INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS (IMC)

Introduction 

Concepts of IMC When all marketing practices, resources and tools are used (for an organisation) in an integrated manner affect the minds of customers at a maximum level along with maximising the organisational profit al minimal cost, it is called Integrated marketing communication. In general, marketing begins with “Marketing Mix”.  Marketing communication or promotion is one of the elements of the Marketing Mix. Advertising using different media, personal selling sales promotions (sales and trade promotion), sponsorship marketing, database marketing, public relation, direct marketing and internet marketing are the activities included in the promotion. 

So, integrated marketing communication is the integration of all these tools with other marketing mix elements in order to get a competitive advantage. 'Integrated Promotion Mix' is the other term used broadly to Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). 

In conventional marketing, different professional agencies are appointed for the promotional ac the effect of marketing communications is not evenly distributed which results in contradictory communications making the customers confused. Therefore, money, time and effort, all are wasted. IMC, on the other hand, maximises the marketing impact on customers as well as other end-users with minimum expense. 

A holistic approach to promotion is integrated marketing communication which has the purpose of ensuring uniformity of the message and the complementary use of media. Both online and offline marketing channels are included in this concept. 

Features of IMC  

• Customer as to the Initial Point:- One of the primary features of Integrated Marketing Communication is that it considers customer as a preliminary step. It indicates that customer is considered to be paramount in designing a suitable message and media for disseminating brand information; so that they can be convinced and attracted. Generally, an 'inside-out' approach is avoided in IMC, while selecting the appropriate communication channels and outside-in' approach is preferred for this purpose; so that the customers are lured to buy the products. 
• Coordination of the Organisation:- It is vital that several marketing tools should be used by the marketing managers This feature springs from the first one and hence stresses upon considering customers as the starting point. However, this feature can be valuable only when attempts are made to use various tools of marketing communication just like those employed in the craft industry like plumbing, carpentry. motor vehicle repairs, etc. There are numerous tools used in each of these crafts and coordination of those can help in attaining the desired results.  
• Several Messages One Voice:- One of the intrinsic features of IMC is that various communication channels, such as advertisements, purchasing point, sales promotions and sponsorships should focus on delivering a single message through multiple channels or various contact points in a consistent manner. In other words, all marketing communication might have multiple echoes but should have one voice. For the purpose of establishing an image, it is vital to ensure harmony between media and messages. Absence of such an effort might spell a disaster on the brand image due to contradictory messages or may lead to wastage of time and money on duplicate activities. 
• Concentrates Mainly on Final Goal:- The fifth feature of IMC is its ultimate objective to influence the target market or target customers. It indicates that the task of commune simply creating brand awareness or influencing customer's perception about evoking some behavioural response in the customers. It can also be said that the sou people to take action in the form of making purchases: however, this point should not be misinterpreted. The success of IMC is depicted in terms of the degree to which it brings Dan ould be quite impractical to expect actions from each and every effort of communication. 

Purpose of IMC  

• To Create Brand Equity:- Creating brand equity through developing the global brand as well as effective corporate image is one of the main objectives of IMC. The set of specific features associated with a brand which is the reason behind increased demand of brand among businesses and consumer equity'. With the combination of integrated marketing communication and quality products, features can be increased.  IMC is an important element in the process of building brand equity. Being “top of mind "consumers' top choice” are the two main features of successful brands. One particular brand is always pointed out when consumers are questioned to name a brand in a given product category. This particular brand name has the feature of being top of mind. 
• To Provide Information:- Along with having the objective of creating brand equity, IMC is also focussed towards other objectives. One such objective is to provide useful information to consumers as well as organisational buyers. Information provided to customers may involve store hours of a particular retailer, detailed description of a particular product, or even business location. Complete and relevant information helps in making the purchase process convenient and quite simple. It induces the consumer to select a store and complete the purchasing process.  
• To Influence Consumer Choices:- Another objective of IMC is to influence consumer choices. It acts as a guide or counsel for customers and makes them use their dominance power (king of the market) in the most effective way. By providing updated and complete information about available products and services, IMC enables the customers to purchase sensibly. It is the objective of IMC to show customers the superiority of a particular brand over another brand. It also highlights the consequences of avoiding a particular brand. It is very difficult to modify consumer attitudes and thereafter convince them to sustain the new choice.  
• To Differentiate Product:- Differentiating the organisational product with that of the co another important objective of IMC. The process through which, a perceived difference between organisational products and competitors' products are developed in the mind of consumer 'differentiation'. Through this definition, it is clear that consumer perception is the basis of brand differentiation. The perceived difference developed through differentiation can be tangible or sometimes intangible (based on image or style) in nature. 
• To Position Products/Brands:- Along with differentiating the product, positioning the product/brand is also an important objective IMC. Process of developing a brand in such a way that it occupies a distinct and respective position (with respect to the other brands) in the minds of target consumers and then highlighting this distinctiveness through promotional efforts is called positioning. As in the case of differentiation, the perceived image of product features (tangible or intangible) is also an important factor here. A perceived image or perceptual space is how customers see a particular brand in comparison to another brand number of dimensions like price, quality, taste, or social display value. 

