REFERENCES 225
Inearly1980,TomandSallyStJUvenmadearrangementstopurchase50,000microrecorders
froma Koreanmanufacturer.TheserecordersmeasuredI x2~x5~inchesandweresuppliedwith
a built-inmicrophone,a vinylcarryingcase,a wriststrap,anda 3D-minutemicrocassette.The
microrecorderis operatedby4 AAbatteriesoranoptionalACadapter.
This typeofrecorderbecameverypopularinthepastfewyears,particularlyamongbusi-
nesspeople.Atravelingexecutiveorsalespersoncoulddictatelettersonthemicrorecorderandthen
havea secretarytranscribethemontoletterhead.Themicrorecorderisalsoidealasanaudionotepad,
substitutingforpaper-andpencil-notetaking.
Thefirstmicrorecorderwasbroughttothemassmarket in 1975 andretailedfor$400. Since
then,severalcompaniesenteredthemarket,andtodaythereareapproximatelytwelvemajorbrands
availablethroughtraditionalretaillocations.Thepricesofmicrorecordersvarybythesophistication
oftheindividualpieceofequipment;however,theretailpricerangeis$90to$250.
AmericanImportCorporationdecidedtoofferitsmicrorecorderfor$39.95.Although Amer-
icanImport'sproductwasa technicallysimplyproduct, it dida verycapableandreliablejobofper-
formingthebasictaskofrecordingandplayingbackthehumanvoice.
Withse veralyearsofdirectmarketingexperiencebehindthem,theStruvensdecidedtointro-
ducethemicrorecorderviadirectmarketing.TheywereplanninganadvertisingcampaigninBarron's,
theWallStreetJournal,theNewYorkTimes,theChicagoTribune,theLosAngelesTimes,anda spot
televisioncampaigninselectedmarkets.
TheStJUvenswereveryexcitedaboutthesalesprospectsoftheirnewmicrorecorder,andwhile
themediaportionoftheiradvertisingcampaignwasratherobvious,theycouldnotdecide onthebest
creativeapproachfortheproduct.
Severalpossiblethemescametomind.Forexample,shouldtheproductbesoldonthebasis
ofits comparativelylowprice?Itssimplicityofoperation?Its flexibilityofuse?Itssize/convenience?
Perhapstheyshouldusea competitive-comparisonstrategy?Howabouttheirno-risk, 3D-daytria!?
TheproductshadanivedfromKorea.Themedia sc hedulehadbeenset.Shippingprocedures
wereestablished.Contractualarrangementswithserviceorganizationshadbeenmade.The onlyobsta-
clebetweenAmericanImpo11Corporationanda newsourceofprofitsseemedtobetheselec tionof
themostpromisingcreativestrategyforthisnewminirecorder.Questions:
1.WhatcreativestrategywouldyourecommendtotheStJUvens')
2.Suggestthreealternativecreativeexecutions oftherecommendedstrategyfora print
advertisement.References
1.DonE.Schultz,Stanley1.TannenbaumandRobertF.Lauterborn,Inte-
gratedMarketingCommunications,1993,Chicago:NTCBusiness
Books.
2.TomDuncan, "AMacroModelofIngetragedMarketingCommuni-
cations:'AmericanAcadem)'ofAdvertisingAnnualConference,1995,
Norfolk,VA.
3.MelanieWells."ManyClientsPrizeAgencyEfficiencyoverCre-
ativity,"AdvertisingAge,May16,1994,p.28.
4.TerranceA.Shimp,AdvertisingPromotion,Fifthed.,2000,The
DrydenPress,p.561.
5.AnnM.Mack,"BannerDaze,"Adweek,May22,2000,p.86.
6."ShapingtheFutureofSalesPromotion,"CouncilofSalesPromo-
tionAgencies, 1990 ,pp.3.
7."CareersinPublicRelations,"PublicRelationsSocietyofAmerica,
Summer1989,pp.18-30.
8.Regis McKenna, "RelationshipMarketing," 1991 , Reading, MA,
Addison-WesleyPublishingCo.
9.DonE.Schultz,"MakeCommunicationsWorththeProfits,"TheMar-
ketingNews,January 15 , 2001,p.13.