IB Business Promotion Strategies

How Do You Get People to Buy Your Stuff? The Promotion Playbook

February 2025, and you're scrolling social media when suddenly everyone's freaking out because Duolingo's green owl mascot is... dead? The language learning app posted mysterious announcements, people held virtual funerals, and then the whole internet "resurrected" him together. The campaign was massive, with Dua Lipa herself sharing it, and Duolingo's app downloads shot through the roof.

That is exactly promotion in action. A full-blown cultural moment that had millions of people talking, sharing, and most importantly for Duolingo - downloading the app.

When promoting a product or service brands compete for your attention using everything from Super Bowl adverts to scratch-and-sniff posters in the Tube (yes, that's a real thing that happened in 2025 - we'll get to that). So, how do businesses actually convince you to part with your hard-earned cash?

What Is Promotion?

Promotion is basically the marketing process of raising customer awareness and interest in a product or brand to generate sales. It's the "hey, look at me!" part of the marketing mix - the communication bit that tells customers your product exists and why they should pay attention.

The main objectives of promotion include:

• Building product and brand awareness (making sure people know you exist)

• Creating customer interest (getting them to actually care)

• Providing product information (telling them what it does)

• Stimulating demand (making them want it)

• Differentiating from rival products (showing why you're better than the competition)

• Reinforcing and developing the brand name (staying memorable)

There are three main ways businesses promote themselves: ATL, BTL, and TTL.

Above The Line (ATL)

Above the line (ATL) promotion is when businesses pay independent media companies to blast their message to absolutely everyone. Examples are TV adverts during Love Island etc cinema ads before the latest Marvel film, or those giant billboards you see driving down the M25.

Where does "above the line" come from? It's an old accounting term from when ad agencies literally drew a line on their books separating commission-based advertising (above) from other promotional costs (below). Right! now you can impress your mates down the pub with this bit of knowledge.

Why Go ATL?

The main reason is reach - you can hit millions of people at once.

IB Business Management Real-life Example: Remember when Apple let director Spike Jonze make that five-and-a-half-minute music video with Pedro Pascal dancing in Air Pods 4? That wasn't just for the show (though the show was immaculate). Apple knew that ad would reach people watching telly, streaming services, cinemas - basically everywhere.

In 2025, Gap was tremendously successful with their "Better in Denim" campaign featuring girl group Katseye dancing to Kelis's "Milkshake" while dressed head-to-toe in denim. The campaign racked up over 8 billion impressions and 500 million views. That's ATL at its finest - massive reach, cultural moment, everyone's talking about it.

So Where Is The Catch?

ATL promotion is expensive. Like, really expensive. A 30-second Super Bowl ad in 2025 cost around £5.5 million. Just to put that in perspective, that's enough to buy a decent house in London or New York. Or several houses literally anywhere else.

Also, ATL is rather untargeted. You're basically shouting into the void hoping the right people hear you. Sure, millions see your ad, but how many of them actually care about your product? It's like trying to chat someone up by hiring a plane to write a message in the sky - beautiful, expensive, but probably not that effective, will they see it?

ATL Methods Include:

• Television advertising - Still massive, especially for big events (remember those World Cup ads?)

• Radio advertising - Your morning commute soundtrack, sponsored by cereal brands

• Cinema advertising - Can't skip these ones, can you?

• Print media (newspapers, magazines) - Though let's be honest, fewer people read physical papers these days

• Outdoor advertising (billboards, bus stops) - Like Nike lighting up the Hollywood sign's "D" in Dodger blue after the World Series win

• Digital display advertising - Those banner ads that follow you around the internet

Below The Line (BTL)

Right, so if ATL is shouting from everywhere, below the line (BTL) promotion is more like having a proper conversation with specific people you actually want to reach. It's when businesses have direct control over the promotion and aim it at their target audience rather than just everyone with eyeballs.

BTL doesn't use mass media - instead, it's all about direct contact with customers. And you can actually measure the results. Unlike throwing £5 million at a Super Bowl ad and crossing your fingers, BTL lets you see exactly who responded, what they bought, and whether it was worth it.

IB Business Management Real-life Examples: UK BTL in Action

Let's talk about something you probably already use: loyalty programmes. In 2025, UK loyalty schemes were absolutely thriving. Nearly 80% of UK grocery shoppers have a Tesco Clubcard, and Boots Advantage Card remains one of the highest-earning loyalty programmes in retail. Loyalty cards aren't just about getting points for free stuff - they're sophisticated BTL marketing tools.

Every time you scan your Clubcard or Boots app, Tesco and Boots learn what you buy, when you buy it, and how much you spend. Then they send you personalised offers directly - maybe a discount on your favourite meal deal, or points on that expensive face cream you keep buying. That's BTL marketing at work, it is a lot more effective than just putting an ad on telly.

Popeyes UK ran a loyalty campaign in 2025 that was extremely successful. Customers who engaged with their loyalty programme were 3x more likely to return within 30 days, driving an 8% increase in revenue. That's BTL for you - you're not wasting money advertising to people who don't care; you're rewarding the customers who already like you.

