Comparative case study of marketing effectiveness between a website and printed brochures of a polytechnic in Singapore

Abstract

This case study evaluated the marketing effectiveness of a polytechnic's homepage as a marketing tool of a polytechnic in Singapore. Measurement of effectiveness focused on the impact of the website on the audience' perception of the institution. Participants came from a specific segment of the web site's intended audience. Results were compared with that of the polytechnic's promotional publications. Marketing effectiveness was operationalized as output effectiveness, which was defined as the attitude change which the homepage produces in its intended audience. It was assessed by comparing the differences in the audience's rating and ranking of the polytechnic before and after exposure to the stimuli. The polytechnic's brochures and a control group provided the benchmarks. This study challenged the assumption made by some proponents that the website was already proven effective.