Everything you need to know about Below the Line Marketing

Consumers today are overwhelmed with advertising at every turn. As a result, traditional methods of marketing often fall flat.

This is where Below-the-Line (BTL) marketing comes in—a strategy focused on personal, direct engagement.

Below the Line Marketing is the secret behind those campaigns that feel like they’re speaking directly to you.

Remember the last time you received an email that felt like it was made just for you?

Let’s see what it means. In this blog, we’ll read about;

What is Below the Line Marketing?

Below the Line Marketing is a highly-targeted and personalized approach (that is focused on specific demographics) to promote products and services.

BTL marketing is less concerned with mass reach and more focused on targeted engagement. It aims to connect with people on a more personal level.

It is like having one-on-one conversation with someone who is genuinely interested in what you have to say.

The key idea behind BTL marketing is to create a closer relationship with the customer so that they can make a purchase as it allows businesses to focus their efforts on people who are most likely to be interested in what they have to offer.

For example,

A customer received a personalized Sephora email recommending a new foundation shade based on their past purchases and skin tone.

(They are using past purchase history to suggest a product a customer might love)

A Netflix subscriber received an email for a new series based on their recent viewing history.

(Netflix is using watching habits to suggest content a subscriber is likely to enjoy)

These brands make it easier for people to find what they’re interested in and stay engaged with their service.

Companies are seeking more ways to connect with customers in a more personalized way. That’s why, BTL marketing continues to be a key part of many brands’ strategies.

A recent Ascend2 report from January 2023 reveals that nearly 65% of marketers across the globe agree that personalized emails have the greatest impact.

However, effective email marketing isn’t just about adding a customer’s name to the subject line. To truly make a difference, the message must be relevant, delivered at the perfect moment, and written in a voice that aligns with your brand—ensuring it resonates deeply with the right audience.

Also Read: Above the line vs. Below the line Marketing – Simple Difference

Key Characteristics of BTL Marketing

The core elements that define the concept of BTL marketing and provide a clear understanding of its nature are following;

Targeted approach

BTL marketing is all about precision. It’s not just about reaching specific groups, but rather narrowing down to specific consumer personas.

Rather than casting a wide net, BTL campaign zero in on people who are most likely to be interested in what brands are offering. This laser-focused strategy makes sure that every marketing dollar is spend efficiently.

BTL Marketing’s targeted nature allows companies to connect with the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

– The Marketing PAGE

Personalized messages

This often involves direct interaction, whether through one-on-one communication or personalized offers. The idea behind personalization in BTL marketing is to build a stronger relationship with the consumer. When customers feel personally connected to a brand, they are more likely to engage with it and make repeat purchases.

According to a study by Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences.

Direct Engagement

Everyone loves feeling special. That’s what direct engagement in BTL marketing is all about. The efforts made make customers feel special and directly involved with the brand through;

• Personalized discounts
• Exclusive event invites
• One-on-one chats with brand representatives
• Custom thank-you notes
• Special samples
• Personalized recommendations based on previous interactions or purchases

But in today’s digital age, direct engagement goes beyond traditional methods. Modern channels such as chatbots and social media interactions allow brands to engage with customers in real-time. These channels help brands in answering their questions and offering tailored solutions instantly. This real-time engagement builds trust and forwards a more personalized brand experience.

Cost Effective

Budget concerns are always the biggest when making a decision in marketing. Below-the-Line (BTL) marketing activities offer a solution that’s accessible even to businesses with smaller budgets.

Because the target audience is more relevant, businesses can avoid spending money on ads that don’t reach the right people.

It boils down to the concept;

No wide net casting → avoid unnecessary costs on ads.

Businesses can reduce waste and increase the chances of converting leads into customers (by not focusing on not-right people). This not only saves money but also makes the marketing efforts more effective.

Flexible

The marketing landscape is constantly evolving. What worked yesterday might not work today. That’s why flexibility is key.

BTL marketing campaigns can easily be fine-tuned based on feedback or performance. This means you can stay ahead of the curve and make sure that messages are always relevant and effective.

Top Below the Line Marketing Channels You Need to Know

BTL marketing, once primarily focused on niche and targeted campaigns, has evolved to encompass a broader range of channels.

Here’s how BTL marketing can be applied across various channels;

Direct Marketing

This approach stands out because it’s not just about reaching people; it’s about reaching the right people. Direct marketing allows brands to communicate directly with individuals through key channels like;

• Email marketing (Targeted emails to promote)
• Direct mail (Postcards, catalogs, or brochures sent to specific addresses)
• Telemarketing (Outbound calls to potential customers)
• SMS Marketing (Text message campaigns on mobile devices)

The main goal here is to generate sales.

Research by the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) indicates that direct mail is five to nine times more effective than email at getting people to respond.

Sponsorship

When businesses sponsor something, their business’s name and brand get noticed by the audience of the organization or event. This means more people will become aware of your business.

Product placements in movies and TV shows are common examples of sponsorship. For instance, a character might always drink a specific brand of coffee or wear a particular brand of sneakers.

