
return at present (Belch & Belch 2018, 27).
The salesforce must be well-trained because product promotion is now based on
their attitudes, appearance, and specialist product knowledge. Besides, the skill of
asking pertinent and appropriate questions should never be neglected. By asking


10
the right questions, there will be a high chance that consumers can get more
personal and create real relationships with the brand. SPIN is a well-known method
that effective salespeople have learned and applied regularly (Keller & Kotler 2016,
673). SPIN stands for Situation questions, Problem questions, Implication
questions, and finally, Need-payoff questions. Personal selling usually receives
consumer’s feedback immediately and has a stronger opportunity to close the deal.
•

Public Relations (PR): attempts to build good relations with the company’s various
publics and build up its decent reputation and cope with unexpectedly negative
rumors or events (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 425). The biggest purpose of Public
Relations is to “establish and maintain a positive image of the company among its

various publics” (Belch & Belch 2018, 26). Public Relations appear to be legitimate
to consumers than ads do. The ugly truth is that marketers often underestimate
public Relations, or they only pay attention to this promotion tool at the latest. PR
reach many purchasers who keep sales force and advertisements at bay by
delivering “News and events” (Kotler & Armstrong 2018, 440). A product or company
could be exaggerated and dramatized by PR. Public Relations is presumed to be a
professional storyteller through fee-excluded media. Not only is PR responsible for
the applauded reputation of the company, making sure that the company’s accolade
will be at the sight of consumers is also a crucial task of PR professionals. All in all,
Public Relations heads for goodwill and mutual understanding between the
company and its publicity. (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019, 764.)

•

Direct marketing: looks for a quick response or transaction by communicating
directly to target customers. In the past, Direct Marketing used to be excluded from
the promotion mix. Nevertheless, it has been an irreplaceable component of the IMC
program (Belch & Belch 2018, 19). Direct Marketing coordinates several activities,
such as database management, direct selling, telemarketing, and direct-response
advertising (Belch & Belch 2018, 19). The most outstanding tool of Direct Marketing
is direct-response advertising, in which product promotion is performed by an ad
suggesting consumers purchase a product directly from the manufacturer. It means
that the time for in-store shopping reduces and online shopping increases due to
credit cards, which effectively encourages purchases from the direct-response ad
(Belch & Belch 2018, 21). Online shopping through a company’s website or catalog
appeals to be convenient and attractive to consumers. Hence, more escalation of
sales.


11

•

Digital Marketing: modifies the nature of business strategy and communication with
customers since interactive media welcome a two-way flow of communication in
which users can freely participate (Belch & Belch 2018, 21).

Advertising

Sales
Promotion

Public
Relations

Promotion
Mix
Personal
Selling

Direct
Marketing

Digital/
Internet
marketing

Figure 1 Marketing communications mix (Belch & Blech 2018, 16)

2.2


Digital marketing

2.2.1 Definition of digital marketing
Before well-known as digital marketing, the term has been called Internet marketing, emarketing, and web marketing; however, technically, they come from a significant idea that
digital media, data, and technology to achieve marketing objectives. Chaffey & EllisChadwick (2019) defined digital marketing is “Communications are facilitated through
content and interactive services delivered by different digital technology platforms including
the Internet, web, mobile phone, TV and digital signage.” In other words, digital marketing
is the integration between digital media, data, and technology, and mass-traditional


12
communications are applied to marketing activities to reach marketing objectives. (Chaffey
& Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 10.)
Digital marketing has the responsibility of controlling and managing online company assets
such as social media company pages, websites, or applications with the support of online
communications techniques mainly used to acquire new customers and strengthen the
existing customer relationships. The techniques are SEO, social media marketing, and
online advertising. On the other hand, digital marketing is not a whole part of the story; to
achieve success in digital marketing, marketers need to get such techniques and traditional
media harmonizing in marketing activities. Old-school media, listed as television, radio,
billboard, and human sales, plays a supportive part in multichannel marketing
communications (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 11). Kotler (2017, 33) has the same
thought when speaking about digital marketing, which is born not to replace traditional
marketing but to coexist with interchanging roles in the customer journey. As a result, it is
necessary to point out the relationship between digital communications and traditional
commutations. Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick (2019, 30) illustrated a table clarifying the three
marketing communications terms media, discipline, and channel by defining and
exemplifying them.



