WENDY
ASSOR
DCSM2014037
What is integrated marketing communication?
Integrated
Marketing Communications began around 1980s, where lots of companies began
taking broader perspectives of marketing communication and seeing the need for
a more strategic integration. Integrated Marketing Communications simply
defined by the American Association of Advertising Agency (4As) as the value of
comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication
disciplines, advertising, PR, Personal and sales promotions and combines them
to provide clarity, consistency and maximum communication impact.
The IMC could be seen as a tool in
coordinating the various promotional elements and other marketing activities
that communicate with firm’s customers. In the opinion of Fill (2006), he raises the fact that
marketing has moved from winning new customers through keeping customers for
life towards dumping unprofitable customer while selectively seeking and
keeping the profitable ones. He listed other form of marketing communications
which are media proliferation, audience fragmentation, advancement of
information technology and the internet, consumer empowerment, increased
advertising, clutter, shift in channel power and the desire for more
accountability. All these underpin the driving forces leading toward integrated
marketing communication
Traditionally, Wright (2000) believes that the
promotional mix has included four elements: advertising, sales promotion,
public relations and publicity; personal selling. However, most modern scholars
agreed on the inclusion of the 5th element which is direct and interactive
(internet) marketing. A company’s total marketing communication mix-called its
promotional mix therefore, consists of the specific blends:
In a similar way, Picton and Broderick
(2005) observe that coordination is a
powerful element of an integrated communication strategy. And that many
companies might find integration difficult to adopt due to tough battles on how
to allocate resources and unwillingness to invest in the needed database. He
also observed that different departments were responsible for different
elements in the communication strategy (i.e., an advertising department, direct
mail department and a trade show or an event management department). In many of
these cases they are usually reluctant to give-up control over their,
respective
Integrated marketing communication tools also
can be said to be forms:
2.
Discuss the six forms of integrated marketing
FORMS OF
IMCS
Advertising; Advertising is one of the most effective ways of
brand promotion. Advertising helps organizations reach a wider audience within
the shortest possible time frame. Advertisements in newspaper, television,
Radio, billboards help end-users to believe in your brand and also motivate
them to buy the same and remain loyal towards the brand. Advertisements not
only increase the consumption of a particular product/service but also create
brand awareness among customer
Sales Promotion; Brands (Products and services) can also be promoted
through discount coupons, loyalty
clubs, membership coupons, incentives, lucrative schemes, attractive packages
for loyal customers, specially designed deals and so on. Brands can also be
promoted effectively through newspaper inserts, danglers, banners at the right
place, glorifiers, wobblers etc.
Direct Marketing; Through direct marketing, messages reach end-users
directly. Direct marketing enables organizations to communicate directly with
the end-users. Various tools for direct marketing are emails, text messages,
catalogues, brochures, and promotional letters
Personal Selling;Personal selling is also one of the most effective
tools for integrated marketing communication. Personal selling takes place when
marketer or sales representative sells products or services to clients.
Personal selling goes a long way in strengthening the relationship between the
organization and the end-users.
Public
relation activities help promote a brand through press releases, news, events,
public appearances etc .The role of public relations officer is to present the
organization in the best light.
Public relations: Building good relations with the company’s various
publics by obtaining favourable publicity, building up a good corporate image
and heading-off unfavourable rumours, stories and events about the firm.
Direct and internet marketing: Direct marketing communication is a
process of communication directly with target customers to encourage responses
by telephone, mail, electronic means or personal visit. Popular methods of
direct marketing communication include direct mail, telemarketing, online
computer shopping services, castle television shopping network, internet
marketing, etc. All types of marketers including retailers, wholesalers,
manufacturers and service providers use direct marketing communications. The
ultimate goal of marketing communication is to reach some audience to affect
their behaviour.
REFERENCES
Duncan,
T., 2002. IMC Using Advertising and Promotion to Build Brands. McGraw Hill,
USA.
Fill, C., 2006. Marketing Communications Engagement, Strategies and Practices. 4th Edn., Pearson Education Ltd., Edinburgh Gate, London Kliatchko, J., 2005. Towards a new definition of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). Int. J. Advert., 24: 7-34.Picton, D. and A. Broderick, 2005. Integrated Marketing Communications. 2nd Edn., Financial Times Prentice Hall, New York, pp: 761
Fill, C., 2006. Marketing Communications Engagement, Strategies and Practices. 4th Edn., Pearson Education Ltd., Edinburgh Gate, London Kliatchko, J., 2005. Towards a new definition of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). Int. J. Advert., 24: 7-34.Picton, D. and A. Broderick, 2005. Integrated Marketing Communications. 2nd Edn., Financial Times Prentice Hall, New York, pp: 761
