Q&A Hero

Q: Albert Searchware is a type of search engine used at company websites to handle customer questions. The firm is trying to determine what promotional strategy should be employed with its flagship product. It has determined that search engine software is in the growth stage of its product life cycle. Which of the following options should it employ? A. Devote 40 percent of the promotional budget to sales promotion that supply the public with demonstration CDs to prove the merits of Albert Searchware. B. Spend 30 percent of the budget in the effort to generate publicity for Albert Searchware. C. Use the majority of its promotional budget on advertising that focuses on brand differences. D. Use a balanced budget and spend equally for each of the four promotional choices in an attempt to even out sales growth. E. Encourage its tech support staff to emphasize the superiority of Albert Searchware and its after-sale support.

Q: Which promotional element would you most likely use during the growth stage of the product life cycle to solidify channels of distribution? A. advertising B. sales promotion C. publicity D. personal selling E. direct marketing

Q: Persuading the consumer to buy the product rather than substitutes is the promotional objective during which stage of the product life cycle? A. introduction B. growth C. maturity D. accelerated development E. early growth

Q: The promotional objective of the growth stage of the product life cycle is to __________ consumers. A. inform B. remind C. update D. persuade E. phase in

Q: There is a new prescription drug on the market that helps reduce common allergy symptoms. Ads for the medicine in magazines and in medical journals would be primarily used to A. remind customers that such a product exists. B. increase the level of customer awareness and interest for the product. C. differentiate the product from all other allergy medications. D. support a product penetration pricing strategy. E. help in harvesting the product.

Q: The promotional objective of the introduction stage of the product life cycle is to __________ consumers in order to increase their level of awareness of the product offering. A. inform B. persuade C. appeal to D. remind E. sway

Q: "To phase out" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? A. decline B. growth C. decelerated development D. maturity E. introduction

Q: "To remind" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? A. early growth B. growth C. accelerated development D. maturity E. introduction

Q: "To persuade" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? A. early growth B. growth C. accelerated development D. maturity E. introduction

Q: "To inform" is the promotional objective of which stage of the product life cycle? A. early growth B. growth C. accelerated development D. maturity E. introduction

Q: All products go through a product life cycle of __________ stages: __________. A. two; new and improved B. two; growth and decline C. three; new, improved, and obsolete D. four; awareness, interest, trial, and adoption E. four; introduction, growth, maturity, and decline

Q: Many promotional efforts, and especially personal selling efforts, are focused towards __________, who help coordinate promotional campaigns sponsored by the manufacturer and provide marketing advice and expertise. A. sales personnel B. ultimate consumers C. intermediaries D. repeat buyers E. nonprospects

Q: Which promotional element is particularly important to business buyers? A. public relations B. publicity C. sales promotion D. rebates E. personal selling

Q: The practice of __________ is common among college students. A. media multitasking B. Internet addiction C. creating YouTube videos D. focused close work E. receiving direct response mobile calls

Q: All of the following guidelines help ensure the success of mobile marketing EXCEPT: A. match product characteristics to their needs, preferences, and lifestyles. B. should facilitate multitasking. C. create a mobile-ready app that is flashy and fun. D. mobile apps should help shoppers make price comparisons. E. communication must use extensive text and images to explain the purpose and value of the brand.

Q: Marketers can communicate best with college students by __________. A. using cable TV ads since this demographic watches TV more than any other medium B. adding mobile media to their IMC campaigns C. placing ads on Sirius XM radio D. using Twitter Jockeys E. discourage media multitasking

Q: According to recent research, __________ consumers are most likely to have grown up with technology. A. baby boomers B. baby busters C. the Greatest Generation D. Generation Y E. Generation X

Q: Promotional programs are directed at all of the following EXCEPT: A. the industrial distributor. B. the wholesaler. C. the competition. D. the retailer. E. the ultimate consumer.

