Understanding the Mystery Lines: Differences Between ATL, BTL & TTL

Advertisements can be divided into three segments namely Above the Line (ATL), Below the Line (BTL), & Through the Line (TTL), each one of them differing based on the mode of distribution. Michael J Baker, author of The Marketing Book differentiates atl btl & ttl based hypothetical boundaries based on the fact how advertising agencies have various pricing models for each of service being offered.

ATL, BTL, & TTL Advertising in Detail

ATL (Above The Line)

Above the Line advertising comprises of advertising activities that aren’t targeted to micro extent and have a wide reach. This form of communication aims to build the brand and inform masses about the product with least focus on conversions.

Related: - Atl Btl advertising Dubai

ATL Channels 

·         TV advertisement.

·         Newspaper/magazine advertisement.

·         Roadside advertisement, poster or bill sticker.

·         Radio advertisement.

·         Major sports team, venue or event sponsorship.

·         Billboard.

·         Cinema advertisement.

·         Signage.

·         Social media (general profiles or pages, not advertising).

Measuring ATL Campaigns

·         Frequency: - Number of times the target audience sees the advertisement.

·         Reach: - Total people that see the advertisement.

·         Impressions: - Number of times the advertisement was displayed across various mediums.

BTL (Below the Line)

Below-the-line advertising comprises of specific, memorable and direct advertising activities focused largely on targeted groups of consumers.  BTL strategies are focused more on conversions rather than brand building.

BTL Channels 

·         Intelligence-based telemarketing.

·         Tradeshow or exhibition.

·         Targeted leaflet drop.

·         Local sports team, venue or event sponsorship.

·         Events.

·         Direct mail marketing.

·         Experiential activities, in-person demonstrations or sampling.

·         Catalogues.

Measuring BTL Campaign

·         Conversion rates, followers, likes & visits from offline and online entities.

·         Open rates, CTR, CPC & CPA from digital advertisements.

·         Subscribers.

·         Engagement rates.

Also Read: - Gauging Your Brand’s Health: 5 Metrics to Measure in 2019

TTL (Through the Line)

Through the Line advertising uses a combination of both ATL & BTL marketing strategies to ensure better results. Also referring to 360-degree advertising, TTL campaigns are developed to build brand and increase conversions.

TTL Channels

·         Marketing automation/lead generation.

·         Remarketing.

·         Social media marketing.

·         PPC (pay-per-click) advertising.

·         SEM (search engine marketing) / paid search.

·         Content marketing.

·         Coupons/deals/incentives to past customers.

·         POS (point of sale) promotion.

·         PR (public relations).

Measuring TTL Campaigns

Since TTL is a mixture of all channels, measurement of these campaigns takes into consideration all the metrics.

Also Read: -  Top Social Media Marketing Trends for 2020 to Accelerate Business Growth

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