What is global integrated marketing communications How does it differ from global advertising?
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The practice of professional communication has become highly complex, not only because of technology, social media, and the need to connect with global audiences, but also because “communication” means different things to different audiences. Further, the significant amount of crossover among the various facets of communication means there is often confusion about the roles and responsibilities of contemporary communicators. Consequently, it can be challenging for communicators, clients and audiences to glean a clear understanding of communication roles and how they function. Show The concept of integrated marketing communication (IMC) was introduced in the 1980s (Schultz and Schultz, p. 19) and has since changed the way communicators and marketers interact and conduct business. The American Marketing Association defines IMC as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” “Public Relations (PR) used to be the people who wrote press releases and distributed them, or pitches to the media,” says communication executive, Leigh Dow, of 48 West Group in Phoenix. “Now, PR teams are usually the best at thinking around corners on the message strategy and analyzing how a message will be construed. That analysis permeates content strategy. Also, now that content is used in so many different ways, such as social media, blog posts and contributed content, the more PR and IMC strategy are interlocked.” Adding to this confusion are the many communication monikers, including:
While some of these areas are specialties under the “communication” umbrella, most are considered general terms to describe the process of influencing, persuading, engaging and educating audiences about a particular client, issue or brand. The terms, “public relations” and “strategic communications,” are now frequently interchanged. Dow went on to say, “Because I tend to think about IMC as a synchronized effort among specialists, I think PR is a very specialized skill set. Just as media buying is a specialized skill set, or digital media management. However, I do think the traditional definition of PR is almost gone. In our firm we often tell people, ‘if your PR agency’s strategy starts with a press release, fire them.’” In many organizations today, public relations, corporate communications, advertising, marketing, promotions and publicity function collaboratively as part of “the IMC mix.” What this means for organizations is consistency and unification of messaging, brand promotion and audience engagement. It’s important to note, however, that because PR is considered the “ethical compass” of the organization, it serves as the foundation upon which all other IMC elements are created, and it serves in a bit of a stand-alone capacity. That is, PR develops an organization’s key messages and then oversees the other IMC areas to ensure message authenticity, consistency and truthfulness across all communication platforms (e.g. advertising, marketing collateral, internal memos, Web content, and so forth). As communicators, it’s vitally important that we educate clients and audiences about our profession and what it entails. I also believe that our professional community should decide on one term and one definition to minimize public confusion and misperceptions. Leigh Dow concurs. “While the message may be integrated,” she said, “the delivery is where the inconsistencies of definition happen most.” Learn
More Find out more about what you can do with a MS in Communication from Purdue University. Call us today at 877-497-5851 to speak to an admissions advisor, or request more information. *The views and opinions expressed are of the author and do not represent the Brian Lamb School of Communication. Reference Schultz, D. and Schultz, H. (2003). IMC, the next generation: Five steps for delivering value and measuring returns using marketing communication. USA: McGraw-Hill. Summary Marketing communications—the promotion P of the marketing mix—includes advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. When a company embraces integrated marketing communications (IMC), it recognizes that the various elements of a company’s communication strategy must be carefully coordinated. Advertising is a sponsored , paid message that is communicated through nonpersonal channels. Global advertising consists of the same advertising appeals, messages, artwork, and copy in campaigns around the world. The effort required to create a global campaign forces a company to determine whether or not a global market exists for its product. The trade-off between standardized and adapted advertising is often accomplished by means of pattern advertising, which can be used to create localized global advertising. Many advertising agencies are part of larger advertising organizations. Advertisers may place a single global agency in charge of worldwide advertising; it is also possible to use one or more agencies on a regional or local basis. The starting point in ad development is the creative strategy, a statement of what the message will say. The people who create ads often seek a big idea that can serve as the basis for memorable, effective messages. The advertising appeal is the communication approach—rational or emotional—that best relates to buyer motives. Rational appeals speak to the mind: emotional appeals speak to the heart. The selling proposition is the promise that captures the reason for buying the product. The creative execution is the way an appeal or proposition is presented. Art direction and copy must be created with cultural considerations in mind. Perceptions of humor, male-female relationships, and sexual imagery vary in different parts of the world. Media availability varies considerably from country to country. When selecting media, marketers are sometimes as constrained by laws and regulations as by literacy rates. A company utilizes public relations (PR) to foster goodwill and understanding among constituents both inside and outside the company. In particular, the PR department attempts to generate favorable publicity about the company and its products and brands. The PR department must also manage corporate communications when responding to negative publicity. The most important PR tools are press releases, media kits, interviews, and tours. Many global companies make use of various types of corporate advertising, including image advertising and advocacy advertising. Public relations is also responsible for providing accurate, timely information, especially in the event of a crisis. Marketing communications—the promotion P of the marketing mix—includes advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and personal selling. When a company embraces integrated marketing communications (IMC), it recognizes that the various elements of a company’s communication strategy must be carefully coordinated. Advertising is a sponsored , paid message that is communicated through nonpersonal channels. Global advertising consists of the same advertising appeals, messages, artwork, and copy in campaigns around the world. The effort required to create a global campaign forces a company to determine whether or not a global market exists for its product. The trade-off between standardized and adapted advertising is often accomplished by means of pattern advertising, which can be used to create localized global advertising. Many advertising agencies are part of larger advertising organizations. Advertisers may place a single global agency in charge of worldwide advertising; it is also possible to use one or more agencies on a regional or local basis. The starting point in ad development is the creative strategy, a statement of what the message will say. The people who create ads often seek a big idea that can serve as the basis for memorable, effective messages. The advertising appeal is the communication approach—rational or emotional—that best relates to buyer motives. Rational appeals speak to the mind: emotional appeals speak to the heart. The selling proposition is the promise that captures the reason for buying the product. The creative execution is the way an appeal or proposition is presented. Art direction and copy must be created with cultural considerations in mind. Perceptions of humor, male-female relationships, and sexual imagery vary in different parts of the world. Media availability varies considerably from country to country. When selecting media, marketers are sometimes as constrained by laws and regulations as by literacy rates. A company utilizes public relations (PR) to foster goodwill and understanding among constituents both inside and outside the company. In particular, the PR department attempts to generate favorable publicity about the company and its products and brands. The PR department must also manage corporate communications when responding to negative publicity. The most important PR tools are press releases, media kits, interviews, and tours. Many global companies make use of various types of corporate advertising, including image advertising and advocacy advertising. Public relations is also responsible for providing accurate, timely information, especially in the event of a crisis. _______________ This page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike License (Links to an external site) Links to an external site and contains content from a variety of sources published under a variety of open licenses, including:
I would like to thank Andy Schmitz for his work in maintaining and improving the HTML versions of these textbooks. This textbook is adapted from his HTML version, and his project can be found here. What is globally integrated marketing communication?Answer: Integrated marketing communication (IMC) can be defined as the process used to unify marketing communication elements, such as public relations, social media, audience analytics, business development principles, and advertising, into a brand identity that remains consistent across distinct media channels.
What is IMC and how is it different from advertising?Marketing communications include advertising, direct marketing, public relations, and sales promotions. IMC is a concept of bringing together separate aspects or elements of marketing and communication to consumers to buy their products or services as a whole as one strategy.
What is IMC and how is it different from advertising quizlet?Terms in this set (42) What is IMC and how is it different from advertising? IMC is Integrated Marketing Communications. IMC helps companies initiate, develop, and nurture relationships with important groups, especially customers.
What is Integrated Marketing Communications and why is it important?Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is the process of unifying a brand's messaging to make it consistent across all media that the brand uses to reach its target audience. It's a strategic approach that guides communication and tactics used across all marketing channels.
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