Marketing is one of the biggest component in every business, it is a tool for companies to be successful. 99% of companies use marketing strategy to drive its business. Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is another application for companies to capture or attract consumers’ attention. Arguably IMC uses consistent brand messaging across traditional and non-traditional marketing channels and using different promotional methods to reinforce one and the other methods. IMC application uses business and marketing together to relate on products and brands for companies, it also involve company culture, marketing mix, and compass model. The understanding for this application is to integrate campaign’s strategic plan from the very beginning of planning – so that the brand no longer simply speaks with consistency, but speaks with planned efficacy, it creates competitive advantage, boost sales and profits, while saving money, time and stress.
IMC works well with McDonalds, Mercedes-Benz and Microsoft. These companies are able to convey message to message with products they have produce. Other companies tried it fail and earning them law suits. The likes of Red Bull energy drink.
Red Bull is one of the greatest energy drink companies in the world. The iconic Blue and Silver can has become a symbol for vitality, helping people with work and play. Its catchphrase, “Red Bull gives you wings!” is a testament to the sort of imagery energy drinks wish to portray. Does this energy drink gives you super power or wings for you be able to fly ? I don’t think IMC works well here. Not only it has convey a message but it is not a tacky message for consumer want to drink a Red Bull.
Recent article from claims that people of the United States Of America who have sued the makers of Red Bull because of false claims to provide them with superpowers.
Other articles have also claim the energy drink can causes death.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-59862/Three-deaths-linked-energy-drink.html
Red bull also faces fierce competition from Coca Cola Company, PepsiCo, Hansen Natural Inc and Rockstar International. Red Bull was not able to keep tabs on them in order to keep their lead. Competitors provide alternate taste selections, compared to Red Bull. Additionally, the other competitors have extensive distribution networks and possess more established brand names.
Another iconic brand that did not make it with IMC is Reebok shoes.
Once famous for Reebok pump with super athletic wearing the shoes and there were big anticipation for Adidas in 2006 to revive Reebok. Even high endorsement deal with Jay Z, S Carter and other NBA stars. The advertisement fall short of expectation. NHL uniforms and on-field apparel ended in 2011 was not renewed was given to Nike.
Article have said have lost its games all together.
http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-10-20/how-reebok-lost-its-game-a-three-sport-story
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323894704578106911317943392
From the above two advertisement campaign, IMC does not work conveying one message in all campaigns, it works well when branding and image tying together brings consumer to the mix.
Additional IMC remarks
Yes it is true IMC is basically used to help companies in creative campaigns that weave together multiple marketing disciplines (paid advertising, public relations, promotion, owned assets, and social media) that are selected and then executed to suit the particular goals of the brand. Instead of simply using various media to help tell a brand’s overall story, IMC leverages each communication channel’s intrinsic strengths to achieve greater impact together than each channel could achieve individually. IMC requires marketer to understand each medium’s limitation, including the audience’s ability/willingness to absorb messaging from that medium. This understanding is integrated into a campaign’s strategic plan from the very beginning of planning – so that the brand no longer simply speaks with consistency, but speaks with planned efficacy. This concept inherently provides added benefits that include: a singular/synchronized brand voice and experience, cost efficiencies generated through creativity and production, and opportunities for added value and bonus.
I believe Red Bull and Reebok have not quite absorb the IMC strategy.
Conclusion
With the comment made I believe IMC is a tool for companies to be able to communicate with consumer on clarity, consistency, creativity and opportunities to enhance companies’ opportunities. Red Bull and Reebok have not create a singular or synchronized branding voice that generate sales, opportunities and imaging to the brand. Red bull and Reebok may misinterpreted the use of IMC for their product.
IMC works well when it is effectively plan, created and communicated through the right channels and IMC does not fit well with smaller companies, it is more expensive than traditional marketing, sometimes overkill for some marketing objectives, a large number resources needed to manage communications on marketing channels, large number of complicated data points to determine success and there are no segmented target.
References
http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/about/news/archive.htm?id=127
http://www.steamfeed.com/integrated-marketing-is-about-balance-for-your-brand/
Marketing Management Blog 
Pingback: Does Integrated Marketing Communication works for ALL companies? Have your views? | Marketing Management Blog
The basic goal of integrated marketing communication is to build brands. The brands that well know and liked are most likely to be purchased.
