Integrated Marketing Communications

Andrew Parag

Written Assignment # 6

Part One:

In a general sense, you usually get the quality you pay for. In theory, if a company dishes out a large sum of money for a television advertisement it should be very good and hopefully meet the needs of the firm. However, if this money is not allocated properly or is all spent on a poorly planned idea, it is of no use. Therefore, it is more important to have a great creative execution with a reasonable budget than a large media budget with a mediocre creative effort.

Apple has recently launched a television advertisement detailing a key feature of the new iPhone 4s, Siri. The commercial is fairly simplistic and details everyday people using the new assistant feature while doing daily activities. A large budget was probably not needed for the actual production of the advertisement; most of the budget probably went towards the promotion end. On YouTube, this advertisement has generated close to five million views and the Apple only unveiled it about two weeks ago.

In contrast, Apple’s rival in the mobile market place, Samsung, also has a very creative television advertisements that appeals to smart phone users. “The Way We’re Wired” advertisement does not actually state any of the features of the Samsung Galaxy S II but instead shows people going to concerts and using the camera or using the phone to watch videos. However, Samsung wanted to make it clear that their device is the best because that is “how they are wired.” This looks to be a relatively inexpensive commercial to produce but its key message comes across very clearly.

Part Two:

Teens represent an important demographic to marketers because they have their own purchasing power, they influence their parents' buying decisions and they're the adult consumers of the future. Teens play a role in the economy and have their own spending power and may make family decisions over usage of certain products. They also establish different fashions and...