27193 Event Marketing

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject examines the strategic marketing planning process as it applies to events of various types. In moving through this process, this subject deals with: the event marketing environment; setting marketing objectives; understanding event consumers; event marketing strategies; positioning and branding events; managing the quality of event experiences; distributing 'access' to events through the ticketing process; pricing; marketing communications; and approaches to monitoring, controlling and evaluating event marketing efforts. There is a focus on case studies in this subject.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Discuss key considerations in the marketing of event experiences.
2. Describe event attendee needs, motivations and decision processes.
3. Describe and discuss the strategic marketing planning process for events.
4. Analyze case specific data relating to events and their marketing practices and generate appropriate strategic marketing responses.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject is an elective within the undergraduate programs of the School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism. The subject provides an overview of key considerations in the marketing of event experiences, and seeks to develop a comprehensive understanding of the event attendee. The focus of this subject is on the application of the strategic marketing planning process to events of various types. Case studies examining how the marketing planning process, or aspects of this process, has been applied to selected Australian and overseas corporate and public events are a feature of this subject.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject seeks to encourage students to explore theories and research regarding the marketing of events. To progress this goal, students will be required to undertake designated weekly readings which will serve as the basis for exercises and/or discussion in tutorials. Additionally, these readings will be linked to lectures that will be presented by School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism staff, and as appropriate, guest presenters. An integral part of this course will be the examination of event marketing cases studies which will be selected with the intent of demonstrating one or more aspects of the strategic event marketing process.

Content

• Considerations in the marketing of event experiences
• The event marketing environment
• The role of market research in shaping the design of event experiences
• Understanding event consumers: needs, motivations and decision processes
• Events and the strategic marketing planning process
• The event marketing mix
• Managing the quality of event experiences
• Controlling, monitoring and evaluating event marketing outcomes
• Marketing case studies: corporate and public events

Assessment

Recommended text(s)

Student reader

Indicative references

Allen, J., O'Toole, W., McDonnell, I. and Harris, R. (3rd ed.) 2005, Festival and Special Event Management Jacaranda Wiley, Brisbane

Bowdin., G., and Church, I. 1999, 'Customer Satisfaction and Quality Costs: Towards a Pragmatic Approach for Event Management in Allen, J., Harris, R., Jago, L.K., & Veal, A., (eds.) Events Beyond 2000 Setting the Agenda, Proceedings of Conference on Event Evaluation, Research and Education, Australian Centre for Event Management, School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism, University of Technology, Sydney, pp.186-196.

Cambourne, B., Cegielski, M., & Mules, T. 2002, 'Use of dichotomous choice modeling to fix event ticket prices', in Jago, L., Deery, M., Harris, R., Hede, A., & Allen, J., (eds.) Events and Placemaking, Australian Centre for Event Management, School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism, University of Technology, Sydney, pp 418-441.

Harris, R., 2001,'Marketing and events' in R. Harris & J. Allen (eds.) Regional Event Management Handbook, University of Technology, Sydney, Australian Centre for Event Management, Sydney, pp. 103-119.

Hoyle, L. 2002, Event Marketing, John Wiley and Sons, Inc, New York

Mehmet, M., & Albert-Ellingsen, K., 2005, 'Do Small-Scale Festivals Adopt 'Market Orientation' as a Management Philosophy'? Event Management, 9 (3) pp. 119-132

Wood, E. 2003 'Marketing information for the events industry' in I. Yeoman, , M. Robertson, J. Ali-Knight, S. Drummond and U. McMahon-Beattie (eds) Festival and Events Management: An International Arts and Culture Perspective', Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp. 130-156