Summary

Module 1: Marketing & Branding Fundamentals

Session 4: Marketing Communication

Marketing communication is an integral part of any marketing activity - traditional or digital. In the today's world,
the opportunities for marketing communication there is a variety of more customised, more targeted and more
interactive options.

Introduction to Marketing Communication

Communication is the voice of any company. It helps in reaching its consumer base in the market. Hence it is
important for a company to communicate well with its consumers. To master its communication, companies should
follow a simple approach towards communication:

1. Identify the core message that needs to be communicated. Example: McDonald’s uses the same core message of
‘I’m Lovin it’ across the globe.

2. Identify the right channels to communicate this message to the consumers: Advertisers need to choose the
appropriate channels from print, broadcast, digital, outdoor or telemarketing.

Modes of Marketing Communication

There are various modes of marketing communication - both in the traditional world as well
as the digital world. These different faces of communication can come along as the following:
1. Advertising
2. Public Relations and Publicity
3. Sales promotion
4. Direct Marketing
5. Personal Selling
For example, Tata Nano received considerable PR via its marketing communication of being a Rs. 1 Lakh
car and being the cheapest car in the world. On the other hand, Subway uses Sales promotion via the ‘Sub
of the day’ concept to attract consumers for cheaper product alternatives.
In the digital world, we can take the example of Ola Cabs, which uses Direct Marketing and Sales
Promotion by sending the consumers direct e-mails with offers such as ‘50% off on your first ride.’

Building an effective marketing communication strategy


In order to efficiently utilise the marketing budget and obtain profits, it is crucial for a marketeer to use a
communication strategy wisely and identify the right channels and means of communication. This might
sound abstract, but it is essential to keep in mind when doing any task in marketing. The different steps to
create a powerful marketing communication strategy can be summarised as:
1. Determining target audience
2. Defining the objectives of communication
3. Developing the message
4. Defining marketing communication budget
5. Selecting media channels and identifying correct communications mix
As an example, we have Nescafe, an established brand, which has its marketing communication objective
as ‘increasing the brand preference' amongst its consumers. To achieve this objective, Nescafe developed
the message of ‘Nothing wakes you up like Nescafe does' and spread it across print, outdoor, TV as well as
the digital space.

You should be able to:

1. Understand the various modes of marketing communication available

2. Create a blueprint of building an effective marketing strategy