Marketing Communication, Advertising and Public Relations
COM4808
ANSWERS
(a) A Discussion of the concept of integrated marketing communications (IMC).
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is a strategic approach that aims to
unify and coordinate a company's marketing messages across all channels to
ensure consistency and a cohesive brand experience for customers. The concept
of IMC is becoming increasingly important in today's fragmented
media environment, where consumers are bombarded with information from multiple
sources (Camilleri, and Camilleri, 2018).
American Marketing Association (AMA): The American Marketing Association defines
integrated marketing communications (IMC) as "a planning process designed to
ensure that all brand communications received by a customer or prospect about a
product, service, or organisation are relevant and consistent to that person over
time.” This definition emphasises the importance of creating a unified and consistent
message across all marketing channels to improve brand perception and the
customer experience.
Kotler and Keller: According to renowned marketing experts Philip Kotler and Kevin
Lane Keller, integrated marketing communications (IMC) is "the concept whereby a
company carefully integrates and coordinates its multiple communication channels to
deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the organisation and its
products.” This definition emphasises the strategic alignment of various
communication tools to effectively deliver a cohesive brand message to target
audiences.
Schultz and Kitchen: Schultz and Kitchen's approach to integrated marketing
communications (IMC) focuses on a customer-centric approach. They define IMC
as "a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute, and evaluate
coordinated, measurable, and persuasive brand communication programmes over
time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates, and other
targeted relevant external and internal targets." This definition highlights the
, importance of engaging various stakeholders through integrated communication
strategies to build long-term relationships.
Here are some key points about IMC:
Unified Messaging: IMC ensures that all forms of communication and messaging are
carefully linked together. This means that whether a customer sees a message on
social media, hears about it on the radio, or reads it in a newspaper, the main
message remains consistent.
Strategic Approach: It involves the process of planning and executing various
marketing activities such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct
marketing so that they all work together harmoniously (Cornelissen, 2021).
Customer Journey: IMC takes into account the entire customer journey, from
awareness to purchase, and ensures messages are consistent at every touchpoint.
Omni channel marketing: In a digital age where there are many channels to reach
potential customers, IMC helps manage these channels to complement each other
rather than working in silos.
Brand building: By delivering a consistent message, IMC contributes significantly to
building a strong brand identity and reputation.
Components of IMC: The process typically includes advertising, Internet marketing,
sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. Each component plays a role
in delivering a unified message to the target audience (Dahl, Eagle, and Low, 2015).
Effectiveness: When done well, IMC can lead to a more effective marketing
campaign as it leverages the strengths of each communication channel to reinforce
the brand's message, resulting in a greater impact on the target audience.
In essence, IMC is about creating a seamless consumer experience where
every piece of communication reinforces the brand's message, leading to a stronger
connection between the brand and its customers. It's a holistic approach that not
only looks at the individual components of marketing but also how they interact to
create a unified voice.
4E and 4C: integrated marketing communications
COM4808
ANSWERS
(a) A Discussion of the concept of integrated marketing communications (IMC).
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is a strategic approach that aims to
unify and coordinate a company's marketing messages across all channels to
ensure consistency and a cohesive brand experience for customers. The concept
of IMC is becoming increasingly important in today's fragmented
media environment, where consumers are bombarded with information from multiple
sources (Camilleri, and Camilleri, 2018).
American Marketing Association (AMA): The American Marketing Association defines
integrated marketing communications (IMC) as "a planning process designed to
ensure that all brand communications received by a customer or prospect about a
product, service, or organisation are relevant and consistent to that person over
time.” This definition emphasises the importance of creating a unified and consistent
message across all marketing channels to improve brand perception and the
customer experience.
Kotler and Keller: According to renowned marketing experts Philip Kotler and Kevin
Lane Keller, integrated marketing communications (IMC) is "the concept whereby a
company carefully integrates and coordinates its multiple communication channels to
deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the organisation and its
products.” This definition emphasises the strategic alignment of various
communication tools to effectively deliver a cohesive brand message to target
audiences.
Schultz and Kitchen: Schultz and Kitchen's approach to integrated marketing
communications (IMC) focuses on a customer-centric approach. They define IMC
as "a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute, and evaluate
coordinated, measurable, and persuasive brand communication programmes over
time with consumers, customers, prospects, employees, associates, and other
targeted relevant external and internal targets." This definition highlights the
, importance of engaging various stakeholders through integrated communication
strategies to build long-term relationships.
Here are some key points about IMC:
Unified Messaging: IMC ensures that all forms of communication and messaging are
carefully linked together. This means that whether a customer sees a message on
social media, hears about it on the radio, or reads it in a newspaper, the main
message remains consistent.
Strategic Approach: It involves the process of planning and executing various
marketing activities such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct
marketing so that they all work together harmoniously (Cornelissen, 2021).
Customer Journey: IMC takes into account the entire customer journey, from
awareness to purchase, and ensures messages are consistent at every touchpoint.
Omni channel marketing: In a digital age where there are many channels to reach
potential customers, IMC helps manage these channels to complement each other
rather than working in silos.
Brand building: By delivering a consistent message, IMC contributes significantly to
building a strong brand identity and reputation.
Components of IMC: The process typically includes advertising, Internet marketing,
sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing. Each component plays a role
in delivering a unified message to the target audience (Dahl, Eagle, and Low, 2015).
Effectiveness: When done well, IMC can lead to a more effective marketing
campaign as it leverages the strengths of each communication channel to reinforce
the brand's message, resulting in a greater impact on the target audience.
In essence, IMC is about creating a seamless consumer experience where
every piece of communication reinforces the brand's message, leading to a stronger
connection between the brand and its customers. It's a holistic approach that not
only looks at the individual components of marketing but also how they interact to
create a unified voice.
4E and 4C: integrated marketing communications
