integrated marketing communication assignment

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Integrated Marketing Communications Assignment

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MKG 420 Integrated Marketing Communications

I. executive summary, ii. situation analysis, a. internal analysis, ii. situation analysis, b. external analysis, iii. target market analysis.

• Assignment 2
• American Marketing Association Citation Style
• Citing Business Sources in APA

Related Subject Guides

• Advertising & Public Relations
• SWOT Analysis
• Company and Industry Information

Use the resources below to find articles and reports related to your brand's performance.

• Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window Find trade publications and other sources to determine how your brand is doing. Articles and reports may also tell what your brand is and is not doing well with its promotion and IMC plan. You might start by simply doing a search to see what is being written about your brand and then narrowing your search to a specific problem once you have identified one. more... less... Description: Business Source Complete covers all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance, and more. Time Period: 1886 to present Sources: Indexes more than 6,700 journals and magazines plus thousands of reports and other sources. Subject Headings: Art & Architecture, Business, Education, News, Social Sciences (Accounting, Finance, Management, Business Education, Banking, Economics, Marketing, Computer Science) Scholarly or Popular: Scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Case Studies, Citations, Conference Papers, Journal Articles, Magazine Articles, News, Other, Report, Reviews, Trade Publications Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: Yes Print Equivalent: None Publisher: EBSCO Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window Search for information about your brand's consumers and for deeper insight into how they might be responding to your brand's IMC. Reports address topics such as what media they consume or the consumers values have. more... less... Description: Mintel Reports provides access to reports on market sizes, market shares and forecasts, and consumer trends. Users will find primary consumer research that helps unraveling key trends, behavior, and attitudes. Reports cover consumer markets in the CPG/FMCG, financial services, media, retail, leisure and industrial space. Reports are primarily on the U.S. and U.K., some European and Asia reports are included. The database also includes analyst insight and news. Time Period: Current Sources: Contains approximately 800 reports. Subject Headings: Business, Social Sciences (Consumer Behavior) Scholarly or Popular: Semi-scholarly Primary Materials: News, Reports, Statistics or Data Information Included: Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: No Print Equivalent: None Publisher: Mintel Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited

These resources will help with internal analysis of section II of the assignment.

• Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window Look for articles which will tell you about your brand's products, distribution, and your brand's strengths and weaknesses. You will find a list of your company's brands in the Company Profile report. Hover your pointer over More and select Company Profile. Note: You may have to clear your web browser's cache to see the arrow. more... less... Description: Business Source Complete covers all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance, and more. Time Period: 1886 to present Sources: Indexes more than 6,700 journals and magazines plus thousands of reports and other sources. Subject Headings: Art & Architecture, Business, Education, News, Social Sciences (Accounting, Finance, Management, Business Education, Banking, Economics, Marketing, Computer Science) Scholarly or Popular: Scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Case Studies, Citations, Conference Papers, Journal Articles, Magazine Articles, News, Other, Report, Reviews, Trade Publications Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: Yes Print Equivalent: None Publisher: EBSCO Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window See the Company Dossier for, among other things, a list of the company's brands. Do a Company Dossier search by clicking on Menu near the top of the page and select Company Dossier. Enter your company name or ticker symbol and press Search. Select your company from the list and look for Brands under Company Information. more... less... Description: Nexis Uni provides access to newspaper articles, magazine articles, and transcripts. It is also a key database for business and legal research, containing company reports, law journals, and statutes and cases from all 50 states. Also contains legal resources for Canada and the EU. Time Period: 18th century to present Sources: Searches more than 15,000 sources. Subject Headings: Business, General, Law, News, Social Sciences Scholarly or Popular: Semi-scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Citations, Journal Articles, Legal Materials, Magazine Articles, News, Reference Resources, Report, Transcripts Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: No Print Equivalent: None Publisher: Lexis Nexis Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window This database contains detailed reports with data and graphics related to products, brands and consumers. To find reports, enter your brand name or product type in the search box. See the Brand/ Company tab on the report to discover things like who the key players are, how consumers react to the brands, and what the preferred brands are. If you click on a report and do not see the Brand/ Company tab look for the Go to Report Summary link below the title within the report. more... less... Description: Mintel Reports provides access to reports on market sizes, market shares and forecasts, and consumer trends. Users will find primary consumer research that helps unraveling key trends, behavior, and attitudes. Reports cover consumer markets in the CPG/FMCG, financial services, media, retail, leisure and industrial space. Reports are primarily on the U.S. and U.K., some European and Asia reports are included. The database also includes analyst insight and news. Time Period: Current Sources: Contains approximately 800 reports. Subject Headings: Business, Social Sciences (Consumer Behavior) Scholarly or Popular: Semi-scholarly Primary Materials: News, Reports, Statistics or Data Information Included: Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: No Print Equivalent: None Publisher: Mintel Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited

Section II. a. asks you to provide context to your brand's current promotion efforts by looking at their past promotion efforts.  Articles from Business Source Complete may help with this (see link above).  For digital campaigns you can search the web and for articles about older campaigns the sources below can help.