IMC Components  

Promotion/Communication is one element of the Marketing Mix. Promotional activities include using different media), sales promotion (sales and trades promotion), and personal selling ac present scenario, the promotional tools have widened their scope and number of types. In promotional tools also which are considered under the promotion mix such as e-commerce sponsorship, exhibitions, packaging, point-of-purchase displays, corporate communications trade shows, and customer service. And integration of all these promotional tools along with of the marketing mix to gain an edge over a competitor is called promotion mix. Marketers have major methods of promotion; taken together these comprise the promotion mix. When these in a harmonious manner to reach and exceed the promotion objective, the outcome Marketing Communication (IMC). IMC has been adopted as the best possible way to pr according to the situation. The major elements and scope IMC are as follows:- 

1. Advertising:- Advertising is a kind of promotional message developed by organisational get consumers to buy the offered product(s). This is done through different paid med on radio and television, billboards, ads in newspapers, etc. Nowadays, 'product place advertising. 
2. Sales Promotion:- Apart from advertising, another significant promotional tool is sales promotion, which helps in improving sales by influencing the potential customer to buy the promoted product. The different sales promotion techniques include sample distribution, point of purchase display, premium coupon, off-price selling, etc. 
3. Personal Selling:- Personal selling is the personal interface (telephonic or face-to-face) between the prospective buyer and the seller. Influencing the buyer to acknowledge a particular issue, convincing the buyer to follow a particular course of action or building a sound customer relationship, are the primary intentions of this interface.  
4. Publicity:- Publicity is an impersonal not-paid technique of promotion, where the demand for organisational products and services is enhanced through devising editorial remark or supporting news within the print media or through finding an encouraging presentation of it on stage, TV or radio.  
5. Public Relations:- Generally, the public relations (PR) is a promotional tool responsible for developing and maintaining the brand image of an individual, institution or organisation, within the eyes of the concerned public. In terms of PR, a public is someone, who can draw an opinion about the concerned individual, institution or organisation.  
6. Direct Marketing:- Sometimes, organisations directly approach to prospective customers to develop feedback and/or build sales. Conventionally, direct marketing has not been included in the promotional mix. But, nowadays, as it encompasses different strategies, budgets and purposes, and is utilised by different organisations as a part of their IMC plan, marketers regularly claim direct marketing as a part of the promotion mix. 
7. Word.of-Mouth:- Word-of-mouth is referred to as the transiting of information from the individual to individual. Initially, the term was associated only with oral communication. But, now it covers all kinds of human interfaces, such as face-to-face interaction, email communication, telephone and through sending texts. Positive word-of-mouth promotion is not possible until the customers have a positive experience with an organisation. Such word-of-mouth promotions can be developed through providing services of high standards. 
8. Online Marketing:- Online marketing or interactive marketing is a new technique of promotion. Apart from other conventional forms of promotion like advertising, personal selling or sales promotion, which are directed towards the customers only, this interactive marketing facilitates the target customers to interact with the organisation also. 