13

Figure 2 Key marketing communications terms (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 30)

In the age of modern marketing, businesses strive to position their brands as customercentric concentration. Hence digital marketing jumps into the playground as an effective
solution to tackle the problem. Digital marketing supports business to reach three main aims
as follows:
•

With the Internet's assistance, a business can identify customers’ wants and needs
more comfortably and faster.

•

Thanks to the Internet, they now have extra channels to look for what they want.
The customers in the digital world are proactive much more than before. They prefer
searching and accessing information and then purchasing solutions that can solve
their problems. However, marketers can anticipate customers’ needs by analyzing
figures and data on the digital platform.

•

Digital marketing can act as a tool to satisfy customers through digital channels. For
example, the company website is easy to interact with and delivers a good


14
experience; the online customer service is fast and helpful. (Chaffey & EllisChadwick 2019, 17.)

2.2.2 Benefits of digital marketing

Digital marketing is an essential part of the overall marketing strategy. Along with traditional
marketing, digital marketing plays a vital role as a bridge between customers and
businesses. Furthermore, digital marketing has been advantageous for most companies
and occupies an enormous budget in its marketing strategy. The development of digital
marketing does not blur the presence of traditional Marketing, but it also overcomes
previous shortcomings, demonstrating its superior advantages over traditional marketing in
many ways (Trung 2020):
•

Convenience: With digital marketing, the company can operate 24/7 without
worrying too much about time. Customers feel more convenient when they can order
online or go to the online store whenever and wherever to buy, find new models,
read product reviews, and share product information with their friends.

•

Low initial cost: Applying traditional marketing (such as advertising on television,
event organization, signs, newspapers, magazines, leaflets, correspondence,
phone calls, or even offering, introducing direct products) to market requires a large
amount of budget. On the other hand, the cost of digital marketing applications is
much lower than the traditional one. This advantage helps businesses start
advertising online without being concerned about the initial cost as advertisers do
not require companies to sign a costly contract or pay rental fees or maintenance.
Moreover, the business can even decide ways to approach customers, how long,
and how much for each campaign. Search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and
social channel platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram offer flexible
bids so that every business can run ads depending on their financial management.

There are five additional benefits of digital marketing that Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick
(2019) have pointed out, which h called 5Ss.

Benefits of digital marketing

Benefits description

Sell – Grow sales

This factor involves direct online sales and
offline

channels

influenced

online.

Companies that cannot readily offline
service can get wider distribution or a more
comprehensive product option than offline


15
stores or even lower prices than other
distribution places.
Serve – Add value

Extra added benefits to online values or
providing

information


about

product

development in online conversation and
feedback.
Speak – Get closer to customers

Digital

marketing

offers

two-way

conversation via online interactions
Save – Save costs

Online email communications, sales, and
transactions, for example, can reduce a
wide range of costs spent on staff, print and
postage.

Sizzle – Extend the brand online

New propositions, new offers, and new
experiences online can be provided,d such
as building communities.


Table 1 The 5S benefits of digital marketing (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 18)

2.2.3 Key digital media channels
Marketers must review online communication tools, which are a part of an online marketing
campaign, to conduct comprehensive planning. Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick (2019) divided
digital media channels into six major categories, namely search engine marketing, online
PR, online partnership, display advertising, opt-in email marketing, and social media
marketing as explained below (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 33):


16

Figure 3 Six groups of digital media channels (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 33)
1. Search engine marketing: Technically, when an audience is looking for information
on a search engine by typing the keyword phase, marketers can put messages on
there to encourage them to get through the website. The two main search marketing
techniques are first placement in natural or organic listings, making use of Search
Engine Optimization where costs are zero dollars; secondly, using paid placement
or sponsored links as PPC.
2. Online PR: The main idea is building a beneficial online environment for brand
development by boosting approving mentions of brand and product on third-party
websites that the target audience trusts in and usually comes over, such as blogs,
influencers’ websites, and e-newspaper.
Online Public Relations (e-PR) is the type of Public Relations that occur on digital
media platform with the vivid effects of the Internet and social networks. SEO
(Search Engine Optimization), partnership marketing, and social media marketing
are the communication techniques that online PR tries to optimize. Moreover,
content marketing in which partnerships with influencers to participate content is
deeply relevant to online PR.



