IMC PLAN OF BOMBAY DYEING

Integrated marketing communications:

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is defined as customer centric, data driven
method of communicating with the customer. IMC is the coordination and
integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues, functions and sources
within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers
and other end users at a minimal cost. This management concept is designed to make
all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public
relations, and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than
permitting each to work in isolation.
Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is a process for managing customer
relationships that drive brand value primarily through communication efforts. Such
efforts often include cross-functional processes that create and nourish profitable
relationships with customers and other stakeholders by strategically controlling or
influencing all messages sent to these groups and encouraging data-driven, purposeful
dialog with them. IMC includes the coordination and integration of all marketing
communication tools, avenues, and sources within a company into a seamless program in
order to maximize the impact on end users at a minimal cost. This integration affects all
firm's business-to-business, marketing channel, customer-focused, and internally directed
communications.[2]

IMC Components

The Foundation - corporate image and brand management; buyer behavior;

promotions opportunity analysis.

Advertising Tools - advertising management, advertising design: theoretical

frameworks and types of appeals; advertising design: message strategies and

executional frameworks; advertising media selection. Advertising also reinforces

brand and firm image.[3]

Promotional Tools - trade promotions; consumer promotions; personal selling,

database marketing, and customer relations management; public relations and
sponsorship programs.

Integration Tools - Internet Marketing; IMC for small business and entrepreneurial
ventures; evaluating and integrated marketing program.

Marketing mix component

The Internet has changed the way business is done in the current world. The variables of
segmentation, targeting and positioning are addressed differently. The way new products
and services are marketed have changed even though the aim of business in bringing
economic and social values remain unchanged. Indeed, the bottom line of increasing
revenue and profit are still the same. Marketing has evolved to more of connectedness,
due to the new characteristics brought in by the Internet. Marketing was once seen as a
one way, with firms broadcasting their offerings and value proposition. Now it is seen
more and more as a conversation between marketers and customers.[5] Marketing efforts
incorporate the "marketing mix". Promotion is one element of marketing mix.
Promotional activities include advertising (by using different media), sales promotion
(sales and trades promotion), and personal selling activities. It also includes Internet
marketing, sponsorship marketing, direct marketing, database marketing and public
relations. Integration of all these promotional tools, along with other components of
marketing mix, is a way to gain an edge over a competitor.
The starting point of the IMC process is the marketing mix that includes different types
of marketing, advertising, and sales efforts. Without a complete IMC plan there is no
integration or harmony between client and customers. The goal of an organization is to
create and maintain communication throughout its own employees and throughout its
customers.

Integrated marketing is based on a master marketing plan. This plan should coordinate
efforts in all components of the marketing mix. A marketing plan consists of the
following six steps:[6]
1. Situation analysis
2. Marketing objectives
3. Marketing budget
4. Marketing strategies
5. Marketing tactics
6. Evaluation of performance
Integrated marketing communications aims to ensure consistency of message and the
complementary use of media. The concept includes online and offline marketing
channels. Online marketing channels include any e-marketing campaigns or programs,
from search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click, affiliate, email, banner to latest
web related channels for webinar, blog, micro-blogging, RSS, podcast, Internet Radio,
and Internet TV. Offline marketing channels are traditional print (newspaper, magazine),
mail order, public relations, industry relations, billboard, traditional radio, and television.
A company develops its integrated marketing communication program using all the
elements of the marketing mix (product, price, place, and promotion). Integrated
marketing communications plans are vital to achieving success. The reasons for their
importance begin with the explosion of information technologies. Channel power has
shifted from manufacturers to retailers to consumers.
Using outside-in thinking, Integrated Marketing Communications is a data-driven
approach that focuses on identifying consumer insights and developing a strategy with
the right (online and offline combination) channels to forge a stronger brand-consumer
relationship. This involves knowing the right touch points to use to reach consumers and
understanding how and where they consume different types of media. Regression
analysis and customer lifetime value are key data elements in this approach.

Importance of IMC
1. From media advertising to multiple forms of communication.
2. From mass media to more specialized (niche) media, which are centered on
specific target audiences.
3. From a manufacturer-dominated market to a retailer-dominated, consumercontrolled market.
4. From general-focus advertising and marketing to data-based marketing.
5. From low agency accountability to greater agency accountability, particularly in
advertising.
6. From traditional compensation to performance-based compensation (increased
sales or benefits to the company).
7. From limited Internet access to 24/7 Internet availability and access to goods and
services.

Visual Merchandising (VM) is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandise in
focus. It educates the customers, creates desire and finally augments the selling process.
This is an area where the Indian textile and clothing industry, particularly, the SMEs lack
adequate knowledge and expertise.

This inadequacy is best reflected in poor

presentation/display and communication in various national and international

exhibitions. Therefore this Programme has been conceived to fill this gap.
VM helps in:

educating the customers about the product/service in an effective and creative

way.

establishing a creative medium to present merchandise in 3D environment,

thereby enabling long lasting impact and recall value.

setting the company apart in an exclusive position.

establishing linkage between fashion, product design and marketing by keeping

the product in prime focus.

combining the creative, technical and operational aspects of a product and the
business.

drawing the attention of the customer to enable him to take purchase decision
within shortest possible time, and thus augmenting the selling process.

Components of Visual Merchandising:

There are certain things which a retailer needs to take care while proceeding with the
process of displaying his products. These components when combined together in a
proper ratio will make a successful outcome.

Make merchandise the focal point:

The main goal of display is to showcase the products within the overall display area.
Customers give three to five seconds of their attention to window display. The retailers
visual message should be conveyed to the customer in that short period of time. It should
not be like an unsuccessful TV advertisement, where the product is forgotten altogether
and only the concept of the commercial remains in the mind of the viewer. The
arrangement of window display should go with the product and should not suppress them
to make it discernable to the eye.
Right choice of colors is vital:
Color is one of the most powerful tools in the Visual Merchandising segment. It is a
visual perceptual property. Colors can be associated with emotions, special occasions and
gender. It attracts attention and pulls more customers into the store. A retailer has to
focus on the right choice of color that would match with the theme of display. It is not
possible to satisfy everyone all the time, but it is possible to cultivate the taste of
customers gradually and purposefully. A right choice of colors in the display items can
turn walkers into stoppers and significantly convert them into customers. It is therefore
mandatory to choose the right color for the right theme of display. A Halloween display
would require black color in the display theme. Valentines theme should be ruled by red
color supplemented with pink and white. A display of babys accessories should reflect
light shades of pink and blue colors. A Christmas display should contain colors of red,
green, gold and silver.
Display themes to appropriately support the product:
A theme is a display of sale items of similar categories e.g. a display of kitchen
accessories. Its essential to have themes for all retail displays. They can be romantic,
wild, or capricious, and capture peoples imaginations.
A good theme will lure the customer with a shopping mood into the store. Themes
mainly depend upon the retailers imagination and creativity. Focusing on the right theme

rather than creating a display with expensive raw materials is the key to successful
window display. A shoe store theme can be a group of elves buying shoes. A theme for
display of casual wears can be a group of mannequins sitting casually at a get together in
different poses. Related themes will tug the heartstring of the customers and will pay off.
Display should complement the retailers other strategies:
The content of the display should complement the in store environment and other
marketing strategies of the retailer. If the retailer has a specific logo, the colors of the
display can reflect the same color of the logo. For e.g. MacDonalds display, the clown is
of the same color, red and yellow as in their logo.