Definition
About.com states IMC as "A management concept that is designed to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation." (2005)
Relationship: Profit and Not-for-Profit Profit For-profit organizations have one ultimate goal in mind; making money. The question lies in how quickly a company can gain insight as to exactly what their customer wants, because this will mean making a profit all the quicker. Not matter what type of company; a plan is the first and most necessary step in the IMC process. IMC processes bring together the organization's marketing communications to make the impact upon the consumer all the more powerful. A marketing strategy for a for-profit business has traditionally been price, product, place (distribution) and product. IMC, on the other hand, takes the promotion piece and makes it a major portion to the IMC process. Ultimately, again, for-profit companies are in the business to make sales, thereby creating a need and desire within the target audience. According to Kenneth E. Clow and Donald Baack there are the following components within the IMC process, "The Foundation. Advertising Tools. Promotional Tools. Integration Tools. " (2004)
Non-Profit Not-for-Profit companies have the same ultimate goal, and that is to make money. Of course, this
References: Marketing Word of the Week. (2005) Marketing Blog retrieved on March 6, 2006 from http://marketing.about.com/b/a/140473.htm?terms=integrated+marketing+definition Clow, Kenneth E., Baack Donald. (2004) Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications, 2e. Prentice-Hall, Inc.