The jerseys of a sports team might be sponsored by a bank or a technology company, and the stadium could be named after a major corporation.

These sponsoring events or talents help businesses build stronger relationships with your current customers and attract new ones. It shows that business is active and supportive, which can make clients feel more connected to the brand.

It’s a smart way to promote your business while supporting something meaningful.

Targeted Search Engine Marketing

Platforms like Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads have made it easier than ever to target the right audience. These channels allow you to focus on users based on their demographics, interests, and online behaviors, making it a perfect fit for BTL marketing tactics.

Targeted SEM is a powerful BTL marketing strategy where messages hit home through optimized paid search ads.

Mostly, people use search engines like Google to find products and services. This helps businesses appear in search results when people are looking for things they offer.

Google Ads leading search engine advertising platform, offering a wide range of targeting options and bidding strategies.

Bing Ads is a Microsoft’s search engine advertising platform, providing access to a smaller but still significant audience

Point-of-Sale Marketing

It is a type of marketing that takes place at the point of sale, which is typically a physical store or location where customers make purchases.

It’s designed to encourage customers to buy a product or service right then and there. This involves;

• in-store displays
• product demonstrations
• interactive displays
• POS signage

When these displays are well-placed, it leads to impulse purchases.

Experiential Marketing

To make your BTL efforts more engaging, think about immersive experiences like pop-up shops or augmented reality (AR).

It’s all about immersive and memorable experiences for customers. It taps into people’s sensory and emotional level to build stronger brand connections.

These modern marketing tools provide unique, hands-on experiences that leave lasting memories with customers.

Here are some examples of experiential marketing:

• Temporary events that create a buzz and offer customers a unique experience.
• Displays that allow customers to interact with the brand or product.
• Demonstrations that allow customers to see and try the product for themselves.
• Workshops or classes that teach customers something new about the brand or product.

Businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors using experiential marketing. Customers are more likely to remember and share experiences than traditional advertising messages.

Below the Line Marketing Examples

The success of below the line marketing always relies on creativity and memorable content that makes a significant impression.

If you’re interested in exploring examples of below the line marketing, these are the campaigns that are designed to resonate with specific groups.

Red Bull’s Extreme Sports Events

These events showcase athletes pushing their limits in thrilling competitions. Some of their most popular events include:

• Red Bull Air Race: This aerial racing competition features pilots flying specially designed planes through a series of low-altitude gates at high speeds. The most recent race was held in 2023. View complete information on Red Bull Air Race page.
• Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series: This competition features divers jumping from heights of up to 28 meters into the ocean. The series typically runs from June to September each year. View complete information on Red Bull’s Cliff Diving World Series page.
• Red Bull Rampage: This mountain biking competition challenges riders to navigate a treacherous course of natural obstacles in the Utah desert. The most recent event was held in 2023. View complete information on Red Bull’s Rampage event page.

These events are known for their adrenaline-fueled action, stunning locations, and the incredible athleticism of the participants.

This is a form of event marketing which is popular BTL marketing approach. It involves sponsoring or organizing events to reach a target audience and create brand awareness.

Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign

Dove’s “Real Beauty” Campaign was a groundbreaking initiative that challenged traditional beauty standards. The campaign aimed to promote self-acceptance and body positivity by featuring real women of diverse ages, shapes, and sizes in their advertising.

One of the most memorable aspects of the campaign was the “Real Beauty Sketch” video, which went viral in 2013. In this video, women were asked to describe themselves and were then sketched by artists based on their own descriptions.

Watch DOVE – Real Beauty Sketches Cannes Lions Grand Prix Titanium Case Study video here;

The results were compared to the artists’ sketches based on the women’s physical appearance. The video highlighted the disconnect between how women perceive themselves and how others see them.

Oreo’s Daily Twist Campaign

Oreo’s “Daily Twist” Campaign was a creative and engaging social media initiative that leveraged the versatility of the Oreo cookie to create daily themed images. Each day, Oreo would share an image of a cookie with a unique twist, often related to current events, holidays, or pop culture references.

Watch the Case Study: Oreo, Daily Twist here;

How is Oreo, Daily Twist campaign a BTL Marketing example?

Oreo’s Daily Twist campaign wasn’t just fun—it was deeply personal. Each post tapped into current cultural moments and connected with fans on a personal level, making them feel as if they were part of the Oreo story.

Oreo was able to build a strong online community of fans on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. It generated significant buzz around the brand. 

How to Measure Below the Line Marketing?

As BTL marketing is about creating individual connections between a brand and its consumers. So, it relies on tools that can track more specific interactions and results.

For example, if a brand runs a promotional event at a store, they’ll want to measure how many people attended, how many engaged with the brand, and how many made a purchase as a result of that event.

Similarly, if a company sends out an email campaign, they’ll need to track things like how many people opened the email, clicked on links, or made a purchase afterward.

Without these tools, it would be challenging to know if the personalized approach is actually leading to sales or stronger brand loyalty.

BTL marketing is all about the details, and these details need to be carefully tracked and analyzed to make sure the marketing efforts are successful.