IMC provides greater, brand differentiation, helps build trust amongst consumers, uses anumber of media channels etc. There are plenty more companies using integrated marketing campaigns but not that all succeed. Integrated marketing is tricky, because it is not as simple as matching fonts and tag lines. Great integrated campaigns take a message and tailor it correctly for every marketing discipline, and relate everything back to their desired message.
IMC looks to be working for a company named GoPro that uses the theme “Be a HERO” to connect with its target audience in a meaningful way. Using brand-related sponsorships and endorsements, outdoor ads, search engines, internet, and heavy social media, GoPro integrates all of their marketing efforts with plenty of user-generated content.
We’ve watched it countless times, we can still revisit this GoPro ad again and again:
Another famous company called Kraken Rum which makes spiced rum which also Caribbean 94 proof black rum. “Release the Kraken!” is not only a catchphrase for “The Clash of the Titans,” but it also represents the theme for Kraken Rum.
There is a giant Kraken mural in Brooklyn for fans to compare their size to the Kraken, and offers a follow up by asking viewers to post their pictures with the mural on Instagram with the hashtag #KrakenHugeness. They also came up with a mobile application through which you can pretend to navigate the seas, hopefully avoiding certain disaster.
All for making the brand!!!
LikeLike
Few would contend the potential benefits of IMC yet very frequently that potential is never completely developed. The significant issue is that individuals get so included in their own particular strategies that the open doors for enhancing the effect of incorporation can be disregarded. Here are five obstructions to powerful IMC – and a few considerations on the best way to address them.
Absence of a vital arrangement – In games, it’s difficult to win without a course of action. The same is valid in business. It’s regularly simple and additionally animating to bounce directly into strategic executions, yet it’s at times an equation for achievement.
Inability to have all hands on deck – Once the approach is prepared, a group meeting is fundamental to get everybody concentrated on the target and inspired to get it going.
Imagining the end game – Knowing and characterising accomplishment for the crusade is crucial. It’s more than expressing goals, it’s knowing the fancied result.
Insufficient time-outs – A powerful IMC battle needs consistent checkpoints to screen all parts of the arrangement’s execution and make alterations as required.
Staying informed concerning details – Winning is a definitive objective, yet how the diversion is played may be similarly essential. Having the right measurements set up to judge individual and aggregate exhibitions can be an effective instrument for assessing the present crusade and setting the stage for later endeavours.
Hope this additional information is useful in making your essay better, best of luck.
LikeLike
I notices that, IMC works better on those brand which has profound history and good reputation amount the industries and market. With these advantages, businesses such as Red Bull and Benz are able to use IMC on their marketing strategy. They are able to use IMC to pull more customers into their business by using their WOM and images to gain more sales.
On the other hand, for those small businesses, or business with limited reputation and history, IMC might not be suitable for them, since they need to use push strategy to increase people awareness on their brand, to gain some reputation by letting more people trying on their products. Those businesses need to use promotion and campaigns to attract attention on their products, also they will use as much resources as possible to promote their product and create a image for their businesses.
LikeLike
IMC can work wonders for any company that knows how it is to be used. IMC is tricky and not many companies understand that. The examples that are given in this blog about how IMC backfired on big companies shows that even the experienced can fail in this.
However, such backfires wont majorly affect these companies as they are well established. Even the negative publicity acts as free marketing for the company. Any damage to the brand name of the product can be easily recovered.
However, young and small scale companies might not get the right marketing results while using IMC. For such young brands, before IMC the company should first try to establish their brand in the right consumer base and then get creative.
However, there might also be chances of proper implementation of IMC resulting in a sudden boom of the young brand.
In conclusion, it cannot be clear cut defined as to whether IMC will work or not. A lot of factors are dependent on it.
