Download free eBooks at bookboon.comMarketing Communications
Fundamentals Of Communication In Marketing
Integrated marketing communication seeks to have a company’s entire marketing and promotional
activities project a consistent unified image to the market place.
Integrated marketing communication is growing in importance for these reasons:
• It keeps marketers to understand the value of strategically integrating the various
communication functions rather than having them operate separately
• By coordinating the firm’s marketing communication efforts, companies can avoid
duplication, take advantage of synergy among various communication tools, develop more
efficient and effective marketing communication programmes.
• The move to integrated marketing communications by firms also reflects an adaptation by
marketers to a changing environment, particularly with respect to consumers, technology
and media. These are essential elements of message communication.
• There are changes in the way companies market their products and services. For
example, the online marketing activities brought about by changes in computer and
communication technologies.INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION is the strategic, two-way communication targeted to
specific customers and their needs coordinated through a variety of media.
Business or industrial marketers are more likely to capitalize on the power of integrated marketing
communication than consumer marketers. Coordination is a powerful element of an integrated
communication strategy. This is achieved with different departments responsible for different elements
in the communication strategy within the firm. Such departments include advertising, direct response
or direct mail, trade shows and exhibitions, in addition to events department.
A closer look at the definition explains each important element of the definition of integrated marketing
communication as follows:
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION IS STRATEGIC: It is strategic in that the content
and delivery of all messages are the result of an overall plan. The result is that messages across all
communication channels work together to create the appropriate position and result in the right action.
Delivery of messages is synchronized so that synergy can be reached. That is each element performs
various tactical input aimed at achieving the same objective.
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION IS TwO-wAY: Integrated marketing
communication is a two-way dialogue between the marketer and the target audience. Without feedback,
marketers may never really know if anyone is listening. Feedback is shared within the organization for
learning purposes so that the strategy can be adapted to fit customer’s needs and provide value. While
a single point of communication may be one-way, for example, an advertisement in a magazine, the
point being made for IMC is that, any communication, such as an advertisement, should be part of, and
reflect a dialogue with customers.