Advertising/Communication: Differences in Services and Products
Exercise #2 - Advertising/Communication
Overcoming Communication Issues
5% of total grade value
30marks
Individual Assignment
Due: March 12, 2021 by 11:59pm EST – Submit through Blackboard
In class we talked about the differences in services and products, specifically that the intangibility of service products results in a different evaluation of services before they are purchased. Generally, products are much easier for consumers to evaluate before purchase than services are. But the differences go further – it extends to communication and advertising. Sometimes companies struggle to communicate and overcome the difficulties posed by intangibility
For many services it is difficult for companies to communicate/advertise the real benefits and with some services the difficulties are more dramatic than others e.g. – insurance, management consulting, legal services, investment services, advertising services, public relations, fitness – personal trainers…and hotels, restaurants.
As the service sector grows and competition increases many service firms are starting to advertise and promote their services more. It is not enough to simply create awareness. Many hospitality companies are advertising their services much more aggressively than ever before.
Follow the format of the questions below:
a) Select two hospitality companies (you need 2 actual companies) and search for samples of recent advertising – it could be traditional media like tv or magazines or digital media, social media. You need a minimum of 3 examples for each company and include the images of the ads found in your search as an appendix in the report. (5 Marks)
b) Identify and describe the strategies used in the ads to overcome the problem of intangibility. (5 Marks)
c) Which company in your view does a better job of overcoming the intangibility of its services and explain why? (5 Marks)
1. How does each company deal with the question of the service quality offered and the risk for the consumer in possibly making a wrong decision in selecting this company? (5 Marks)
2. Now look at the website home page only for each company and identify any cues or metaphors (1 for each organization) to support its communication strategy and overcome any intangibility issues of selecting the company. (5 Marks)
3. Grammar/Spelling/Punctuation/Format/APA citation (5 Marks)
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Exercise 2
Student’s Name
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Professor’s Name
Assignment Due Date
Exercise 2
In A1, Hilton is advertising itself as a service provider that can be found everywhere, even in one’s home country. One of the strategies the service provider uses to overcome intangibility is by showing a man experiencing New Zealand’s beautiful landscape. The hospitality industry accommodates people as they travel the world. By showing a man experiencing beautiful New Zealand, Hilton gets its consumers to understand the kind of service they provide.
A2 is a part of a tv ad created for Hilton. In the ad, Anna Kendrick, who has been the celebrity influencer for Hilton, shows a prospective client all that Hilton has to offer. In this particular image, Kendrick shows the potential client the Hilton app that provides information on all the services. The strategy helps overcome the problem of intangibility because potential clients can understand what Hilton offers.
In A3, one of Hilton’s travel influencers explains in a tweet how enthralling it was to tour the streets of Tokyo, and in particular, the Tsukiji Fish market. The market is one of Hilton’s Seven Urban Wonders. Through this tweet, the influencer is encouraging people worldwide to tour a given place selected specifically by Hilton. By doing so, the hotel overcomes the problem of intangibility by showing what travellers who might stay at a Hilton hotel might be exposed to.
A4 is a print ad by the Marriot. The hotel emphasizes a vital part of the hospitality industry in the ad, which is restaurant services. In the ad, the hotel stresses that the secret to its good food is its chefs, who love going to work every morning. The hotel overcomes the problem of intangibility through this ad since it reminds the consumer about its excellent restaurant service.
A5 is part of a tv ad created for the Marriot. In this ad, the company explores the importance of passion in life. The company stresses that its customers’ passion is similar to their passion. As a company, they are passionate about their services, which enables them to move ...