17
Online Influencer Outreach is an updated technique that recruits companies or
individuals with colossal amounts of followers on social networks and features to
leverage their audiences. These individuals are called online influencers or key
opinion leaders (KOLs) who can be journalists, bloggers, or celebrities (Chaffey &
Ellis-Chadwick, 2019, 765). There are various types of influencers online, so
marketers have to segment with cost-effectiveness. According to Onalytica (2017),
influencers are divided into six groups (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019, 772):
-

Everyday influencers: are those active individuals on webs and social media who
do not perceive themselves as influencers but still have a certain impact on their
friends and relatives.

-

Brand advocates: are those receive deep satisfaction from a product or a brand
are eager to share their positive experiences with others without getting paid by
the brand.

-

Micro-influencers: are those who love creating relevant and qualified contents
on social media even when they do not usually get widely noticed.

-

Professional influencers: are those who earn from their contents since they
possess valid impacts on their legitimate followers.


-

Macro-influencers: are those whose fame is exceeding because of their exposed
personality and content. They usually have a manager or a talent agency acted
on their behalf.

-

Celebrity influencers: are those who appear to be inspiring to many followers.
Their guidance and advice sufficiently matter to their audiences. A manager or
a talent agency represents these influencers, and the premium payment is
compulsory for their performance. Nevertheless, their engagement rates are
lower compared to other kinds of influencers.

Assessing influence is the action of appraising the accurate value of distinct sections
of influencers (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019, 773). A common method identifies
the size of reach; Instagram followers are a typical example, but it is considered
risky due to the phenomenon of “auto-follow” bots. Instead, the 4Rs framework is a
strongly recommended technique of assessing influence. 4Rs framework contains
High relevance; High resonance; High reference, and High reach. (Chaffey & EllisChadwick, 2019, 773.)


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3. Online partnership: Building up and maintaining a long-run relationship with thirdparty websites to promote services. Types of partnerships consist of affiliate
marketing, online sponsorship, link building, and co-branding.
4. Display advertising: Having similarities to traditional ads to gain brand awareness,
online ads such as banners or graphical units are shown in online platforms to trigger
audience clicking-through target site.
5. Opt-in email marketing focuses on customer activation and retention by reminding

brands using in-house or rented email lists. This method can also be done by thirdparty electronic newsletter ad placement.
6. Social media marketing: the brands participate in social networks and communities
to get closer and interact with the audience. Viral marketing and online word-ofmouth are at the stage that brand message is shared broadly, and brand awareness
gained consequently. Social media marketing is considered to be one of the most
principle pieces in digital marketing.
The importance of social media marketing can be persuasively explained. Social media
platforms allow users to generate content such as company and product reviews and ratings
and the interaction between other users called C2C interactions. Brands can take
advantage of this factor to increase brand awareness and minimize negative reviews.
Simply, social media encourages users to interact, share their opinions, and create content.
(Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 441). Social media contains platforms as Table 2 below
(Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 35):
Platforms

Popular examples

Social networks

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter,
Snapchat

Social publishing and news

Newspapers, magazine articles

Social commenting in blogs

Company blogs

Social niche communities


The

communities

and

forums

independent of the main networks.
Social customer service

Get Satisfaction

Social knowledge

Yahoo! Answers, Quora, Wikipedia

Social bookmarking

Delicious

are


19

Social streaming

YouTube


Social search

Google

Social commerce

Reviews and rating

Table 2 Social media platforms (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick 2019, 35)

2.3

Big idea

Message strategy or creative strategy is the pivotal determination for what and how
advertising message will communicate to the target audience (Belch & Belch 2018, 266).
The creativity component is critical to advertising because a creative idea can trigger strong
emotions in customers. There is a critical and logical promotional program (Belch & Belch
2018, 267). Appropriate message strategy and execution may decide the winner for a brand
or a product (Belch & Belch 2018, 268), in which message objectives should be clarified.
A big idea does not pop up in the creator’s head spontaneously, but it results from a chain
of associations and connections over a certain period of time (Gibson 2015, 205). Also
known as a creative concept that will drive a simple message, memorably, and distinctively.
The big idea consists of visualization and phases. It has a responsibility as guidance that
marketers can rely on to decide which advertising appeals should be used. Such appeals
are meaningful – showing why the product is interesting and desirable to customers,
believable – leading customers to believe the product as a solution they are looking for, and
distinctive – revealing product advantage towards competitors’ product. (Kotler & Armstrong
2018, 460).

