Last Updated on 3 August 2023

When building your communications strategy – in trying to reach your customers and potential customers – it is critical to consider “where” these people are, and the best venue and vehicle with which to reach them.

The following list includes over 200 of the most common means and ways to reach customers. Use this to inspire your next strategy and brainstorm meeting. Use it as a checklist for potential vehicles you aren’t currently using.

For those of you in retail, you’ll appreciate the second list of signs and tools we marketers used at Starbucks Coffee to build awareness and communicate in-store and out-of-store.

Marketing

DIRECT MARKETING/ADS

  • Banner/Sign
  • Bench/Shelter/Mass Transit (also Taxi, Plane, Elevator, etc…)
  • Billboard
  • Business/Trade Publication
  • Door Hanger
  • Flyer
  • Magazine
  • Mall/Airport/Station
  • Newspaper
  • Newspaper Insert
  • Point of Purchase
  • Poster
  • Trade Show Exhibit
  • Advertising Campaign
  • Sky Writing

DIRECT MAIL

  • Catalog
  • Flyer
  • Brochure
  • Political
  • Direct Mail Campaign

Publications

ANNUAL REPORT

  • Association
  • Corporation
  • Educational Institution
  • Government
  • Medical
  • Non-Profit
  • Utility

BROCHURE

  • Business to Business
  • Business to Consumer
  • Capabilities
  • Catalog
  • Company Overview
  • Consumer Awareness
  • Educational
  • Fund Raising
  • Handbook
  • Informational
  • Pamphlet
  • Public Relations
  • Recruitment
  • Sales Promotion
  • Special Events
  • Viewbook

EMPLOYEE PUBLICATION

  • Annual Meeting
  • Benefits
  • Benefits Campaign
  • Internal Communication
  • Internal Magazine
  • Internal Newsletter
  • Manual/Training
  • Special Edition

MAGAZINE

  • Association
  • Consumer
  • Corporate
  • Educational Institution
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Internal
  • Non-Profit
  • Special Edition

EXTERNAL NEWSLETTER

  • Association
  • Corporate
  • Educational Institution
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Non-Profit

Marketing/Promotion

MATERIALS

  • Book
  • Calendar
  • Christmas Card
  • Invitation
  • Mouse Pad
  • Poster
  • Presentation Jacket
  • Postcard
  • T-Shirt
  • Specialty Item

MARKETING/PROMOTION CAMPAIGN

  • Corporate Branding
  • Internal Benefits/HR Materials
  • Product Launch
  • Promotion/Marketing Materials
  • Self Promotion
  • Special Event
  • Postcards
  • Other Communications/Public Relations

Communications/Public Relations

COMMUNICATION TOOLS

  • Communication Plan
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • External Communication Program
  • Internal Communication Program
  • Research/Study
  • Social Media Campaign

MEDIA KIT

  • Marketing/Promotion
  • Product Launch
  • Service Launch
  • Special Event

MEDIA RELATIONS/PUBLICITY

  • Magazine Placement
  • Newspaper Placement
  • Radio Placement
  • Television Placement
  • Publicity Campaign

Creativity

DESIGN

  • Annual Report
  • Annual Report Cover
  • Annual Report Interior
  • Brochure
  • Brochure Cover
  • Brochure Interior
  • Business Card
  • Holiday Card
  • Cartoon
  • Electronic Communication
  • Illustration/Graphic Design
  • Invitation
  • Letterhead
  • Logo
  • Magazine
  • Magazine Cover
  • Magazine Interior
  • Media Kit
  • Newsletter
  • Newsletter Cover
  • Newsletter Interior
  • Packaging
  • Post Card
  • Poster
  • Program Guide
  • T-Shirt
  • Web Site
  • Web Site Home Page
  • Web Site Interior

PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Advertising
  • Annual Report
  • Brochure
  • Calendar
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • People/Portrait
  • Product
  • Social Media
  • Website

WRITING

  • Ad Copy
  • Advertorial
  • Annual Report
  • Brochure
  • Column
  • Communication Plan
  • Editorial
  • Electronic Communication
  • Feature Article
  • Magazine
  • Media Kit
  • News Article
  • Newsletter
  • News Release
  • Podcast
  • Product Catalog
  • Radio Script
  • Technical
  • Social Media Copy
  • Speech
  • Video Script
  • Web Copy
  • White Paper

