Summary book Marketing Communications
Chapter 1: Integrated communications
Marketing and the instruments of the marketing mix
Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and
distribution of good ideas, goods and services to create and exchange value, and satisfy individual
and organisational objectives.
Marketing mix:
Product: A costumer need: consists of three layers:
o Core product: the unique benefit that is being marketed.
o Tangible product: product features, level of quality, available options, design and
packaging.
o Augmented product: the service layer: prompt delivery, installation service, after-sales
service and management of complaints.
Price: the cost to the customer:
o List price: the official price of a product.
o Discounts, incentives, credit terms, payment periods can also be used.
Place: bringing the product from production site to the customer.
o Channels, logistics, inventory, transport, assortments, selecting wholesalers and retailers
Promotion: all instruments by means of which the company communicates with its target
groups and stakeholders to promote its products or the company as a whole.
o Advertising, public relations, sponsorships, brand activation, direct marketing, point-of-
purchase, exhibitions and trade fairs, personal selling, online communication.
The communications mix
Marketing communication: all instruments by means of which the company communicates with its
target groups(potential consumers) and stakeholders(create goodwill with people) in order to
promote its products or services.
Difference between marketing communication and corporate communication:
Focus of corporate communication: create image and attitudes towards the organisation.
Marketing communication is focused on: target group and promoting a product (not necessarily
promoting the company)
You can love for example a dove product but hate Unilever at the same time.
Marketing communication is part of corporate communication.
Marketing communication is a process through which organisations and audiences engage with one
another.
Tools of the communication mix:
Advertising: non-personal mass communications using mass media, the content of which is
determined and paid for by a clearly identified sender (the company). Ex: TV, radio
Brand activation: the integration of all available communications means in a creative platform in
order to activate consumers by stimulating interest, initiating trial and eventually securing consumer
loyalty. Ex: offering car buyers to do a test drive.
Sales promotions: sales-stimulating campaigns (they are a part of brand activation). Ex: price cuts,
coupons, loyalty programmes, competitions, free samples, etc.
Point-of-purchase communications: communications at the point of purchase or point of sales (in a
shop). Ex: displays, advertising within the shop, merchandising, article presentations, store layout,
etc.
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,Online communications: communicate interactively with customers and stakeholders via the
Internet and mobile devices. Ex: online banners, pre-roll video ads, advertising on social media.
Direct marketing communications: personal and direct way to communicate with customers and
potential clients or prospects. Ex: personalised brochures and leaflets, direct mailings, telemarketing
actions, direct response advertising.
Sponsorship: the sponsor provides funds, goods, services, and/or know-how. The sponsored
organisation will help the sponsor with communications objectives. Ex: events can be sponsored.
Public relations: all the communications a company instigates with its audiences or stakeholders.
Publicity is impersonal mass communications in mass media, but it’s not paid for by a company and
the content is written by journalists.
Exhibitions and trade fairs: usually used in B2B and industrial markets. It’s important for contacting
prospects, users and purchasers.
Personal communications: when the message transfer is directed to certain known and individually
addressed persons.
Mass communications: when the message transfer is directed to a number of receivers who cannot
be identified, using mass media to reach a broad audience.
Image or theme communications: the advertiser tries to tell the target group something about the
brand or products and services offered.
Action communications: seek to influence the buying behaviour of target groups and to persuade
the consumer to purchase the product.
Integration of marketing communications
Integrated marketing communications (IMC): is a new way of looking at the whole, where once we
saw only parts such as advertising, public relations, sales promotions, purchasing, employee
communication, and so forth, to look at it the way the consumer sees it – as a flow of information
from indistinguishable sources.
Communication instruments should be integrated because it can be confusing for the consumer to
get different or clashing messages from the same company. There should be no conflict between the
communication instruments.
ROMI: return on marketing communications.
Two principles are important when designing and implementing an integrated marketing
communications mix:
1. Consistency: marketing instruments have to work in the same direction, and not conflict with
each other.
2. Synergy: marketing mix instrument have to be designed in such a way that the effects of the
tools are mutually reinforcing. (instruments should enhance each other. The influence of the
instruments together is bigger than the effect that each instrument would have separately.