More BTL Methods

Direct Mail - Remember getting letters? Some companies still do this (though mostly it's email now). It's that personalised communication sent straight to you.

Point of Sale (POS) Displays - You know when you're queuing at the checkout and suddenly you need that Dairy Milk or pack of chewing gum you weren't planning to buy? That's POS marketing exploiting your impulse control. The products are positioned for easy access right where you're most vulnerable - when you're bored in the queue with your phone dead.

Merchandising - This is when brands create physical products linked to their main business activities. A24, the film studio, turned this into an art form with their Marty Supreme campaign in 2025. Before the film even came out, fans queued for hours to buy £250 jackets, £95 sweatpants, and £18 keychains. Those customers became walking advertisements, creating a viral marketing effect before the film launched.

Public Relations (PR) - This is the planned process of maintaining good relationships with the public through media coverage, events, and community activities. It's about getting free publicity by being newsworthy. When e.l.f. Cosmetics put up billboards in New York's Financial District saying "So many Dicks, so few of everyone else" to highlight the lack of women on corporate boards - it was clever PR that won them awards and massive social media coverage without paying for a single TV spot.

Sales Promotions - BOGOF (Buy One, Get One Free) deals, discounts, limited-time offers etc.

Quick tip for your exams: don't write about "buy one get one free" deals for the motor car industry. Your examiner will not be impressed.

Why BTL Works

1. Targeted - You're reaching people who actually care about your brand/offer

2. Measurable - You can see what works and what doesn't

3. Cost-effective - Usually cheaper than massive TV campaigns

4. Builds relationships - You're engaging with customers directly, not just shouting at them

The downside? Limited reach. You won't hit millions of people like you would with ATL. But sometimes quality beats quantity - would you rather have a million people vaguely aware of your brand, or 10,000 people who are actually buying from you every month?

Through The Line (TTL)

So if ATL is the massive shout and BTL is the personal conversation, Through the Line (TTL) promotion is when you say "let's do everything."

TTL combines both ATL and BTL methods to hit different audiences in different ways. It's the "belt and braces" approach - using TV ads and personalised emails and social media and loyalty programmes all at once.

TTL in The Real World

Think about how blockbuster films market themselves.

IB Business Management Real-life Example: Universal's Jurassic World campaign in 2025 was all about TTL:

• ATL: TV spots, cinema trailers, massive billboards

• BTL: AR (augmented reality) billboards where you could "meet" a dinosaur, exclusive merchandise, targeted social media ads

• Result: Over 15 million social views and a 22% increase in advance ticket sales

Or look at how UK supermarkets operate. Tesco runs nationwide billboard campaigns for special offers (ATL) while simultaneously sending personalised discount codes via email and SMS to Clubcard holders (BTL). They're attracting new customers with the big campaigns while rewarding loyal ones with targeted deals. That's TTL working perfectly.

TTL What Works?

TTL creates brand omnipresence - you're everywhere, all at once. Customers see you on telly, get an email offer, spot you on Instagram, and receive loyalty points all in the same week. It builds brand awareness while also driving direct sales.

The campaign has two main purposes:

1. Inform customers about the product

2. Persuade them to buy it over rivals

What Doesn't Work?

Money. Lots of money. Running both ATL and BTL campaigns simultaneously is expensive. Only large, financially stable businesses can really afford proper TTL promotion. That's why you see massive brands like Apple, Nike, and Coca-Cola doing it, but your local independent café probably can't.

Social Media Marketing: The Game Changer

Social media marketing (SMM) has completely transformed how businesses promote themselves, and it sits somewhere between ATL and BTL in the promotional mix.

SMM uses online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, and Snapchat to promote products in a less formal, more engaging way. And in 2025, it's not just important - it's essential.

Why SMM Is Different

Traditional advertising feels like... well, advertising. Social media content, when done right, feels like something a regular person posted. The best campaigns in 2025 didn't look like ads at all - they looked like content your friends and family might share.

IB Business Management Real-life Example: CeraVe in 2025 created a fake conspiracy theory suggesting actor Michael Cera was the secret founder of the skincare brand (see what they did there? CeraVe... Cera?). They "leaked" paparazzi photos of him signing bottles, got influencers to "spot" him, and built a month-long mystery before revealing the Super Bowl commercial. The campaign generated more social media conversation than the actual Super Bowl ads, and it cost a fraction of traditional advertising.

Viral Marketing: The Holy Grail of Marketing

Viral marketing is when your content spreads like wildfire - one person shares it, then another, then another, creating exponential growth. It's the dream for every marketer because consumers become the advocates, spreading your message for free.

Remember Spotify Wrapped? Every December, millions of people willingly post their most embarrassing music choices to social media for everyone to mock - sorry, I mean "appreciate." That's genius viral marketing. Spotify turned customer data into shareable content, and suddenly everyone's doing their marketing for them and for free.

