Integrated Marketing Communication

Meaning

The main purposes of marketing communication are to inform, persuade or remind the selected
target audience of the market offering (Lamb et al., 2003:329). However, Bearden et al.
(2007:403) emphasise that marketing communication’s ultimate role is to influence the
behaviour of the target market, and not only to inform, persuade or remind the consumers.
Communication objectives, such as creating awareness of or interest in the marketing offer, are
certainly not enough. Marketing communication should, in fact, lead to changes in the
behaviour of the target market in the purchase of products or loyalty towards the brand.
Marketers can use the marketing communication strategy to convince the selected target
market(s) that the products or services offered provide a significant and competitive advantage
over those of their rivals (Lamb et al., 2003:315). Duncan (2005:15) acknowledges that
marketing communication can add value for customers, because customers need to be informed
on aspects, such as the features and potential benefits of a product, where it can be bought, and
whether it is a well-known brand with a good reputation, or whether it has already formed a
positive association in the minds of the consumers. In other words, marketing communication
can influence the target audiences’ perceptions of crucial features and symbolic associations
that are superior to those of the competitors.

Integrating the marketing communication elements has moved from being a planning process
to a strategic process and is described by Schultz and Kitchen (2000:10) as a “strategic business
process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated measurable, persuasive brand
communication programmes over time – with consumers, customers, prospects, and other
targeted, relevant external and internal audiences.

According to The American Marketing Association : "Integrated Marketing

Communication (IMC) is a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received
by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and
consistent over time".

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), defines it as: “A concept of

marketing communication planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan
that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines, e.g. general
advertising, direct response, sales promotion and public relations – and combines these
disciplines to provide clarity, consistency and maximum communication impact.”

Evolution

During the 1980s, many companies came to see the need for more of a strategic integration of
their promotional tools. These firms began moving toward the process of integrated marketing
communications (IMC), which involves coordinating the various promotional elements and
other marketing activities that communicate with a firm's customers.9 As marketers embraced
the concept of integrated marketing communications, they began asking their ad agencies to
coordinate the use of a variety of promotional tools rather than relying primarily on media
advertising. A number of companies also began to look beyond traditional advertising agencies
and use other types of promotional specialists to develop and implement various components
of their promotional plans.

Many agencies responded to the call for synergy among the promotional tools by acquiring PR,
sales promotion, and direct-marketing companies and touting themselves as IMC agencies that
offer one-stop shopping for all their clients' promotional needs.10 Some agencies became
involved in these nonadvertising areas to gain control over their clients' promotional programs
and budgets and struggled to offer any real value beyond creating advertising. However, the
advertising industry soon recognized that IMC was more than just a fad. Terms such as new
advertising, orchestration, and seamless communication were used to describe the concept of
integration.11 A task force from the American Association of Advertising Agencies (the
"4As") developed one of the first definitions of integrated marketing communications: a
concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added value of a
comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication
disciplines— for example, general advertising, direct response, sales promotion, and public
relations—and combines these disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum
communications impact.12

The 4As' definition focuses on the process of using all forms of promotion to achieve maximum
communication impact. However, advocates of the IMC concept, such as Don Schultz of
North-western University, argue for an even broader perspective that considers all sources of
brand or company contact that a customer or prospect has with a product or service.13 Schultz
and others note that the process of integrated marketing communications calls for a "big-
picture" approach to planning marketing and promotion programs and coordinating the various
communication functions. It requires that firms develop a total marketing communications
strategy that recognizes how all of a firm's marketing activities, not just promotion,
communicate with its customers.

The evolution of IMC was further fuelled by the adoption of marketing automation. Marketers
capitalized on marketing automation platforms to automate and streamline communication
across multiple channels, segment audiences, and deliver targeted messages at a larger scale.
This utilization of marketing automation significantly enhanced the efficiency and
effectiveness of IMC campaigns. In recent times, IMC has placed increased emphasis on
creating a comprehensive customer experience. This approach recognizes that customers
interact with a brand through diverse touch-points, both online and offline. To deliver a unified
and exceptional brand experience, IMC now incorporates customer journey mapping, omni-
channel marketing, and a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences. Overall, the
evolution of IMC has been influenced by factors such as media fragmentation, the rise of digital
marketing, the focus on customer relationships, the integration of offline and online channels,
the adoption of marketing automation, and the pursuit of a holistic customer experience. These
advancements continue to shape and refine the strategies and approaches used in IMC today.

