below the line
Targeted promotional activity such as direct mail, events, sponsorship and in-store promotion, aimed at specific groups.
Definition
Below the line, or BTL, refers to marketing aimed at narrower audiences through direct contact, for example email, events, sampling, point-of-sale displays and sponsorship. It is usually easier to measure than mass advertising. The term originated in how agencies once recorded commissions and billing. Today the distinction is less strict, and many campaigns blend both. Treat it as a loose label and ask which tactics are included in any proposal. Because it is closer to the customer, it often lets small teams test ideas cheaply before committing to a larger campaign.
In a sentence
The launch included an event and sampling as below-the-line activity.
Below-the-line tactics were easier to track than billboards.
