Marketing Principles

IMC – Integrated Marketing Communications

Oct 23rd, 2009

Chap 12 of book

Commonly known as MarCom

It is the mix of different media used to communicate the marketing message;Personal selling, Advertising, Public Relations, Sales Promotion, Sponsorship Marketing & Point-Of Purchase Communications

IMC – What is it?

Good Examples?

Also, Service company who uses IMC???

Key Aspects of IMC/MarCom

1. Start with the customer or prospect – work backwards – when deciding what IMC strat to use

2. Use any form of relevant contact – if you can afford

3. Achieve synergy (speak with one voice). Same colours, same brand message

4. Build Relationships- frequency or loyalty programmes

5. Affect Behaviour – consumer should be moved to physically buy your product

Changes to MarCom you need to make

1. If you start to use integrated MarCom you need to:

Reduce dependence on mass-media advertising – there are better ways.Increase reliance on highly targetted advertising (database marketing)Keep a firm eye on your IMC effort’s return on investment. Is it financially worth it?

How to choose MarCom mix

o Ask the following :

*Who is the intended market – b2b, older?*What objectives must MarCom achieve,Profit/sales?*What is the nature of the product – ind. Machine vs toothpaste*What is the Product Life Cycle stage?*What are competitors doing? – Dunnes vs Tesco*What is the available budget?

Managing the MarCom Process

o As a marketing manager following steps apply:

* Select Target Margets* Establish Objectives* Formulate a Positioning Strategy* Set a budget(Top Down, Bottom Up)* Formulate and implement message and media startegies – hire a marketing company* Evaluate Programme Effectiveness

The MarCom Process

o Advertising – ads value to your brand by altering consumers perceptions – what’s your budget, pg 429 book, what’s your advertising message pg 430 bookwhat’s the media you will use – pg 433 book – (reach/portion of target audience, frequency, continuity/times, cost)

What is the effectiveness of each medium? Table pg 435

The MarCom Process

o Sales Promotion – there has been a shift from advertising to sales promotion…there’s less “spray and pray” involved

o Review Sales Promotion Pg. 438 of book

Facilitate the intro of new productsObtain Trial Purchases from customersInvigorate Sales of a mature brand

The MarCom Process

o Public Relations – PR is the “hidden” MarCom Tool

o Proactive PR; your aim is to have product announcements done by a newspaper editor or TV broadcaster. Sometimes in advertising “personalities” are paid to do this, but Proactive PR achieves this for almost free

o Reactive PR is usually undertaken in response to something (bad)

Sponsorship

o Corporate Sponsorship – Event Marketing,

sponsor music festivals, horse racing etc

Cause Related Marketing: Donations to good causes etc

o See Book pg. 444

Point of Purchase Comms

o Signs, Banners, Display units etc

Give examples in supermarkets at the moment

Good for simplifying the shopping exp for shopperGood for retailer by increasing salesGood for marketer by increasing brand awareness

o See pg 445 book