Integrated Marketing Communications

The proliferation of advanced technology in communications media has changed the way that many people communicate in the 21st century. To be successful in this environment, marketing communications need to consider not only these new approaches to communication but also the way that people best receive and retain information. Prospective customers today are bombarded with information about competing products. Simply airing more advertisements is likely to add to the confusion. Integrated marketing communications is an approach to marketing communications that combines and integrates multiple sources of marketing information to maximize the effectiveness of a marketing campaign. To be effective, an integrated marketing communications approach needs research and analysis of the target market. This includes its needs, motivations, and ways to communicate with the targeted segment. The results of the analysis can be used to develop a plan of action for integrating multiple sources of communication about the organization and its products and services to optimize the effectiveness of the marketing effort.

In the late twentieth century, communication technology was much simpler than it is today. Although most people had landline telephones, the mobile phone was an almost inconceivable luxury only for the very rich. Correspondence was done by mail. Those days, however, are long over. In many sectors of the culture, those without a smartphone and communications applications are viewed as technophobes, hopelessly behind the times. The fax machine that revolutionized the speed of communication in the latter part of the twentieth century is obsolete, as messages and documents fly through cyberspace at incredible speeds.

This surge in communications technology has been a boon to the business world and its marketing function. It is easy to pick up a smartphone and communicate instantaneously with a colleague or customer in any part of the globe The Internet can be mined for data to keep up with one's competition or to gain more knowledge about current or prospective customers (e.g., through social media). However, the proliferation of new communications technologies is not an unmixed blessing. The radio that was once a prime advertising medium has become, for the most part, nothing more than background noise or has been replaced completely with commercial-free Internet radio stations or music downloads. Even the value of television as an advertising medium has been diminished as people multitask (e.g., on tablets or smartphones) while watching or recording their favorite programs using streaming technology so they do not have to watch the commercials. Many people prefer sound bites to long speeches and do not even process much advertising because they are so inundated with data, they cannot comprehend it all. Many people have learned to automatically discard the junk mail that fills mailboxes daily and have software applications that automatically remove the spam from e-mail boxes.

To help solve this problem and get their message across to customers and prospective customers, an increasing number of businesses are utilizing the approach of integrated marketing communications. This approach to marketing combines and integrates multiple sources of marketing information (e.g., advertising, direct response, sales promotions, publicity) to maximize the effectiveness of a marketing campaign. The concept of integrated marketing communications emphasizes that the organization coordinates all its marketing efforts to present a consistent face to customers while focusing the marketing campaign in an attempt to give the organization a competitive edge.

An integrated marketing campaign is designed to reach a target audience in many ways. As a target audience will likely frequent different types of media, such as video applications, social media, print, and television, integrated marketing should seek to establish a presence in those same media spaces. In 2022 SocialPilot described several factors that can contribute to an effective integrated marketing campaign. The first is to maintain consistency of message throughout the different channels or platforms that are going to be employed. Prospective customers should be provided the same selling points regardless of the platform they encounter the message. It is, therefore, necessary for a business to understand what the media sites are where its target customers can be found.

There are a number of factors that led to the development of integrated marketing communications. First, the proliferation of messages for various products frequently results in information overload where the consumer receives more inputs than they can reasonably process. As a result, merely putting more advertisements in the marketplace is no longer likely to be successful since the consumer is already receiving too many inputs. Second, the growth of advanced technology approaches to information management has led to a decrease in the cost of database marketing. This means it is easier and relatively inexpensive to acquire a list of single mothers, veterinary technicians, or whatever market segment the organization is interested in targeting to where advertisements can be directed Third, as discussed above, communication via mass media is becoming increasingly less effective while at the same time becoming more expensive. In addition, the changing composition of marketing communications agencies resulting from mergers and acquisitions has allowed marketers to more easily compile comprehensive teams that can develop integrated campaigns done by separate agencies. As a result, knowledge and theory about how to better craft integrated marketing campaigns has increased. In addition, differentiation within and among the media is fragmenting the audience. For example, someone who listens to a classical radio station is unlikely to look favorably at an organization that tries to sell its product or service with a hard rock soundtrack and vice versa. Similarly, the demographics of people who watch the History Channel differ from those who watch MTV. Although in the past, advertising on the three major networks could result in an organization's product or service recognition among a large market demographic, this is no longer true.

