Integrated Marketing

Communications
 IMC an overview
• Consumers perception of a company and its
brands are a synthesis of all messages and
contacts they have with them
• These include
– Advertising
– Pricing
– Pack designs
– Direct marketing
– Point-of-purchase displays
– Publicity and sales promotions
– Websites and even the type of store where products
are sold
 IMC an overview
• This necessitates a consistent and unified
approach to all form of marketing
communication
• Also requires centralized messaging function
so that the company communicates a
common theme and positioning
• An IMC approach provides for synergies
among promotional tools and the
development of effective and efficient
marketing communication programmes
 IMC a strategic shift in Marketing
• Shifting of marketing dollars from media
advertising to other forms of promotion like
consumer and trade oriented sales promotions
• Movement away from relying on mass media to
lower cost more targeted events/sponsorships
• A shift in market power from manufacturer to
retailer
• Growth of databased marketing
 The tools for IMC
• Advertising
• Any paid form of non-personal communication
about the company or its products
• Ideal for products/services which are targeted at
mass markets
• Cost effective for communicating with large
audiences
• Very effective for creating brand imagery for
products which are difficult to differentiate on
functional attributes
 The tools for IMC
• Direct Marketing
• A direct communication from the company to
the consumer to elicit a response or transaction
• It includes direct mail , mail order catalogue,
telemarketing, database management , direct
selling
• Direct response advertising is a major tool,
where the consumer is encouraged to buy
directly from the manufacturer.
 Sales Promotion
• Those marketing activities that incentivizes
the sales force, the channels and customers to
stimulate immediate sale.
• These could be consumer promotions or trade
promotions
• Consumer promotions include coupons,
sampling, premiums, rebates, contests,s
weepstakes and point of sale material
 Publicity /Public Relations
• Non personal communication about an
organisation, product or service
• It is not identifiable to a sponsor and not paid for
• Takes the form of editorials, news story or
announcements
• Like advertising it is addressed to the mass
audiences
• Achieved through press releases, conferences
and feature articles
 Public Relations
• Is a publicity campaign of a company which
consciously plans to change the attitude of the
public towards the company or enhance its
image
• Will include programs of public interest which
will help to earn public understanding
• PR uses publicity as well as participation in
community activities, fund raising and
sponsorship of special events
 Event Marketing and Sponsorship
• It provides a different kind of communication
option.
• By being part of a special or personally
relevant moment in consumers’ lives,
sponsors hope to deepen their relationship
with the target consumers.
• Customers can be targeted geographically,
demographically, psycho graphically or
behaviorally according to the event.
 Interactive/Internet
• Technology leading to dramatic growth of
communication through interactive media.
• Unlike traditional forms of media information
can flow back and forth and users can
participate in and modify content of
information
• Internet can be used for all forms of marketing
communication including, advertising,
promotions and selling
 Personal selling
• It is a one-one communication in which the
seller tries to persuade the buyer to purchase
the company’s product/s
• This form of communication is not fixed and
can be modified based on the prospective
buyer’s reactions
• This is also the most targeted form of
marketing communication
 Buzz Marketing
• Occasionally a product enters a market and is able to
attract a strong customer base with little fanfare
• The product attracts a core group of consumers, who
are eager to spread the word about the product
among their peers
• This creates word-of-mouth publicity or a “buzz”
about the brand
• Works well with high interest product categories