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Gutierrez Valeria cod: 2195540

Profesor: Javier A Mayorga

Estrategia de mercadeo 2

22/02/2021

Revisiting The IMC Construct

A Revised Definition And Four Pillars.
( Summary)

This article aims to cover some of the fundamental issues still facing the development of the
concept of IMC (integrated marketing communications) and seeks to provide some contribution
to the IMC literature in its search for an acceptable and adequate definition, as well as to
identify the parameters that are necessary to move forward. In a study by Swain, the author
posits that research and analysis on the fundamentals of the definition of BMI is still
recommended.

IMC Research Topics 1990 to 2006

Issues of definition, perceptions, theoretical foundations, development, and understanding of

the concept of BMI have been the primary concerns of scholars since its emergence as a formal
field of study. An important work worth noting is the introduction of a new definition of BMI by
Schultz and Schultz, which in the authors' opinion exceeds the current and future scope of BMI.
A central contribution of this definition is the emphasis on the strategic aspects of IMC,
considering IMC as a business process, rather than its initial conceptualization as the
coordination of marketing communication tools. A group of scholars also began exploring IMC
conceptualizations and practices outside of the United States and examined the global
perspectives surrounding the concept of IMC.
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The emergence of IMC has also led academics to examine its relationship to the field of public
relations, and how IMC and PR can be integrated into actual practice, including certain
disagreements on the subject, mainly coming from the public relations sector. Even after a
decade has passed since the inception of the IMC, a review of the related literature shows that
most of the areas of research begun in the 1990s have remained of interest to academics over
the past few years. However, three topics were identified as being of special interest to scholars
since 2000. Among those that focused on the theoretical foundations of BMI, it is also
important to note that some continue to disagree on the concept of BMI, claiming that it does
not it was nothing new, it was riddled with weak theoretical foundations and it was nothing
more than a management fad.

The revised definition of IMC proposes to establish that this is an audience-driven business
process for strategically managing the stakeholders, content, channels, and results of brand
communication programs. Although it can be argued that the content is implicit in the term
“marketing communication”, I think it is important to state it categorically in the definition,
since the content is strong for itself which induces persuasion in the communication and, in
turn , causes behavioral effects on the target audience - a fundamental principle of IMC. The
new proposed definition adopts the term "business process", originally introduced by Schultz
and Schultz. The term “business process” more adequately describes the very nature and
essence of integration, and the term “business process” supports the observations of Jones et
al. It highlights the ethical dimensions in viewing and defending the dignity of the human
person behind consumers or markets or audiences, the target of IMC programs. It
demonstrates the relationship between the four stages or levels of BMI of Schultz and Schultz
and the four pillars of BMI by itself.

The four pillars of IMC

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As postulated in the 2005 definition of BMI, the main difference proposed by other authors is
the articulation of the distinctive elements of BMI that encapsulates the various principles that
surround the concept. Since the IMC planning approach follows a process, the four pillars can
be considered both antecedents and consequences. The pillars function as background when
they are considered in the planning and execution of a new IMC program. Since the IMC
approach follows a closed loop model, the four pillars go through a cycle of being antecedents
and consequences of the IMC process. Below is a discussion of each of the IMC pillars.

IMC Pillar 1: Stakeholders

Managing external markets at IMC assumes that the entire process of developing an integrated
brand communication program places the target market at the center of the business process
to effectively address their needs, wants and establish profitable long-term relationships with
them. As a customer-centric business model, the IMC planning process relies on a deep
understanding of the target aggregate and takes its point of view when analyzing the business
issues surrounding the brand and its competitive environment. Rather than being in control of
customers or prospects, IMC managers seek to be sensitive and responsive to their needs,
wants, aspirations and expectations, in order to more effectively provide solutions to consumer
problems, nurture experiences positive overall customer relationships with the brand,
deepening customer relationships with the brand and the company, and ultimately creating
reciprocal value for them and the company over the long term. A final consideration on the first
pillar of IMC has to do with the ethical dimensions that surround the emphasis placed on
multiple audiences, such as the consumer.