To better understand the purpose of integrated marketing communications, it is helpful to understand the process. Figure 1 shows a simplified model of how marketing communications try to reach potential customers to persuade them to buy the organization's products or services. At its most basic, communication starts when the organization transmits a message to the receiver. The organization decides what it wants to convey to the customers (e.g., widgets can walk the dog and take out the garbage). This message is then sent to the receiver through the medium that the organization thinks will best reach the target market (e.g., television commercial, newspaper advertisement). However, this information does not reach the prospective customer directly but goes through a series of filters that screen the message and may alter its meaning. For example, notice that Widget Corporation is not the only organization trying to reach the customer. Both Acme and Gizmo are also sending messages that their products can more effectively walk the dog and take out the garbage and do these things for a lower price. The customer unconsciously screens the message for other reasons, too. For example, s/he may not own a dog and also misses the fact that widgets take out the garbage. Or, they may not like the background music played in the commercial or the layout of the print advertisement and so chooses to ignore them. The potential customer then decodes what the filtered message says and encodes an appropriate response. This leads to either positive or negative feedback to the organization that sent the message (e.g., the customer does or does not buy a widget).

The literature discusses several levels of development for integrated marketing communications. At the first level, the organization is simply aware of the need to implement an integrated approach to its marketing efforts. For example, when trying to create a consistent image for excellence in its given field or for developing cutting-edge products, an organization may realize that it would be helpful to consistently present this image across all its marketing efforts. This level of awareness regarding the need for integrated marketing communications is then followed by efforts to integrate the organization's image to ensure that a consistent message is being sent to potential consumers. This includes integrating the messages and visual themes of the entire marketing communications effort in order to maximize its impact on potential customers. In addition, at this level, the organization focuses on the benefits of its products and services to the customer rather than merely trying to persuade them to purchase.

At the next level of development, the organization begins the process of functional integration. Each component of the marketing communications is analyzed and evaluated in order to determine strengths and weaknesses and the value it adds to the campaign as a whole. This evaluation takes into consideration the marketing goals of the campaign, including the market share that the organization is trying to achieve. Next, the integration of these components is integrated with the personal selling effort, with marketing representatives interacting with prospective customers one-on-one to demonstrate the benefits of the product or service vis a vis the customer's unique requirement. At this level, specific knowledge and data about the prospective customer base to which the organization wishes to sell its products or services is integrated into the marketing approach. This activity can include data collection and analysis of such factors as understanding the needs and motivations of the target market, determining which customers are more likely to purchase the organization's products or services, and how to structure the marketing effort in a way that positions it to help show potential buyers the benefits of the product or service as well as persuading them to purchase it. At this level, the marketing strategy becomes integrated, and all marketing efforts are shaped to better reach the target market and convince prospective customers to buy the product or service.

In addition to understanding the market demographics, the organization must also consider its other stakeholders in determining the appropriate mix for an integrated marketing communications approach. Stakeholders are persons or groups that can affect or be affected by a decision or action. In marketing, stakeholders may include the organization's employees, suppliers, distributors, and stockholders. The integrated marketing communications campaign must not only communicate effectively with prospective customers but with any stakeholders. This is to demonstrate how the new product or service will benefit them (e.g., more job security for the manufacturing department, more profits for the stockholders).

Applications

Integrated marketing communications is not a shotgun approach to marketing where any and all media and methods are used in the hope that something will attract the customer's attention. Rather, to be successful, an integrated marketing approach needs to be based on careful analysis and planning and then coordinated in order to maximize its impact. As discussed above, to be successful, a marketing strategy needs to be based on a rigorous analysis of empirical data, including market needs and trends, competitor capabilities and offerings, and the organization's resources and abilities. From this analysis, the organization can determine the best way to meet its goals and develop a plan of action to implement the plan. Although this is not a minor undertaking, it is an important step. Without collecting and analyzing data to determine the needs and motivations of the target market and determining how best to position the organization's product or service to best attract the targeted potential customers, any results will be merely hit or miss and will not leverage the capabilities of the organization and its offerings into a successful marketing plan.

Considerations for Planning an Integrated Marketing Campaign

There are several considerations that need to be taken into account when planning an integrated marketing communications effort. First, the organization needs to consider the nature and makeup of the target market. This analysis can include any or all of several groups within the potential marketplace. The most likely group to purchase a new product or service from the organization is its current customers, particularly those who are loyal to the organization's brand. A successful marketing plan must be crafted to take into account these differences and marketing efforts must be targeted to reach each of the groups as determined by the organization.

