Turunduskommunikatsioon eri kanalites: alusmaterjal e-õppevahendi loomiseks

Abstract

My master’s thesis theme is “Marketing Communications Trough Different Channels – Basis for an e-Learning Resource”. Marketing communications as a whole is reaching a fascinating stage of development, where it will have to face a number of fundamental issues that require extensive public debate. On the one hand, it is influenced by the increasing number of new and varying opportunities for and forms of communication that are created as a result of the rapid development of information technology. On the other hand, it will have to face the subsequent problems associated with the protection of privacy, the oversaturation of the information space and consumer awareness. As a result, it is important to be familiar with the existing forms and channels of communication as well as future developments and trends. To a certain degree, marketing communications affects everyone in the public information space and both communications specialists and ordinary consumers should be able to identify its characteristics, potential and dangers. The objective of this paper is to create a basis for an e-learning resource that would enable students to gain an understanding of the modern channels of marketing communications and the techniques associated with those channels. The e-learning resource will also touch upon the ethical aspects and near-future development trends of marketing communications. The e-learning resource could be used as a supplement to the study programme by communications students at different levels as well as a general illustrative source of information by marketing and communications specialists working for various organisations. The format of an e-learning resource has been chosen as a platform that is well-suited for further updating and development: the techniques and channels of marketing communications change due to both the development of technological resources and changes in consumer behaviour. The current channels that are important and possess a lot of marketing potential may be replaced by channels based on some new technology in just a couple of years. A niche technology that was considered marginal just a day ago may prove to be the trailblazing source of new communications techniques. Due to this, a learning resource that discusses the channels and forms of marketing communications requires consistent updating and improvement based on new research articles, the opinions of practical users, and the observations and reflections made in the course of future lectures and seminars. The format of an e-learning resource enables users to add new chapters and update existing ones conveniently and at any time. Furthermore, compared to a printed textbook, an e-learning resource offers the very useful opportunity to add interactive examples and tasks to the material. The e-learning resource is based on a novel approach to the channels of marketing communications, which have been divided into online, offline and mobile channels. In addition to providing an overview of the main online and offline channels as they relate to integrated marketing communications, the material also introduces the dimension of mobile channels, which are increasingly important and have, in a sense, become the connecting link between online and offline channels. The e-learning resource forms a clearly defined chapter of the thesis and is divided into the following sub-chapters. The first sub-chapter offers an overview of integrated marketing communications and its developments, establishing a context for the different communicative marketing activities. The second sub-chapter describes the various forms of marketing communications and explains the different methods for classifying the channels. The third sub-chapter describes offline marketing communications channels, the fourth one describes online channels, and the fifth sub-chapter describes mobile channels and forms of communication. The sixth sub-chapter explores the techniques of marketing communications used across the channels. The seventh sub-chapter introduces the dimension of ethics and regulation in marketing communications and the eighth sub-chapter provides a brief summary of upcoming development trends. In addition to a complete e-learning resource, the master’s thesis includes an overview of the process and principles of the preparation of the learning resource (chapter 1), linking the learning resource to the communications-related education of The Institute of Journalism and Communication. The third major chapter of the master’s thesis concerns the testing of the material that served as the basis for the e-learning resource in the course of studies and it provides an overview of the reception of the e-learning resource by the target audience, while also offering reflection obtained through the students' independent work. Several improvements were also made in the e-learning resource based on the reflection obtained from students.