Hewlett-Packard puts integrated marketing communications to work in its business to business markets. H-P uses a closely coordinated mix of advertising, event marketing, direct marketing and personal selling to sell workstations to high-level corporate buyers. At the broadest level, corporate image television ads, coupled with targeted ads in trade magazines, position H-P as a supplier of high quality solutions to customer’s work-station problems. Beneath this broad advertising umbrella, H-P then uses direct marketing to polish its image, update its customer database and generate leads for the sales force. Finally, company sales reps follow up to close sales and build customer relationships. H-P’s highly successful program of Interactive audio teleconferences illustrates the company’s mastery of integrated communications. These teleconferences are like mammoth conference calls in which H-P representatives discuss key industry issues and H-P practices with current and potential customers. To garner participation in the program, H-P employs afive-week, seven-step REGISTRATION PROCESS. First, four weeks before a teleconference, H-P mails out an introductory direct mail package, complete with an 800 number and business reply cards. One or two days after the mail package is received, H-P telemarketers call prospects to register them for the conference and registrations are confirmed immediately by direct mail. A week before the teleconference. H-P mails out detailed briefing packages and three days before the event, calls are made again to confirm participation. Finally one week after the event, H-P uses follow-up direct mail and telemarketing to qualify sales leads and develop account profiles for sales reps. Hallmark’s general brand advertising and program sponsorship are well known. Over the year, the company has relied heavily on mass media television and print advertising to position Hallmark as the card to give When you care enough to send the very best. Hallmark has transformed itself from traditional advertiser to a leader in state of the art integrated marketing communications. Hallmark now uses a well-engineered combination of network TV, print advertising, newspaper-distributed coupons, instore promotions, point of sale materials and direct marketing to lure customers into its stores. In the late 1980s the No.1 greeting card marketer realized that its core group of consumers--- working women---was changing. Hallmark product line had expanded beyond greeting cards to include gifts, collectibles and home entertaining and decorating products. To rebuild relationship with working women, Hallmark developed a major database marketing effort called THE VERY BEST which tied directly into its overall advertising program. The Very Best cultivates Hallmark’s most frequent and loyal customers, who receive regular personalized mailings filled with information about new products, including coupons and incentives to pull them into Hallmark’s 5000 Gold Crown stores. The Very Best mailings also provide information about holiday entertaining and gift giving. Hallmark’s goal is to build closer, more personal relationships with important customers. Questions: a) What is your understanding regarding integrated marketing communication efforts of Hewlett- Packard and Hallmark Cards? b) Discuss in detail the Hallmark’s The Very Best marketing effort. c) List some of the benefits company can get by satisfying customers.