Section I: Introduction to IMC 1.Overview of IMC 2.Brands and IMC 3.Companies and IMC Section II: Components of IMC 4.Traditional Advertising 5.Traditional Promotion 6.Non-Traditional Media Section III: IMC Messages 7.Message Processing 8.Message Development 9.Creative Execution Section IV: The IMC Plan 10.Planning Considerations 11.The IMC Planning Process 12.Finalizing and Implementing the IMC Plan
Chapter 1: Overview of IMC
This chapter
begins with a look at various definitions of IMC, and while they
may differ in particulars, they all basically frame IMC as a
planning process. We see IMC as fundamentally all about planning in
order to deliver a consistent message across any number of delivery
media. However, there is no settled way in which IMC is managed,
and there are a number of barriers to effective implementation
which must be overcome. It is argued that strategic planning is
required for effective IMC, and a 5-step strategic planning process
is introduced.
Chapter 2: Brands and IMC
Brand meaning builds over
time, largely as a function of marketing communication. It might
well be argued that brands could not exist without it, and that it
is IMC that offers the manager the ability to inform brand meaning.
The first step in building strong brand meaning is effective
positioning, correctly identifying the link between the brand and
category need, and selecting the appropriate benefit for increasing
positive brand attitude. All of this must take into account any
brand portfolio considerations and branding strategy.
Chapter 3: Companies and IMC
IMC has an important role
in strengthening companies, especially companies as brands. This
role is primarily with companies as a corporation, where its
identity and image is concerned with external audiences, rather
than as an organization where the concern is internal. Corporate
identity, image, and reputation are all mediated by IMC,
establishing corporate meaning, is what is now thought of as a
corporate brand. In a very real sense IMC will help build and
manage a corporate brand equity as well as individual brand
equities.
Chapter 4: Traditional Advertising
The key to
understanding the role of traditional advertising in IMC is the
important distinction between advertising-like messages and
promotion-like messages. With advertising-like messages the primary
communication objectives are brand awareness and brand attitude.
With promotion-like messages, while addressing brand awareness and
attitude, the primary objective is an immediate brand purchase or
action intention. There are four basic types of advertising:
consumer-oriented brand advertising, retail advertising (where
channels marketing may be involved), business-to-business
advertising, and corporate advertising. Given the importance of
brand awareness and attitude strategy, it is an integral part of
IMC planning. This includes attention to the distinction between
recognition and recall awareness, and understanding the target
audiences’ level of involvement with the purchase decision and the
underlying motivation driving that decision. This relationship is
summarized by the Rossiter-Percy Grid.
Chapter 5: Traditional Promotion
The primary objective
of traditional promotion is to initiate immediate action, and while
not necessary, this usually involves an incentive of some kind.
Given its objective, in terms of IMC strategy promotion should only
be used as a short-term tactic, carefully integrated over time in
relation to the target audiences’ decision process. There are three
basic types of promotion: consumer, retail, and trade. The basic
consumer incentive promotions are: coupons, samples, refunds, and
rebates, loyalty programs and loading devices, premiums, and
sweepstakes, games and contests. Most of these have counterparts in
trade and retail promotions. Managers must carefully plan for the
likely effect of a promotion because if it is too successful the
unexpected increase in the cost of the promotion can have a serious
negative impact on the marketing budget.
Chapter 6: Non-traditional Media
There are many
alternative ways of delivering IMC, and managers are looking more
and more to non-traditional ways of delivering their message. The
fastest growing one is what is known as 'new media', especially
various applications of the Internet and mobile. But along with
this growth has come increasing concerns over privacy and pressure
by governments to tax Internet services. Other alternative ways of
delivering IMC include such things as sponsorships and events,
product placement packaging, trade shows and fairs, public
relations, and (often overlooked) personal selling. Strengths and
weaknesses of these non-traditional media are discussed.
Chapter 7: Message Processing
It is important for
managers to understand what is involved in the processing of
marketing communications in order to better plan effective IMC
campaigns. Information is processed hierarchically, as described by
McGuire's Information Processing Paradigm, and involves compounding
probabilities. For IMC planning this means that a consumer response
sequence must occur where exposure is followed by processing the
message in order to achieve a desired communication effect leading
to target audience action. There are four key elements involved in
the processing of the message: attention, learning, acceptance (in
high involving cases), all mediated by emotion. This requires
conscious attention, contrary to what some have argued. While
unconscious processing may occur, neurologically any resulting
implicit memories cannot influence attitude or behaviour.
Chapter 8: Message Development
The procedure for
developing effective messages for an IMC campaign is the same
regardless of the media used to deliver the message. It begins with
a thorough understanding of the communication strategy,
specifically the positioning and communication objective. From this
a creative brief is developed outlining what is needed for the
creation and execution of the message. It is not until a creative
brief is agreed upon that work can begin on coming up with creative
ideas. One tool helpful in stimulating creative ideas is the remote
conveyor model. Once the creative ideas are worked up into
executions, these executions must be pre-tested to ensure that the
message is processed and meets the objectives outlined in the
creative brief.
Chapter 9: Creative Execution
Based upon the work of
psychologists studying psycholinguistics and visual imagery a
number of creative tactics are discussed, creative tactics aimed at
helping gain and hold attention as well as maximize learning. These
involve how written words and pictures can be used in order to
increase the likelihood a message will be successfully processed.
An important consideration in the creative execution of IMC is that
every component of a campaign presents a consistent 'look and
feel', and that this consistency is retained over time. Campaigns
will of course evolve, but the underlying 'sense' and identity
should remain. And in addition to these general considerations,
there are specific creative tactics required for different brand
awareness and brand attitude strategies.
Chapter 10: Planning Considerations
The IMC plan is
built upon the marketing plan because it is the job of the IMC
campaign to support and facilitate the overall marketing
objectives. Both advertising and promotion are considered, and
additionally the manager may wish to consider direct marketing.
Direct marketing, like promotions, is looking for an immediate
response, but it is database driven. How advertising and promotion
are used will depend upon various market characteristics, as well
as their over unique strengths and weaknesses. The manager will
want to consider how to optimize their use together in order to
create a 'ratchet' effect where short-term gains from promotion are
retained and built upon for more long-term effects through
advertising.
Chapter 11: The IMC Planning Process
The IMC planning
process begins with target audience selection, which will be
informed by the marketing plan. Once selected it is important to
gain an understanding of how they go about making purchase or other
action decisions. The Behavioural Sequence Model provides a good
way of identifying the stages of the decision process and whom and
what is involved at each stage. This understanding leads to message
development, beginning with how to best position the brand in its
marketing communication. A key part of the positioning is the
selection of an appropriate benefit upon which to base the message.
Next, the communication objectives must be set, and specifically
the brand awareness and attitude strategies to meet those
objectives. The final step in the IMC planning process is to
identify media options that are consistent with the processing
requirements of the communication objectives and strategy.
Chapter 12: Finalizing and Implementing the IMC
Plan
The IMC plan follows from the planning process. In
finalizing the plan it helps to consider the key elements in a way
the manager can access all of the options available. An IMC
planning worksheet is introduced where for each important touch
point in the decision process the target audience and communication
objectives associated with specific communication tasks along with
potential media options, are summarized. To implement the plan
requires the manager to decide which parts of the plan are
essential, and what trade-offs should be made among the remaining
communication tasks outlined in the plan in order to stay within
budget. Specific primary and secondary media are chosen, and the
IMC program implemented. The last step is to track the response to
the campaign in the market.
Dr Larry Percy is Professor of marketing at the Copenhagen Business School as well as a marketing and communications consultant with over 40 years’ experience. Dr Percy has previously held posts at University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business, the University of Oxford, Luiss Business School in Rome, and the Stockholm School of Economics. He has over 90 publications to his name, including 12 books, and has served on the editorial board of a number of academic journals
`Even the best strategic brand positioning is likely to run astray without the execution of a superbly integrated marketing communication plan. Dr Percy offers such a plan in a lucid, insightful and well organized text, through examples and deep insights explaining the indispensable elements in a step-by-step way. The text is very readable and at the same time provides an excellent integration of theoretical depth with practical savviness. Where other texts merely offer a how-to make an IMC plan Dr Percy goes much deeper; stimulating reflection as well as answering important conceptual why-questions. This book will also serve as an excellent reference text for when students enter the workplace.’ – Professor Torsten Ringberg, Department of Marketing Management, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark `A most valuable presentation of the most important tools of IMC and how they relate to companies’ branding strategy through a knowledgeable eye’ - Dr Natalia Yannpoulou, Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University, Business School, UK
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