These resources will help with the external analysis portion of the situation analysis.

• Mintel Reports This link opens in a new window Find reports to learn about consumers and consumer needs as well as what influences their purchasing decisions. Search for your brand or product type and combine with words to describe your consumer (e.g. Gen Z, low income, lower midscale, middle Americans). Consider using the suggested keywords the database provides as you enter your search terms. Once you locate a report, see the Consumer tab. Another option would be to click on Consumer Data under Analytics above the search box and then selecting a category that relates to your brand. more... less... Description: Mintel Reports provides access to reports on market sizes, market shares and forecasts, and consumer trends. Users will find primary consumer research that helps unraveling key trends, behavior, and attitudes. Reports cover consumer markets in the CPG/FMCG, financial services, media, retail, leisure and industrial space. Reports are primarily on the U.S. and U.K., some European and Asia reports are included. The database also includes analyst insight and news. Time Period: Current Sources: Contains approximately 800 reports. Subject Headings: Business, Social Sciences (Consumer Behavior) Scholarly or Popular: Semi-scholarly Primary Materials: News, Reports, Statistics or Data Information Included: Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: No Print Equivalent: None Publisher: Mintel Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window Search for articles about your brand, its consumers, and the product type, as well as demographic, economic, political, and social-cultural trends that may effect your brand. Combine your brand or company with words like consumer, customer, or marketing. You might also search using terms to describe types of consumers. Examples of useful search terms could include, millennials, green consumers, and demographic change. This database also contains market research reports. Search for your brand or product type and select Market Research Reports under Source Types in left column of the results list. Also use the Company Profile to find a list of competitors which you can then research. more... less... Description: Business Source Complete covers all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance, and more. Time Period: 1886 to present Sources: Indexes more than 6,700 journals and magazines plus thousands of reports and other sources. Subject Headings: Art & Architecture, Business, Education, News, Social Sciences (Accounting, Finance, Management, Business Education, Banking, Economics, Marketing, Computer Science) Scholarly or Popular: Scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Case Studies, Citations, Conference Papers, Journal Articles, Magazine Articles, News, Other, Report, Reviews, Trade Publications Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: Yes Print Equivalent: None Publisher: EBSCO Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window Use the Company Dossier to find a list of the competitors. Do a Company Dossier search by clicking on Menu near the top of the page and select Company Dossier. Enter your company name or ticker symbol and press Search. Select your company from the list and look for Competitors under Company Information. more... less... Description: Nexis Uni provides access to newspaper articles, magazine articles, and transcripts. It is also a key database for business and legal research, containing company reports, law journals, and statutes and cases from all 50 states. Also contains legal resources for Canada and the EU. Time Period: 18th century to present Sources: Searches more than 15,000 sources. Subject Headings: Business, General, Law, News, Social Sciences Scholarly or Popular: Semi-scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Citations, Journal Articles, Legal Materials, Magazine Articles, News, Reference Resources, Report, Transcripts Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: No Print Equivalent: None Publisher: Lexis Nexis Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
• Market Share Reporter See what share of the market a product has along with its competitors. Click on the link above and then scroll down below the search box and select Market Share Reporter, you can then Search Within Series search box in the upper right corner. Research their competitors too.
• Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window Search for articles about your brand's target market strategy and segments. more... less... Description: Business Source Complete covers all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, accounting, banking, finance, and more. Time Period: 1886 to present Sources: Indexes more than 6,700 journals and magazines plus thousands of reports and other sources. Subject Headings: Art & Architecture, Business, Education, News, Social Sciences (Accounting, Finance, Management, Business Education, Banking, Economics, Marketing, Computer Science) Scholarly or Popular: Scholarly Primary Materials: Abstracts, Case Studies, Citations, Conference Papers, Journal Articles, Magazine Articles, News, Other, Report, Reviews, Trade Publications Information Included: Abstracts, Full Text, Citations FindIt@BALL STATE: Yes Print Equivalent: None Publisher: EBSCO Updates: Daily Number of Simultaneous Users: Unlimited
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13.30: Assignment- Complete Marketing Plan

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• Lumen Learning

Resubmission recommendation: We recommend giving students an initial due date to complete Part 3 of the Marketing Plan after Module 13: Promotion: IMC. Then, after students have received some instructor feedback, in lieu of a final exam, we recommend allowing the students to revise and resubmit their final, improved Marketing Plan with a final due date prior to the end of term.

Student Instructions: Complete the following information about the organization and products and/or services you will focus on as you develop a complete marketing plan throughout the course. You may need to do research to get answers to the questions below. The subject for this assignment should be the organization and products and/or services you identified for the Marketing Plan, Parts 1 and 2 Assignments.

