Integrated Marketing
Communication and
Connections Planning
Case Study
• Its Crunk!!! time again
– Budget still only have $25 Million
– Target still Urban and suburban hip-hop youth
– Discuss how these five responses to diminished
effectiveness would shape your media strategy
• Integrated Marketing Communications
• Segmentation
• Relationship Marketing
• Database Marketing
• Connections Planning
IMC Basics
• Coordinate various communications
approaches into a mutually supportive,
thematically unified, coordinated whole
• Must manage all sources of information
about a product that moves the customer
towards a sale and maintains loyalty
Bridging Elements
• Marry behavior-changing efforts of promotions and
direct response with image-building efforts of PR
and advertising - seamless connection
– Tactically-oriented - “Integrated” executions
– Strategically-oriented -- “Coordinated” campaigns
Model of IMC
Primary Goal of Marketing
• First task is to retain satisfied customers,
not just produce new customers
– Difference between creating a single sale and
creating a lifelong customer
– The basis for relationship marketing
Media Planning and
Media Relations
• Critical to coordinate paid and unpaid
media as part of IMC efforts
– Timing of Message Placement
– Reinforcement Across Channels
– Compatibility of Editorial Tone
• All with the goal of building relationships
Marketing Public Relations
• Use of public relations to directly support
marketing efforts to build sales, not simply
image and issue management
– Planning, executing, and evaluating programs
that encourage purchase and consumer
satisfaction through credible communications
– 70% of PR billing are for Marketing PR
Power of PR
• Marketers find is increasing difficult to
reach consumers’ hearts and minds
• Decline of mass marketing and limited
effectiveness of target advertising
• Power of news, events, and community
programs to regain a share of voice
Credibility is Key
• PR more credible than advertising
• Key to reaching skeptical consumers
• Particularly when targeting youth,
who want to be told — not sold
– Important for building brand awareness
– Critical for building brand credibility
How MPR Works with IMC
Builds excitement before advertising breaks
Ex. Teasers for upcoming movies
Drives communications when there is no advertising
Ex. During Hiatus or Economic Downturn
Makes advertising news when no product news
Ex. Coverage of Super Bowl spots as news
Brings advertising to life
Ex. California Raisins, Got Milk, Tony the Tiger
Extends promotion programs
Ex. Publicity can grow geometrically
MPR and IMC, Continued
Builds personal relationships with brand
Ex. Butterball Talkline, Pillsbury Bake-Off
Influences the influencers
Ex. Secondary Effects Through Opinion Leaders
Communicates new product benefits
Ex. Arm & Hammer, Aspirin, Cranberry Juice
Demonstrates social responsibility and build trust
Ex. Ben & Jerry’s, Body Shop, McDonald’s
Defends products at risk and gives permission to buy
Ex. Tylenol, Pepsi, Robert Downey Jr.
Media Planning and IMC
• Media Planning Shape IMC Strategy
• Media Planning More Critical Than Ever
• Media Explosion Creating an Info Glut
Must find the balance points
Integrated Media Planning
• Earlier involvement in strategic planning
– Brand insights and research sharing
– More conceptual and qualitative analysis
• Expand definition of communication
– Coordinate all elements, set the timing
– Must balance efficiencies of mass comm with
advantages of one-to-one
• Develop market specific approach
– Zero-based, market-by-market media planning
– Replaces broad-market approach
Techniques in IMP
• Mass marketing vs “market-driven” approaches
– “Micro-marketing”
– “Data mining”
- specialized market segments
- building information profiles of consumers
– “One-to-one targeting”
– “Consumer-initiated”
- build relationship with consumers
- customers begin communication\
– Sports and entertainment marketing