Active learning ideas
The promotional mix is the 'voice' of the marketing plan. It includes advertising, sales promotion, public relations (PR), and personal selling. Students learn how these four elements work together as Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) to deliver a consistent message across all channels. In the Ontario curriculum, the focus is on selecting the right mix for a specific target audience and budget.
Activity 01
In pairs, one student acts as a salesperson for a B2B product (like a new software for schools) and the other as a skeptical buyer. They must use personal selling techniques to address objections and close the deal.
What are the elements of the promotional mix?
Activity 02
A fictional Canadian company has a major product recall. Groups act as the PR team and must draft a press release and a social media response that maintains public trust while being transparent about the issue.
How do public relations differ from advertising?
Activity 03
Students bring in examples of sales promotions (coupons, 'buy one get one' flyers, contest entries). They display them and use sticky notes to identify whether each is a 'push' or 'pull' strategy and who the target audience is.
When is personal selling most effective?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Public Relations is the same as advertising.
Students often think PR is just 'free ads.' Through a 'think-pair-share' on news stories vs. commercials, they learn that PR is about building relationships and 'earned' media, which is often more credible but less controllable than paid advertising.
Sales promotions are always a good idea.
Students may think discounts always lead to more profit. By doing a 'break-even analysis' on a 50% off sale, they learn that promotions can sometimes devalue a brand or hurt the bottom line if not managed carefully.
Methods used in this brief
Advertising Mediums and Design
Students evaluate various advertising mediums (digital, print, broadcast) and the principles of effective advertisement design.
8 methodologies
Ethics and Trends in Marketing
A critical look at ethical issues in marketing, such as greenwashing, advertising to children, and the rise of influencer marketing.
8 methodologies