BEM 224
Semester 2
Integrated Marketing Communication (4th Ed)
, Chapter 1
Integrated Marketing Communication: Setting the Scene
Communication in organisations consists of:
- Internal communication: to, from & among employees
- External communication: w/ suppliers, government, the media,
investors/shareholders, general public, customers, competitors etc.
Marketing communication: when organisations communicate about their product &
service offerings to specific audiences.
4 P’s: product, price, place, promotion.
7 P’s: physical evidence, people & process
1.2. The Emergence & Evolvement of Integrated Marketing Communication
(IMC).
IMC: attempt to present a consistent message across the available marketing
mix elements. It is important to portray a unique image and particular brand and
reputation to all audiences of the organization.
1.3. Defining IMC
IMC: a concept of marketing communication planning that recognizes the added value
of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of the marketing
communication techniques (advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal
selling, sponsorships and public relations) and combines these disciplines to provide
,clarity, consistency and maximum communication impact. [American Association of
Advertising Agencies (AAAA)]
Any IMC definition should incorporate these 5 crucial attributes:
1. Communication effort directed at audiences to influence behaviour.
2. An outside-in approach used to include the target audience at the initial phases
of developing communication and marketing strategy.
3. A well-established relationship between the organisation and its audiences.
4. Deliver a message consistently and accurately – all communication activities
should be included with the various contact points integrated into strategy.
5. A competitive brand needs strong coordination between communication and
marketing disciplines.
1.4. The Value-Add that IMC Retains for Organisations
• IMC signifies a holistic business approach
• IMC delivers strategy and message consistency
• There is contact synergy through IMC
• IMC can assist with brand integration
• IMC centers around audience segmentation
• IMC attempts to achieve audience centricity
• IMC can initiate audience-conscious employees
• IMC implies the effective use of technology
• IMC strives towards financial accountability
• IMC adds to sustainable success
McGrath reinforces the above & adds the following benefits of IMC in organizations:
- An IMC approach aligns short-and long-term marketing and communication
efforts by the organization and avoids possible conflicts within the organization.
- It is a complete and well-defined approach.
- All audiences are considered.
- Individual and interpersonal communication is also encouraged.
- There is an increase in synergy and recall.
- The approach usually results in financial benefits.
, 1.5. Barriers to the Realization of IMC in organizations
Organizational character & culture: A rigid organisational culture without common
understanding of what constitutes IMC, as well as resistance to change and fear over
who will be in charge, may be barriers to IMC.
Organizational structure: The organisation’s ability or inability to manage the
interrelationships of information and materials among its various departments involved
in supplying marketing communication services also plays a role here.
The low standing of marketing communication in an organisation: Communication may
be viewed as a luxury that can be only allowed only when all else is going well.
Specialization: Marketing communication generalists, who have a holistic view of what
needs to be achieved in the organisation, might be more ideal for IMC.
Financial considerations: Organisations often place financial considerations before
audience considerations, which can be expected, but this is a substantial barrier to IMC.
The semantics of IMC: The idea and nature of integration could actually be regarded as
‘‘common sense’’ by any marketing or communication professional, because these
professionals would almost certainly tend to be pro-integration rather than against it.
A validity problem: IMC is still too vague and ambiguous, partially due to its lack of a
universally agreed-upon definition and the incongruities of operational IMC measures.
The strength of emerging disciplines in their own right: The central argument here is that
marketing is primarily viewed as serving customers, while public relations directs
messages to and builds relationships with all relevant audiences.
Cultural diversity: Cultural diversity might enrich IMC campaigns and programmes, but
the same diversity might also pose obstacles. The key to any communication and
marketing strategy is to find a way to reach and appeal to all audiences.
Further barriers of note are:
• power, coordination, and control issues
• audience gender, education and skills
• time and resource issues
• the measurement difficulties that IMC might bring along, and
• lack of database development in the organisation.
