It is one of the basic elements of the market mix, which includes the four Ps, i.e., product, price, place, and promotion.
[4] It may be a contraction of a related term, sales promotion, which is one element in the larger set of tools used in marketing communications.
Promotions can be held in physical environments at special events such as concerts, festivals, trade shows, and in the field, such as in grocery or department stores.
Person-to-person interaction, as opposed to media-to-person involvement, establishes connections that add another dimension to promotion.
[10] Mass communication has led to modern marketing strategies to continue focusing on brand awareness, large distributions and heavy promotions.
With the rise of technological advances, promotions can be done outside of local contexts and across geographic borders to reach a greater number of potential consumers.
Social media, as a modern marketing tool, offers opportunities to reach larger audiences in an interactive way.
Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, as well as alternate audio and media sites like SoundCloud and Mixcloud allow users to interact and promote music online with little to no cost.
[2] However, there are downsides to virtual promotions as servers, systems, and websites may crash, fail, or become overloaded with information.
Users will be more likely to absorb and not grow tired of advertisements if they are, for example, embedded in the game as opposed to a bothersome pop-up ad.
[12] It is important for brands to utilize personalization in their ads, without making the consumer feel vulnerable or that their privacy has been betrayed.
Sponsorship generally involves supplying resources (such as money) to a group or an event in exchange for advertising or publicity.