LikeLike
Due to the diverse changes in the market, marketing managers are faced with the challenge to change their promotions they used to reach their identified target segment. With a diverse new range of technology and social media, less money has to be budgeted for traditional media such as hard copies of magazines and more money is allocated to ‘new media’. Yet, no matter what type of media/channel used the aim of IMC is to deliver a consistent message to the segment. An interesting thought might be, is it more important to reach the right segment with a potentially inconsistent message or is it more important to have a consistent message, yet one might fail on finding the right segment.
One answer may be, the latter – have a consistent message, yet fail on reaching the right segment. Honest communication helps grow business, it creates relationships and strengthens the effectiveness of organisations. Communication also helps people learn about each other. Hence, one might have not spoken to the right group, at least they have a consistent message which they may or may not spread and take away for themselves.
Food for thought?
LikeLike
An interesting read!
In terms of your statement “Does this energy drink gives you super power or wings for you be able to fly? I don’t think IMC works well here”, I’m not sure whether the IMC is to blame or the quality of the product, i.e. consumers’ trust in the product or their knowledge about the product?
We’ve learnt that once consumers have developed a relationship with a brand, an image in their minds will form, and the IMC role here is to remind consumers that the product is there, and motivate them to purchase. If consumers are not convinced in the product, it’s the role of the marketer to convince them using the various communication channels, however, most importantly is how convincing the message that you’re trying to convey to them is.
It’s also important to select the right communication channel for the targeted market segment.
LikeLike
IMC is one of the important tool as told in the blog.Companies make use of advertisiment to reach people and and to creat awarnes about the new product with addition usage of IMC gives advantage to the company to catch customer’s eye towards the product.It also conviences or encourages the customers to buy the product.But i am not fully convienced that IMC s will work in all forms of business.Will it really convience people to buy the product ? will it mislead the people ?only thing is that it is a means of communication to communicate with people about the product.
How ever there are positive sides of this as well there may be huge change in the market and also companies may start dominate the market
Overall a good blog good luck
LikeLike
I think it works for every company because MIC is big tools and it has emerged and since the mid-1990’s . The need of analysing and exploring this concept, we should start by examining the development of the ‘marketing’ concept through its evolution from transactional and functional approaches to the current focus on relationship marketing. In 1964 McCarthy’s “4Ps model” simplified Borden’s marketing mix by reducing the initial twelve elements to only four variables.
The basic concept of IMC is to connect with its markets by communicating ideas and seeking to impart particular perceptions of brands, products and services to customers, consumers and stakeholders.
Nowadays, the continuous changes occurring in the field of Marketing Communications, are leading to an increasing relevance of research on IMC. The boom of social media and social networks, boosted by the increasing diffusion of mobile devices (i.e., smartphones, tablets)
Fundamental shifts in how companies market to consumers have made Integrated Marketing Communications possible.
The shift…
From Traditional Marketing to Digital/Interactive Marketing
From Mass Media to Specialized Media
From Low Accountability in Marketing Spend to High Accountability in Marketing Spend
From Limited Connectivity to Pervasive Connectedness
More go http://www.unav.es/fcom/communication-society/es/articulo.php?art_id=415
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_marketing_communications
LikeLike
Good Blog.! In today’s world , if an organisation wants to survive in the market IMC is must. It not only increases the sales of company but also convey a message through its innovative advertisement. IMC is designed to boost the sales of the company. Most of the organisation today have adopted IMC because they know the importance of the same. IMC helps you to select the right channel for your advertising campaign. I believe even if the quality of the product is not acceptable IMC can make difference in the sales of the product.
LikeLike
A very thoughtful blog.
When every one is posting the blogs regarding the advantages or the good thing that IMC has made for the companies that they have used, you guys have shown the disadvantages of IMC. IMC can not be used in every company or in every advertisement that the companies do. There are many more add blunders that has occurred in past years. Even big companies like rebook under went these blunders.
It is good to know that IMC has a negative side of the it when it is not used properly by the companies.
Good luck with the essay.
LikeLike
Yes its true that IMC is not a tool which boost your brand.There are ups and downs,positive and negative for everything in this world.As IMC is broad and massive,there is a way to come out from the loss.As you said when big fishes like NIKE and ADIDAS took the market from Reebok,they did it with the so called IMC where Reebok failed.Since Reebok is an established brand and it has a good roots on this segment,An effective and creative IMC can take back everything which Reebok has lost.