When you submit this assignment, you should submit it as a complete marketing plan, including all your work from Marketing Plan Assignments, Parts 1 and 2. All elements of your marketing plan should be complete. You may incorporate improvements to earlier sections of the plan, based on prior feedback from your instructor.

Marketing Mix (Four Ps)

Product strategy.

Briefly describe your product or service. Where is it in the product life cycle? What recommendations do you have for improving the offering to fit your target market’s needs? Be sure to consider:

• What level of quality and consistency does the offering have?
• How many features does it have and can they be removed or added?
• How well does your product or service deliver what the customer values? How can it improve?
• What improvements would help your offering compete more effectively?

Pricing Strategy

How is your product or service priced today? How does this compare to competitors, assuming competitors are at or near break-even point with their pricing? Analyze pricing alternatives and make recommendations about pricing going forward based on the following:

• How sensitive are your customers to changes in price?
• What revenue you need to break even and achieve profitability?
• What does the price says about your product in terms of value, quality, prestige, etc.?

Place: Distribution Strategy

What is your current distribution strategy? What missed opportunities or disconnects are you seeing in this distribution approach? Make recommendations about your future distribution strategy based on the following:

• What are the best distribution channels and methods for you to use, and why?
• Will you have a retail outlet and if so, where will it be located?
• In what geographic area(s) will your product/service be available?

Promotion: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy

Use the template below to lay out your design for a marketing campaign aimed at your target segment.

How will you achieve your goal? What promotional or engagement strategies will you use? Think creatively about campaigns you’ve seen for companies or brands that have caught your attention, and how your campaign will make an impact on your target audience. Will your campaign influence? Engage? Educate? Nurture? Build awareness? Etc.

Example: Use email marketing, social media and a sales promotion (prize drawing at conference) to encourage veteran attendees to post online about their experiences and plans for attending the user conference using the event hashtag. Use these testimonials to amplify dialogue about the conference (via social media), build awareness (via email marketing, Web site and targeted digital advertising) and convince peers they should attend.

In consideration of the of your previous analysis, you need to identify at least one goal for the campaign.

• Describe the target segment for your campaign.
• What is the goal you want to achieve with the campaign?
• What is your call to action?
• Make sure your goal is S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timed.)
• Audience: HR professionals who are casual and power-users of Chumber systems
• Increase event registration by 20% by the start date of the annual user conference.
• Call to action: Register online today.

Identify the primary message for your campaign, 2-3 message pillars and proof points for each. Be sure to include a call to action that helps to achieve your goal. Remember that messages should align reinforce your positioning statement. Be sure to include a call to action that helps to achieve your goal.

• Primary Message: The annual user conference provides phenomenal value for training, professional development, peer networking and learning how to get the most out of your investment.
• Message Pillar: This conference welcomes you into a dynamic, well-connected and highly competent professional community.
• Proof Point: Veteran attendees return year after year because it is recharges their skills, knowledge and professional networks.
• Call to Action: Register online today.

Promotional Mix and IMC Tools

Identify the key marketing communication methods and specific IMC tools you will use in your marketing campaign. How will you use each of these tools? Look for ways different methods and tools can build on each other: advertising, direct marketing, public relations, digital marketing, guerrilla marketing, personal selling, sales promotion.

Digital Marketing

• Web site: Add testimonials from prior attendees, event hashtag, rolling hashtag Tweets box, social media buttons to make registration easy to share via social media

Direct Marketing

• Email marketing: Reach out to prior year’s attendees who are already registered. Ask them to post about plans to attend upcoming conference. Conduct email campaign with target audience list to generate awareness, interest, desire to attend conference.

Sales Promotion + Digital Marketing

• Contest/giveaway: Offer giveaway where Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posts trigger entries in a “conference evangelist” contest/giveaway to take place at conference opening session, one entry per social media tool per day

Sales Alignment

At what point(s) in the sales process (or sales funnel) does this campaign operate? Sales process stages are: 1) generate leads; 2) build relationships/discover needs; 3) present solution/resolve concerns; 4) close the sale; 5) monitor and follow up. How does your campaign support sales activity?

Measurement (KPIs—Key Performance Indicators)

How will you measure the success of the campaign? Select 3-6 KPIs (key performance indicators) that you will measure. Briefly explain why each KPI you select will be a good indicator of whether your campaign is successful.

Examples of KPIs:

• Total sales/revenue
• New/incremental sales
• Number of qualified leads generated
• Net Promoter Score
• Web site unique visitors
• Number of registrations/sign-ups
• Impressions – views of content
• CTR – click through rate
• Engagement – comments, likes, shares, pageviews, video views
• Followers – social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube)

Budget: List marketing budget and resources required to execute your marketing campaign, and estimate what it will cost. Include items such as labor, materials and other expenses such as: print materials, online media tools or development, public relations services, design services, content development services, space or equipment rental, etc. Also, estimate the increased sales or revenue the campaign will generate for the company.

