Introduction to IMC

Communication Process
 Communication Mantra
Essence of Communication

How well I know myself/product

Who is my Customer ?

How do we connect ?

How do we Reach out ?

Why me
Marketing Communications
 Advertising
Advertising:
Any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion
of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor.
 
Advertising is a part of the marketing effort and should
never be viewed in isolation as an activity undertaken for
its own sake. Advertising objectives are derived from
marketing objectives and seek to achieve specific well
defined and clear goals which are themselves a part of the
total marketing effort.
 Advertising
Functions of Advertising:
• Awareness/providing information
• Comprehension
• Persuasiveness
• Create Brand Image/personality
• Brand trials
• Change attitudes
• Reminding
• Legitimization (Artpulls/proof copies could be shown)
• Re-assurance (Overcome dissonance)
• Entertainment
• Adding value to the product ( Intangible benefits)
• Assisting other marketing activities
 Advertising
Types of Advertising:
Consumer Advertising
• Brand Advertising
• Retail Advertising
• End product Advertising
• Direct Response Advertising
• Social Advertising
 
Advertising to Business and Profession:
• Trade Advertising
• Industrial Advertising
• Professional Advertising
• Institutional Advertising
 Public Relations & Publicity
A variety of programs designed to promote and/or
protect a company’s image or its individual products
 
Public Relation seeks to communicate with various
internal and external publics to create a favourable image
for a corporation or product. It differs from advertising in
that it is not identified with a sponsor nor is it paid for by
the communicator. It could be a press release, news item
which is valued by the reader because of the credibility of
the editorial.
 Sales Promotions
A variety of short-term incentives to encourage trial
or purchase of a product or service
Consumer promotional activities to create a pull in the
market. It is different from trade promotions which are
targeted at the trade level to push the brand.
Coupons
Sampling-Free sampling for initiating trials
Price offers, premiums and gifts
 
 Direct Marketing
Direct Marketing
Use of mail, telephone, fax e-mail etc and other non-
personal contact tools to communicate directly with or solicit
a direct response from specific customers and prospects
 
Direct marketing is much more than direct mail and mail
order
catalogs ( Benetton). It involves a variety of activities,
including database management, direct selling, telemarketing
and direct response ads through direct mail, internet and
various broadcast and print media.
Direct Selling- Amway, AMC Cookware, Time Magazine
Tupperware etc
Direct Response Advertising
Interactive/Internet marketing- Ecommerce
 Personal Selling
Personal Selling
Face to face interaction with one or more
prospective purchasers for the purpose of
making presentations, answering questions and
procuring orders
 
 IMC- Integrated Marketing
Communications
Definition of IMC
As defined by the American Association of Advertising
Agencies-
…a concept of marketing communications planning that
recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan
that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of a
communication’ disciplines- for example general
advertising, direct response, sales promotion and public
relations- and combines these disciplines to provide
clarity, consistency and maximum communications
impact through the seamless integration of discrete
messages.
 Events & Live Media

Designing or developing a 'live' themed activity,

occasion, display, or exhibit (such as a sporting
event, music festival, fair, or concert) to promote a
product, cause, or organization. Also called event
creation.
 Events Today
People focused activites: Modern/Today
• Meetings… Sales, Marketing, Shareholders,
• Conferences…. Marketing, Political, Trade,
• Conventions…
• Seminars….
• Product Launches…
• Sports…
• Festivals- Music, Films, Art, Tourism
• Exhibitions
• MICE
etc etc
Integrated Marketing Communications
Need for IMC
1. Changing environment
Consumers- Demographics, lifestyles, media use,
shopping pattern
Technology- IT, Internet, Mobile Phones
Media- Diverse media options, Fragmented media
options, Technological advancements 
2. Traditional advertising being too expensive  
3. Need for niche marketing/ targeted communications 
4. Retail Marketing gaining strength- shopping malls, Retail
chains,
5. Rapid advancements in database management
 
Integrated Marketing Communications
Benefits of I M C 
1. It can create Competitive Advantage by boosting sales
and generating revenue 

2. Helps in the buying process of the consumers through a

cohesive communications plan 

3. Organisation can consolidate its image and build long

lasting relationships leading to brand loyalty 

4. Organisations can control/save overall communications

expenses- more so during recession 
 
Integrated Marketing Communications
Challenges to IMC
 
1.Decentralised functions and at times lack of support
 
2. Reluctance to use common creatives by other functional
Heads
 
3. Split of budgets- prioritizing at the cost of another
 
4. Managers lacking expertise
Integrated Marketing Communications
Golden Rules for the Success of IMC
• Senior Management should be involved as it is a strategic decision
•  Integration of functional heads by encouraging joint meetings on
communication issues
•  Ensure a Brand manual in place enabling common standards of logos,
typefaces, colours etc
•  Focus on a clear Marketing Communications Strategy so as to add value
to the brand
•  Be customer centric- especially as to customer contact points
• Ensure a sound MIS ( Marketing Information System) in place
• Review the Communications plan regularly so as to evaluate the
effectiveness of the various promotional tools
•  Build relationships and brand values

 
Role of IMC at the various stages of a Product Life Cycle with respect to the various
product categories.
 
Product Category Advtg PR SP DM PS 
Launch stage
-FMCG H M H N N
- Consumer Durables H M H M N
- Office Equipments M M M H H
- Personal Services H M M H M 
Growth stage
-FMCG H N N N N
- Consumer Durables H N N N N
- Office Equipments M N N M M
- Personal Services M N N M M 
Maturity Stage
-FMCG M N N N N
- Consumer Durables M N N M N
- Office Equipments M N N M N
- Personal Services H M M H M 
Decline Stage
- FMCG N N H N N
- Consumer Durables N N H M N
- Office Equipments N N H M N
- Personal Services N N N N N

(During decline stage, unless one wants to liquidate the stocks all activities will be abandoned or other wise if
the product is modified and re-launched the activities as at the launch stage will be initiated)