LikeLike
Integrating all the available marketing communications to become successful is known mantra for every one. But all companies cant be successful in this area. Big companies definitely can but not with small firms. I do not agree with you that red bull failed to implement IMC. It is one of the successful brand that has caught the attention of many with innovative ideas, public stunts and challenges to competitors. Being not healthy to people doesn’t mean IMC failed, its the internal production and the product failed but not the marketing strategy. IMC is everywhere but branded companies are being more successful compared to others. Hope you agree.
LikeLike
IMC is an effective strategy and essential to compete in today’s market as mentioned in your Blog. I think it is a particular requirement if you are a mid to large size company that is operating or expanding into other markets.
Even if you have a great IMC it wont work if it is just ‘putting lipstick on the pig’. One that comes to mind is the marketing campaign surrounding Coke’s attempt to roll out New Coke. Despite all the market research and extensive marketing effort the product was not really what consumers wanted and it failed.
I acknowledge that this is a marketing course and our topic is essential for businesses to succeed, however, the first step is having a product that competes well in the market and exceeds customer expectations otherwise your IMC is just throwing good money after bad.
http://www.vox.com/2015/4/23/8472539/new-coke-cola-wars
LikeLike
Nice blog!
In my opinion, Integrated marketing communication is work for all companies. Company is need to have the consistent message in the advertisement. What you present is quite clear. Red bull and Reebok are failed in IMC. I think they have to understand more about IMC then only apply it. Those companies are failed in IMC, they may learn it from the lessons. A companies that successful in IMC, they are able to present the goals with the affordable price in the well arrange schedule.
If a company with a good IMC, but it failed in business ethic, will it affect a lot to a company? (Ads shows consumers postive massage, negative message will affect lot?)
For example, in the previous news in Malaysia, Nike develope shoes with illegal labors, the developers take the labors’ passport to let the labors work with low wage and stay at worst place.
After news report, Nike was not much affect, people are still support Nike product.
How does you opinion?
LikeLike
Great blog,
We have seen from the past few weeks how Redbull has been successful in implementing and introducing new marketing techniques in various marketing platforms. Although it explored new marketing strategies in different platforms, it always kept the information it is communicating clear and consistent.
LikeLike
Nice blog. As we know, IMC is becoming more and more a concepts among the whole world. It’s not only for promotion but also to communicate the company’s culture, value to the public by gathering all communication methods.The ultimate goal is sale. IMC exists both in the sales part and the communication part. IMC can work from the product stage, to the sales stage. Also, nowadays, marketers are more using IMC in the marketing department. Indeed, they should discover and apply more in how to produce or design as customers’ desire.
Overall, good job.
LikeLike
Good one guys.Integrated marketing is tricky, because it is not as simple as matching fonts and tag lines. Great integrated campaigns take a message and tailor it correctly for every marketing discipline, and relate everything back to their desired message. We have looked at different companies who keep this in mind with their campaigns. So could have added more examples which would have made it even better.
LikeLike
Good Blog guys.
I think the reebok example is a really good case for when an IMC don’t work and the implication on the companies brand and ultimately their profitability can be significant. I do disagree with your comments around Red Bull. I think Red Bull have been very successful with their IMC. Red Bull’s target market is the younger generation and the company is selling a product that boost a consumers energy levels to help them work and play. Something that many 18-30 years can associate in today’s time poor environment. Their choice to expand into extreme sports and F1 racing is a good example of creating a brand association through IMC and increasing market share.
What I think I find most interesting about this blogging exercise how each person views a situation, a product or a marketing strategy differently. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
I cannot see any other effective tool than IMC nowadays, IMC can reach users like SMS,Facebook, tv ads, radio, brochures, flyers, which means covering big segment and different targets form community and relatively not expensive to use, especially when feedback can be shared frankly form customers and all this in realtime in very quick response, I enjoyed the reading thanks!
