Samenvatting

SoftexGroup is the sole hygienic paper manufacturer established in Curacao and has expanded the reach
of its business to include Aruba and Puerto Rico. The organization has been successful in the past three
decades however, while it continues to thrive in its current operations, Softex has reached a position in
its existence where it needs to extend itself to continue to grow and prosper as a leading firm in the
Carribbean. Softex is in the optimal position to take advantage of market opportunities due to its strong
financial position and operational foundation.

This report was commissioned to elucidate how an event marketing communication strategy should be
designed for Softex and how this strategy can contribute to establishing and communicating a positive
brand image. The report will further expound on describing the impact of culture on the event
marketing communication strategy as Western cultural assumptions are at the root of marketing
communication philosophies.

In examining the efficiency of an event marketing communication strategy for communicating a positive
brand image and penetrating a new market segment, this study integrated an interpretivism case study
approach. Academic literature and preliminary research also contributed to the examination of the
strategy and the impact of culture on efficiency and productivity of this strategy.

The empirical findings illustrate that Aruba, Curacao and Puerto Rico have one collectivistic trait in
common which explains the need for events as promotional tool to enhance brand image, engage with
customers and build trust. However, it is observed that the cultures of the three islands differ,
mandating Softex to be sensitive to different cultural aspects and adopt their brand elements (images,
communication channels, advertising and others) to appeal to local preferences of customers.
Nonetheless, there seem to be conflicting results on the establishment of a brand image and the use of
events in the three islands. The results indicate a positive well-established brand image in Puerto Rico
and the use of events for networking while Aruba and Curacao has failed to establish a brand image or
recognize the advantage of events thus far.