Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications Summary
Chapter 1 – integrated marketing communications.
How does communication take place?
Encoding is forming verbal and nonverbal cues, such as media. Messages travel to audiences
through various transmission devices, the channel may be a television. Decoding occurs when the
message reaches one or more receiver’s senses. Consumers both hear and see tv ads. The receivers
are the customers.
Here are some examples of Communication Noise (=distorts or disrupts a message, including
marketing communications), these happen in between every activity (between the sender and the
encoding there is noise, for instance): talking on the phone during a commercial on television, driving
while listening to the radio and more. Clutter remains the most common form of noise.
Feedback takes the form of the receiver’s response to the sender. Feedback includes: inquiries,
complaints, questions, store visits, blogs, and website hits.
What is an integrated marketing communications program?
Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is the coordination and integration of all marketing
communications tools in a company into a seamless program designed to maximize the impact on
customers and other stakeholders. The traditional framework of marketing promotions is the
marketing mix, consisting of the 4 p’s. It also includes activities such as database marketing, direct
response marketing, personal selling tactics, sponsorships, and public relations programs.
A strategic marketing plan forms the basis for integrated marketing communications. Next, marketers
conduct a SWOT analysis by studying the factors in the organizations internal and external
environments. Defining marketing objectives establishes targets such as higher sales, an increase in
market share, a new competitive position, or desired customer actions, such as visiting the store and
making purchases. The team then develops marketing strategies based on the marketing objectives
and target market. Marketing tactics guide the day-by-day activities necessary to support the
marketing strategies. The final two steps in the marketing plan consists of stating how to implement
the plan and specifying methods to evaluate performance.
Which trends are affecting marketing communications?
1. Emphasis on accountability and measurable results.
Company leaders expect advertising agencies to produce tangible outcomes. Many companies have
replaced 30-second tv spots with digital, social and alternative communication advertisements.
Messages can be tied to special events un which names, profiles, and addresses of prospective
customers are collected and tracked.
,2. Explosion of the digital arena.
Marketing techniques seek to create experiences with a brand rather that mere purchases with little or
no emotional attachment. Many companies have cut traditional media expenditures, moving their
dollars to digital media.
3. Integration of media platforms.
It’s important for marketers to use tv’s and computers as they devise methods over there to reach
them. Content gazing involves looking at two or more screen simultaneously to access content that is
not related (watching tv and texting). Investigative spider-webbing occurs when a consumer pursues
or investigates specific content across multiple platforms (watching football and filling in a football bet).
Quantum journey focuses on completing a specific task, such as when a consumer looks for a
Chinese restaurant, looks at the ratings, and looks where to place the order. Social spider webbing
takes place when consumers share content or information across multiple devices (posting pictures
on FB and then texting friends to check them out).
4. Shift in channel power.
A marketing channel consists of a produce or manufacturer vending goods to various wholesalers or
middlemen, who, in turn, sell items to retailers who offer the items to consumers. Retailers want to
maintain channel power, but consumers are getting more channel power due to the growth of internet
along with other methods of communication.
5. Increase in global competition.
Consumers desire high quality along with low prices. The company that delivers the best value of
quality and price make the sale, often regardless of location. Advancements in delivery systems make
it possible for purchasers to arrive in a matter of days from anywhere in the world.
6. Increase in brand parity.
When consumers believe that various brands provide the same set of attributes, brand parity results.
When it occurs, shoppers select from a group of brands rather than one specific brand. Brand parity
means that quality becomes less of a concern because consumers perceive only minor differences
between brands.
7. Emphasis on customer engagement.
To build loyalty, marketers seek to engage customers with the brand at every contact point: that is,
any place where customers interact with or acquire additional information about a firm.
What is meant by GIMC?
Marketers can employ two different strategies for global companies. Standardization in which a
company features a uniform product and message across countries, is one option. Adaptation results
in the same creation of products and marketing messages designed for and adapted to individual
countries.
, Chapter 2: Brand Management
What is the goal of image management?
Creating a specific impression in the minds of clients and customers
- brand images contain invisible and intangible elements
- A corporation’s image often includes consumer assessments of company employees
- A strong brand image provides tangible and intangible benefits
Tangible elements (tastbare elementen) Intangible elements (ontastbare elementen)
Goods or services sold Corporate personnel (ideals, beliefs, conduct)
Retail outlets where the product is sold Environment policies
advertising Corporate culture
Marketing communications Country location
Name and logo Media reports
Package and labels
Employees
- Functions of brand image
Provides confidence regarding purchase decisions
Gives assurance about the purchase when the buyer has little or no experience
Reduces search time in a purchase decision
Provides psychological reinforcement and social acceptance of the purchase (concluding that a
wise choice was made and confidence that the good or service will perform well)
- A quality image provides the basis for the development of new goods and services
- The introduction of a product becomes easier when potential customers recognise the brand name
and image
- Brand alliance, when two companies use brand strength to develop and co-market a new product
featuring both names, has recently begun to emerge
- A strong brand image allows a company to charge more for goods and services, which can lead to
improves markup margins and profits
- Brand image’s benefits to companies
Extension of positive customer feelings to new products
Ability to charge a higher price or fee
Consumers loyalty leading to more frequent purchases
Positive word-of-mouth endorsements
Higher level of channel power
Ability to attract quality employees - people become willing to apply for jobs at companies with solid
reputations, thereby reducing recruiting and selection costs.
More favourable rating by financial observers and analysts - financial institutions become willing to
raise capital when needed for companies that have a good reputation.
- A brand name provides the overall banner for operations, ‘it sets the first step towards a
personality’
- Brand names can be divided into 4 categories:
Overt names - reveal what a company does (American Airlines)
Implied names - contain recognisable words or word parts that convey what a company does (FedEx, Home
depot)
Conceptual names - capture the essence of what a company does (Google, Twitter)
Iconoclastic names - represent something unique, different and memorable (Samsung, Reebok)
