Question

Which of the following is an example of a "pull" communication strategy (as opposed to a "push" strategy)?

Select one:
a. A furniture retailer recommending a particular dining table to a consumer
b. A sales representative from Arnott's selling Tim Tam biscuits to Woolworths
c. A soft-drink manufacturer paying a famous singer to feature their cola drink in a music video
d. A computer manufacturing company offering incentives to retailers to sell their products

Answer 1

Answer: c. A soft-drink manufacturer paying a famous singer to feature their cola drink in a music video

Explanation:

A push strategy involves pushing the products to consumers. A manufacturer convinces a wholesaler or retailer to carry their products, the wholesaler persuades the retailer to carry the goods and the retailer uses displays and other forms of promotion to push the product to the customers. But a pull strategy is the one that stimulates consumer demand for the product. Instead of pushing the product to the wholesalers, manufacturers focus on promotional efforts and create consumer demand. Wholesalers and retailers order the product from the manufacturer based on this demand. In the given examples, when a soft-drink manufacturer is paying a famous singer to feature their cola drink in a music video, the manufacturer is trying to create the demand first as part of the pull strategy. When the viewers or the fans of the singer notice the cola drink, they may start placing the order based on which the retailers and then wholesalers order the product from the manufacturer. But other examples show a push strategy. When a furniture retailer recommends a particular dining table, the retailer is trying to push that product to the customer. In other cases also retailers are trying to push the product already available with them instead of consumers demanding the product.