Think of: 1 + 1 = 3)
Integrating marketing communications across cultures
Often marketers and marketing communications executives fall victim to the self-reference criterion.
Self-reference criterion: our unconscious tendency to refer everything to our own cultural values.
Standardisation or adaptation
When a company decides to go international, one of the most important strategic decisions to be
made is to what extent a global or cross-culturally integrated marketing strategy in the foreign
market(s) must be followed.
Standardised campaign: a campaign that is run in different countries, using the same concepts,
setting, theme, appeal and message, with the possible exception of translation.
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,Localisation or adaptation: elements of the communications strategy are adapted to local
circumstances.
Globalisation: worldwide standardisation
Localisation: complete adaptation
Often the best way to approach international markets is not to adhere to one of the extreme
strategies of globalisation or localisation but to opt for a ‘global commitment to a local vision’.
Glocalisation: glocalised advertising campaigns often combine global elements, such as a global
brand name and positioning, with local elements such as wording or a local celebrity endorser.
Integration of corporate communications
Corporate communications: the total integrated approach to the communications activity generated
by all functional departments of a company, targeted at all company stakeholders, and aimed at
establishing and maintaining the link between strategic objectives, the corporate identity and the
corporate image in line.
Corporate communications have three main objectives:
1. To establish joint strategic starting points of the organisation that will have to be translated
into consistent communications. (or to define a corporate identity that is in line with
corporate strategy)
2. To reduce the gap between the desired identity and the image of the company (corporate
image) that exists with its target groups.
3. To organise and control the implementation of all the communications efforts of a company,
in line with the two above-mentioned principles.
Corporate personality: the values held by personnel within the organisation. It is defined as the
collective, commonly shared understanding of the organisation’s distinctive values and
characteristics. It encompasses corporate philosophy, mission, strategy and principles.
Corporate identity: the set of meanings by which a company allows itself to be known and through
which it allows people to describe, remember and relate to it. It is the way the company chooses to
present itself to its relevant target audiences by means of symbolism, communications and
behaviour.
Corporate personality and corporate identity are derived from 4 concepts:
1. Corporate culture: the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by
members of an organisation and define an organisation’s view of itself and its environment.
Corporate culture consists of three levels:
o First level: the physical aspects of the company. Ex: the look of the building and the way
how visitors are treated.
o Second level: the values held by employees, such as the importance of honesty in doing
business, the service-mindedness of the sales staff and the responsiveness to customer
complaints.
o Third level: achieved when everyone in the company develops a firm belief in the
corporate culture characteristics and behaves accordingly without questioning them.
2. Corporate strategy: long-term strategic objectives will determine and shape the desired
corporate personality.
3. Industry identity: underlying economic and technical characteristic of an industry. Ex:
industry size, growth, competitiveness, culture and technology levels.
4. Corporate structure: consists of organisational structure and brand structure.
Corporate symbolism or corporate design (consistent house style on business cards, letterheards,
vehicles, gifts, clothes, equipment, packaging, etc.) is an integral part of the corporate identity.
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, Corporate behavior is also an important factor in making the corporate identity visible.
Corporate image: the stakeholder’s perception of the way an organisation presents itself.
Factors leading to integrated marketing and corporate communications
360 degrees communication: marketing communications should try to create as many touch points
as possible with the target group, by means of a consistent and synergetic use of as many
communication tools and instruments as possible.
Levels of integration
There are 7 levels of integration:
1. Awareness
2. Image integration
3. Functional integration
4. Co-ordinated integration
5. Consumer-based integration
6. Stakeholder-based integration
7. Relationship management integration
Barriers to integrated communications
Barriers that prevent IMC being implemented quickly and efficiently:
Existing structures
Turf wars and ego problems
Lack of internal communications
Perceived complexity of planning and co-ordination
Functional specialisation in communications agencies
Functional specialisation in companies
Personal vs mass communications
Selective perception: the process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media
messages while ignoring opposing viewpoints. (consumer can choose to pay attention or not)
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