Q: Which of the following statements regarding the promotional mix is most accurate? A. For maximum impact, funding for promotions should be equally divided among the five elements of the promotional mix. B. The promotional mix can be influenced by the target audience for the promotion, the stage of the product's life cycle, the characteristics of the product, the decision stage of the buyer, and the channel of distribution. C. Regardless of which other elements are selected, advertising must be included in every promotional decision in order for an IMC campaign to be successful. D. Decisions regarding the promotional mix should be left to each manager in the marketing department who knows best direction what to do for his or her own specialty. E. It is not necessary to have a coordinated goal for an IMC campaign provided each department has a goal of its own.

Q: All of the following factors are used to balance the use of the promotional mix elements EXCEPT: A. the channel of distribution. B. the product's life cycle. C. the decision stage of the buyer. D. the different departments responsible for implementing the sales promotion strategy and tactics. E. the characteristics of the product.

Q: The growing concern about __________ has led to a decline in direct marketing response rates among some customer groups. A. government regulation B. privacy C. landfill waste D. postal rates E. fraud

Q: Which of the following promotional elements requires expensive database management, a major weakness of that form of promotion? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. direct marketing

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of direct marketing? A. high absolute costs B. declining customer response rates C. messages may differ between salespeople D. difficult to get media cooperation E. easily duplicated and can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of direct marketing? A. it is a low cost means of reaching the target market B. its messages may differ between direct mailings, confusing the target market C. it is expensive and time consuming to develop and maintain a database D. it is difficult to get media cooperation E. it can lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of direct marketing? A. direct marketing can be adapted quickly to facilitate customer relationships B. direct marketing is often the most credible source in the consumer's mind C. direct marketing can provide complex information D. direct marketing can quickly stimulate and maintain market share E. direct marketing is a low cost means of reaching the target market

Q: Like personal selling, __________ has the advantage of being customized to match the needs of specific target markets. Messages can be developed and adapted quickly to facilitate one-to-one relationships with customers. A. advertising B. a sales promotion C. publicity D. direct marketing E. a public service announcement

Q: Direct marketing has the advantage of being __________ to match the needs of specific target markets. A. priced B. uniform C. customized D. engaged E. integrated

Q: Like personal selling, __________ often consists of interactive communication. A. direct marketing B. advertising C. a sales promotion D. publicity E. a public service announcement

Q: All of the following are examples of direct marketing tools EXCEPT: A. e-mail solicitations B. telephone solicitations C. Groupon D. catalogs E. direct response ads on TV

Q: Direct marketing refers to A. individualized communications programs specifically designed with a single customer in mind because the item being sold is unique to that customer. B. a promotion alternative that uses direct communication with consumers to generate a response in the form of an order, a request for further information, or a visit to a retail outlet. C. communication between a seller and a prospective buyer that can include face-to-face, telephone, and interactive electronic communication. D. a sales strategy whereby the exchange takes place at the time of engagement, such as selling produce at a local farmer's market. E. a form of communication management that seeks to influence the feelings, opinions, or beliefs held by customers, prospective customers, stockholders, suppliers, employees, and other publics about a company and its products or services.

Q: A promotion alternative that uses direct communication with consumers to generate a response in the form of an order, a request for further information, or a visit to a retail outlet is referred to as __________. A. personal selling B. sales promotion C. publicity D. advertising E. direct marketing

Q: Ford held a Ford Focus Sweepstakes in partnership with 3M Racing. Participants entered by email or by liking Ford's Facebook page for a chance to win a custom 2012 Ford Focus. Which promotional element was Ford using to promote its partnership with 3M Racing and NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, who was featured in announcements? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. direct marketing

Q: M&Ms Image Consider the M&Ms image above. Which promotional element is Mars, the marketer of M&Ms, using to promote its product? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. direct marketing

Q: A food warehouse store got a very good buy on a brand of frozen orange juice and, rather than maintain it as extra inventory, prefers to sell it quickly to consumers. Which promotional element should be used? A. advertising B. personal selling C. publicity D. sales promotion E. direct marketing