But it is little bit challenging to measure its success.

Why is it challenging to measure BTL marketing?

Measuring the success of BTL marketing can be tricky due to several challenges.

Lack of standardized methods

In BTL marketing, there isn’t always a single way to measure success because each campaign can be different.

For example, a live event might be judged by how many people attended, while a direct mail campaign might focus on how many responses were received.

Since every campaign has its unique goals, finding a consistent way to measure success can be difficult.

Varying levels of interaction and engagement

Not every customer interacts with a brand in the same way. Some might participate in a contest, others might respond to an email, and some might engage in a face-to-face conversation at an event.

These different types of interactions can make it hard to measure engagement consistently, as not all interactions have the same level of impact.

Qualitative and Quantitative data

Quantitative data is about the numbers – things like how many people attended your event or how many clicks your ad received. These figures are easy to measure, but they don’t always tell the full story. For example, event attendance can show how many people were interested enough to show up, and you might notice a sales increase as a direct result.

On the other hand, qualitative data is a bit more subtle. It’s about feelings and experiences. For instance, customer feedback or social media comments can tell you how people feel about your brand. Positive reactions and excitement on social media might suggest a successful campaign, even if the direct sales numbers aren’t as high.

Quantitative data, like how many people attended an event, is straightforward. But qualitative data, like how people feel about the brand after the event, can be more subjective and harder to measure.

These challenges make it difficult for marketers to fully understand how well their BTL campaigns are performing and where improvements are needed.

Key metrics to measure BTL marketing effectiveness

BTL marketing performance can be measured by considering the following key performance indicators;

Event attendance and participation

This involves counting how many people show up at events like trade shows, product demonstrations, or in-store promotions. But it’s not just about the number of attendees—understanding how engaged they are is equally important. You get a clearer picture of how effective your event was.

High attendance with low participation might indicate that people are interested but not fully engaged, while strong participation can show that your event is resonating well with your target audience.

Customer surveys

After events like a sampling campaign, product demo, or in-store promotion, it’s important to hear directly from the customers about their experience.

For example, if you ran a sampling campaign where customers tried your product, you could ask them questions like, “Did you enjoy the product?” or “Would you consider buying it in the future?” This gives you insight into their reactions and whether the campaign had a positive impact.

Surveys can be simple and easy to complete, either in person at the event or online afterward. It also gives you a sense of how your brand is being perceived by your audience.

Sales Lift and conversions

Essentially, you’re looking at whether your campaign led to more sales or actions from customers.

If you run a promotion offering a discount on a product, you’ll want to track how many people used that discount and made a purchase. This increase in sales because of your campaign is called sales lift. It helps you see if the campaign encouraged more customers to buy.

Conversions are similar but focus on any desired action, like signing up for a newsletter, filling out a form, or making a purchase. If your BTL campaign aimed to get people to take a specific action, you measure how many did so—this is your conversion rate.

By tracking sales lift and conversions, you can directly connect your marketing efforts to actual results. If you see a positive change, it means your campaign was successful in driving customer actions.

Coupon Redemption Rates

When you run a campaign where customers receive a discount or special offer through a coupon, the goal is for them to use that coupon to make a purchase.

To see how well the campaign worked, you count how many coupons were actually redeemed, meaning how many customers took advantage of the offer.

If a lot of people used the coupons, it shows that the campaign was successful in attracting customers and encouraging them to buy.

Response Rates

A higher response rate means that more people found your message interesting and were motivated to take action. This helps you understand if your campaign is effective and whether your message is reaching the right audience. 

When you send out a direct mail piece or an email as part of a BTL marketing campaign, your goal is to get recipients to take a specific action. This action could be anything from visiting your website, signing up for a service, making a purchase, or even just replying to the email.

To measure success, you track how many people took that desired action after receiving your message.

For example, if you send an email to 1,000 people, and 100 of them click on a link in the email to visit your website, your response rate is 10%.

Brand Awareness and Sentiment

Measuring brand awareness and sentiment is important to understand how people feel about your brand and how well they recognize it. This can be done before and after a marketing campaign to see if your efforts have made a difference.

Brand awareness refers to how familiar people are with your brand. For example, do they know your brand name, logo, or products?

Brand sentiment is about how they feel about your brand—whether their opinions are positive, negative, or neutral.

Social media monitoring is a way to track brand awareness and sentiment. By looking at mentions of your brand on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, you can see how often people talk about your brand and what they’re saying. Are the comments positive or negative? Is there more buzz about your brand after the campaign?

By comparing the results from before and after the campaign, you can see if your BTL efforts helped improve brand recognition and positive feelings towards your brand.

Why use below the line marketing?

If you’re wondering why BTL marketing might be the right approach for your business, let’s break it down. Here’s why it’s a great option:

• More targeted: You can reach exactly the people you want.
• More personal: It feels like a more personal connection with your customers.
• More measurable: You can track how well your campaigns are working.
• More cost-effective: It can be cheaper than big ads on TV or radio.

So, if you want to connect with your customers directly, go with below the line marketing.