Above the line (ATL), below the line (BTL), and through the Line (TTL), in organizational

business and marketing communications, are advertising techniques.

In a nutshell, while ATL promotions are tailored for a mass audience, BTL promotions are
targeted at individuals according to their needs or preferences. While ATL promotions can
establish brand identity, BTL can actually lead to a sale. ATL promotions are also difficult to
measure well, while BTL promotions are highly measurable, giving marketers valuable insights
into their return-on-investment.

Promotional activities carried out through mass media, such as television, radio and newspaper,
are classed as "above the line" promotion. "Below the line" promotion refers to forms of non-
media communication or advertising, and has become increasingly important in the
communications mix of many companies, not only those involved in fast moving consumer
goods, but also for industrial goods.

"Through the line" refers to an advertising strategy involving both above and below the line
communications in which one form of advertising points the target to another form of advertising
thereby crossing the "line".

Contents
[hide]

 1 Above the line sales promotion

 2 The line
 3 Below the line sales promotion
 4 Through the line
 5 See also
 6 References

[edit] Above the line sales promotion

ATL is a type of advertising through media such as television, cinema, radio, print, web banners
and web search engines to promote brands. This type of communication is conventional in its
nature and is considered impersonal to customers. It differs from BTL advertising, which uses
unconventional brand-building strategies, such as direct mail and printed media (and usually
involves no motion graphics). It is much more effective when the target group is very large and
difficult to define.

The term comes from top business managers[citation needed] and involves the way in which Procter &
Gamble, one of the world’s biggest advertising clients, was charged for its media in the 1950s
and 1960s. Advertising agencies made so much commission from booking media for clients that
the creative generation and actual production costs of making TV ads was free[citation needed] – hence
above the line. Everything else they paid for and was therefore below the line.[clarification needed] Since
then, models have changed and clients are no longer charged for their media in that way.[citation
needed]

[edit] The line

Used loosely, ATL still means mass media. However the media landscape has shifted so
dramatically that advertisers have reconsidered the definitions of mass media.

For some marketers the "line" divides the realm of "Awareness or Attention focused marketing"
and that of "Interest + Desire focused marketing". Since audience numbers in the Interest and
Desire phase of the AIDA sales model narrow down to a fraction of the Awareness audience, the
line could be drawn right below the awareness set of activities.

Loosely put, everything done prior to a customer's actual entry into a retail outlet is ATL for
these retailers, as they define shop-floor activities as the true BTL set of activities which decide
on which brand sells eventually.

It could also be argued this is a reverse definition, i.e. the Line came before the above definition
did. The Line more likely refers to the profit line of the agency, with above the line activities
being more profitable (or at least profitable) for advertising agencies, and below the line
activities of little value to agencies since they didn't involve large budgets and hefty kickbacks
from media buying houses.

[edit] Below the line sales promotion

BTL sales promotion is an immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, expressed in cash or in
kind, and having short duration. It is efficient and cost-effective for targeting a limited and
specific group. It uses less conventional methods than the usual ATL channels of advertising,
typically focusing on direct means of communication, most commonly direct mail and e-mail,
often using highly targeted lists of names to maximize response rates. BTL services may include
those for which a fee is agreed upon and charged up front.

BTL is a common technique used for "touch and feel" products (consumer items where the
customer will rely on immediate information rather than previously researched items). BTL
techniques ensures recall of the brand while at the same time highlighting the features of the
product.

Another BTL technique involves sales personnel deployed at retail stores near targeted products.
This technique may be used to generate trials of newly launched products. It helps marketers
establish one-to-one relationship with consumers while mass promotions, by definition, make it
difficult to gauge consumer-response, except at the time of sales. Examples include tele-
marketing, road shows, promotions, in- shop and shop-front activities, display units.

[edit] Through the line

More recently,[when?] agencies and clients have switched to an "Integrated Communication
Approach", or "through the line" approach. TTL is a neologism describing an existing process,
according to Altaf Jasnaik, Corporate Communications and Branding Manager at Sharp Middle
East & Africa.[1] In the TTL approach, a mix of ATL and BTL are used to integrate a marketer's
efforts and optimize returns from these separate investments.

Recently[when?] the TTL approach has shifted its emphasis more towards BTL.[2] The idea remains
to optimize the return on marketing budget spent by focusing one's energy on winning smaller
yet more crucial BTL battles than ATL wars with well-funded competition. According to EBS
Worldwide,[citation needed] mainstream mass broadcast marketing is increasingly being viewed as
uneconomical, in terms of return on investment, which is where BTL marketing fits in. a few
examples could be - bus stand hoardings, pamphlets,small informational sheets along with the
newspaper.etc.