The big idea is also defined by Kurnit & Lance (2009, 169) as “a concept that communicates
the heart of your product or service in a real, credible, differentiating, and compelling way
(BMW: “The Ultimate Driving Machine”). It gives people a conceptual or emotional
experience of the product before trying it (American Airlines: “We Know Why You Fly”). It is
a call to action, a pledge, and a promise. It connects directly to the customer, not the
company.” The big idea should be an emotional expression line that goes towards the
customers as well as answer the following questions (Kurnit & Lance 2009, 169):
•

Does it border everything the brand planned to do and thinking about in the
campaign?

•

Does it talk to the target audiences?

•

Does it embrace every aspect of the company’s service and mission?


20
A big idea is a theme in any campaign which makes people recall, share, and act. The big
idea plays an overarching message that underpins every angle of a campaign to connect
with the target audience. Moreover, the big idea must be fundamentally based on customer
insight in order that the campaign’s objectives are secured to create influence and
relevance. In other words, a big idea communicates the heart and soul of a brand or a
product in the most outstanding and distinguished way that establishes promise and
impulses consumers to act (Kurnit & Lance 2009, 169).


2.3.1 Big idea components
According to Minnium (2015), three fundamental pillars compose a big practical idea, which
is Piercing insight, Brand connection, and Succinct expression.
-

Piercing insight: A profound insight with a clear-cut truth increases customer
engagement. The process of seeking and testing insights is challenging because
marketers have to discover piercing that captures consumers' attention. Insights
are supposed to pat on an inspiring truth, and it is narrated bluntly for the target
audience to care and share simply.

-

Brand connection: After insight’s effects, the brand should provide a compelling
solution that is either compatible with or exceeds consumers' needs.

-

Succinct expression: The chosen insight and brand connection should be
concluded in “a one-line phrase.” A successful big idea can reminisce
consumers of the brand moment.

By applying these core elements, a so-called big idea is formed without the fear of
outrageousness. However, it also means the requirement for qualified intellectual property.
The big idea enables a company to sit in a better position to increase deep consumer
engagement in the right places.
To provide a comprehensive understanding campaign's big idea, a realistic case is in need.,
BelVita, which is owned by Mondelez International, is the perfect example. The brand
wished to introduce their breakfast biscuit to the US market while many competitors
produced the same products. To be outstanding in such a harsh environment, BelVita must

have an excellent big idea (Llewellyn 2018):
-

Step 1: Start with a clear brief/challenge

All great campaigns start with a challenge and a brief. A brief is often given to an agency to
assure that a set of expectations of the company will be met. In this particular-lar case, the


21
challenge of BelVita is raising awareness and engagement from consumers, and the brief
proposed a unique big idea: breakfast is crucial to survive and get through. In the briefing
process, marketers have to focus on two questions: What are you looking to achieve and
Who is your audience?
- What are you looking to achieve: Identifying the targets at early stages increases
clarity and focus. BelVita desired for more than solely introducing the brand to America;
they wanted to accentuate their presence by generating buzz along with trial and sales.
- Who is your audience: Identifying the target customers, including their behaviors,
lifestyles, motivations, beliefs, likes and dislikes, crafts the big idea relatively. The group of
audience that BelVita analyzed are “morning optimists.” They have busy lifestyles, but they
are hopeful and energetic.
-

Step 2: Uncover a compelling insight

At the next phase, a fascinating insight that captures both truth and according solution
should be explored. It takes a lot of work, which usually contains intensive research on the
target audience and the characteristics of the product. BelVita found out that people spent
1 billion dollars per year, promoting breakfast foods perks in shocking customers with every
message. Practical goals are expected to be reached in the morning, as BelVita

investigated; therefore, breakfast should be considered essential and worthy. Opposite to
how other brands look at breakfast that is a problem, BelVita uncovered an aspect in which
breakfast grants potential accomplishments.
-

Step 3: Find the brand connection

Now the brand can optimize their creativity since the insight is present. Marketers’ job is to
bring out ideas and solutions to test the problem or need of customers. Knowing that most
consumers long to make their day with positive morning vibes, BelVita expressed that their
morning biscuits provide fulfilled energy helping customers jump through hoops during the
day. The integration of their insight and their strategic plan created an entire morning
campaign for an exclusive morning brand.
-

Step 4: Articulate the idea clearly and succinctly

It is compulsory to examine how a big idea is going to roar and be altered across channels.
This action ensures the connection between the insight, brand connection, and proposed
execution is compatible. The information for this connection should be concise and precise.
A big idea is not built on easy ground, and it involves numerous phases and stakeholders.
No matter a big idea is formed internally or with the cooperation of an agency, discipline