Cable TV It wasn't so long ago that cable swaggered around the television industry as the upstart threatening the broadcast networks. Now, cable is old news. The antagonist is the satellite dish with the capability of delivering hundreds of channels and offering an array of movies and sports events. The technology is known as direct broadcast satellite, or DBS. The new challenger has awakened the "sleeping giant" cable industry, which has hit the airwaves with some of the most aggressive advertisements the television industry has seen. The ads emphasize the downside of disconnecting cable and choosing to purchase a satellite dish. One commercial opened with a man on a couch joined by his wife with a large bowl of popcorn. They snuggle in front of their TV set, hooked up to DBS. She seemed excited about their new system and exclaimed, "So this is it?" She then asked how much the satellite dish cost. When her husband answered, the excitement was off. "There's no monthly fee?" she asked. "No more than cable," he responded. When she asked to watch the news, he sheepishly said, "Uh, can't get local news." At the end of the commercial, the spokesperson for the cable industry declared, "These days when everyone is promising you the future of television, isn't it nice to know you already have it."
121. Refer to Cable TV. The television advertising utilized by cable operators represents the means by which the company communicates to current users to influence an opinion or elicit a response. This is called:
Promotion is communication by marketers that informs, persuades, and reminds potential buyers of a product or service to influence an opinion or elicit a response.
PTS: 1 REF: 207 OBJ: 14-1
TOP: AACSB Communication | TB&E Model Promotion
122. Refer to Cable TV. The cable industry's ad campaigns are designed to communicate to a large audience via television and radio. It uses _____ communication.
a.
mass
b.
clutter
c.
interpersonal
d.
intrapersonal
e.
public
ANS: A
Mass communication refers to communicating to large audiences, usually through a mass medium such as television or newspaper.
PTS: 1 REF: 210 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Promotion
123. Refer to Cable TV. The cable industry is the originator of this ad campaign against satellite dishes. The industry represents the _____ in the communication process.
a.
communicator
b.
encoder
c.
sender
d.
channeler
e.
receiver
ANS: C
The sender is the originator of the message in the communication process.
PTS: 1 REF: 210 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
124. Refer to Cable TV. Television represents the _____ in the communication process used by the cable industry to transmit its message.
a.
feedback loop
b.
channel
c.
encoder
d.
receiver
e.
communicator
ANS: B
A channel is any communication medium utilized to transmit a message.
PTS: 1 REF: 211 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
125. Refer to Cable TV. Keisha is watching television and sees an ad for DBS. Two ads later, she sees the new television ad for her local cable system. When questioned an hour later about advertising she has seen most recently, Keisha remembers a "cable" ad but cannot recall the details. Keisha's inability to recall the ad is most likely caused by _____ in the communication process.
Noise is anything that interferes with, distorts, or slows down the transmission of information. Competing ads can be a source of noise.
PTS: 1 REF: 211 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy | TB&E Model Customer
RugRatReaders Greg Martin has developed his own line of children's books. The books are written for children ages 3 to 6 and are produced using cotton fiber as pages, rendering them "nearly" indestructible. This unique feature makes Martin's books superior to the competition. His products are called RugRatReaders. Martin has decided to advertise the books to his target market (women with children ages 3 to 6) via radio. He does not have a formal advertising budget, but he will spend whatever money he has in the bank after producing the books each month. His message will focus on the product and its unique features. Martin has been having problems getting retailers to stock his new product. It is Martin's hope that consumers will go to their local bookstores and ask for the RugRatReaders.
126. Refer to RugRatReaders. In all Martin's ads, he will emphasize the books’ indestructibility. This represents the product's:
a.
tactical advantage
b.
competitive advantage
c.
feedback
d.
promotional result
e.
objective strategy
ANS: B
A competitive advantage is a set of unique features of a company and its products that are perceived by the target market as significant and superior to the competition.
PTS: 1 REF: 207 OBJ: 14-1
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy | TB&E Model Product
127. Refer to RugRatReaders. Martin's choice of radio as his promotional tool is based on the fact that it is a one-way mass communication vehicle. Radio is most commonly used with which promotional mix element?
Advertising is a form of impersonal, one-way communication paid for by the sponsor. Radio is an example of an advertising medium.
PTS: 1 REF: 208 OBJ: 14-2
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Promotion
128. Refer to RugRatReaders. The promotional campaign Martin is utilizing is designed to accomplish which basic promotional task?
a.
rewarding
b.
persuading
c.
informing
d.
influencing
e.
reminding
ANS: C
Informative promotion is important for a new product and more prevalent during the early stages of the product life cycle.
PTS: 1 REF: 214 OBJ: 14-4
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
129. Refer to RugRatReaders. According to the AIDA model, the first step Martin must achieve with his target market is:
a.
attention
b.
interest
c.
liking
d.
desire
e.
action
ANS: A
The first step in AIDA is to draw customers' attention to the product.
PTS: 1 REF: 215 OBJ: 14-5
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
130. Refer to RugRatReaders. In attempting to get consumers to ask the retailer for his product, Martin is using a _____ promotional strategy:
a.
push
b.
pull
c.
kinetic
d.
publicity
e.
reinforcement
ANS: B
A pull strategy stimulates consumer demand to obtain product distribution.
