Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

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Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)
Background

• Varying terminology New advertising, one-to-one
  
• marketing, integrated marketing, etc..
• It has emerged naturally mainly due to changes
  in three main areas
• - The market place
• - Media and Communications
• - Consumers
• Primarily driven by advances in information
  technology
• Has lead to more customer-centered,
  database-driven, interactive and mesurable
  approaches.

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Five definitions to IMC
1. Definition by The American Ass. Of Advertising
Agencies (1989)

• The most widely used and the most cited of the
  five
• Its states
• A concept of marketing communications planning
  that recognizes the added value of a
  comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic
  roles of a variety of communication disciplines
  generel advertising, direct responce, sales
  promotion, public relations and combines these
  disciplines to provide clarity, consistency, and
  maximum communication impact.
• Includes the need for a marketing communications
  plan that unifies the various tools used to
  provide a synergy that would otherwise be lost.
• One spirit, one voice, one look
• All dicisplines should work together to become
  more eficient, but without losing their
  individual identity.
• Sees IMC as a concept and not a process.

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1. Definition of IMC
Inadequacies

• It however lacked things like measurability and
  quantification analysis, drive for result,
  consumer orientation, aspects of creativity,
  cost-efectiveness, cost-efficiency, and
  interactivity (Kitchen and Schultz, 1999).
• There is an exclusion of consumers and no
  guidelines to how effectiveness might be
  achieved. (Duncan and Gaywood, 1996)
• Is IMC only about the use of multiple
  communication disciplines?
• Lack of references on consumers, prospects, etc..
• It is problematic that the definition does not
  include measurement issues!

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2. Definition of IMC
2. Definition by Don Schultz, Northwestern
University( 1991)

• IMC is the process of managing all sources of
  information about a product/service to which a
  customer or prospect is exposed which
  behaviorally moves the consumer towards a sale
  and maintains customer loyalty.
• This definition focuses on the consumer or
  prospect as well as the relationship between the
  brand and the customer.
• Includes all contact points between the two.
• Sees IMC as just process and not as a concept

Inadequacies
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3. Definition of IMC
3. Definition by Tom Duncan (1992 and 1994)

• Definition of 1992 The strategic coordination
  of all mesages and media used by an organization
  to collectively influence its percieved brand
  value.
• The revised definition of 1994 IMC is the
  process of strategically controlling or
  influencing all messagess and encouraging
  purposeful dialogue to create and nourish
  profitable relationships with customers and other
  stakeholders.
• This last definition by Duncan and Gaywood
  revised so that it would also include
• All employees, regulators and parties that come
  in contact with the organisation.
• More emphasis on creating long-term effects by
  looking out for the relationship with those
  involved with the company.

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3. Definition of IMC
Inadequacies

• Does not take the outside-in perspective into
  account. messages can be both controlled and
  uncontrolled.
• -The term control used might suggest a one-way
  viewpoint.
• It does not mention any means of channels or
  communication you might use to obtain
  Encouraging purposefull dialogue.
• The aspects of measurability and evaluation of
  IMC programmes are not explicitly mentioned.

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4. Definition of IMC
4. Definition by Nowak and Phelps (1994)

• Not a straightforward definition. dwell on the
  basic notions of the concept and fail to
  transcend deeper.
• They found three conceptualisations
• One-voice marketing communications
• Consists in providing a consistent image,
  position, message and/or theme across all
  comunication disciplines.
• Integrated marketing communications
  (advertisements)
• Includes both a brand image and a behavioral
  response
• Coordinated marketing communication
• Strives to achieve synergy through the
  coordination of all marketing activities that
  both develops awareness and build brand image as
  well as evokes a behavioral response.

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5. Definition of IMC
5. Definition by Don Schultz and Heidi Schultz
(1998)

• Based on past studies and as well as experiences
  from different Organisations that have embraced
  the IMC approach IMC is a strategic business
  process used to plan, develop, execute, and
  evaluate coordinated, measurable, persuasive
  brand communication programs over time with
  consumers, customers, prospects, and other
  targeted, relevant external and internal
  audiences.
• According to the creaters it focuses more on the
  business process.
• Includes all of the concepts we have touched upon
  so far.
• Also includes concepts like business process,
  evaluation, and measurability.
• If you are still awake, you will find it to be
  too long and all- embracing which is problematic.

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New definition