A successful marketing plan, however, strives not only to keep the organization's current customers, but to increase its market share. However, there are other types of current customers including those who buy the product or service out of habit but could easily be persuaded to switch to another brand and those who use several brands indiscriminately. This means that individuals who could benefit from the organization's product or service need to be targeted appropriately to turn them from non-customers into customers. These groups include new users who have never purchased a similar product or service, customers who are loyal to other brands, and customers who use other brands out of habit without seriously weighing its costs and benefits. Once the various categories of potential customers have been identified, the organization must next decide which of these is most likely to switch brands and the best way to persuade them to do so. When this is done, the organization can determine the best way to communicate its message to them in a way that encourages a positive response and drives the customer to purchase from the organization.

To do this, one must determine what the objectives for the marketing campaign are. From a consumer perspective, the organization wants the consumer to take some kind of action -- either trying the product or service or continuing to use it. In either case, the objective of the organization will more than likely be for the consumer not only to continue using the product or service, but also to recommend it to other potential customers. This can be done at several different levels. At the level of category need, the members of the target market need to be aware that they need what the organization is offering. This level of marketing effort is necessary when the new product or service is innovative and has not been offered before or when the product or service is being offered to prospective customers who have not used this type of product before. However, if the prospective customers are only made aware of a need, they will not necessarily purchase the product or service from the organization. Therefore, it is also to make prospective customers aware of the brand. At this level of communication, the organization's marketing communications are aimed at getting prospective customers to recognize the organization and recall the product or service that they offer. In addition, marketing communication should be targeted toward helping prospective customers develop a positive attitude toward the product or service because of its benefits or its capability to satisfy the needs that have been illuminated by other parts of the marketing strategy. The organization should also help the prospective customers form the intention to buy their brand of product or service and then help them to do so. This can be done through numerous methods including free samples, discounts, and coupons.

Approaches to Planning an Integrated Marketing Campaign

Planning for an integrated marketing communications campaign also includes consideration of how the campaign will be designed. Although some agencies or organizations attempt an ad hoc approach to integrate the various elements of their campaigns, these are much less likely to be successful than an integrated approach based on strategic planning as discussed above. The "one look" approach helps customers more easily identify the brand. This may be done through such techniques as using the same graphics, colors, and logo in all marketing communications. For example, the Apple logo appears on all their marketing materials and Campbell's Soup is easily recognized by its red, white, and gold labels. Although this approach helps with brand recognition, on its own it is typically not sufficient.

Another approach to design is the theme line approach. In this approach, the same slogan is used in all the marketing communications. For example, the phrase "Xerox, the document company" has been used across their marketing materials, including in their logo and in their commercials. The purpose of this consistent approach is to connect the name "Xerox" in people's minds with the concept of "document company." That way, when a business customer determines that they need a document company, the name Xerox should spring to their mind. Research has been done on this approach to marketing and it has been found that when key visuals or slogans are also placed on product displays and packaging, customers better remember the message of the advertising. In addition, research has found that another way to reinforce the message of the advertising is to present it through both visual media (e.g., television) and auditory media (e.g., radio). Psychologically, some people are visual learners and some are auditory learners. This dual approach helps reach both kinds and provides reinforcement for the message. Similarly, research has found that running print and radio advertisements before television commercials acts to peak the consumer's interest in the product. Like the "one look" approach, the theme line approach is helpful, but these activities are not sufficient alone for a successful marketing campaign.

A third approach to integrated marketing communications planning is the supply-side approach. In this approach, the organization signs with an agency that has an agreement with representatives of several different media to provide discounted rates in a "package deal" (e.g., newspaper ads, local radio station commercials, and a local television station commercial). However, although this does move the organization closer to an integrated approach to marketing communications, the package deal may not include all the media that are appropriate to its campaign or may include media that will not help in its marketing effort.

Finally, there are consumer-based approaches that help the organization identify the market and segment of the market that it wants to reach, identify messages and communication vehicles that are most appropriate to each segment, allocate resources, and evaluate the effectiveness of the effort as a whole. The most popular of these models was developed by Schultz, Tannenbaum, and Lauterborn. This model also stresses the development of a database of customer information including demographics, buying history, and other factors that might influence their buying decisions. The data are further segmented into the type of prospective customer: those who are loyal to the organization's products or services, those who are loyal to another brand, and those who are willing to switch brands. Other considerations include when or where the advertisement should occur. For example, a television ad for an expensive piece of business equipment would probably not result in a high return on investment if aired during the day when the people who make the decision to buy that kind of equipment are in the office not watching television. This model also stresses the need to develop a communications strategy. This includes determining what points the organization would like the prospective customer to remember and how to most effectively craft the message to do this. Similarly, the marketing plan needs to consider the marketing objectives: to maintain or increase sales to loyal customers, convince customers loyal to other brands to switch to the organization's product or service, or to help turn swing users into loyal users. The customer-based model also considers what marketing tools should be used in the creation of an optimal mix and what tactics should be used to get the organization's point across.

