INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is an approach to brand communications where the different modes work together to create a seamless experience for the customer and are presented with a similar tone and style that reinforces the brand’s core message.

Its goal is to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, online communications and social media work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation, which in turn maximizes their cost effectiveness

Integrated Marketing Communications

• is an initiative taken by organizations to make their products and services popular among the end-users.

• Brand communication goes a long way in promoting products and services among target consumers. The process involves identifying individuals who are best suited to the purchase of products or services (also called target consumers) and promoting the brand among them through any one of the following means

Brand Communications

AdvertisingSales PromotionPublic RelationDirect MarketingPersonal SellingSocial media

• The Foundation - As the name suggests, foundation stage involves detailed analysis of both the product as well as target market. It is essential for marketers to understand the brand, its offerings and end-users. You need to know the needs, attitudes and expectations of the target customers. Keep a close watch on competitor’s activities.

• The Corporate Culture - The features of products and services ought to be in line with the work culture of the organization. Every organization has a vision and it’s important for the marketers to keep in mind the same before designing products and services. Let us understand it with the help of an example.

• Organization A‘s vision is to promote green and clean world. Naturally its products need to be eco friendly and biodegradable, in lines with the vision of the organization .

• Brand Focus - Brand Focus represents the corporate identity of the brand.

• Consumer Experience - Marketers need to focus on consumer experience which refers to what the customers feel about the product. A consumer is likely to pick up a product which has good packaging and looks attractive. Products need to meet and exceed customer expectations.

various components of Integrated Marketing Communication:

• Communication Tools - Communication tools include various modes of promoting a particular brand such as advertising, direct selling, promoting through social media such as Facebook, twitter, orkut and so on.

• Promotional Tools - Brands are promoted through various promotional tools such as trade promotions, personal selling and so on. Organizations need to strengthen their relationship with customers and external clients.

• Integration Tools - Organizations need to keep a regular track on customer feedbacks and reviews. You need to have specific software like customer relationship management (CRM) which helps in measuring the effectiveness of various integrated marketing communications tools.

.Integrated marketing communication enables all aspects of marketing mix to work together in harmony to promote a particular product or service effectively among end-users

Overview of Eight Steps to Effective Communication

Identify target audience Determine objectives

Select communication channels Design the message

Effectively manage the process

Develop communications mix Establish communications budget

Measure results

Determining Communication Objectives

Models of consumer-response stages are – AIDA model– Hierarchy-of-effects model– Innovation-adoption model– Communications model

The models assume that buyers pass through these stages:

– Cognitive stage– Affective stage– Behavior stage

Designing the Message (AIDA)

Hierarchy-of-effects model

Communication Model

Awareness to Purchase

Deciding on Communications Mix

AdvertisingPublic, pervasive, expressive, impersonal

Sales promotionCommunication, incentive, invitation

Public relations and publicityCredibility, surprise, dramatization

Deciding on Communications Mix

Personal SellingPersonal confrontation,

cultivation, response

Direct MarketingNonpublic, customized,up-to-date, interactive

Promotional Mix

• Personal Selling

• Telemarketing

• Advertising

• Publicity

• Sales Promotions

Evaluating Promotional Activities

• Reach (Coverage)– How much of the intended audience do you reach?

• Effectiveness– How effectively do you communicate with the audience that you

reach?– Frequency: How often do you reach audience members?– Impact: How effective is each message?

• Cost: What is the cost per message?

Appropriate Use of Each Type

• Personal Selling

– Most effective form of communication– Relatively very expensive– To be used as a primary means of promotion for

customers who spend enough to justify the cost– Used extensively in industrial marketing situations

Telemarketing

• Telemarketing– Less effective than PS -- less personal– More effective than advertising -- interactive– Can be used to “qualify” prospects for personal

sales calls– Can be used to handle in-bound, self-service

orders for the delivery of goods– Cost falls in between PS and Advertising

Advertising

• Advertising– Less effective than PS or TM– But, Cheaper than either– Offers a way to reach a large number of potential

customers in a very short period of time– Primary means of promoting to customers who do

not spend enough to justify PS or TM– Should be used to create brand awareness and

educate customers of product features/benefits

Publicity• Publicity

– Less effective than advertising because it offers limited control of the message, timing and the media