Below the line (BTL) / Above the line (ATL) /

Through the line (TTL)
(Advertising)
In organisational business and marketing communications, Below the line (BTL) is an
advertising technique. It uses less conventional methods than the usual specific channels of
advertising to promote products, services, etc. than Above the line (ATL) strategies. These
may include activities such as direct mail, public relations and sales promotions for which a
fee is agreed upon and charged up front.
Above the line is a type of advertising through media such as TV, cinema, radio, print,
banners and search engines. Below the line advertising typically focuses on direct means of
communication, most commonly direct mail and e-mail, often using highly targeted lists of
names to maximize response rates.
In addition, according to Kunal Bhardwaj,[citation needed] Above the line is much more
effective, when the target group is very large and difficult to define. But, if the target group
is limited and specific, it is always advisable to use Below the line promotions for efficiency
and cost-effectiveness.
Say, for example, if a manufacturer of pen is going to promote its product, it may take the
ATL route, but if a company manufactures computer UPS, it will certainly take the BTL
route, as the target group is very limited and specific.
More recently, agencies and clients have switched to an 'Integrated Communication
Approach.' BTL is a common technique used for "touch and feel" products (consumer items
where the customer will rely on immediate information rather than previously researched
items). BTL techniques ensures recall of the brand while at the same time highlighting the
features of the product.
Through the line (TTL) refers to an advertising strategy involving both above and below the
line communications in which one form of advertising points the target to another form of
advertising thereby crossing the 'line'. An example would be a TV commercial that says
'come into the store to sample XYZ product'. In this example, the TV commercial is a form
of 'above the line' advertising and once in the store, the target customer is presented with
'below the line' promotional material such as store banners, competition entry forms etc.
Promotion can be loosely classified as "above the line" and "below the line" promotion. The
promotional activities carried out through mass media like television, radio, newspaper etc.
is above the line promotion.
The terms 'below-the-line' promotion or communications, refers to forms of non-media
communication, even non-media advertising. Below-the-line promotions are becoming
increasingly important within the communications mix of many companies, not only those
involved in fmcg products, but also for industrial goods.
Some of the ways by which companies do BTL (below the line) promotions are by
exhibitions, sponsorship activities, public relations and sales promotions like giving freebies
with goods, trade discounts given to dealers and customers, reduced price offers on
products, giving coupons which can be redeemed later etc.
Below the line sales promotion
Below the line sales promotions are short-term incentives, largely aimed at consumers. With
the increasing pressure on the marketing team to achieve communication objectives more
efficiently in a limited budget, there has been a need to find out more effective and cost
efficient ways to communicate with the target markets. This has led to a shift from the
regular media based advertising.
A definition of below-the-line sales promotion given by Rohan Salvi:
'An immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, expressed in cash or in kind, and having
only a short term or temporary duration'.
Methods of below the line sales promotion
1. Price promotions
Price promotions are also commonly known as" price discounting". These can be done in two
ways:
A discount to the normal selling price of a product, or
More of the product at the normal price.
Alt Price promotions however can also have a negative effect by spoiling the brand
reputation or just a temporary sales boost (during the discounts) followed by a lull when the
discount would be called off.
2. Coupons
3. Gift with purchase
4. Competitions and prizes
This is an important tool to increase brand awareness amongst the target consumer. It can
be used to boost up sales for temporary period and ensure usage amongst first time users.
5. Money refunds
Here, a customer receives a money refund after submitting a proof of purchase to the
manufacturer. Customers often view these schemes with some suspicion – particularly if the
method of obtaining a refund looks unusual or onerous.
6. Frequent user/loyalty incentives
7. Point-of-sale displays
Shopping habits are changing for the people living in metropolitan cities. People prefer big
retail outlets like Big Bazaar to local kirana stores. Most of the decisions of buying are taken
by the virtue of point-of-sale displays in these retail outlets.
Examples of BTL promotion
Most of the big brands are following the suit of BTL promotion because of rising prices of
media based promotion, advertising clutter and increased impulse purchasing.
Some of the interesting examples are:
Most of the educational institutes like career launcher, Time and PT are holding informative
workshops and free tests for students which give a direct interaction of these institutes with
the target customer and hence a suitable platform to sell themselves.
Ring tones and music videos on cell phones are helping the entertainment industry to
promote for a music video or a movie for dirt-cheap rate as compared to media promotion.
Various companies sponsor sport events to promote their brand, but nowadays media
companies like Hindustan Times are holding weekly events through out the country in which
companies can put up their stalls, display banners and posters and arrange for some fun
activities. These events give the companies a platform at very low price to promote their
brand and increase visibility among target consumer. These companies also give discount
coupons to winners in the games, which in turn boost the sales of the products and ensure
that first time users try these products as well.
Pepsi organized an inter school cricket event for 425 schools across 14 cities which did
wonders for the company by promoting the brand amongst the right target customer for
almost no cost.
Most of the pharmacy companies do BTL promotion by getting shelf space through doctors
to display their products or by giving away free calcium tablets again through doctors,
knowing that for a patient a personal advise from a doctor would hold more value as
compared to a commercial advertisement.
Another interesting BTL promotion was by NIKE. An athlete dressed up in Nike sportswear
could be seen jogging on an elevated treadmill for the whole day on National Highway 8,
Delhi.
Tata Shaktee is a strong rural brand from Tata Steel, for roofing products, has BTL activity
in the form of Haat participation. By having a stall at Haat, Tata Shaktee engages potential
consumers in interactive games around differentiating attributes of the product. Also,
discount coupons are given for interested buyers, with details of nearby retailers.
BTL promotions are gaining popularity among all big companies nowadays considering their
effectiveness because of the "individual customer promotion" at a price, which is much
lesser than the normal media promotions.