Q: Procter & Gamble introduced Old Spice High Endurance antiperspirant, targeted to teenage boys who don't watch much TV. P&G did grassroots marketing including handing out samples at skateboarding events and sponsoring a contest for the "high-school football player of the year." P&G emphasized which promotional element in this example? A. sales promotion B. advertising C. personal selling D. public relations E. word-of-mouth

Q: DLS Cosmetics is trying to create brand awareness by sending households free samples of its products. These free samples are examples of __________. A. free advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotions D. free publicity E. direct sales

Q: When you redeem a 50-cents-off coupon for Crest toothpaste at your local supermarket, you are being influenced primarily by which promotional element? A. advertising B. sales promotion C. public relations D. publicity E. personal selling

Q: Which of the following weaknesses is associated with sales promotions? A. high absolute costs B. messages differ between the sales promotion tools C. difficult to get media cooperation D. can easily lead to promotion wars E. its effectiveness diminishes when used continuously

Q: If used continuously, which of the following promotional elements will most likely lose its effectiveness? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. direct marketing

Q: Sales promotions cannot be the sole basis for a promotional campaign because A. all sales promotions have legal time limit restrictions to prevent unfair trade practices. B. gains from sales promotion are often temporary and sales drop off when it ends. C. sales promotions are too costly and soon become a financial liability. D. sales promotions are traditionally handled by outside firms and not the manufacturer, which often results in a significant loss of profit. E. consumers obtain an inflated impression of a product's actual value or worth.

Q: All of the following are examples of sales promotion tools EXCEPT: A. samples B. sweepstakes C. BOGOs D. catalogs E. rebates

Q: Coupons, rebates, samples, and sweepstakes are all examples of __________. A. endorsements B. sponsorships C. free publicity D. purchase aids E. sales promotions

Q: Sales promotion refers to A. a short-term inducement of value offered to arouse interest in buying a product or service. B. a single-themed IMC campaign employing multiple advertising and personal selling strategies. C. individualized communications programs that are specifically designed with a single customer in mind because the item being sold is unique to that customer. D. a long-term inducement of value offered to build and sustain loyal customer relationships. E. a sequence of value inducements aimed at retaining channel members.

Q: A short-term inducement of value offered to arouse interest in buying a product or service is referred to as __________. A. customer incentive B. customer enticement C. free publicity D. sales promotion E. purchase incentive

Q: Frommer's France Image Consider the Frommer's France image above. Travelers throughout the world have relied on Frommer's guides, which outline out-of-the-way, inexpensive restaurants and hotels. This guide provides invaluable __________ to these establishments. A. direct sales B. publicity C. direct marketing D. personnel selling E. public service announcement

Q: A small agrichemical laboratory with a very small marketing budget develops a seed that produces grass that grows two-inches high and no higher. Which promotional element should it use to communicate its discovery? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. missionary sales

Q: A small film company is releasing a documentary about the efforts of a group dedicated to saving endangered species. However, the firm has few resources to promote the film. Which promotional element should it employ? A. Hire a salesperson to speak to environmental groups. B. Ask local radio and television stations to run a favorable story about the film. C. Advertise on billboards in each local market. D. Invite students to participate in a contest to win free tickets. E. Send postcards to all people within a 25-mile radius of a theater showing the movie.

Q: The local radio station broadcast a story about a dry-cleaner that requested coat donations. The company offered to clean the coats and deliver them to people in need. The various addresses of the dry-cleaner chain were also broadcast so that donations could be dropped off. Since this featured business did not pay for this exposure, it benefited from __________. A. advertising B. direct marketing C. personal selling D. publicity E. sales promotion

Q: Research indicates that publicity followed by advertising with the same messageA. undermines the credibility of the first message and therefore lessons its effect.B. increases the positive response to the message.C. decreases the positive response to the message even if it is delivered by a well-known spokesperson.D. is less effective than publicity followed by a sales promotion, such as a contest or product sample.E. is no more or less effective than when used alone.