– cannot be used to send a repetitive message– But, Cheaper than advertising– Often more credible to buyers– Most useful in establishing credibility for providers of

professional services– Can be used as a low cost alternative to advertising

Sales Promotions

• Sales Promotions– Good short term competitive tactic– Help clear slow-moving or seasonal inventory– Help generate quick cash flow, if required– SP such as “Sweepstakes” or “Contests” can be

used to add excitement to advertising– Not much value in terms of communication– Do not build a long term image for the brand

Push vs. Pull Strategies

• Push Strategy– Spending major part of promotional expenses on

distributors and retailers

• Pull Strategy– Spending major part of promotional expenses on

the consumer

A comparison of push and pull promotional strategies

Manufacturer

Wholesaler

Retailer

Consumer

Flow ofpromotion;mainlypersonalsellingdirected tointermediaries

Flow ofdemand

stimulation

Manufacturer

Wholesaler

Retailer

Consumer

Flow ofpromotion;mainly advertisingdirected toconsumers

Flow ofdemand

stimulation

A. Push strategy B. Pull strategy

Promotion Objectives

• Communication Objectives– To inform– To remind– To persuade

• Behavior Objectives– To sell– To take some action

Setting Advertising Budgets

• Percent of Sales What is the percent of present or forecasted sales?

• Competitive Parity Are we in line with our competition?

• Affordable Method What can we afford to spend on advertising this year?

• Objective and Task

Message Decisions

• Message Execution Theme and types of messages

• Message Structure One-sided vs. two-sided, types of arguments

• Message Generation Creative process of developing different message

ideas

The language of the media buyer

Term What It Means Reach The number of different people or households exposed to an advertisement.

Rating The percentage of households in a market that are tuned to a particular TV show or radio station.

Frequency The average number of times an individual isexposed to an advertisement.

Gross rating points Reach (expressed as a percentage of the total(GRPs) market) multiplied by frequency.

Cost per thousands The cost of advertising divided by the number (CPM) of thousands of individuals or households who

are exposed.

Scheduling the Advertising

Steady (“drip”) Schedule

-- Steady schedule throughout the year.

Flighting (“intermittent”) Schedule

-- Advertising reflects seasonal demand

Blitzing

Pulse (“burst”) Schedule

-- Steady and flighting schedules are combined

Benefits of IMC Although Integrated Marketing Communications requires a lot of effort it delivers many

benefits. It can create competitive advantage, boost sales and profits, while saving money, time and stress.

• IMC wraps communications around customers and helps them move through the various stages of the buying process. The organisation simultaneously consolidates its image, develops a dialogue and nurtures its relationship with customers.

• This 'Relationship Marketing' cements a bond of loyalty with customers which can protect them from the inevitable onslaught of competition. The ability to keep a customer for life is a powerful competitive advantage.

• IMC also increases profits through increased effectiveness. At its most basic level, a unified message has more impact than a disjointed myriad of messages. In a busy world, a consistent, consolidated and crystal clear message has a better chance of cutting through the 'noise' of over five hundred commercial messages which bombard customers each and every day.

• At another level, initial research suggests that images shared in advertising and direct mail boost both advertising awareness and mail shot responses. So IMC can boost sales by stretching messages across several communications tools to create more avenues for customers to become aware, aroused, and ultimately, to make a purchase

• Carefully linked messages also help buyers by giving timely reminders, updated information and special offers which, when presented in a planned sequence, help them move comfortably through the stages of their buying process... and this reduces their 'misery of choice' in a complex and busy world.

• IMC also makes messages more consistent and therefore more credible. This reduces risk in the mind of the buyer which, in turn, shortens the search process and helps to dictate the outcome of brand comparisons.

Benefits of IMC

• Un-integrated communications send disjointed messages which dilute the impact of the message. This may also confuse, frustrate and arouse anxiety in customers. On the other hand, integrated communications present a reassuring sense of order.

• Consistent images and relevant, useful, messages help nurture long term relationships with customers. Here, customer databases can identify precisely which customers need what information when... and throughout their whole buying life.

• Finally, IMC saves money as it eliminates duplication in areas such as graphics and photography since they can be shared and used in say, advertising, exhibitions and sales literature. Agency fees are reduced by using a single agency for all communications and even if there are several agencies, time is saved when meetings bring all the agencies together - for briefings, creative sessions, tactical or strategic planning. This reduces workload and subsequent stress levels - one of the many benefits of IMC.

Benefits of IMC

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