Electronic, Social, & Interactive Media

  • Web Site Overall
  • Web Site Home Page
  • Web Animation
  • Web Interactive Capabilities
  • Web Multi-Media Games, Contests, Presentations
  • Web Based Training
  • Web Video
  • Intranet
  • Microsite
  • E-Commerce/Storefront
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • E-Blast
  • E-mail Campaign
  • E-Newsletter
  • E-Zine
  • E-Annual Report
  • Social Media Site
  • CD/DVD Based Multi-Media
  • Web Based Multi-Media
  • Viral Marketing

RADIO & TELEVISION

  • Campaign
  • Infomercial
  • PSA
  • PSA Campaign
  • Single Spot

VIDEO/FILM

  • Corporate Image
  • Documentary
  • Educational
  • Educational Institution
  • Fund Raiser
  • Government
  • Instructional
  • Internal Communication
  • Marketing (Product)
  • Marketing (Service)
  • Medical
  • Meeting Open/Close
  • Non-Profit
  • Powerpoint-Style Presentation
  • Recruitment
  • Religious
  • Self-Promotion
  • Special Event
  • Training
  • Videos For Sale
  • Video News Release
  • TV Program (Broadcast)
  • TV Program (Cable)

The above list is based on the MarCom Awards entry ballot… these are the categories used to classify materials submitted for entry.

Additional Vehicles Not Listed Above

  • Sky Writing – you’ll see this in the summer above a theme park.
  • Banner Pulled By Airplane – great for summer beach.
  • Bar Coasters – smart to reach the drinking audience.
  • Airline Tray Stickers – decal stuck to the top of airplane tray.
  • Street Chalk – be careful with this one, some cities consider this graffiti.

Bonus Starbucks Coffee Company List

Here is a bonus list of vehicles we used back in 2004 at Starbucks Coffee. One of the projects I worked on was to consolidate the number of message spaces in-store to reduce the messaging to the fewer, more meaningful elements.

  • Bag Wraps (Around Whole Bean)
  • Banner Topper
  • Banner: Booth
  • Banner: In-Store
  • Banner: Parade
  • Banner: Street
  • Black Apron Take Away
  • Coffee Floor Stand Insert
  • Coffee Floor Stand Sign
  • Coupon
  • Cube Insert (Acrylic Cubes/Tip Jar)
  • Direct Mail
  • Double Riser Wrap
  • Drive Through Magnet Strip
  • Extra Large Message
  • Extra Large Topper
  • Flyer
  • Food Case Magnetic Strip
  • Food: Catering Menus
  • Food: Custom Pastry Bags
  • Food: Pastry Case Signage
  • Food: Recipe Books / Cards
  • Hang Tags
  • Happening/Community Boards
  • Holder for Black Apron Take Away
  • Invitation
  • Large (Window) Cling
  • Large Cube Wrap
  • Large Message
  • Large Shelf Skirt
  • Large Tent – Horizontal
  • Media / Press Kits
  • Medium (Window) Cling
  • Medium Message – Rectangle
  • Medium Message – Square
  • Medium Message B
  • Medium Tent -Vertical
  • Menus (Take-Away)
  • Partner (Employee) T-Shirt Art
  • Pastry Case Magnet Strip
  • Pastry Topper
  • POS Rack Shelf Sign
  • POS Rack Top Insert
  • POS Rack Top Sleeve
  • Poster – Local Store
  • Poster – Retail North America
  • Print Ad
  • Rack Shelf CD Holder
  • Rack Shelf CD Sign
  • Round (Window) Cling
  • Sampling Calendar
  • Sampling Tray Liner
  • Short CD Backer
  • Small (Table) Tent
  • Small (Window) Cling
  • Small Message -Small Square
  • Small Shelf Skirt
  • Small Sweets Merchandiser
  • Spinner Topper Header (CD rack)
  • Spinner Topper Insert (CD rack)
  • Standard Cube Wrap
  • Standard Riser Wrap
  • Store Locator Brochures / Maps
  • T-Sign
  • Take-Away
  • Tall CD Backer
  • Tall Riser Wrap
  • Tray Liner
  • Tumbler Art

If you have other venues or vehicles, please submit them and I’ll add them to this master list.