Add additional rows as needed.

Estimated campaign impact: [insert]

Action Plan

Outline the specific activities you must complete in order to execute your marketing campaign. Each element of your integrated marketing communications plan should be listed as a separate activity. List actions in the order they need to take place for the plan to be successful: first things first, later steps last. Follow-up activities and evaluation of campaign effectiveness also should be captured in this action plan. For the purposes of setting due dates in this action plan, you should assume you must complete the marketing campaign within 3–12 months.

Risk Factors

Contingency plans and risk management: You should consider the possible risks to your business and make contingency plans to address them. You note some possible risks under the “weakness” and “threats” sections of your SWOT analysis. Identify steps you can take to either reduce risks or work around them if they occur.

Executive Summary

Do this section last. This short summary should provide a holistic overview of your marketing plan. All of this information is covered in more detail in the rest of the marketing plan. For the Executive Summary, provide a clear, concise overview of the following points:

Company Description

Briefly description the organization and offerings (products and/or services) your marketing plan focuses on, and the problem(s) they solve.

Target Segment

Identify and briefly describe your target segment.

Competitive Advantage

Explain your organization’s competitive advantage.

Positioning Statement

Provide the positioning statement your marketing plan will apply.

Marketing Plan Objectives

List the objectives of marketing plan: What will it accomplish? Be as specific as possible: anticipated increase in sales, profits, market share, etc.

Sample Grading Rubric

Marketing mix (four ps) grading rubric.

Total points possible for Marketing Mix (Four Ps): 10 pts.

Goal Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Goal: 5 pts.

Approach Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Approach: 5 pts.

Messages Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Messages: 15 pts.

Promotional Mix and IMC Tools Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Promotional Mix and IMC Tools: 15 pts.

Sales Alignment Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Sales Alignment: 10 pts.

Budget Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Budget Grading: 10 pts.

Action Plan Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Action Plan: 10 pts.

Risk Factors Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Risk Factors: 10 pts.

Executive Summary Grading Rubric

Total points possible for Executive Summary: 10 pts.

Total points possible for Complete Marketing Plan Assignment (Marketing Mix Four Ps, Approach, Goal, Messages, Promotional Mix and IMC, Sales Alignment, Budget, Action Plan, Risk Factors, and Executive Summary) Tools: 100 pts.

Contributors and Attributions

• Assignment: Complete Marketing Plan. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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MASTER OF COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT ONLINE

How to Develop an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

November 15, 2023

View all blog posts under Articles

When weighing various marketing approaches, integrated marketing communications — in which organizations integrate their messaging across multiple channels, such as advertising, sales promotions, social media and public relations — has some appealing advantages.

According to online advertising firm AdRoll, integrated marketing communications:

• Improves the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and can strengthen brand loyalty
• Builds brand awareness by increasing the number of times consumers are made aware of a message
• Can save money through the use of a single consistent message across an array of communications channels

The key to rolling out an effective campaign across multiple platforms is an integrated strategy. If you’ve been considering improving your marketing communications expertise by enrolling in a graduate program, such as an online Master of Communication Management (MCM) degree program , it can be helpful to be familiar with how to build an integrated marketing communications strategy to keep your efforts on track and drive results.

1. Identify Your Customer

The first step in developing an integrated marketing communications strategy is to determine your audience. Consider demographic factors, such as education level, gender, income, age, race and geographic location. Then, think about behavioral and psychological traits, including things like interests, hobbies and values. Take the time to hone a highly targeted customer profile.

In some cases, you may have more than one customer profile for a given campaign. In those cases, be sure to complete each of the following steps for each profile, as every customer profile requires a tailored strategy in the communications plan.

2. Set Clear Objectives

In addition to knowing your customer, understanding your objectives is key to a successful integrated marketing communications strategy. Are you looking to drive revenue, build brand awareness, develop customer affinity or expand your reach? Once you’ve identified a general objective, flesh it out into SMART marketing goals.

According to digital marketing firm Smart Insights, the SMART mnemonic stands for:

• S Make goals detailed enough to enable identification of issues or opportunities.
• M Ensure that goals can have an applicable quantitative or qualitative metric.
• A Lay out goals in ways that can realistically lead to action.
• R Make sure that goals are applicable to the issues a marketing strategy is addressing.
• T ime-bound. Set time periods for goals so that you can review achievement.

Examples of SMART marketing goals are as follows:

• Generate 1,000 customer inquiries for a firm’s services within 10 months.
• Boost sales calls by 15% each quarter.
• Increase customer subscriptions by 50,000 within one year.
• Issue three press releases every month.

