INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

IMC is the buzz word in ad industry today

Concept emerged in the 80s

Defined..
A strategy in which a company coordinates advertising, sales promotion, personal selling and publicity, in order to present a single consistent image for the product and the company

 Goal of imc - to influence / directly affect the behaviour of the selected audience Imc combines all sources of brand / company contacts as potential delivery channels for future messages Use of interactive communication

Duncan types of messages a company has to manage in the imc approach Planned messages Cos external communication activities ( Ad, PR, DM, PS..) Co controls these messages Inferred messages messages the co communicates through its marketing mix elements ( distribution through high-end stores, affordable price)

 Maintenance messages messages the company directly communicates through the action of personnel Unplanned messages messages consumers receive from third parties (news reports)

 All the 4 types are needed to communicate a consistent message to the consumers Most companies try to focus on the first 3

Why companies focus on IMC?

Increasing competition clutter brand similarities Increased number of information sources for consumers internet Decline in effectiveness of mass advertising media fragmentation Technological advances