Q: Although the lack of control means that it is rarely the main element of a promotional campaign, __________ is an important element of most promotional campaigns. A. publicity B. advertising C. personal selling D. sales promotion E. direct marketing

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of publicity? A. it has high absolute costs B. it is difficult to receive good feedback C. it is easily duplicated D. there is a lack of user control over it E. it can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of publicity? A. it can receive immediate feedback B. it can provide the target audience with complex information C. it can prepare messages quickly D. it is an efficient means for reaching large numbers of people E. it is often the most credible source in the consumer's mind

Q: A restaurant review published in the local newspaper is an example of __________. A. publicity B. sales promotion C. advertising D. direct marketing E. personal selling

Q: Which of the following statements describes a key difference between advertising and publicity? A. Publicity is more expensive on a cost-per-contact basis than advertising. B. Publicity includes direct payments to media, and advertising is usually indirectly paid. C. Advertising provides an immediate feedback loop, and publicity does not. D. A firm using publicity has less control over it than advertising. E. Advertising is usually directly paid, while publicity's main costs are indirect, associated with staff.

Q: A nonpersonal, indirectly paid presentation of an organization, product, or service that can take the form of a news story, editorial, or product announcement is referred to as (a) __________. A. direct sales B. publicity C. direct marketing D. public service announcement E. personal selling

Q: Publicity refers to A. a nonpersonal, indirectly paid presentation of an organization, product, or service. B. a short-term inducement of value offered to arouse interest in buying a product or service. C. methods used to get a nonpersonal, directly paid presentation of a company or its products. D. a paid form of nonpersonal communication about an organization, product, service, or idea by an identified sponsor. E. a form of communication management that seeks to influence the feelings, opinions, or beliefs held by customers, prospective customers, stockholders, suppliers, employees, and other publics about a company and its products or services.

Q: All of the following are tools used by a firm's public relations department EXCEPT: A. annual reports. B. contests. C. lobbying efforts. D. press conferences. E. image management.

Q: Press conferences and image management are tools used by a firm's __________ department. A. advertising B. sales promotion C. direct marketing D. public relations E. personal selling

Q: Public relations refers to A. a seller-directed flow of communication, often in a face-to-face encounter, designed to promote a product with the purpose of making a sale. B. an individualized communications program specifically designed for a single customer because the item being sold is unique to that person. C. a mass selling approach that has been be tailored to meet the more select needs of a target market based on age, gender, ethnicity, or occupation. D. a form of communication that is intended to counteract any negative information or misinformation that has been fomented by competitors or disgruntled customers. E. a form of communication management that seeks to influence the feelings, opinions, or beliefs held by customers, prospective customers, stockholders, suppliers, employees, and other publics about a company and its products or services.

Q: A form of communication management that seeks to influence the feelings, opinions, or beliefs held by customers, prospective customers, stockholders, suppliers, employees, and other publics about a company and its products or services is referred to as __________. A. sales promotion B. publicity C. advertising D. public relations E. personal selling

Q: Lenox China Co. would like to get its annual Christmas ornament series into Macy's department stores. Macy's has a buyer in New York City who makes decisions on its giftware. Which promotional element would be most appropriate for Lenox to use to reach the Macy's buyer? A. advertising B. sales promotion C. personal selling D. public relations E. advertising and public relations

Q: Businesses vary as to the amount of security they require or can afford in order to protect their computer files. A company that sells a complete line of firewalls, from a no-frills version to one that uses complex retinal scans, would most likely employ which promotional element to effectively promote its product to businesses? A. personal selling B. advertising C. sales promotion D. public relations E. social media

Q: When a representative for Pampered Chef cooking utensils invites friends to her home and spends 30 minutes demonstrating the superiority of the Pampered Chef products, she is engaging in __________. A. missionary sales B. sales promotion C. public relations D. personal selling E. a public service announcement

Q: When a company uses telemarketers to call people and ask them to contribute to the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), the company is using __________. A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. public relations E. publicity

Q: Which of these promotional elements has the highest cost-per-contact or exposure? A. advertising B. personal selling C. sales promotion D. publicity E. public service announcements

Q: Which of the following statements describes a disadvantage associated with personal selling?A. Presentations often provide little opportunity for consumer feedback.B. Personal selling permits too much wasted coverage.C. There may be inconsistency in the presentation of the message from one salesperson to another.D. A salesperson cannot control to whom a presentation is made.E. Personal selling is subject to extensive federal, state, and company regulation.

