INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Integrated Marketing Communications

Integrated Marketing Communications

Abstract

The Integrated Marketing Communications approach accurately identifies the increasingly difficult task facing companies and organizations using public channels of communication to deliver coherent messages. But the solution this theory promotes is a dangerous one because it simply accepts, and capitulates to, consumers' failure to make proper distinctions about messages delivered to them in the media (Esther Jeri 2004 56-60).

Introduction

In recent years, companies have found that traditional evaluation research, such as tracking studies, sales and share reports, and customer satisfaction studies, no longer provide sufficient input for their marketing plans. The solution is to look at the upfront processes and develop methods that improve the alignment between the front end of the marketing planning process and the desired output.

Reasons for the research

With today's marketplace conditions, emphasis must now be placed on retaining and growing the value of existing customers, as much as on acquiring new ones. Consequently, companies are setting up cross- functional processes and making other structural changes to better manage brand relationships (David Mcarthur Tom 2004 1).

Can agencies use the data mining findings to create targeted marketing communication campaigns (advertising, public relations, direct mail, or the Internet)?

Do they understand the complexity of a member's life cycle, and can they market appropriately and cost-effectively for each stage?

Are they experienced in working with all different types of media, depending on the need? Are they objective about the effectiveness of each marketing discipline, or do they tend to favour one type such as direct mail?

Do they have the creative talent to develop programs that sell effectively to a particular target?

Do they have the expertise to produce these marketing tools on time and on target?

Are these campaigns tracked from beginning to end, so you can incorporate results into future plans?

Relation to Previous Research

Integrated marketing communications is a new way of looking at a whole, where once we only saw parts such as advertising, public relations, sales promotion, purchasing, employee communications, and so forth. It's realigning communications to look at it the way the customer sees it - as a flow of information from indistinguishable sources. Professional communicators have always been condescendingly amused that consumers called everything "advertising" or "PR." Now they recognize with concern if not chagrin that that's exactly the point - it is all one thing, at least to the consumer who sees or hears it (Sylvia 2002 41-55).

Integrated Marketing Communications is the managing of the promotional mix, blending it with the communications efforts of other departments such as public relations and corporate communications. This allows the company to speak with one voice making all messages consistent. Managing the promotional mix used to be fairly easy, using mass communications options of direct mail, advertising, and public relations. Technology changed all of that, the Internet, wireless telephones, and Bluetooth technologies that changed the way we communicate with everyone, employees and customers (Duncan 2005). Managing the four P's of Marketing are important for both profit and not-for-profit companies; however, ...