Promotion mix is also known as communication mix. It is actually all the communications between the firm and the target market that increase the tangibility of the product or service.

It monitors consumer expectations, builds relationships, or persuades consumers to buy the product. This includes advertisement and brochures, news reviews and reports, overseas media coverage, etc.

In the case of Singapore Biennale 2008, this could possibly be the least effective mix of all. Very few commercial advertisements were seen on the television, which is one of the main paths in getting people’s attention. Maybe SB08 may attract more families if they advertise during the golden hours.

Brochures were only presented to visitors at the point when they purchase the tickets (at the venues itself). What the organiser should have done was to place the SB08 brochures at the Postcard stands, or information counters located in shopping malls.

However, looking at the better side of the Promotion mix, there were quite a number of news reports on it. There was once a news report on the “maggots” art work shown in the news. This could have probably brought up attention to the event.

I thought that SB08 could have achieved higher number of visitors if there were overseas media which are keen to write reports on it. Perhaps this can be done in future, when Singapore Biennale has expanded into a Major Event.

Possibly, most of the promotion was done through Word-Of-Mouth. People who had visited the inaugural Biennale in 2006 may have passed a positive WOM to their friends and relatives.