June 13, 2015

INTEGRATED
COMMUNICATIONS

MARKETING

IMC represents promotion P in the 4 Ps of marketing.

-

Encompasses a variety and combination of communication disciplines:

advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct
marketing, electronic media and community building to provide maximum
communication impact.
The integration of the 7 elements provides the firm with the best means to
reach the target audience with the desired message.

COMPONENTS OF AN IMC STRATEGY

1. Consumer how consumers receive communications

2. Communication Channel how each channel is used in the overall IMC
strategy.
3. Evaluation of Results how marketers design ways to measure the results of
the IMC campaigns.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1. Sender the message originates from the sender.

2. Transmitter the sender works with the creative department, whether inhome or from a marketing or advertising agency, to develop marketing
communications. This agency is the transmitter.
3. Encoding converting the senders ideas into a message which could be
verbal, visual or both.
4. Communication Channel the medium: print, broadcast, internet that carries
the message.
5. Receiver the
person who reads, hears or sees, and processes the
information contained in the message and/or advertisement.
- Decoding is the process by which the receiver interprets the senders
message.
- The firm (sender) wants its message received and decoded properly by the
intended consumer (receiver).
6. Noise any interference that stems from competing messages, a lack of
clarity in the message, or a flaw in the medium.
7. Feedback Loop allows the receiver to communicate with the sender and
informs the sender whether the message was received and decoded properly.
- Can be in the form of: a customer purchase of the item, a complaint, a
compliment, the redemption of a coupon or a rebate.
- Could result to increase in store traffic or sales.

The AIDA Model marketing communications move consumers through a series

of mental stages.
1. Awareness the strength of the link between the brand name and the type
of merchandise/service in the minds of customers.
- Brand awareness is the potential customers ability to recognize or recall that
the brand name is a particular product or service or retailer.
Awareness Metrics
a. Aided Recall when consumers indicate they know the brand when the name
is presented to them.
b. Top-of-mind awareness when consumers mention a specific brand name
first when they are asked about a product/service.

2. Interest once the consumer is aware, the company must work to increase
his interest level.
- The ads message must stir the interest of the target consumer.
3. Desire after creating interest, IMC message should move the consumer from
I like it to I want it.
4. Action the ultimate goal is to drive the consumer to make action or to make
a purchase.

ELEMENTS OF AN IMC STRATEGY

1. Advertising the placement of announcements and persuasive messages in

time or space purchased in any of the mass media by business firms, non
profit organization, government agencies, and individuals who seek to inform
and/or persuade members of a particular target market about their products
or services.
2. Personal Selling the two-way flow of communication between a buyer and a
seller that is designed to influence the buyers purchase decision.
a. Face to face
b. Video teleconferencing
c. On the telephone
d. Over the internet
3. Sales promotion special incentives or excitement building programs that
encourage the purchase of a product or service.
a. Coupons
b. Rebates (rewards)
c. Contests
d. Free samples
e. Point of Purchase
4. Direct Marketing marketing that communicates directly with target
customers to generate a response or transaction.
a. Telephone
b. Mail
c. TV Commercial
d. Catalogs
e. Internet-based initiatives such as email and e-commerce
5. Public Relations (PR) organizational communication strategy to (a) achieve
building and maintaining a positive image (b) handling or heading of
unfavourable stories/events and (c) maintaining positive relationships with
the media.
6. Electronic Media
6.1Web Site firms use their web sites to build their brand image, educate
their customers about their product, sell their product and where they can
be purchased.
- Some sites provide advise and product knowledge.
6.2Corporate Blogs contains periodic posts on a common web page.
- Connect customers by forming a community.
6.3Social Shopping communication in which consumers use the internet to
engage in the shopping process by exchanging preferences, thoughts and
opinions among friends, family and others.
- Customers review information about products, prices and deals.
6.4Online Games particular way to reach younger through short online
games.

6.5Community Building sites ofer an opportunity for customers with similar

interests to learn about products and services that support their hobbies
and share information with others.