IMC Planning Model

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Factors Contributing to IMC  

• Fragmentation of Media:- There has been a tremendous increase in the availability of media options for marketers. Marketers are now able to reach customers at more specific locations like metro stations, airports and supermarkets cash counters through the new offering by broadcast media known as "narrowcasting". Not only this, but print media has also witnessed remarkable growth. For example, there was a time when the United States brought up 197 different sports magazines in the market. As a result of mass fragmentation, marketers are now less dependent on mass media and have increased their focus on additional options for promotion such as POP (Point-of-Purchase), event sponsorship, etc.  
• Better Audience Assessment:- More accurate and specific research techniques have been introduced for the marketers to recognise and target particular market segments like teenagers, old-age people, Dual-Income Households with No Kids (DINKS), Asian-Americans, Hispanics, etc. This has led the marketers to serve the specific target segments with the help of promotional tools rather than using mass media.  
• Consumer Empowerment:- Nowadays, consumers are more aware, informed and empowered. These powerful consumers are mostly highly educated people, smaller families, single-person households, and experienced consumers. They demand customised information just related to their needs and are usually doubtful about commercial messages. For this purpose, technological systems such as PVR TiVo/DVR play a crucial role in controlling the empowered consumers.  
• Increased Advertising Clutter:- Consumers are becoming bored and cynical and this is the reason they are transforming themselves as more advanced and revolutionary. The rapid increase in advertising stimuli has weakened the effect of single advertising messages. The rise in the messages has no end, they will be increasing simultaneously.  
• Database Technology:- Various communication opportunities have been created for marketers to generate, assemble and manage databases. These databases can be used to create customer and non-customer profiles. Marketers can undertake direct-response marketing and telemarketing programmes with the help of this information. This can be enhanced more with the growth of the internet.  
• Channel Power:- In several products and market segments, there has been a transfer of power from the big manufacturers to big retailers. "Power retailers" like Big Bazaar and Spencer are charging fees and allowances from manufacturers to promote their products in special events and various other retail promotional events. 
• Accountability:- In order to attain increased accountability, companies are adopting short-term promotional methods such as direct mail, sales promotion, etc., instead of using advertising methods. 

Types of IMC Partners 

1. Advertiser (Client):- The advertisers or clients are the key partners in the IMC process. They have the products, services or causes to be marketed and they provide the funds that pay for advertising and promotions. The advertisers also assume major responsibility for developing the marketing program and making the final decisions regarding the advertising and promotional program to be employed. The organisation may perform most of these efforts itself, either through its own advertising department or by setting up an in-house agency. 
2. Advertising Agency:- However, many organisations use an advertising agency, an outside firm that specialises in the creation, production and/or placement of the communications message and that may provide other services to facilitate the marketing and promotions process. Many large advertisers retain the services of a number of agencies, particularly when they market a number of products. For example, Kraft Foods uses as many as 8 advertising agencies for its various brands, while Procter & Gamble uses 12 ad agencies and 2 major media buying services companies. More and more, ad agencies are acting as partners with advertisers and assuming more responsibility for developing the marketing and promotional programs. 
3. Media Organisations:- Media organisations are another major participant in the IMC process. The primary function of most media is to provide information or entertainment to their subscribers, viewers or readers. But from the perspective of the promotional planner, the purpose of media is to provide an environment for the firm's marketing communications message. The media must have editorial or program content that attracts consumers so that advertisers and their agencies will want to buy time or space with them. Media perform many other functions that help advertisers understand their markets and their customers, a medium's primary objective is to sell itself as a way for companies to reach their target markets with their messages effectively.  
4. Specialised Marketing Communications:- The next groups of participants are organisations that provide specialised marketing communications services. They include direct-marketing agencies, sales promotion agencies and interactive agencies and public relations firms. These organisations provide services in their areas of expertise. A direct-response agency develops and implements direct-marketing programs, while sales promotion agencies develop promotional programs such as contests and sweepstakes, premium offers or sampling programs. Interactive agencies are being retained to develop websites for the Internet and help marketers as they move deeper into the realm of interactive media. Public relations firms are used to generate and manage publicity for a company and its products and services as well as to focus on its relationships and communications with its relevant publics.  
5. Collateral Services:- The final participants shown in the promotions process of are those that provide collateral services, the wide range of support functions used by advertisers, agencies, media organisations and specialised marketing communications firms. These individuals and companies perform specialised functions the other participants use in planning and executing advertising and other promotional functions. 

