Professional News

UK's Barnes Shares Marketing Expertise with Professionals, Students in Zambia

of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 7, 2016) Beth Barnes, professor in the UK College of Communication and Information, developed the outline of topics and gave three lectures during a two-day workshop in Zambia, Africa, titled "Planning Your Sales Promotion Campaign for Results."

“The workshop was to help marketers in Zambia use sales promotion more effectively through understanding some of the ways it can be used, the pros and cons of both price reduction and value-added techniques, and what we know about how consumers react to sales promotion offers in both the short- and long-terms,” Barnes said.

She delivered three talks on the first day of the workshop on sales promotion objectives, sales promotion techniques and consumer response to sales promotion. She also spoke on behalf of the U.S. Embassy at two events and held a Q&A session with topics including U.S. government and politics, U.S. higher education structure, opportunities for Zambian students and what the U.S. can learn from Zambia and vice versa.

Barnes prepared for this workshop by reflecting on the courses she’s taught at UK on the same topics and her knowledge of Zambia itself.

“I'm able to draw on my previous experience in Zambia to make [the talks] relevant for the current business situation there,” Barnes said.

Barnes plans to return to Zambia in the fall for her sabbatical semester.

“I plan to be working with the Zambia Institute of Marketing, so it's always useful for me to get to spend time with people working in marketing communication in the country,” Barnes said.

Her favorite part of the workshop was working with Zambian students.

“It was fascinating to hear what was on their minds and especially their perceptions of the U.S.,” Barnes said.

Barnes is currently teaching two UK courses, “Strategic Public Relations” and “Advertising to Multicultural Britain,” in London. She first made contact with ZAMCOM, a media-training institute in Zambia, through the UK School of Journalism and Telecommunications in 2008 and has returned for various marketing and research projects since.

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, go to: uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu