Paper Outline
Introduction
Understanding the origin and development of integrated marketing communication
The framework of integrated marketing communication
Benefits of integrated marketing communication to firms
Integrated marketing communication in business firms – problem of implementation
Conclusion
References List
Integrated Marketing Communication
Introduction
Research shows that many business firms are adopting integrated marketing communication to enhance marketing in their firms. This is because of the argument that integrated communication in marketing helps to improve marketing efficiency besides helping firms to reduce costs of marketing. Integrated marketing communications brings together all the components of marketing thus helping customers to easily code and understand the product. These marketing functions include advertising, public relations, sales promotions, internet and social media communication. The use of information and communicational technologies has been one of the main motivators of the development and use of integrated marketing communication. The main objective of integrated marketing communication is to bring about a codified product experience to customers. In other words integrated marketing communication is a strategic way of managing brands in business (Cornelissen and Lock, 2000). IMC is attained through a proper coordination of marketing communication functions in marketing so that the ultimate objective which is customer understanding can be attained. It is argued that in spite of being run by the marketers of firms, the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing is determined by the customers and not the marketers or advertisers. This is because of what is considered to be the role of receivers in a communication process.
Customers keep codding and making meaning out of the diverse functions of marketing and the communicative means used in implementing these functions. The concept of integrated in marketing is thus considered top lie with the customers. This is irrespective of the fact that it is borne out of the marketers. This paper is thus going to evaluate the practice of integrated marketing communication. The paper will analyze the essence of integrated marketing communication and the role of both the marketers and the customers in the process. The paper will also highlight the aspects of success and failure in integrated marketing communication.
Understanding the origin and development of integrated marketing communication
Kitchen, 2004, notes that marketing is a process that makes full use of communication. With the presence of many channels of communication including the wide adoption and usage of information and communication technologies in communication, marketing can ether be simplified or made complex. The diversity of communicative tools is argued to have paved way for the development of integrated marketing communication so as to simplify branding of products and services of firms. For example, the internet has totally transformed the manner in which business is conducted including the way marketing is conducted. Integrated marketing communication is a concept that was developed from the early 1980s. This concept of marketing management emerged because of three major things. These are the changing demands in the marketplace, media and communication and the changing behavior and demands (Pickton and Broderick, 2005). It is important to note that all these factors draw from one another in as far as the application of the concept is concerned. Advances in information and communication technology has is argued to have set the ground for the development of the concept. Consumer-centered marketing approaches could be easily developed by utilizing communication technologies. The relationship between customers and brands is given much attention in the definition and real sense of the concept (Cornelissen and Lock, 2000).
Research that has been done in the field of integrated marking communication has been showing the determination of researchers to understand the whole concept or integrated marketing communication. Of greatest concern has been the understanding of the definitional and communicative concepts underlying the concept. Marketing researchers have also been researching on how best the concept can be applied to marketing in the sense that marketing functions are completely integrated for ease of understanding (Kitchen, 2004). The other thing that has been of interest to marketing researchers has been the understanding of the impact of integrated marketing communication for firms. The impact is looked at from two angles by researchers; effect of integrated marketing communication on customers and marketers as well. According to market researchers, this impact is dependent on the way in which integrated marketing communication is applied by marketers and the level of integration of marketing functions. Integrated marketing communication is a strategic process of managing in marketing and pays a lot of attention to what is referred to as content in marketing (Pickton and Broderick, 2005) Content means the messages that are carried in each individual sub-process of the larger marketing process in an organization. These sub-processes have to be linked properly to bring efficiency to the entire process of marketing. Integrating these communicative processes has been found to be effective in enhancing marketing (Kliatchko, 2008).
Marketing is often dependent on diverse relationships which can be better understood by understanding the role played by communication in sustaining marketing. Communication is applied in modern marketing more in post-modern marketing that it was used in marketing in ancient times. Integrated marketing communication is considered a post –modern approach to marketing and brand management by firms. It is important to highlight the components of integrated marketing communication so as to open into the essence of this concept to markers and customers. Marketing is comprised of several definitional concepts. The first concept of integrated marketing communication is the brand focus. Branding is one of the main objectives of marketing. Brands are built by an understanding of the products and services of firm and are portrayed in a number of things. Among them is the corporate identity of a firm, a firm’s logo, branding style and tagline among others. The second aspect of integrated marketing communication is the consumer experience (Kitchen, 2004).
Marketing focuses of attracting the customers to a product or service of a firm. Therefore, firms seek to engage in marketing processes that aim at ensuring that the customers get to understand and enjoy the product that thy release to the market. Customer experience is mostly attained through the design of products and that manner in which products are packaged and delivered to customers. There is also the wide usage of communication tools in integrated marketing communication (Belch, 2009). The common used tools in this concept are online communicative tools for instance using the social media. The other communicative tool that has a common usage in IMC is advertising using different modes. Promotional tools form the other component of IMC. Promotional tools entail many business communicative processes. Among these are personal selling, customer relations management, trade promotions, public relations as well as corporate social responsibilities. Corporate culture leads in communicating and bringing an understanding of brands through communication of the vision, personality of the organization and its capabilities among others. Integrated marketing communication is also comprised of integration tools. The main basis of integration tools in IMC is information and communication technologies. These include customer tracking software which is used in tracking and monitoring the behavior of customers as well as monitoring marketing campaigns. Included in the integration tools in marketing is customer relationship management communicative software and marketing automation (Shimp, 2012).
According to Kitchen, 2004, all aspects of marketing mix are included in the integrated marketing communication. This means that marketing mix is not a whole new concept in marketing but an improvement to marketing communication so that customers can easily link with brands or products. It is a booster to the efforts by firms to fully capture the attention of customers through in their brands. It reduces the fragmentation of marketing functions which has been prevailing in marketing for a long time. The fragmentation in marketing was found to have a negative effect on branding because of the inability of customers to make sense of the real products (Kitchen, 2004). Consumers have always been integrating the communication that are made by advertisers and marketers in orders to understand brands in the market. However, this was not a swift exercise because of the gaps that existed in relating marketing processes. Integrated marketing communication is thus a sigh of relief to consumers because it brings together all the marketing process and ties them into one bunch for ease of understanding. To a great extent, the communicative integration initiative is the responsibility of marketers because it comes as one of the best means of full attainment or marketing goals. This can be best executed when all the information concerning the consumer is availed and codded in integrated marketing. The information about customers which is included in the communicative aspect of marketing includes motivation, needs, actions and attitudes of customers. Integrated marketing communication influences the behavior of consumers and vice versa (Shimp, 2012).
The framework of integrated marketing communication
According to Schultz and Pilotta, 2004, marketing managers should have an understanding of the fact that the information that is received from diverse media is combined by consumers. This happens irrespective of the involvement or non-involvement of a firm in integrating the messages across these media. The main issue here is the prevention of wrong or inconsistent interpretation of media marketing messages by consumers. Consumers have to be made to be more proactive by being put at the center of integrated marketing communication. To this respect, integrated marketing communication represents a new approach to planning and utilizing media communication in marketing. All marketing activities which impact on profits and sales as well as brand equity are represented in IMC. The concept of IMC is much complex in the sense that it goes beyond the simple aspect of using multiple channels of media in integrated marketing. In IMC, all aspects of communication used depend on each other (Pickton and Broderick, 2005).
The effective of marketing communication is thus dependent of the effectiveness of each of the single communicative means that are used in marketing. Each communicative aspect is important because it has a more or less direct impact on each of the other communicative aspects thence impacts on the entire process. Consumers who form the main target of marketing management influence the end outcomes of the integrated process in IMC. IMC is meant to enhance the understanding that exists between a firm and consumers of products that are produced by a firm. IMC does not only apply a push strategy in marketing communication as was in the old forms of marketing but also makes use of pull strategies. The most successful companies in are reported to use both the push and pull strategies. They include Nike, the Coca-Cola Company and Intel Corporation. Success and the real influencer of integrated marketing communication process between the marketers and consumers can be best derived from the cases of application of integrated marketing communication. The adjustment of products in order to meet the demand of consumers is done through the incorporation of feedback in integrated marketing communications. This denotes the relevance of both the consumers and the marketers in integrated marketing communication (Raman and Naik, n. d).
Different kinds of media are involved in marketing communication. The choices of the kinds of media that are used by a firm in marketing are often chosen by the marketers. The marketers also choose the way to present marketing messages in these media forms. However, marketers are advised not to impose marketing communications to consumers. Consumers are the main interpreters of the information that is carried in marketing communication. Marketers help in integrating the different messages representing different functions so that consumer can understand them (Pickton and Broderick, 2005).
Zahay, Peltier, Schultz and Griffin, 2004, observe that consumers follow up information on different brands from different kinds of media including the social media. By doing this, they are able to be updated on the latest development in brands. They remain linked to the brands and through their views and remarks, companies are able to know the specific modification to add to the products. Companies have thus been encouraged to developed customer clienteles using the available forms of media including the social media on the internet. This speeds up communication or the flow of information and comments on brands which results in greater integration in the market (Belch, 2009). It becomes easier to put together the different opinion together to achieve brand satisfaction. Positive brand outcomes have been achieved by many firms that have been able to fully capture integrated marketing communication in this technological era where many channels of communication exist. With the aid of communication technologies customers have become more proactive in the determination of the nature of products that reach them. They are no longer passive as was in the old forms of marketing where they had limited channels of raising their opinions on products and could not determine brands. The more new consumers gain access to new forms of communication, the higher the impact they will continue to have on the integration process in integrated marketing communication. At this point, it becomes worth to note that consumer influence on integration is proving to be positive for most firms that are using IMC (Swain, 2004).
Benefits of integrated marketing communication to firms
Integrated marketing communication aims at developing best means through which the needs of customers can be fully met by firms (Shimp, 2012). As mentioned earlier in this paper, integrated marketing communication is a process that starts from the marketer and ends with the consumers or otherwise customers. It has emerged as s strong concept in marketing as it guides better development and the subsequent implementation of communications in marketing. Integrating the marketing communication processes of an organization is beneficial to both the marketers and the customers. Distinct marketing communicating functions are easily and properly merged enabling organizational brands to be understood from a single angle by the consumers. Marketing efficiency is improved through integrated marketing communication helping in bettering the understanding of the brands. Thus dialogues thence relationship between consumers and bras is improved helping firms to benefit from the market. All types of marketing communication are planned and executive using integrated marketing communication. Unison and connectedness is easy to achieve when firms employ integrated marketing communication. The overall benefit of integrated marketing communication for firms that have employed this management concept in marketing is the rise in competitive advantage of firms. Competitive advantage is attained through increased understanding of firms thence increased sales of brands (Ul-Rehman and Ibrahim, 2011).
Pickton and Broderick, 2005, observe that IMC seeks to eliminate weaknesses that are portrayed in individual marketing communicative functions. By integrating these functions, the weakness that may be inherent in any of the marketing functions are dissolved in the strengths of the other communicative functions. Integration increases the strength of each of the marketing functions thence improving the whole marketing exercise (Keller, 2003). IMC increases brand equity because the perception of customers about the product or service being marketed is easily attained. Consumes can predict with precision the kind of brands that will be produced by a firm thereby easing the trust amongst the consumers of the brands of a given firm. Integrated marketing communication encouraged dialogue amongst the consumers as well as dialogue between the consumers and the firm. It is easy to build long term relationship with customers using integrated marketing communication because customers develop a deeper understanding of the brands of a firm. Markets make use of coordinated communicative practices to link customers to brands (Mihart, 2012).
Integrated marketing communication in business firms – problem of implementation
Despite its relevance in modern marketing, integrated marketing communication is challenged by the prevailing regulatory environment. There exist problems in merging all the traditional communicative functions entailed in marketing. These are public relations as well as advertising. These factors are important in building the corporate image of an organization which is portrayed in corporate messages. Corporates messages are often accorded legal protection as they express the commercial interests of a firm. Therefore, the customers are not wholly left to interpret the corporate messaged or corporate functions even if they are integrated through IMC (De Pelsmacker, Geuens and Van den Bergh, 2004). Firms will often strive to separate these messages or explain them even when they have been fully integrated with other marketing functions for the interpretation and understanding by customers. Corporate messaged are interpreted by the marketers of firms to customers so that they can be understood from both the inset ad the outset of an organization. Integration can thus be argued to be also influenced by the marketers as they identify and interpret some aspects of communication in the already integrated processes (Fitzpatric, 2005).
Fill, 1999, ascertains that IMC is inhibited by a number of factors some of which are generated from the customers who are presumed to be the major determinants of IMC success. Customers may choose to jeopardize the use of integrated marketing communication by holding certain stereotypes about brands. The withheld stereotypes can be very damaging especially when they are extender to other marketing functions as a result of integrating the stereotyped aspects with others components of marketing. Effective integrations call for all components of marketing to carry an equal measure or value. However, this can hardly be the case, when customers have long withheld perceptions of a number or any of the marketing functions of a given firm. Integrated marketing communication may also be sabotaged from within the organization. Poor linkage between the departments that are bestowed with the responsibility of implementing IMC is one of the problems of implementing IMC. For a firm to begin implementing IMC in a logical and consistent manner, there has to exist an agreement amongst all the departments involved people and departments. Inconsistencies are likely to occur when managerial loopholes are prevailing in a firm (De Pelsmacker, Geuens and Van den Bergh, 2004). Marketing managers may also fail to properly coordinate messages in the integrated process. This results in the dilution of the effectiveness of the messages that come out of the process of integrating marketing functions. In such scenarios, consumers become more frustrated with the overall process which mal interpretation or poor coding of marketing in a firm (Kim, Han and Schultz, 2004).
The cost effectiveness of the tools used in marketing communication tools that are used in marketing do vary. Awareness is built through advertising which brings about customer comprehension. The conviction of consumers is highly influenced by personal selling which is commonly practiced in marketing implementation. This is a delicate stage in marketing communications (Fill, 1999).
Conclusion
Having been born in 1980s, integrated marketing communication is a concept that seeks to put together the marketing functions for ease of branding. Integration reduces the fragmentation of marketing functions which further eases the creation of brand awareness for firms that have employed IMC. Although initiated by marketers, customers play a big part in the integration process of integrated marketing communication. This is due to the wide adoption of different tools of communication by customers helping them to access firms and influence the process of marketing integration.
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