3. Craft the Campaign

Now that you’ve identified your target audience and set effective goals for the campaign, you’re ready to make strategic communications decisions. Marketing Insider Group recommends that you think seriously about which channels to focus on, and it emphasizes the importance of factors such as:

• Knowing the channels where your target audience consumes content
• Establishing a marketing budget and considering the potential return on investment of different channels
• Becoming knowledgeable about the channels that competitors use

One of the key functions of an integrated marketing communications strategy is to enable you and your team to tailor content for each of your selected channels, while maintaining a consistent message. By using the same content in different ways across multiple channels, you create cohesion and may be able to save money by minimizing the need for multiple creative assets.

4. Measure Your Success

Before launching the campaign, decide which key performance indicators (KPIs) you plan to use to measure results. Analytics firm Kissmetrics recommends using A/B testing to determine which web pages, emails or other marketing vehicles drive the best performance.

For example, an organization can implement tracking to measure how well coupons and promo codes convert across different platforms and partners. Maintaining open lines of communication within your team is also important because that makes it easier for everyone to stay nimble and adjust the campaign as analytical data becomes available.

Thanks to the rapid evolution of content technology, marketers have more platforms to choose from than ever before. Having an integrated marketing communications strategy makes it possible to manage a coordinated campaign across the specific platforms where your customers spend time.

5. Refine and Repeat

After executing an integrated marketing communications strategy, it’s critical to assess and revise the strategy and continue to improve it. Marketing firm Paradox Marketing notes the importance of keeping strategies flexible and using strategies that can be modified or optimized.

A 2021 report in WebProNews suggests regularly reviewing marketing plans to gather information that could lead to strategy refinement. For example, review of an integrated marketing communications strategy could include the following:

• Conducting research to remain up to date on current customer characteristics and become knowledgeable about potential new customers
• Analyzing individual marketing channels to ensure that each is still effective
• Recognizing new trends to incorporate into a revised plan

Your Future in Marketing Communications

As digital technology continues to expand the potential avenues for communication, having the ability to formulate integrated marketing communications strategies will be invaluable to all types of organizations. Working on integrated strategies could also be a rewarding way to apply your communications and marketing skills in a meaningful career. If you have an interest in enhancing your communications expertise, explore the USC online masters in communication management . Positioning students to become communications leaders, the program could help you achieve your career ambitions. Take the first step toward career advancement today.

Recommended Readings

Digital Marketing Communication Trends

The Future of Digital Marketing in a Millennial World

Using Audience Analysis for Better Marketing Communication

AdRoll, “Integrated Marketing: What It Is and Why It Matters”

Kissmetrics, Why You Need to Do A/B Testing

Marketing Insider Group, “How to Identify the Right Digital Marketing Channels for Your Business”

Paradox Marketing, “7 Steps to a Better Integrated Marketing Communication”

Smart Insights, “How to Define SMART Marketing Objectives”

WebProNews, 5-Step Guide to Successfully Reviewing Your Marketing Plans

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11.1 Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

Learning objectives.

The objectives of this section is to help students …

• Understand what integrated marketing communications (IMC) are.
• Understand why organizations may change their promotional strategies to reach different audiences.
• Understand the different components of the promotion (communication) mix and why organizations may consider all components when designing the IMC program.
• Understand the difference between types of communication that target many people at one time versus types of communication that target individuals.
• Understand the factors that influence selection of the promotion mix.
• Understand the communication process and message problems.

Once companies have developed products and services, they must communicate the value and benefits of the offerings to current and potential customers in both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets. Integrated marketing communications (IMC) provide an approach designed to deliver one consistent message to buyers through an organization’s promotions that may span all different types of media such as TV, radio, magazines, the Internet, mobile phones, professional selling, and social media. For example, Campbell’s Soup Company typically includes the “Mm, mm good” slogan in the print ads it places in newspapers and magazines, in ads on the Internet, and in commercials on television and radio. Delivering consistent information about a brand or an organization helps establish it in the minds of consumers and potential customers across target markets. Although the messages are very similar, Campbell’s uses two variations of commercials designed to target different consumers. Watch the following two YouTube videos. You’ll notice that the message Campbell’s gets across is consistent. But can you figure out who is in the two target audiences?

Video Clip A Meal : That’s Always Popular with the Group

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5ZM1cqpdT0

Campbell’s soup provides a good meal.

 Video Clip : So Many Possibilities for Enjoying Soup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN3c4rZJNd4

Campbell’s soup pleases people of all ages.

Changes in communication technology and instant access to information through tools such as the Internet and social media (online communication among interdependent and interconnected networks of organizations, people, and communities) explain one of the reasons why integrated marketing communications have become so important. Consumers are also changing. With access to many sources of information and often an interest in interactive media, consumers may collect more product information on their own. Marketers must organize and assemble available information to build a consistent brand message and make it relevant. With IMC, organizations can coordinate their messages to build the brand and develop strong customer relationships while also helping customers satisfy their needs.