Second IMC pillar: content

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With the rise of non-traditional media and marketing communication channels, coupled with
the changing media consumption patterns of today's audiences, consumers determine which
forms of

media they want to be exposed to and the amount of time they want to spend on each
medium. . In this era in which the diffusion of digital technology is increasingly widespread and
accessible throughout the world, the emerging phenomenon known today as the era of
“participatory media” or “citizen media” has revolutionized the traditional paradigms in the
content creation for media and marketing communications. The advent of the participatory
media phenomenon further pushes the viewpoint of the customer-centric IMC concept. In this
era of personal media, the new interactive content creation paradigm allows audiences to be
creators and recipients of content at the same time, leaving aside the exclusivity of content
creation by media companies and marketers. The birth of user-generated content has also
spawned phenomenal digital innovations such as personal or community blogs, blogs, podcasts,
wikis, and the highly celebrated trade publishing success stories of the last two years from
internet sites like Google and YouTube. , which are attracting millions of people around the
world to these new forms of media with specialized content. Today, more and more young
audiences are embracing digitization to the full and are replacing traditional Internet media,
print media for blogs, radio for podcasting and television for YouTube.

While these new media platforms hold great promise and continue to deliver real-time content
due to interactivity, responsiveness, and conversation between very specific audiences in a user
community, marketing communications planners will have to deal with unresolved issues.
related to the creation of content in these media.

BMI Pillar 3: Channel

A fundamental concept in IMC is the expanded notion of marketing communication channels,

including those that may not have been considered or strictly classified as communication
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channels in the past. Contrary to a common misconception that media planning in the IMC era
involves "ambushing" consumers at all possible touch points for maximum exposure, the IMC
planning approach deliberately takes the consumer perspective by deciding which channels

would be most effective in reaching target audiences, by conducting a consumer brand contact
audit, as well as examining the consumer's 'buying path', marketers could determine which
touch points or channels are relevant to them and which ones they prefer as sources of
information about a company and its brands.
IMC Pillar 4: Results

Although the concept of measuring results in and of itself is not new, it remains a great
challenge for organizations given the complexity of today's marketing communications
landscape. Measuring the results of marketing communications programs against stated
objectives has always been the norm for business organizations. At the heart of IMC, therefore,
is the drive for accountability, that is, IMC programs must be accountable for business results.
This is done through a client valuation process and by estimating the client's return on
investments, or ROCI, which are then verified and evaluated at certain points over time, to
track the effectiveness of the IMC programs. .

Schultz and Schultz further explain that the measurement of BMI programs follows the
predictive modeling approach that focuses on customers generating returns for the brand and
estimating the impact and effect that a variety of brand marketing investments could have on
the program. This measurement method ensures that BMI programs focus on profitable
aggregates or customers and the marketing communication channels that reach them
effectively. This method also evaluates investments or expenditures in IMC programs based on
their contribution to the organization's profits and wealth, and identifies avenues for possible
growth and expansion.

Interrelation between the four levels and the four pillars of IMC.
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Level 1: tactics coordination (content)

Although the emphasis at this stage is coordination, which includes marketing communication
tools or disciplines, the ultimate goal, however, is primarily the delivery and receipt of a clear
and consistent message to achieve maximum impact on communication. The ultimate goal,
therefore, is that the target audiences receive and form in their minds a unified and integrated
message.

Level 2: redefining the scope of marketing communications (channels)

Expanding the scope of marketing communications to include all points of contact highlights
the IMC pillar referring to communication channels. Channels at this stage are no longer viewed
simply in their conventional sense, but are examined from the customer (stakeholders) point of
view, that is, identifying the channels that customers or prospects prefer and find most
relevant.

Level 3: application of information technology (stakeholders)

Level 3 gives prominence to stakeholders (a pillar of IMC) because it provides greater

capabilities for organizations to better know, understand and identify profitable and relevant
customers by creating and managing databases that contain empirical data. A deeper
understanding of customers enables companies to connect more effectively with their
audiences by creating more specific messages (content), using touchpoint preferences
(channels), and employing both basic and sophisticated assessment tools and techniques ( a
way to measure results).

Level 4: strategic and financial integration (results)

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At this level, senior management is primarily concerned with the allocation of resources and
organizational alignment, it is capable of putting in place a closed-loop measurement system
that allows them to more accurately analyze the relationship between returns and investments
in marketing communications (Schultz and Schultz 1998). For this reason, the IMC pillar gave
prominence in this stage is the measurement of results. The ability of organizations to measure
and hopefully achieve what they want. Customer ROI further assumes that an organization has
been able to precisely define and understand its most profitable target aggregates and relevant
multiple audiences (stakeholders). In addition, this also implies that IMC managers at this level
have been able to identify the most relevant and preferred contact points of their stakeholders
(channels) and have successfully achieved interaction, dialogue and a certain degree of
relationship through an exchange. meaningful messages (content).