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A push strategy emphasizes A pull strategy depends more

personal selling rather than on mass media advertising to
mass media advertising in the communicate the marketing
promotional mix. Although message to potential
very effective as a promotional consumers
tool, personal selling requires
intensive use of a sales force
and is relatively costly
u Although some firms employ only a pull
strategy and others only a push strategy,
still other firms combine direct selling with
mass advertising to maximize
communication effectiveness.
u Factors that determine the relative
attractiveness of push and pull strategies
include product type relative to consumer
sophistication, channel length, and media
availability
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u A pull strategy is generally favored by firms in consumer goods industries
that are trying to sell to a large segment of the market.
u For such firms, mass communication has cost advantages, and direct
selling is rarely used.
u But a push strategy is favored by firms that sell industrial products or
other complex products. Direct selling allows the firm to educate potential
consumers about the features of the product. This may not be necessary
in advanced nations where a complex product has been in use for some
time, where the product's attributes are well understood, and where
consumers are sophisticated.
u However, customer education may be very important when consumers
have less sophistication toward the product, which can be the case in
developing nations or in advanced nations when a complex product is
being introduced
  
u The longer the distribution channel, the more intermediaries
there are that must be persuaded to carry the product for it to
reach the consumer.
u This can lead to inertia in the channel, which can make entry
very difficult. Using direct selling to push a product through
many layers of a distribution channel can be very expensive.
u In such circumstances, a firm may try to pull its product
through the channels by using mass advertising to create
consumer demand--once demand is created, intermediaries
will feel obliged to carry the product.
  
u In Japan, products often pass through two, three, or even four
wholesalers before they reach the final retail outlet. This can
make it difficult for foreign firms to break into the Japanese
market. Not only must the foreigner persuade a Japanese
retailer to carry her product, but she may also have to
persuade every intermediary in the chain to carry the
product. Mass advertising may be one way to break down
channel resistance in such circumstances.
 

u A pull strategy relies on access to advertising media.

u In the United States, a large number of media are available,
including print media (newspapers and magazines) and
electronic media (television and radio). The rise of cable
television in the United States has facilitated extremely
focused advertising (e.g., MTV for teens and young adults,
Lifetime for women, ESPN for sports enthusiasts).
u With a few exceptions such as Canada and Japan, this level of
media sophistication is not found outside the United States.
Even many advanced nations have far fewer electronic media
available for advertising.
 

u Media availability is limited by law in some cases.

Few countries allow advertisements for tobacco and
alcohol products on television and radio, though they
are usually permitted in print media. When the
leading Japanese whiskey distiller, Suntory, entered
the US market, it had to do so without television, its
preferred medium. The firm spends about $50
million annually on television advertising in Japan.
 

u In Scandinavia, for example, no commercial television or radio

stations existed in 1987; all electronic media were state
owned and carried no commercials, although this has now
changed with the advent of satellite television deregulation.
In many developing nations, the situation is even more
restrictive because mass media of all types are typically more
limited. A firm's ability to use a pull strategy is limited in some
countries by media availability. In such circumstances, a push
strategy is more attractive.



 
u The optimal mix between push and pull strategies depends on product
type and consumer sophistication, channel length, and media
sophistication.
u Push strategies tend to be emphasized:
For industrial products and/or complex new products.
When distribution channels are short.
When few print or electronic media are available.
u Pull strategies tend to be emphasized:
For consumer goods.
When distribution channels are long.
When sufficient print and electronic media are available to carry the
marketing message


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