Integrated Marketing Communication

T he market fragmentation and the increasing communication options in recent years have contributed to the clutter the world is experiencing today. This has lead marketers to integrate their marketing communication tools in order to break through the barrier of noise and reach the target market, “marketing overload is forcing corporations to shout even louder” (keller 2001). In 1993 Shultz, Tannenbaum and Lauterborn introduced a new concept called Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). This concept has generated a great interest among academics and practioners, although research regarding its frequency and implementation is limited. IMC have been defined in numerous ways, all stressing the fact that IMC’s Task is to combine all corporate media and messages to project clarity, consistency, and maximum communication impact in its surroundings.
Percy (1997) defines integrated marketing communications as “the planning and execution of all types of advertising and promotion selected for a brand, service, or company, in order to meet a common set of communication objectives, or more particularly, to support a single positioning”.
Smith (1998) highlights the importance of “ensuring that the brand positioning, personality and message are delivered synergistically across every element of communication and are delivered from a single consistent strategy.” (p. 166)
Duncan and Moriarty (1998) draws attention to the concept of brand stewardship “…the marketing mix must be planned as an integrated whole by applying such ideas as consistency and integration….”. He implies that, while consistency is a coherent fit, integration is an active harmonious interaction among the elements of the mix.

IMC offers several different tools that can be used in order to communicate a marketing message. According to Smith (1998) and Smith, Berry & Pulford (1998) these tools are: personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorships, packaging,

References: Duncan, T. (2002). “IMC Using Advertising & Promotion to Build Brands”. (New York: McGraw Hill). Duncan, T.and Moriarty, S.E.(1998). , “A Communication-Based Marketing Model for Managing Relationships,” Journal of Marketing 62 (April 98): 1-13. (found in Anders Gronstedt and Lisa Stracuse, eds. The ABC’s of IMC: Building Blocks for Integrated Marketing Communication. NYC: Advertising Research Foundation,1998. Bus HF 5415.123 A23 1998). De Pelsmacker, P., Geuens, M. and Van den Bergh., J., (2004), 2nd ed, “ Marketing Communications: A European Perspective”.(Harlow: Prentice Hall). Jobber, D.(1998). Principles and Practice of Marketing. 2nd ed. (London: McGraw Hill). Lee, J.A. (1966), “Cultural Analysis in Overseas Operations”, Havard Business Review (March-April), 106-14. Percy, L. (1997). “Strategy for Implementing Integrated Marketing Communication. (Lincolnwood: NTC Books)”. Smith, P., Berry, C. and Pulford, A. (1998). “Stragec Marketing Communication: new ways to build and integrate communication”. ( London: Kogan Pages Limited). Smith, P.R.(1998). “Marketing Communication: an integrated approach”. 2nd ed. (London: Kogan Pages Limited).