Integrated Marketing from tactics to strategy
One cannot undervalue the importance of marketing communications in developed economies. Just the sheer number of media messages is mind-boggling, and its impacts never stop. Since the late 20th century, when integrated marketing communication (IMC) first appeared, its significance has increased. Information technology’s influence caused developments in the fields of marketing and marketing communications, which resulted in the creation of IMC. Three areas that technical progress has affected are the proliferation of media, the demassification of consumer markets, and the importance of the Internet in today’s society. As a result, marketers now operate in a demanding and competitive market, attempting to satisfy the requirements and desires of clients while also forging enduring bonds with them. IMC can assist in crafting messages that are consistent and well-coordinated across a variety of communication channels. The idea is particularly beneficial since it emphasizes the significance of all stakeholder groups and, in particular, the creation of consumer loyalty, which can only be accomplished through the development of strategic relationships.
The Evolution of IMC
Integration, or the endeavor to convey a unified message among the various components of the promotional mix, has been crucial for prosperous companies since the middle of the 20th century. The proliferation of media platforms in the latter half of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st century has made it more crucial than ever to integrate and synchronize disparate communications in order to provide a unified and distinct image to all relevant parties.
Still, other scholars contend that the idea of IMC dates back to the 1970s. At the close of the 1980s, Caywood, Schultz, and Wang 1991b carried out the first study on IMC, and Schultz, Tannenbaum, and Lauterborn 1993 published the first “conceptual id
eas” in their book “Integrated Marketing Communications.”
IMC can be impacted by technology from both marketing and customer standpoints. Due to globalization and the ensuing interconnectedness between nations and markets, integration is now necessary. In order to integrate aspects of the promotional mix, corporate and brand managers must thus coordinate the actions of their worldwide and even national brand(s).
A more ephemeral global marketplace made possible by the Internet could result in a marketing environment that is customer-driven and targeted. In a situation like this, technology can improve marketing communication tactics. This means that new, unorthodox marketing techniques like database marketing, one-to-one communication, or marketing public relations can be used in addition to more standard advertising techniques.
In conclusion, technology may facilitate the development of relationships between customers and businesses in addition to helping them interact and communicate with one another.
Benefits of IMC
With the help of integrated marketing communications (IMC), marketers may organize and develop a cohesive and effective strategy. One major advantage of IMC is that it recognizes the importance of new communication methods, such as Internet marketing, direct marketing, and various forms of sales promotions, to marketing strategy and business branding.
The idea of combining several communication disciplines into a single commercial communication campaign with the goal of reaching results favourable to the organization, including convincing customers to buy, is central to the debate of touch points and message integration. Given that the majority of firms must engage with several target audiences or stakeholder groups, any campaign ought to take into account the attributes of both the corporate brand and the product brand. Additionally, each component of the promotional mix must be mixed with the others since their combined power within an IMC approach is stronger. Consequently, IMC can facilitate departmental synergy, which will enable outside-in planning to be accomplished.
The majority of managers view information management communication (IMC) as a process that promotes message integration and consistency, making it easier for customers to understand the information. When using an IMC strategy, the client won’t be overwhelmed by the volume of information from all contact points and will be able to interpret the various pieces of information. But if businesses ignore IMC and offer disparate messages, it could result in an inconsistent brand image, which could have a detrimental effect on customer purchasing and recall behaviour. By taking into account both the consumer and the product contact points, the firm’s awareness is raised, and a favourable relationship is established between the company and its potential or current customers. Thus, it’s important to properly maintain several brand-customer touch points.
IMC has consistently been emphasized in the literature for its cost-effectiveness and perceived capacity to provide a higher return on investment (ROI).
Additional benefits of IMC can be summed up as follows:
- An IMC strategy harmonizes short- and long-term marketing to prevent internal disputes.
- It’s a sensible and understandable strategy.
- Every target audience is taken into account.
- It is recommended to communicate individually and one-on-one.
- Recall and synergy both rise.
- Results in financial benefits.
Conclusion:
The importance of IMC in the twenty-first century is undeniable. The adoption of IMC programs by numerous firms, including FedEx and Dell, is made possible by technology. IMC wants to generate both short- and long-term results, and one of its goals is to make the many marketing parts work together.
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