KEY FEATURES OF INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION (IMC)

1. Consistency: IMC prioritizes consistent messaging across all communication channels,

including advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing, and digital
marketing. To create a powerful and recognizable brand image, the brand message, values, and
identity should all be consistent

2. Multiple Channels: To effectively reach the target audience, IMC employs a variety of
communication methods. Traditional media such as television, radio, print, and outdoor
advertising can be included, as well as digital channels like as websites, social media, email
marketing, mobile apps, and more. The goal is to guarantee that the brand message reaches the
target audience through the most relevant and powerful channels.
3. Integration: IMC aims to integrate many marketing communication elements so that they
can operate together synergistically. To create a coherent and cohesive brand experience, the
various channels and tools are coordinated and synchronized. Coordinating advertising
campaigns with social media promotions, integrating public relations efforts with sales
promotions, and providing consistent messaging across several touch-points are all examples
of integration.

4. Targeted Approach: The goal of IMC is to identify the target audience and adjust the
communication strategy to their preferences, needs, and behaviors. IMC enables marketers to
send relevant personalized messages over many channels, boosting the odds of connecting with
and engaging the intended audience by leveraging market research and consumer insights.

5. Two-Way Communication: IMC promotes two-way communication between the brand and
its target audience. This includes actively listening to consumer feedback, participating in
social media conversations, replying to enquiries and comments, and allowing customers to
contribute opinion and participate in brand activities. This strategy increases engagement,
relationships, and client loyalty.

6. Measurable Results: To assess the efficacy of marketing communication initiatives, IMC

emphasizes the use of data and analytics. Marketers can measure the impact of their integrated
campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize plans by tracking and analyzing key
performance indicators (KPIs) including reach, engagement, conversions, and sales.

7. Long-Term Perspective: IMC views brand equity and customer relationships in the long
term. It recognizes that consistent and unified communication throughout time is critical for
developing brand trust, loyalty, and advocacy. IMC tactics frequently include constructing a
brand narrative, storytelling, and a strong brand identity that resonates with the target audience.

8. Use the relevant media channels: That is, carefully select the tools that are most appropriate
for the communication goal at hand and relevant to the target audience of your brand. IMC
practitioners must be open to utilize all types of touch points, or contacts, as viable message
delivery channels. The main quality of this IMC element is that it represents brand
communicators' openness to employ any communication channels that are acceptable for
reaching the target audience.
9. Achieve communication synergy: That is, speak in a single tone of voice. The demand that
a brand's various communication aspects all try to deliver the same message and transmit that
message consistently across multiple message channels, or points of contact, is inherent in the
idea and practice of IMC. Message and media coordination is crucial for developing a strong
and cohesive brand image and driving customers to action. The single-voice principle, in
general, entails selecting a specific positioning statement for a brand.

10. Influence target market’s behavior: Marketing communications must do more than raise
brand awareness or improve consumer perceptions of the brand. In other words, the goal is to
compel individuals to act.

11. Build customer relationships: A relationship is an ongoing connection that exists between
a company and its customers. Successful customer-brand connections result in recurrent
purchases and sometimes even brand loyalty. The use of frequency, loyalty, or ambassador
programmes is one technique to establish brand/customer relationships. Relationships are also
nurtured by generating brand experiences, such as unique events, that leave a favourable and
lasting impression.

12. Cost-effective: IMC helps in the most effective use of resources. The strategic
communication mix helps in reducing the duplication of images, photos, and other media.
Using a single agency for all communications reduces agency fees, and even if numerous
agencies are used, time is saved when meetings bring all the agencies together - for briefings,
creative sessions, tactical or strategic planning. This reduces effort and, as a result, stress levels,
which is one of the many advantages of IMC. By coordinating and combining numerous
communication channels and platforms, Integrated Marketing Communications attempts to
provide a coherent and seamless brand experience. IMC maximizes the impact of marketing
initiatives and promotes overall brand positioning by maintaining consistency, targeting the
proper audience, promoting two-way communication, and exploiting data