Terms & Concepts

Advertising: Non-personal communication used by a business to persuade potential customers to buy their goods or services. Advertising may be done through any number of media including television or radio; newspapers, magazines, or other publications; direct mail; billboards; catalogs; or the Internet.

Demographic Data: Statistical information about a given subset of the human population such as persons living in a particular area, shopping at an area mall, or subscribing to a local newspaper. Demographic data might include such information as age, gender, income distribution, or growth trends.

Information Overload: The condition in which a person receives more information than s/he can meaningfully process.

Integrated Marketing Communications: An approach to marketing communications that combines and integrates multiple sources of marketing information (e.g., advertising, direct response, sales promotions, public relations) to maximize the effectiveness of a marketing campaign.

Market Share: The proportion of total sales of a given type of product or service that are earned by a particular business or organization.

Personal Selling: The process of communicating with the customer on a one-to-one basis with the intention of persuading him/her to purchase a product or service. Personal selling may include developing a relationship with the customer, collecting and analyzing data formally or informally to determine the customer's needs, determining the best match between the customer's needs and the business's products or services, and effectively communicating this information in an attempt to persuade the customer to make a purchase.

Publicity: Non-personal communication about the business or its products or services that is transmitted through mass media (e.g., television, radio, newspaper, Internet) at no cost to the organization. Publicity includes such items as news articles about new products, store openings, new management, or new policies.

Reinforcement: An act, process, circumstance, or condition that increases the probability of a person repeating a response.

Sales Promotion: A set of activities and concomitant materials intended to attract the attention of potential customers and persuade them to purchase the organization's product or service. Sales promotions frequently offer an incentive to the customer to make a purchase such as coupons, discount prices, rebates, free samples, or contests. Sales promotions are often categorized into two classifications: those that target the ultimate user and those that target the wholesaler or reseller of a product.

Stakeholder: A person or group that can affect or be affected by a decision or action. In marketing, stakeholders may include the organization's employees, suppliers, distributors, and stockholders.

Strategy: In business, a strategy is a plan of action to help the organization reach its goals and objectives. A good business strategy is based on the rigorous analysis of empirical data, including market needs and trends, competitor capabilities and offerings, and the organization's resources and abilities.

Target Market: The people or businesses to whom the organization wishes to sell goods or services.

Bibliography

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Mihart, C. (2012). Impact of integrated marketing communication on consumer behaviour: Effects on consumer decision -- making process. International Journal of Marketing Studies. 4 (2), 121-129. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=75333802&site=ehost-live.

Percy, L. (1997). Strategies for implementing integrated marketing communications. Lincoln, IL: NTC Business Books.

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Santora, J. (2022, Aug. 22). What is an integrated marketing campaign (and how to create one). Influencer Marketing Hub. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://influencermarketinghub.com/integrated-marketing-campaign/.

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Schultz, D. E., Tannenbaum, S. I., & Lauterborn, R. F. (1993). Integrated marketing communications. Lincoln, IL: NTC Business Books.

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Suggested Reading

Laurie, S., & Mortimer, K. (2011). 'IMC is dead. Long live IMC': Academics' versus practitioners' views. Journal of Marketing Management, 27 (13/14), 1464-1478. Retrieved November 20, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=67698755&site=ehost-live.

Paley, N. (2005). Promotional strategies: Plan a total communications mix. Manager's Guide to Competitive Marketing Strategies (3rd ed.), 333-362. Retrieved May 5, 2007, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=22355290&site=ehost-live.

Rossiter, J. R., & Percy, L. (2013). How the roles of advertising merely appear to have changed. International Journal of Advertising, 32 (3), 391-398. Retrieved November 20, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=89594088&site=ehost-live.

Semenik, R. J. (2002). Promotion and integrated marketing communications. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western/Thomson Learning.

Smith, T. M, Gopalakrishna, S., & Chatterjee, R. A. (2006). Three-stage model of integrated marketing communications at the marketing-sales interface. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(564-579. Retrieved May 5, 2007, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. Retrieved November 20, 2013 from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=22754671&site=ehost-live.