Marketing Communications

10 CHAPTER 1 INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS

are much more personalised, customer-oriented, relationship-based and interactive. Th ey

are aimed not only at changing awareness and attitudes, but also at directly infl uencing

behaviour. Integration is not synonymous with relationship marketing, satisfaction manage-

ment or interactive communications. Th ese principles may well be put in practice by means

of a ‘classic’ communications strategy. However, by means of integrated communications the

key objectives of modern marketing can be reached much more eff ectively.

Integrating the various tools can lead to synergies in a number of ways. Here are some examples:

z The sales team have an easier job if their product or company is well known as a result of sponsorship or

advertising.

z In-store or point-of-purchase communications that are consistent with advertising are much more effective.

z A promotional campaign that is supported by advertising is generally more successful.

z Direct mailing is more effective when prepared by an awareness-increasing advertising campaign and supported

by a sales promotion campaign.

z Public relations, corporate advertising and sponsorship can have synergetic effects on company image building.

z Websites will be more frequently visited when announced in mass media advertising.

z Advertising for a trade show will be more effective if an incentive to visit the stand is offered.

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Combining marketing communications tools to create synergies

Integrating marketing communications across cultures

More and more companies are operating internationally. Following this trend, international

communications have also grown enormously. International marketing communications

management diff ers from domestic communications management in that one has to operate

in a diff erent environment with diff erent demographic, economic, geographic, technological,

political and legal conditions. Cultural and legal diff erences between a company and its

foreign marketplace can cause many problems and diffi culties. Th e translation from the

message strategy ‘what to say’ into a creative strategy ‘how to say it’ is even more prob-

lematic in international marketing communications than it is in domestic communications.

Diff erent cultural components can have a major impact on international communications

campaigns. Diff erent regulations regarding communications instruments are also important.

Furthermore, marketing communications have to consider diff erences in media availability

and the popularity of diff erent media. Due to diff erences in the international marketing

environment, a company has to consider the major question: to what extent should it localise

(adapt) or globalise (standardise or integrate) its marketing communications across diff erent

cultures?

Cultural diff erence are among the most important factors that impact international

marketing communications. Hofstede^15 describes culture as the ‘collective programming of

the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from those of

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