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CHAPTER 1 1.1 Introduction 1-7

1.2 Definition

CHAPTER 2 2.1 Research Methodology 8-33

2.2 Common IMC Objectives
2.3 Hypothesis
2.4 The Component Of IMC
2.5 Factors Contributing To IMC’s Rising
Prominence
2.6 4 P’s versus The 4 C’s
2.7 The Heart of IMC
2.8 Levels of Integration
2.9 Case
2.10 Case in Point : The Rugrats Movie
2.11 Success Factors
2.12 Sampling Techniques

CHPTER 3 3.1 Literature Review 34-62

3.2 Characteristics of an IMC Approach
3.3 Communication Mix Hierarchy
3.4 The Actual Process
3.5 Model for Planning IMC
3.6 The Process of an IMC
3.7 Issues in Co-ordination of an IMC
Campaign
3.8 Evaluation – IMC Audit
3.9 Barriers to Implementations
3.10 The Problems with implementing IMC
CHAPTER 4 4.1 Marketing Mix 63-72
4.2 IMC Of TATA
4.3 Necessary Condition for IMC Success
CHAPTER 5 Data Interpretation and Analysis 73-81

CHAPTER 6 6.1 Conclusion 82-86

6.2 Recommendation
6.3 IMC in Global Arena
CHAPTER 7 Bibliography 87
CHAPTER 8 Appendix 88-89
 Chapter 1

1.1 INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Introduction

Pepsi, announced some time back that it was scrapping its familiar red, white, and blue design
and switching to a radical new electric blue package and logo design, the reason being that
Pepsi's image, particularly in international markets, had been losing something in translation.

As Wall Street Journal The observed in reporting on the Project Blue launch, "Pepsi’s image is
all over the map." The story explains that a grocery store in Hamburg uses red stripes, a bodega
in Guatemala uses '70s-era lettering, a Shanghai restaurant displays a mainly white Pepsi sign,
and a hodgepodge of commercials feature a variety of spokespeople, ranging from cartoons and
babies to doddering butlers.

It's not just Pepsi's marketing communication that sends different messages to different people.
Consumers say the cola tastes different in different countries, so PepsiCo's plans also call for
revamping manufacturing and distribution to get a consistent-tasting drink marketed throughout
the globe. And some of its European marketing communication partners were mixed in their
support of the plan because they felt they weren't consulted about how it was to be implemented,
so there's work to be done there, too.

Everything Sends a Message: What happened to Pepsi dramatizes the point that message
consistency is a systemic problem, as well as strategic. It has to be approached from the
viewpoint of the whole company and its total business operations, not just from how the
company executes its marketing communication or corporate image programs.
As Nicolas Hayek, CEO of Swatch, says, "Everything we do, and the way we do everything,
sends a message." And that’s where Integrated Marketing Communications comes in.
Integrated marketing communications is a process that manages all of a company or brand's
interactions with customers and other key stakeholders. Its premise is that everything a company
does, and sometimes what it doesn't do, sends a message.

In the marketplace of the 21st century ... the driving force is not a company with products to
sell but customers controlling what, where, and how they want to buy. Thanks to the Internet, 24-
hour toll-free phone numbers, credit cards, and express delivery services, consumers are
accessing information on demand and seeking out the products and services that interest them.

Gone are the days when a company determined where, when, and how it sells its product. This
new approach not only changes the way we make our purchasing decisions, it also revolutionizes
how companies market to their customers. For most companies to win, they must replace
outdated mass-marketing tactics with a targeted, customer-focused approach.

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is one such customer-centric, data-driven method

of communicating with consumers. Nestle, IBM, Sprint, Microsoft, Apple computers, Nike and
many other companies have adopted the IMC approach.
 Integrated Marketing Communications is a simple concept. It ensures that all forms of
communications and messages are carefully linked together.

At its most basic level, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, as we’ll call it, means
integrating all the promotional tools, so that they work together in harmony.

Promotion is one of the Ps in the marketing mix. Promotions has its own mix of communications
tools.

All of these communications tools work better if they work together in harmony rather than in
isolation. Their sum is greater than their parts – providing they speak consistently with one voice
all the time, every time.

This is enhanced when integration goes beyond just the basic communications tools. There are
other levels of integration such as Horizontal, Vertical, Internal, External and Data integration. 
Here is how they help to strengthen Integrated Communications.

 Horizontal Integration occurs across the marketing mix and across business functions –
for example, production, finance, distribution and communications should work together and be
conscious that their decisions and actions send messages to customers.

 While different departments such as sales, direct mail and advertising can help each other
through Data Integration. This requires a marketing information system which collects and
shares relevant data across different departments.

 Vertical Integration means marketing and communications objectives must support the
higher level corporate objectives and corporate missions.

 Meanwhile Internal Integration requires internal marketing – keeping all staff informed
and motivated about any new developments from new advertisements, to new corporate
identities, new service standards, new strategic partners and so on.

 External Integration, on the other hand, requires external partners such as advertising and
PR agencies to work closely together to deliver a single seamless solution – a cohesive message
– an integrated message.