Is ATL better than BTL marketing for retail brands?

Is BTL marketing better than ATL? Most of the marketers have at least once came across a dilemma whether they should go ahead with BTL or ATL marketing. So to understand this better, we should first understand what exactly is BTL and ATL marketing.

Below The Line (BTL) marketing involve direct marketing activities, as they intend to build targeted relationship amidst the marketer and final consumer, as well as it provides ease in testing effectiveness and conversions. It is unconventional, carried out at the micro-level as it focuses on specific group either geographically or demographically based on interest or a niche segment and Point Of Sale Materials (POSM display stands) play a major role in this as this is the most cost-effective and targeted solution as it involves specific, catchy and direct means of communication to promote the product.

Above the line (ATL) marketing uses conventional marketing medium that attempts to reach a large group of audience with a message aimed at reinforcing a brand and also to communicate basic information about the product, to generate a response. That is why it is also referred to as mass marketing. It includes non-targeted advertising activities having a wide reach, to create a brand image. In this, advertising through TV, radio, internet, newspaper, posters, banners, billboards, and magazines.

In a nutshell, we can say that ATL marketing is an extensive and expensive brand-building activity whereas BTL marketing is extremely targeted direct marketing activity, which stresses on personalization and conversions. Hence, ATL marketing focuses on the undifferentiated segment, but BTL marketing focuses on the targeted segment.

However, in the past decade or two BTL advertising and BTL ideas have taken the centre stage. For years ATL marketing mediums have been the prime mode of communication for brands and slowly it has reached its saturation point. BTL marketing on the other hand is a breath of fresh air since it uses ‘the road less travelled’. More importantly, BTL marketing adds tremendous value to the brand, especially in the long term.

Author: Shikhar Verma
Shikhar (at) amitoje (dot) com
Shikhar is an experienced brand consultant at Amitoje India, with experience of helping amazing brands to maximise ROI through POSM/POS display stands and POP branding. To reach out to her for your brand click -> www.amitoje.com/whatsapp and ask for Shikhar.

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