FedEx’s recent campaign, the “We Understand” tagline launched in 2009 and the “Solutions that Matter” tagline launched in 2011, illustrate examples of IMC campaigns they used to deliver a consistent message across all media channels including television commercials, e-mails, social media, mobile marketing, direct mail, and the FedEx channel on YouTube (Dilworth, 2010). Watch the following videos to see examples of commercials in the FedEx campaigns.

Video Clip : The “We Understand” at FedEx Shows Customers that They Understand and Can Satisfy Their Needs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et1oZPNf2d0

FedEx often uses a humorous appeal.

Changing Media

Many consumers and business professionals seek information and connect with other people and businesses from their computers and phones. The work and social environments are changing, with more people having virtual offices and texting on their cell phones or communicating through social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter. As the media landscape changes, the money that organizations spend on different types of communication will change as well. Some forecasts indicate that companies will spend almost 27 percent of their total promotional budgets, or $160 billion, on electronic or non-traditional media by 2012.

Figure 11.1: Changing media 

Some consumers feel lost without their cell phones. Phones such as the one pictured provide a source of information for consumers and a new medium for advertisers to deliver information.

(Yeray Hdez Guerra – iPhone – CC BY 2.0.)

Many college students are part of the millennial generation, and it is consumers from this generation (people like you perhaps) who are driving the change toward new communication technologies. You might opt to get promotions via mobile marketing—say, from stores on your cell phone as you walk by them or via a mobile gaming device that allows you to connect to the Web. Likewise, advertisements on Facebook are popular as businesses continue to utilize more social media. For example, when Honda let people on Facebook use the Honda logo to give heart-shaped virtual gifts on Valentine’s Day, over one and a half million people participated in the event and viewed the Honda Fit online in the process. Imagine the brand awareness generated for the Honda Fit.

Figure 11.2: Search engine marketing

Marketing based on the Internet and wireless technology is popular.

(Danard Vincente – Search-Engine-Marketing – CC BY 2.0.)

Traditional media (magazines, newspapers, television) compete with media such as the Internet, texting, mobile phones, social media, user-generated content such as blogs, and YouTube as well as out-of-home advertising such as billboards and movable promotions. You might have noticed that the tray tables on airplanes sometimes have ads on them. You have probably also seen ads on the inside of subway cars, in trains and buses, and even in bathroom stalls. These, too, are examples of out-of-home advertising.

Figure 11.3: Out-of-home advertising

The inside walls of many subways provide an opportunity for advertisers to reach commuters with their messages.

(emilydickinsonridesabmx – Vintage NYC Subway Trains – CC BY 2.0)

Although the money organizations spend promoting their offerings may go to different media channels, a company still wants to send its customers and potential consumers a consistent message (IMC). The different types of marketing communications an organization uses compose its promotion or communication mix, which consists of advertising, sales promotions, direct marketing, public relations and publicity, sponsorships (events and experiences), social media and interactive marketing, and professional selling . The importance of IMC will be demonstrated throughout the discussion of traditional media as well as newer, more targeted, and often interactive online media.

Advertising involves paying to disseminate a message that identifies a brand (product or service) or an organization being promoted to many people at one time. The typical media that organizations utilize for advertising of course include television, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, direct mail, and radio. Businesses also advertise on mobile devices and social media such as Facebook, blogs, and Twitter.

Consumer sales promotions consist of short-term incentives such as coupons, contests, games, rebates, and mail-in offers that supplement the advertising and sales efforts. Sales promotions include promotions that are not part of another component of the communication mix and are often developed to get customers and potential customers to take action quickly, make larger purchases, and/or make repeat purchases.

In business-to-business marketing, sales promotions are typically called trade promotions because they are targeted to channel members who conduct business or trade with consumers. Trade promotions include trade shows and special incentives given to retailers to market particular products and services, such as extra money, in-store displays, and prizes.

Direct marketing involves the delivery of personalized and often interactive promotional materials to individual consumers via channels such as mail, catalogs, Internet, e-mail, telephone, and direct-response advertising. By targeting consumers individually, organizations hope to get consumers to take action.

Professional selling is an interactive, paid approach to marketing that involves a buyer and a seller. The interaction between the two parties can occur in person, by telephone, or via another technology. Whatever medium is used, developing a relationship with the buyer is usually something the seller desires.

When you interview for internships or full-time positions and try to convince potential employers to hire you, you are engaging in professional selling. The interview is very similar to a buyer-seller situation. Both the buyer and seller have objectives they hope to achieve. Business-to-business marketers generally utilize professional selling more often than most business-to-consumer marketers. If you have ever attended a Pampered Chef party or purchased something from an Amway or Mary Kay representative, you’ve been exposed to professional selling.

Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple have built their businesses primarily on the professional selling skills of their consultants. Professional selling is used more in business-to-business markets than in business-to-consumer markets.

[Wikimedia Commons – public domain.]

Public relations (PR) involves communication designed to help improve and promote an organization’s image and products. PR is often perceived as more neutral and objective than other forms of promotion because much of the information is tailored to sound as if it has been created by an organization independent of the seller. Public relations materials include press releases, publicity, and news conferences. While other techniques such as product placement and sponsorships, especially of events and experiences, tend to generate a lot of PR, the growth of expenditures and importance of sponsorships are so critical for so many companies that it is often considered a separate component in the communication mix. Many companies have internal PR departments or hire PR firms to find and create public relations opportunities for them. As such, PR is part of a company’s promotion budget and their integrated marketing communications

Sponsorships typically refer to financial support for events, venues, or experiences and provide the opportunity to target specific groups. Sponsorships enhance a company’s image and usually generate public relations. With an increasing amount of money being spent on sponsorships, they have become an important component of the promotion mix.

A marketing manager from one company might decide to focus on social media, whereas a marketing manager from another company might decide to focus her company’s efforts on television commercials. Why do companies select different types of media for what may be perceived as similar messages? As Figure 11.5 “Factors That Influence Selection of Promotion Mix” shows, a number of factors affect the choice of promotion mix elements.

Factors That Influence Selection of Promotion Mix

Budget Available: For many companies, the budget available to market a product determines what elements of the promotion mix are utilized. The budget affects a promotion’s reach (number of people exposed to the message) and frequency (how often people are exposed). For example, many smaller companies may lack the money to create and run commercials on top-rated television shows or during the Super Bowl. As a result, they may not get the exposure they need to be successful. Other firms such as McDonald’s may come up with creative ways to reach different target markets. For example, McDonald’s targeted college students with a special promotion that it filmed live in a Boston University lecture.

Stage in the product life cycle: The stage in the product life cycle also affects the type and amount of promotion used. Products in the introductory stages typically need a lot more promotional dollars to create awareness in the marketplace. Consumers and businesses won’t buy a product if they do not know about it. More communication is needed in the beginning of the product life cycle to build awareness and trial.

Type of product and type of purchase decision: Different products also require different types of promotion. Very technical products and very expensive products (high involvement) often need professional selling so the customer understands how the product operates and its different features. By contrast, advertising is often relied upon to sell convenience goods and products purchased routinely (low involvement) since customers are familiar with the products and they spend relatively little time making purchase decisions.

Target market characteristics and consumers’ readiness to purchase:  In order to select the best methods to reach different target markets, organizations need to know what types of media different targets use, how often they make purchases, where they make purchases, and what their readiness to purchase is as well as characteristics such as age, gender, and lifestyle. Some people are early adopters and want to try new things as soon as they are available, and other groups wait until products have been on the market for a while. Some consumers might not have the money to purchase different products, although they will need the product later. For example, are most college freshmen ready to purchase new cars?

Consumers’ preferences for various media:  We’ve already explained that different types of consumers prefer different types of media. In terms of target markets, college-aged students may prefer online, cell phone, mobile marketing, and social media more than older consumers do. Media preferences have been researched extensively by academics, marketing research companies, and companies to find out how consumers want to be reached.

Regulations, competitors, and environmental factors:  Regulations can affect the type of promotion used. For example, laws in the United States prohibit tobacco products from being advertised on television. In some Asian countries, controversial products such as alcohol cannot be advertised during Golden (prime) time on television. The hope is that by advertising late at night, young children do not see the advertisements. The strength of the economy can have an impact as well. In a weak economy, some organizations use more sales promotions such as coupons to get consumers into their stores. The risk is that consumers may begin to expect coupons and not want to buy items without a special promotion.

Availability of media:  Organizations must also plan their promotions based on availability of media. The top rated television shows and Super Bowl ad slots, for example, often sell out quickly. Magazines tend to have a longer lead time, so companies must plan far in advance for some magazines. By contrast, because of the number of radio stations and the nature of the medium, organizations can often place radio commercials the same day they want them to be aired. Social media and online media may be immediate, but users must be careful about what they post and their privacy. Uncontrollable events can affect a company’s promotions, too. For example, when a disaster occurs, TV stations often cut advertisements to make way for continuous news coverage. If there is a crisis or disaster and your company is in the middle of a promotion being advertised on TV, you will likely have to scramble to reach consumers via another medium.

Figure 11.5: Factors Influencing Promotion Mix

The Communication Process

Do you use TiVo or a digital video recorder (DVR) to record movies or television shows so you can watch them when you want without television commercials? Do you ever use the remote to skip the commercials or zap (change channels) to look at different shows? Think about which television shows you choose to watch, which magazines you read, which radio stations you select. The perceptual process is how a person decides what to pay attention to and how to interpret and remember different things, including information in advertising. By selecting a magazine, a television show, or even an elective class in school, you’re selecting what you’re exposed to and deciding what gets your attention. However, your selection does not insure you’ll either pay attention or remember or correctly interpret what you see or hear.

