Chapter 17 - Integrated Marketing Communications

Define integrated marketing communications

A holistic marketing approach where all aspects of marketing (advertising, promotion, public relations, sponsorships, events) work together towards a common goal.

IMC takes the best of each communications medium and combines it to achieve the most effective marketing communications campaign possible.

What is the goal of IMC?

To ensure all the various marketing mix elements work together to deliver a consistent message.

Delivering the right message, to the right consumer, at the right time!

When was IMC coined

1980s

What is the difference between traditional and integrated marketing?

• Traditional

  • Company driven

  • Goal: make a sale / increase profits

  • Media: print and broadcast

  • One-way conversation: speaks at the consumer

  • Mass audience / general messages

  • Uncoordinated messages'

  • Build awareness

• Integrated

  • Consumer driven

  • Goal: understand and meet the needs of the consumer

  • Media: best media option to meet the target audience

  • Two-way conversation: speaks with the consumer

  • Personalized / tailored messages

  • Coordinated messages

  • Call to action

What are the six components of the communication process?

• Sender (The Coca-Cola Company)

• Transmitter (The marketing agency)

• Communications channel (The media type used)

• Receiver (The target audience)

• Noise (any message that detracts from the original message; competing messaging, anything that make the receiver not get the message as intended)

• Feedback (The communication between the receiver and the sender to say let them know if the message was received properly)

What is the AIDA model

Provides a basis for understanding how marketing communication works.

• Awareness → Interest → Desire → Action

What are the awareness metrics discussed in class?

Aided recall (have you heard of Coke) and top-of-mind awareness (Name an American soda brand)

What does the interest in the AIDA model mean?

It is one thing for the customer to know about the product, but to have interest involves sparking their curiosity enough to investigate the product further

What does the desire part of the AIDA model mean?

Getting the customer from I like it to I want it

What does the action part of the AIDA model mean?

The goal is to get the receiver to purchase the product. Action means to get the receiver to do an action.

• PSAs like antidrug programing counts

What is the lagged effect?

Sometimes consumers don’t act immediately after receiving a marketing communication. Multiple exposures are often necessary.

Are some marketing channels (social media) better than others (radio)

No, IMC is all about using the channels together to have a better impact

When is personal selling generally better?

When the purchase is complicated because the salesperson can customize the communication to meet the needs of the specific buyer.

What is direct marketing?

Communicating directly with target customers (no middleman) to generate a response or transaction. Direct marketing has grown because companies now know more about their customers then ever before (big data)

• Social media is a big medium

What is public relations as a communications channel?

“Free” media attention, but requires a ton of work and personal relationships