Q: Which promotional mix alternative has the advantage of allowing the seller to see and/or hear the potential buyer's reaction to the message? A. advertising B. personal selling C. public relations D. sales promotion E. publicity

Q: Wasted coverage can best be reduced by using which of method of promotion? A. sales promotion B. public relations C. advertising D. public service announcements E. personal selling

Q: Communication with consumers who are not in the target audience is referred to as __________. A. excess coverage B. wasted coverage C. exhaustive coverage D. squandered coverage E. dissipated coverage

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of personal selling? A. difficult to receive good feedback B. difficult to get media cooperation C. messages may differ between salespeople D. easily duplicated E. can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of personal selling? A. personal selling can provide the target audience with complex information B. personal selling has low seller involvement C. personal selling can prepare messages quickly D. personal selling is an efficient means for reaching large numbers of people E. personal selling is often the most credible source in the consumer's mind

Q: Personal selling refers to A. a customer-directed flow of communications, often in a face-to-face encounter, designed to promote a product with the purpose of making a sale. B. an individualized communications program specifically designed for a single customer because the item being sold is unique to that person. C. a mass selling approach that has been be tailored to meet the unique needs of a target market based on age, gender, ethnicity, or occupation. D. the two-way flow of communication between a buyer and a seller, often in a face-to-face encounter, designed to influence a person's or group's purchase decision. E. any spoken (rather than visual or print) attempt to promote a product for the purpose of making a sale.

Q: The two-way flow of communication between a buyer and a seller, often in a face-to-face encounter, designed to influence a person's or group's purchase decision is referred to as A. sales promotion. B. personal selling. C. direct selling. D. advertising. E. public relations.

Q: New Balance recently spent $13 million for time on television and space in selected magazines to promote its athletic shoes. What form of marketing communication did it use? A. public relations B. personal selling C. publicity D. sales promotion E. advertising

Q: When Sears places a multiple-page booklet in the local newspaper about its President's Day sale, it is using which element of the promotional mix? A. advertising B. sales promotion C. publicity D. personal selling E. direct marketing

Q: Which of the following statements describes a key difference between advertising and public relations? A. Public relations is more expensive on a cost-per-contact basis than advertising. B. Public relations is usually directly paid while advertising is usually indirectly paid. C. Advertising provides an immediate feedback loop while public relations does not. D. Advertising is usually directly paid while public relations has no direct payment to the media. E. Public relations always has a much greater reach than advertising.

Q: Which of the following is an inherent weakness of advertising? A. extremely high expense per exposure B. difficult to get media cooperation C. high absolute costs D. easily duplicated E. can easily lead to promotion wars

Q: Which of the following is an inherent strength of advertising? A. advertising provides immediate feedback B. advertising can deliver complex information C. advertising can create messages quickly D. advertising is an efficient means for reaching large numbers of people - the mass market E. advertising is often the most credible source of information for consumers

Q: Which of the following statements about advertising is most accurate? A. Advertisers have limited control as to when and how often their advertisements will be placed. B. A key advantage of advertising is its ability to use customized interactions. C. Advertisers have very limited control over what it can say due to FCC regulations. D. Advertising is the least costly form of promotion because ads go through significant pretesting. E. Through advertising, a company can control, to some extent, to whom the message is sent.

Q: Which of the following statements about advertising is most accurate? A. Advertising has limited control as to when and where an advertisement will be used. B. Advertising allows a firm to reach a mass market. C. A key advantage of advertising is its ability to use customized interactions. D. Advertising can be a very effective attention getter for new products, but has little impact for repeat buys. E. Advertising is one of the least costly forms of promotion because it reaches a pretested market.