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Integrated marketing enables a unified and consistent experience for customers to interact with a brand
or company. Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is the coordination and integration of all
marketing communications tools, avenues, and sources in a company into a seamless program designed
to maximize the impact on customers and other stakeholders. The program covers all of a firm’s business-
to-business, market channel, and internally-directed communications - James G. Hutton.
In this series, we aim to further bolster your understanding of integrated marketing and IMC by evaluating
case studies of companies that have taken an integrated marketing communication approach. Here are
case-studies of different brands and companies that exhibit an integrated marketing communication
approach.
Case Study 1: Microsoft
Emirates started with two leased aircraft in 1985 and have never looked back since then. The airline
company currently operates 265 aircraft to over 155 destinations.
Traditional Media
Emirates' commercials and print advertisements in significant media highlight the airline’s new products,
flying routes, and aircraft.
Event Sponsorship
The airline actively sponsors a bunch of sports events like soccer, horse racing, and tennis. In addition to
that, it has signed a sponsorship deal with large football clubs like Arsenal. Its presence in the Asian
Football Confederation has also ensured a high level of visibility across Asia.
Owned Media
The company publishes two in-flight magazines to reach its customers. A brilliant in-flight entertainment
system allows the airline to publicize its latest offers, partners, and services. Furthermore, the company's
official retail website enables customers to purchase branded merchandise.
Millennial Appeal
The airline is adopting a sustainable environmental strategy to protect natural resources and reduce air
pollution. Being a step ahead and ensuring that their fleet is up-to-date with the latest, most fuel-efficient
aircraft. Emirates uses a variety of marketing communication tools in an integrated way to deliver a unified
message: The high quality of its services.
Emirates portrays the lofted quality of its airline services as an underlying theme for all its marketing
activities.
Wells Fargo is a financial services giant and world's third-largest bank. Despite being ridden with scams,
the company turned to integrated marketing and rebranding efforts to win back the trust of its customers
and stakeholders.
The bank's latest integrated marketing campaign is called ‘This is Wells Fargo.’
Another ad features Financial Health Bankers who provide financial advice targeted towards millennials.
These ads are supplemented by tweets like the ones below that offer security tips to their customers.
The company offered a comprehensive description of the ‘This is Wells Fargo’ campaign through a 2-page
print ad in the Wall Street Journal.
Wells Fargo combined the above-integrated marketing communication channels to develop a well-
rounded campaign that was very well received by its audience.
All marketing communication highlights the confluence of people and technology, which is vital to
transforming Wells Fargo’s customer experience.
Taco Bell is one of the large restaurant chains under the Yum! Brands portfolio. A couple of other brands
that fall under its ambit are KFC and Pizza Hut. The Mexican-cuisine inspired fast-food chain, operates
with over 6,650 restaurant chains and rings in 46 million customers a week.
Amongst the chains under the Yum! Brands portfolio, Taco Bell, was the most profitable. They had great
advertising campaigns like the 'Yo Quiero Taco Bell' campaign that starred a Chihuahua with an attitude
who grew into a pop-culture icon. The ads created the highest advertising awareness for the chain and
positioned Taco Bell as a cool place to eat.
However, Taco Bell's marketing approach changed after the recession. By 2011 Taco Bell was coming off
its 3-year slump when the marketers at Taco Bell decided to change things up.
DraftFCB, Taco Bell's advertising agency designed an integrated marketing campaign to position TB as a
multicultural experience of food.