LikeLike
Hey! good blog post. Interesting to see various brands in action. I like the point of utilising a correct set of marketing strategies for certain business as highlighted in your research. Not every aspect of marketing channel can be used, however, with only handful of examples which have utilised every aspect of integrated marketing communication. Communication is an integral part of IMC and it is all about conveying the message of the brand in a n effective manner. Redbull has been a strong example of conducting extensive and aggressive marketing campaigns. It has been targeting young people of the growing population with an effective way to convey their message through IMC. It definitely uses all aspects of traditional and non–traditional communication methods in devising its marketing strategies.
LikeLike
Thanks for your interesting blog.Integrated Marketing Communications is a simple concept. It ensures that all forms of communications and messages are carefully linked together.At its most basic level, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, as we’ll call it, means integrating all the promotional tools, so that they work together in harmony.Promotion is one of the Ps in the marketing mix. Promotions has its own mix of communications tools.
LikeLike
Its still interesting an amazing to see that we all have covered so many campaign examples from so many sources but still have not touched upon the campagin ran by coca cola in Australia as a response of their sales going, just to help you out on this no one was willing to buy Coke, suddenly people in Australia saw their name appering on the bottle of Coke and then Coke started to sell again in the market. Coke used social media effectively and efficiently. For referene I have attached the link or youtube video
I agree with you on your though of linking effective planning with the success of IMC. Moreover, it is important to consider the fact that it is not important to include all media at once in IMC, which Reebok did it is important to evaluate What comes first? and How to propagate from there hence the smartness in IMC lies in How these media are being added for future and further use.
Nike started She runs the night from Facebook and then they propogated it extensively hence selection and evaluation of media is equally important in the success for IMC.
Having said that Customer from 4cs comes into my mind selection of media is directly dependent upon the type of customer, customer selection goes to STP process and then carrying out market research and finally execution of campagin. Hence it is a perfect linkage of what we have learnt so far.
For instance, running some campaign for old aged people won’t be a good option to carry this out at social media. Hence reasearch and identification becomes important
LikeLike
Awesome blog!
I think Integrated marketing being the unifying traditional and non-traditional marketing channels and applying consistent branding is applicable to all companies. it involves messaging and strateges as well as using cross-channel promotions. this means that the channels tend to reinforce and strenthen eachother.
Regards.
LikeLike
The Red Bull ‘Gives you Wings’ campaign was’t necessarily unsuccessful, the lawsuit was a result of their tongue in cheek tagline that was accused as misleading to consumers because the drink not in actual fact give them wings as the ads would suggest.
The campaign reflected the brand personality well. Red Bull positions themselves as a brand leader in a niche segment of the beverage brand, who are innovative, intelligent, energetic and confident. Their IMC strategy was well thought out with the launch of many successful marketing events, ATL advertising, digital, sampling, athletes & sportsmen endorsements, sponsoring likeminded sporting events and teams.
Red bull has attached its brand to high profile and high risk events, including the free fall sky dive parachute jump from space. They are successful in personifying their brand in all of their IMC communications.
The lawsuit files against Redbull in my opinion wasn’t a reflection of their IMC strategy or how effective this was. However you could say that awareness of the product and brand was so powerful in consumers minds as a result of their communication strategy that it led to the legal actions by consumers. What do you think? Has this affected consumer buying behaviour once they feel misled by a brand or was the investment made to compensate these consumers enough to remain loyal?
LikeLike
The ultimate goal of Integrated Marketing Communication is to unite all aspects of marketing communications so they work together seamlessly and harmoniously.
Integrated Marketing Communication is an approach to brand communications where the different modes work together to create a seamless experience for the customer and are presented with a similar tone and style that reinforces the brand’s core message.
Some of the most common goals of IMC campaigns include increasing brand awareness, generating sales and reinforcing repeat purchases.
Only changes in the marketplace, new competitive forces, or new promotional opportunities should cause companies to alter strategies and reassess IMC goals.
However, there might also be chances of proper implementation of IMC resulting in a sudden boom of the young brand.
Hope this additional information is useful in making your essay better, best of luck.
LikeLike
Thank for your blog.
Level of science and technology progress in modern society, the enterprise marketing to imitate each other between, market competition becomes increasingly fierce and cruel.The traditional marketing model is more and more not adapt to the increasing global competition, enterprises urgently need to use new marketing means to change their unfavorable situation in the market competition. So we need use IMC.