ATL - Above the line activites are those that the agency receive a income from the
( i.e. Commission) media company . E.g. : Advertisements on Newspaper, magazines , TV &
RadioBTL - Below the line activies are the other type of acivites in the promotional mix
Like : Sales promotoions , Personal selling .Direct marketing & PR activies

Will you please tell me in detail what is the meaning of ATL and
BTL in advertising? Which one is better?
ATL and BTL stand for Above-the-line and Below-the-line respectively. ATL represents
traditional marketing channels that strive to reach a mass audience with messages that
reinforce the brand, communicate product information or incite an emotional response. BTL
represents methods aimed at establishing a relationship between a brand and an individual
consumer. The aim is to create relationships between brands and individual
consumers.While there is some measure of crossover, ATL usually encompasses TV, Radio,
Print Advertising, Outdoor Advertising, etc. BTL typically incorporates Direct Mail, Event
Marketing, Interactive Marketing, Promotional Marketing, etc. to reach its targets. To say
that one is better than the other would be remiss given the advances in technology and the
trend towards more customer-centric marketing. Brand-oriented advertising was once a key
driver of consumer behavior…today however marketers are increasingly honing in on the
benefits offered by BTL marketing such as increased consumer engagement, interactivity
and measurability. The line is becoming more and more blurred as marketers strategically
blend traditional ATL mass media approaches with more direct, targeted and ROI-driven BTL
approaches. Those touted successful are the usually ones who have struck an optimal
balance between the two channels.

Introduction***

Competition and globalization are good friends. Whichever country accepts the globalization
will generally have a competitive market. Healthy competition is always good for the
customers. It also keeps the companies alert and encourages them to go for better
Research and Development.

But with the competition becoming more and more intensive, marketing the products is
becoming equally tough. People have to come up with newer marketing techniques like
AMBUSH MARKETING AND TOMA.

*** What is TOMA?***

Top-of-mind awareness"1 is a term originally coined by Ellis Verdi, the once president of the
National Retail Advertisers Council (NRAC) and owner of a prestigious marketing and
advertising agency in New York. TOMA or Top of The Mind Awareness is the method of
positioning the product. Under this method, it is believed that if you create the highest level
of awareness for your product, the customers will always look to purchase it and would
become loyal. Like for example, if you talk about salt in India, then Tata Salt has been
identified as as one of the Superbrands from 700 short-listed consumer brands for the year
2004. It had the Top of The Mind brand recall of 41%. Tata Salt was also ranked India's
most trusted brand in a survey conducted by The Economic Times, India's largest-selling
financial newspaper, in 2003. Tata Salt outranked established multinational brands such as
Coke and Pepsi. The Indian Defence Ministry's canteen stores department buys Tata Salt in
bulk for use by the armed forces.

*** How to achieve TOMA?***

1. Use the reminder advertisement:2   Reminder advertisements can help one achieve the
TOMA easily. When you use the reminder advertisement, the people are more likely to buy
your products from a retail store as they are often reminded of your product. You can use
TV and billboards to remind the customers often and achieve TOMA for your product.

2. You need to determine the following details too:3

 Who is your customer?

 What magazines, trade journals, newspapers, newsletters, etc., do they read?
 What associations do they belong to?
  What are their needs as they relate to your offerings?

3. Continuously communicate with your customers:4

According to Sales and Marketing Management, the average U.S. sale in 1993 took 12
impressions to close. That's 12 incidents of calling, mailing, visiting or being seen in
advertisements by prospects before they're ready to do business with you. The good news--
90% of your competitors give up after the fourth contact. So, keeping in close touch with
the customers will definitely help you to achieve TOMA. You may have to try harder for that
and results may not be immediate, but as this research shows, you should continue with
your efforts.

*** The importance of TOMA***5

It does two things:

1) It psychologically impacts people so that the mere mention and knowledge of one's
company, product, or service inherently creates a need for them, and

2) it places one at the top of a specific market's consciousness so that one is instantly
chosen when people want what that person or firm has to offer.

***Agency that works for it***

www.toma.com can help you achieve TOMA…! Their TOMA program has done wonders for
many companies. [For details, please visit their website www.toma.com]

***Bibliography***

Part 1: Books and Project Reports:

1. Barta Rajeev, Myers Johh, Aaker David, Advertising Management, New Delhi, Perason
Education (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Indian Branch, 2002

2. Thakkar Bhushan, Top Of the Mind Recall For Sidhee Cement, Summer Training Report,
2004

3. Variya Pathik, TOP OF THE MIND AWARENESS of Gujarati Newspapers in Bhavnagar,

Comprehensive Project Report, 2005

Part 2: Websites

1. www.successdoctor.com
2. www.geopalace.com
3. www.etstrategicmarketing.com
4. WWW.WillieCrawford.com
5. www.wilyouacceptthisrose.com
6. www.animalbrands.com
7. www.turningpointpresents.com
8. www.toma.com