Functions/Importance of IMC  

• Consistent Delivery of Messages:- When a company follows its planning process in a holistic manner, its audience. Most significantly, it demands to implement the same strategy for the brand instead of developing separate strategies for different tools of marketing communication. Here, the prime concern of any effective communication programme is the clarity of messages. 
• Corporate Cohesion:- IMC is considered as a strategic method of the company corporate image and benefits of its products and services. It significantly affects the company at both external and internal levels. The intent of IMC is to portray the company's image in an effective manner as the inclination of customers is usually towards the companies with whom they feel the introduction of cohesive communication programme in the company is essential. It enables all the employees to understand the company's goals and motives. Whereas, cohesive building a good image of the company.  
• Client-Agency Relationship:- IMC plays a major role in developing the communication programme in the agency and hence has become an important part of the relationship. Rather than performing one or more tasks, the market communicator must feel responsible for the entire communication programme and its related requirements. It will aid the company to implement a significant strategic position and will also provide advantages over its competitors.  
• Strategic Development:- IMC facilitates improved communication and builds a strong relationship between agencies and the client company. Due to this, information is communicated freely among the participants;n this helps them on focussing more on organisational goals than on their individual agendas.  
• Motivation:- IMC acts as a motivator for agencies. It instils a sense of motivation among all the participants (mostly all the stakeholders). As a result, employees are able to show their creativity and potential. 
• Team Spirit:- Each of the participants owns the company's final plan. They think together, implement the strategies together, avoiding all the internal politics. This helps to resolve the issues which usually arise in individual departments.  
• Measurability:- Measuring the reaction and responsibility for the communication programme is one of the most important benefits of IMC. 
• Technology-Based:- Technology advancements are introducing new methods to reach out customers in a better way but this is adversely affecting the traditional media. The scope of radio, television, newspapers, etc is getting fragmented and limited to the audience. The emergence of e-commerce and internet has changed the company's way of doing the business and interacting with its customers developing trends are database marketing, online marketing, etc. 
• Cost-Effective Budget:- The new marketing communication tools are evolving which are cost-effective and more target-specific compared to other traditional media. Companies are now shifting their marketing more target specific compared to other traditional media. Companies are now shifting their marketing budget from advertising to other promotional methods like consumer and trade promotions. IMC is considered as the most appropriate method for allocation of budget. 

Challenges in IMC  

1. Top Management Support:- The implementation of IMC involves a number of changes at an organisational level which is not possible without the consent of the company. Hence, top management plays a crucial role in the successful implementation of IMC. Sometimes, top management may not allow the IMC process implementation due to their ego problems or different viewpoints.  
2. Organisational Barriers:- Company's organisational structure acts as another challenge in the implementation of IMC. Typically, companies consist of several departments having their own set of duties whereas IMC requires a hierarchical organisational structure which is flexible in nature. There are many companies which are still persuading Strategic Business Units (SBU) strategy and functional strategy, where each unit takes its own decisions. In such a situation, it becomes difficult for a company to integrate its communication programme.  
3. Cultural Factors:- The organisational culture may also hinder the implementation of IMC. For successful integrated marketing communication, cooperation and coordination among the employees are important. If the organisational culture is unwilling to adopt the changes, then this may cause a problem in the implementation process. Mainly, government-controlled companies are unlikely to adopt any changes.  
4. Functional Specialisation:- The specialised function of employees also acts as a barrier to integrating the marketing communication process. The IMC theory states that the members of the top management of any organisation should be communication generalists. The concept of IMC encompasses a broader view of the marketplace, customers, competition and communication. In reference to the IMC theory, companies are training their employees to become a specialist in a specific field. But, the specialists hardly communicate with other functional groups. All the functional groups work towards their own objectives following a specific procedure within a limited budget.  
5. Decentralisation:- Decentralisation is the process of redistributing the power and authority of decision making powers among all the employees so that they can be responsive to the needs of consumers instantly. Various management theories also follow the concept of decentralised decision-making instead of the traditional one, where the decision is taken by top management by using the top-down approach it gets conveyed at all the levels of the organisation. But, despite all this, the concept of decentralised decision-making is a barrier for integrating the marketing communication programme.  
6. Short-Term Planning:- One of the prime concerns of IMC is to adopt a long-term planning process in order to create a positive image of itself among its customers and stakeholders. However, many organisations prefer short-term planning to achieve their financial goals rather than focus on customer requirements. Therefore, short-term planning is also a barrier to the implementation of IMC.  
7. Budget Allocation:- Successful implementation of IMC requires cooperation among the departments and employees. For budget allocation, performance evaluation of various departments is done but due to their long-term goals and choice of different communication tools, it becomes difficult for the organisation to compare different departments. It is not possible to assess all communication activities but sales promotion activities can be evaluated as they provide instant results of their cost and returns received,  
8. Unwillingness to Change:- Another barrier for implementation of IMC is the unwillingness to change. Fear of change may arise because of the complex nature of IMC which may affect the areas other than the territory in which it is implemented. The reasons behind the unwillingness to change are uncertainty, the threat to self-interest, the feeling of loss, etc. Out of all the factors, uncertainty is the biggest fear.