Think about what else you are doing when you watch television, when you are studying, or when you are listening to the radio. It’s a hot day in July and you’re enjoying a day at the beach. Your friends brought a radio and the volume is turned up so you can hear all the music. If you’re listening to the music or talking to a friend at the beach while you’re listening to the radio, do you hear or pay attention to the commercials? Do you remember which products were advertised? If you’re with a friend and hear someone else say your name, do you pay more attention to the person talking about you than to your friend?

The same thing happens when you are watching a television show, reading a magazine, or studying for a test. The phone rings or your friends show up and your attention shifts to them. With so many different types of distractions and technology (such as recording devices), imagine how difficult it is for an advertiser to get you to pay attention much less remember the message. Do you remember the terms you memorized for a test a day later? Do you know your friends’ phone numbers and e-mail addresses or do you just find their names on your contact list? To increase retention, advertisers may repeat the same message multiple times in different places, but they must be careful that consumers don’t get so tired of the message that there is a negative effect.

The communication process illustrates how messages are sent and received, as shown in Figure 11.6 “The Communication Process”. The source (or sender) encodes, or translates, a message so that it’s appropriate for the message channel—say, for a print advertisement, TV commercial, or store display—and shows the benefits and value of the offering. The receiver (customer or consumer) then decodes, or interprets, the message. For effective communication to occur, the receiver must interpret the message as the sender intended.

Message Problems

You’re ready to go home on a Friday afternoon and you hear someone mention an upcoming event on Saturday. However, you did not listen to all the details and assume the event is the next day, not the following Saturday. Since you already made other plans for the next day, you don’t even consider showing up the following Saturday. Has this ever happened to you? You don’t show up at an event because you didn’t interpret the message correctly? If you do not hear someone correctly, misread information, or misinterpret a message, you might think a product or service provides different benefits or is easier or harder to use than it really is.

Interference, or noise, can distort marketing messages. Factors such as poor reception, poor print quality, problems with a server, or a low battery can interfere with your getting messages. Interference includes any distractions receivers and senders face during the transmission of a message. For example, when you were growing up did you see commercials for toys such as the pogo ball, which appeared to be so easy to use but when you tried to jump up and down on it, you found out it was extremely difficult? The same thing may happen if you’re studying for an exam while you’re talking on the phone. The conversation interferes with remembering what you’re reading. If a friend tells you a story, then you tell another friend, and that person tells someone else, will the message be the same after it is relayed to multiple people? If you miss class and borrow someone else’s notes, do you understand what they mean? Not only must advertisers try to present consistent messages (IMC), they must also try to ensure that you interpret the message as they intended.

Purchasing a product provides the sender with feedback, which often tells the seller that you saw information and wanted to try the product. If you use any coupons or promotions when you buy a product, the advertiser knows which vehicle you used to get the information. Market research and warranty registration also provide feedback.

We tend to purchase products and remember information that has some relevance to our personal situation or beliefs. If you have no need for a product or service, you might not pay attention to or remember the messages used to market it. Advertisers also want you to remember their brands so that you’ll think of their products/services when you need to make a purchase.

Figure 11.6: The Communication Process

• As the media landscape changes, marketers may change the type of promotions they use in order to reach their target markets.
• With changing technology and social media (e.g., Facebook), less money is being budgeted for traditional media such as magazines and more money is budgeted for “non-traditional media.”
• Regardless of the type of media used, marketers use integrated marketing communications (IMC) to deliver one consistent message to buyers.
• Technology is changing the way businesses and individuals communicate.
• Organizations use Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) to deliver a consistent message across all components of the promotion mix.
• The promotion (communication) mix is composed of advertising, professional selling, public relations, sponsorships (events and experiences), sales promotion, direct marketing, and online media, including social media.
• Many factors, such as a firm’s marketing budget, the type of product, regulations, target customers, and competitors, influence what composes the promotion mix.
• Depending on what medium is used, marketers use the communication process to encode or translate ideas into messages that can be correctly interpreted (decoded) by buyers.
• Marketers must determine how to get consumers’ attention and avoid as much interference and noise as possible.
• Perceptual processes include how a person decides what to pay attention to and how to interpret and remember different things.

Dilworth, D., “FedEx Launches Fully Integrated Campaign, Featuring E-mail, Direct Mail,” Direct Marketing News, January 7, 2010, http://www.dmnews.com/fedex-launches-fully-integrated-campaign-featuring-e-maildirect-mail/article/160829/

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(IMC) Integrated Marketing Communication Assignment

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