IB Business Management Real-life Example: In 2025, some absolute classic campaigns went viral:

Billie's Scratch-and-Sniff Campaign - The razor brand put scratch-and-sniff posters in London Underground stations. Yes, you read that right. Posters that smelled like armpits. Gross? Maybe. Memorable? Totally. Viral? Obviously. People filmed themselves scratching them, reactions went viral, and suddenly everyone knew about Billie's natural deodorant range.

Heinz's "Looks Familiar" Campaign - Heinz pointed out that most takeaway fry boxes have the same shape as their iconic ketchup bottle. That's it. That's the campaign. But it was so clever and shareable that it went viral. People started posting photos of their fries saying "oh my god, I never noticed this before!" Top level.

The SMM Advantages

1. Potentially global reach - Your TikTok can reach teenagers in Tokyo and pensioners in Peterborough

2. Cost-effective - Creating content is a lot cheaper than TV ads

3. Authentic connection - You can build genuine relationships with customers

4. User-generated content - Customers create content for you and for free

5. Market research goldmine - See what people really think in the comments

6. Real-time feedback - Know immediately if something's working or not working

Making It Work

The key to successful SMM is authenticity. Gen Z (that's you lot) can smell fake a mile off. Brands that try too hard to be "relatable" end up in the bin.

Look at Duolingo's entire social media presence. They've built a character - a slightly threatening, passive-aggressive green owl who guilt-trips you about missing your Spanish lessons. It's weird, it's funny, and it works because it's consistently authentic to their brand voice.

Or check out how Ryanair operates on social media. They're incredibly honest about being a budget airline, making jokes about their own terrible reputation. In 2025, authenticity beats perfection every time.

The Catch

Social media marketing requires constant attention. You can't just post once and disappear - you need to engage, respond, create, and stay relevant. Trends move fast. Remember when everyone was doing that "corn kid" trend? No? Exactly. It lasted about three days.

Also, going viral isn't predictable. Brands spend millions trying to manufacture viral moments, and most fail. For every CeraVe success, there are thousands of campaigns that had no success.

Choosing Your Marketing Weapon

So which promotional method should a business use? The boring-but-true answer: it depends.

• Huge brand launching a major product? TTL all the way. Hit every channel possible.

• Small business with limited budget? BTL and SMM. Target the people who matter and build genuine connections.

• Quick brand awareness boost? ATL for reach, but make it count.

• Building long-term customer relationships? BTL loyalty programmes and consistent SMM presence.

The best promotional strategy considers:

• Budget (obviously)

• Target audience (who are you trying to reach?)

• Product type (selling Ferraris vs selling meal deals requires different approaches)

• Competition (what are your rivals doing?)

• Goals (awareness vs sales vs loyalty?)

2025 Overview

The best promotional campaigns in 2025 didn't feel promotional at all. They felt like cultural moments, inside jokes, or genuine value-adds to people's lives.

Gap's denim campaign wasn't just an ad - it was a nostalgic throwback with a contemporary feel to it. Duolingo's owl "death" wasn't just promotion - it was an engaging narrative that made people care. Spotify Wrapped isn't just data - it's a personalised experience people want to share.

The future of promotion isn't about interrupting what people are doing - it's about becoming what people are doing. That's why social media has disrupted the entire promotional landscape. It's not a third-party broadcaster pushing a message (like traditional ATL); it's customers choosing to engage with you and share your content.

The IB Trainer's IB Business Management Activity Book covers:

✓ All 6 IB Business Management modules (5 Modules + the Complete IB Business Management Toolkit), broken down unit-by-unit

✓ 2-6 case studies per unit (some units need more practice than others)

✓ Every IB Business Management Assessment Objective (AO) explicitly addressed

✓ All 15 IB Business Management Toolkit tools with worked examples

✓ IB Business Exam Socially responsible companies (business as force for good)

✓ Platform access with supporting video content

IB Business Management Exam Gold

When writing about promotion in your IB Business Management exams:

1. Context is everything - A "buy one get one free" deal works for Costa Coffee, not for heart surgery. Think about what makes sense for the specific business.

2. Don't confuse advertising with promotion - Advertising is part of promotion, not the whole thing. Promotion includes PR, loyalty schemes, merchandising, sales promotions, and much more.

3. ATL = untargeted mass reach, BTL = targeted direct contact, TTL = both combined - Know the difference and when each is appropriate.

4. Social media has changed everything - In 2025, even massive brands need a social media presence. Ignore it at your own expense.

5. Measure what matters - BTL is easier to measure than ATL. That's why businesses love it despite the smaller reach.

6. Budget constraints are significant - Most businesses can't afford TTL. Be realistic in your recommendations.

Final Ideas

Promotion has evolved from "here's an ad, please buy our stuff" to "here's value, entertainment, connection, and oh by the way, here's our stuff." The brands winning in 2025 understand that earning attention is harder than buying it, and keeping attention is harder still.

It doesn't matter if it's Duolingo killing its mascot for engagement, Tesco rewarding you with Clubcard points for loyalty, or Apple paying Spike Jonze to create art disguised as advertising, modern promotion is about creating experiences people actually want to engage with.

And that, my students, is how you get people to buy your stuff without them realising they're being marketed to.

Stay well,