A sense is to spread the future marketing communication.Because the highest levels of marketing is to build brand loyalty, brand loyalty by transmission and good two-way communication to achieve.
Enterprise management must be from self-centered to consumers as the center, the real from the needs of consumers.
Integrated marketing communications theory emphasizes the concept of database, which hope to establish a one-on-one with consumer interactive marketing relationship and understand customers and customers continuously, continuously improve products and services, to meet their needs.This new type of relationship is the premise of building customer file, the development of modern technology has been able to help manufacturers to build this file.
LikeLike
Personally, I feel like IMC can work for any organisation,big or small, provided they the right strategy and resource. Knowing your target segment and effective research is key. Recently a small pet adaptation organisation went big with its IMC campaign, even to their surprise.
Most pet-adoption organizations try to make the cats and dogs seem as appealing as possible. Not the Humane Society Silicon Valley, which in December published a creative, funny and unusually honest listing for a tiny tornado of a Chihuahua, Eddie the Terrible. The listing ran as a blog post on the shelter’s website and social media accounts; the shelter also created other assets to support it, including a video on its YouTube channel.
The content was a welcome antidote to the so-called Sarah McLachlan ads: those slideshows of gut-wrenching animal-shelter images with sad, solemn soundtracks. “The most common reason people won’t come to shelters is because they feel it would be depressing—an expectation created by that sort of marketing,” the shelter’s social media manager, Finnegan Dowling, told me. “We knocked it out of the park with a shelter animal story that had nothing to do with trauma, sadness, abuse, negligence, etc.”
This campaign became a mini viral sensation. The story was picked up by the Huffington Post and a bunch of news channels, raising awareness of the shelter. Best of all: Eddie got a home for the holidays.
LikeLike
very interesting blog!
Integrated marketing is the “design strategy according to the goals of the enterprise, and to control all sorts of enterprise resources to achieve strategic goals”.
Integration is to each independently integrated marketing as a whole, to produce a synergistic effect.These independent marketing including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, packaging, events, sponsorship and customer service, etc.Strategically review integrated marketing system, industry, product and customer, thus make accord with the actual situation of enterprise integrated marketing strategy.Including tourism marketing planning, event marketing and other related departments.
LikeLike
Great post. I agree with the points of the disadvantages about the integrated marketing communication mentioned in this blog. In terms of two examples in this blog, integrated marketing communication is double-edged sword both including the advantages and disadvantages, it can not guarantee that the integrated marketing communication can be appropriate for all operations and brand creation. Based on the example of Red Bull, the company still face serious competitions due to the negative media report and some contrary views related to the health theme rely on the current social response. Therefore, the numbers of the customers would be limited in that the customers cognitive difference and this also restrict the wider development of this brand. Although the selling of the drinks has received a successful result in the world market, but we can not assume the energy drinks would be maintain the long-time profitable situations in the whole market. Thus, there are some comprehensive research and data analysis needing to be analyzed, and the drawback of the different communications’ methods should be figure out which try to reduce the risks of the communications and the extra costs comes from the ineffective marketing communications.
LikeLike
Thanks for your blog.
In my opinion, IMC is not works for all of companies. If the size of company is small, I think they are not need to use IMC. But if the size of company is large, they must need to use IMC to communicate with its target. Such as Coca cola, they using different type of IMC to communicate with their target. They using print media, Point of Sale & Point of purchase Materials, TV commercials, Outdoor advertising and soon.
LikeLike
The topic you have chosen for the blog is quite interesting i must say. Personally, I feel that if the IMC approach is used in a right direction it can benefit each and every company in an effective manner. Additionally, it depends on the motive of the ad campaign. It can be a promotional event of ongoing product, launching a new product or launching a brand logo. There must be a proper utilization of IMC for better and psitive results.
LikeLike
Hi Thanks for the blog !! I would agree with most off the bloggers that indeed IMC is a must for an company to promote it self and bring to light the good work and sell its products. IMC is a tool which incorporates both the traditional and modern forms of promotion and aims at promoting products incorporating the companies vision mission and values. Good blog guys all the best !!
LikeLike