PTS: 1 REF: 219 OBJ: 14-6
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
Amtrak Amtrak is taking the gloves off in advertisements and belittling its major competition, which is the airline shuttles. Amtrak's new name for its Metroliner is The Smart Shuttle. Gone are ads that were inner-directed and sold the Metroliner on its leisurely pace. In their place are ads showing rapid shots of the sleek train and business executives conducting no-nonsense meetings "eyeball-to-eyeball." The campaign, which includes television, radio, print, billboards, and posters in commuter railroad cars, targets business travelers, who, Amtrak says, incorrectly believe the train takes far longer than the airplane to travel between two cities. One television spot opens with a shot of airplanes stacked up in a tarmac traffic jam. Another shows a business traveler lumbering into the airport during a snowstorm. The announcer says, "Schedule a meeting. Take the shuttle. Then cross your fingers." The poor soul looks up at the departure board and sees a row of "Canceled" signs. The announcer continues, "Schedule a meeting. Take the Metroliner. Then cross your legs."
131. Refer to Amtrak. The means by which Amtrak communicates with business travelers about the merits and characteristics of the Metroliner is called:
a.
distribution
b.
direct marketing
c.
promotion
d.
publicity
e.
personal selling
ANS: C
Promotion is the means by which businesses communicate with their target audiences.
PTS: 1 REF: 207 OBJ: 14-1
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
132. Refer to Amtrak. The plan to optimally utilize television, radio, print, and out-of-home vehicles to target business travelers is called a:
a.
promotional strategy
b.
marketing mix
c.
promotion goal
d.
selling plan
e.
publicity plan
ANS: A
A promotional strategy is a plan for the optimal use of the promotion elements.
PTS: 1 REF: 207 OBJ: 14-1
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
133. Refer to Amtrak. Amtrak's campaign stresses that the Metroliner is more comfortable and more likely to be on time and run in inclement weather. The promotional campaign focuses on Amtrak's:
a.
superior skill set
b.
special feature
c.
tactical strategy
d.
differential parity
e.
competitive advantage
ANS: E
A competitive advantage is a set of unique features of a company and its products.
PTS: 1 REF: 207 OBJ: 14-1
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Product | TB&E Model Promotion
134. Refer to Amtrak. Amtrak's campaign is designed to communicate to a large audience via television, radio, and print. This is an example of _____ communication.
a.
mass
b.
clutter
c.
interpersonal
d.
intrapersonal
e.
public
ANS: A
Mass communication refers to communicating to large audiences, usually through a mass medium such as television or newspaper.
PTS: 1 REF: 210 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Promotion
135. Refer to Amtrak. Amtrak originated the new campaign. Amtrak represents the _____ in the communication process.
a.
promotional impetus
b.
decoder
c.
sender
d.
channeler
e.
receiver
ANS: C
The sender is the originator of the message in the communication process.
PTS: 1 REF: 210 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
136. Refer to Amtrak. Television, radio, print, and out-of-home media represent the _____ in the communication process used by Amtrak.
a.
feedback loop
b.
channel
c.
encoder
d.
receiver
e.
communicator
ANS: B
A channel is any communication medium utilized to transmit a message.
PTS: 1 REF: 211 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
137. Refer to Amtrak. Amtrak's careful coordination of all of its promotional activities to present a single, focused communication to its consumers is an example of:
a.
coordinational promotion
b.
promotional mixing
c.
integrated marketing communications
d.
creative selling
e.
processed marketing
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 219-220 OBJ: 14-7
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
Methodist Church In 2001, the United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States, launched a four-year, $20 million national ad campaign. The theologically gentle but culturally edgy ads are aimed at Americans who are unchurched--people who know the name Methodist but don't know anything else about it. The "Igniting Ministries" ads have appeared on CBS and cable TV. The purpose of the ads is to draw more people through Methodist church doors in a time when mainline Protestant denominations are struggling.
138. Refer to Methodist Church. A news article about the Methodist Church that appeared in the Rome News-Tribune was an example of which promotional mix element?
a.
advertising
b.
sales promotion
c.
pull strategy
d.
public relations
e.
personal selling
ANS: D
The article is an example of favorable publicity.
PTS: 1 REF: 207-208 OBJ: 14-2
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
139. Refer to Methodist Church. The ad campaign will use _____ communication.
a.
mass
b.
interpersonal
c.
direct
d.
hierarchical
e.
functional
ANS: A
Mass communications refers to communicating a concept or message to large audiences.
PTS: 1 REF: 210 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
140. Refer to Methodist Church. In terms of the communication process, the unchurched who see the ads while watching television are expected to be:
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
141. Refer to Methodist Church. The church is hoping to see an increase of 3 percent in visitors to Methodist churches as a result of this ad. In terms of the communication process, this is the desired:
a.
noise
b.
encoding
c.
reception
d.
channel
e.
feedback
ANS: E
Feedback is the response to the promotional message.
PTS: 1 REF: 212 OBJ: 14-3
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking | TB&E Model Strategy
142. Refer to Methodist Church. According to the AIDA concept, the ads must first: