Promotion, as a part of marketing activities, involves disseminating information about a product, product line, brand or offerings of an organization to the different channels and end users. Above the line promotion, which includes promotion through mass media like television, radio, newspaper, internet are the traditional promotional mix adopted by the companies to reach out to the customers. However, with the increasing cost of these promotional tools, scrambled advertisements, increased impulsive buying and struck of recession, below the line promotions have gained the momentum of increased usage by the companies to establish a one to one relationship with the customers.

The subtlety of the below the line promotion, is its key factor of success, is to ensure that the customer is unaware of the promotion being taking place. This just lays a more effective way of creating an impression in the minds of the user. These are especially targeted towards individuals tailored to suit their expressed needs and preferences, whereas above the line promotion is targeted towards mass audiences. The different types of below the line promotion includes sponsorships, trade shows, direct mailing, public relations, endorsements, mobile messages, exhibitions, trade discounts, redemption coupons, road shows, in-shop and shop front activities and many others. One of the main essences of below the line marketing is its long interactions with the customers and it should allow customers to clear their queries, i.e., two way communications between the company and the customer. Though larger brands like LG, Nokia, Titan and others have moved fairly to this type of promotion, below the line marketing is more suited for new entrants in the market or companies having new product offerings. Consumer interactions and enhanced communication helps in better positioning of the brand.

As examples of these types of promotion, educational institutes and training centers conduct free tests, carry out workshops and sponsors contests to increase their visibility, interact directly with customers and thus have a huge platform to promote themselves. Ringtones, caller tunes are very common and inexpensive ways of promoting a cinema or music albums. Even retail sector and industrial sector have highly adopted below the line promotion to give feeling of importance to the customers through various activities like text messaging offers and discounts, special gifts and others. Thus below the line marketing is being adopted through various sectors as it ensures customer loyalty and increased return on investment.