Assignment 4: Communicate the Value
April 18, 2023
ASS091-2 Mental Health and Society Assignment
April 19, 2023Question –
Introduction
In the digital era, integrated marketing communication (IMC) is of high relevance because it helps marketers to adopt unique kinds of marketing strategies to strengthen the communication of the company. Today, this strategic model is indispensable for a concern. The main aspects and features relating to integrated marketing communication have been highlighted here.
4.1 Decisions
- Definition of integrated marketing communications
Integrated marketing communications is a simple concept that has gained significant relevance in the current times. It fundamentally refers to the tools and techniques that are used by business organizations for the purpose of sharing clear, consistent and coordinated communication with the target audience (Fozer et al., 2017). It can provide a competitive advantage to a concern because it makes sure various tools like advertising; direct marketing, interactive marketing, sales promotion, public relations and personnel selling help the marketer to promote his offerings in the most effective manner. The key tools of IMC have been highlighted in the diagrammatic format below.
Source: (Anton, 2015)
- Five Benefits of integrated marketing communications
Some of the unique benefits of integrated marketing communications include brand recognition for a particular business, consistent flow of information in the market, the cost-effectiveness of the marketing approach, direct and interactive relationship with the target audience and use of a wide variety of marketing tools. All these benefits ultimately help the business to have a robust presence in the highly dynamic market setting (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2015). Since a variety of tools and techniques are used in the IMC strategy, the business undertakings are able to effectively target different sets of the target audience in the market environment. The effective use of the IMC model helps firms to create a favourable perception of themselves in the minds of the market audience (Kinicki et al., 2014).
- Two important integrated marketing communication initiatives for this year that are relevant for marketers
In the technological times, the two most important integrated marketing communication initiatives that can be used by marketers this year include service engine optimization (SEO) marketing and social media marketing (Rothaermel, 2015). SEO is a new concept that can help marketers to strengthen traffic in the virtual setting. In the world of online marketing, this IMC model allows business concerns to strengthen their visibility and presence in the online forum.
Similarly, the social media marketing strategy is an essential IMC model that allows businesses to reach that target audience that has a presence on social media websites. This model has gained high relevance in the current times because it allows marketers to gain traffic through popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. (Gupta & Mishra, 2016).
4.2 Advertising Critique
- Attach the ads to your assignment. Indicate where the ads came from and what media was used. Where was the ad placed (in what part of the magazine or newspaper, or when it was aired on television or radio, or was it part of digital media?)?
Effective IMC strategic model – Nike & Ineffective advertisement strategic model – Starbucks
Target Audience
This slogan is simple and effective. The customers are able to relate to the brand due to the consistent message. The target audience of Nike including young athletes is inspired by the IMC model of Nike and this helps the brand to have a sustainable existence in the global market. But for Starbucks, the target audience was not clear.
Communicative Objective
The communicative objective of Nike is to focus on fitness and physical activities. Nike makes sure to use the IMC strategy to capture its target audience. But for Starbucks, the objective is to focus on the quality of the food.
Overall communication strategy
The simple IMC model of Nike helps itself to position itself as a brand that has been created for serious athletes. But for Starbucks the overall communication strategy and positioning statement were inappropriate.
Communication tactics
The communication tactics and communication mix of Nike encourage people to wear Nike shoes while performing physical activities. But for Starbucks, the communication tactics were highly ineffective because the content was sensitive in nature.
Creative execution
Similarly, creative execution believes in sharing a simple and consistent message in the market (Luxton, Reid & Mavondo, 2015).
Evaluation
The Evaluation of the advertisement is good in relation to targeting.
Source: (Luxton, Reid & Mavondo, 2015)
For each ad, describe the actual or perceived value created for the target audience. Explain what leads you to this conclusion.
Nike has adopted an effective IMC model that has helped the brand to establish itself as a renounced global business. The “Just do it” phrase has been the trademark of Nike for a long time. The business makes sure that all of its IMC tools including direct marketing, sales promotion tactics, and social media marketing strategies use this phrase while communicating the brand message in the market (Maté, Trujillo & Mylopoulos, 2015).
The coffee giant generally adopts a careful IMC model to communicate with its audience. But its “Race Together” campaign was a major failure which highlighted the fact that the concern didn’t ton use its IMC model wisely. The target audience was the global customers that consume coffee. But the poor idea behind the marketing model encouraged people to talk about race relations with baristas (Ang, 2014). It was considered to be tone-deaf by market critics because it focused on the race of people. This was a highly ineffective IMC model that was adopted by a reputed business concern.
Due to the poor campaign model, the Twitter account of Starbucks was temporarily suspended. The example shows that an ineffective IMC model can have serious repercussions for a business concern (Batra & Keller, 2016).
Source: (Batra & Keller, 2016)
4.4. Communication brief for “Chaberton Winery”
In order to improve the current level of success of Chaberton Winery, a creative communication brief has been designed that would help the vineyard to strengthen its branding strategy for premium customers (Batra & Keller, 2016).
Target Audience –
The key components of the IMC model would be the digital marketing strategy and campaigns. It would help the business to target premium-class customers in Vancouver and the nearby locations.
Communication objective –
The objective would be to promote unique wine that would be made from original grapes.
Overall communications strategy –
It would fundamentally highlight the various offerings for the target audience such as the boutique tasting rooms, winery tours and exquisite dining facility.
Positioning –
The positioning map of Chaberton Winery has been illustrated below. It shows that the high quality and high price would be the major attributes of the wine. The key messages of the IMC tools would revolve around quality wine that is derived from organic grapes.
Communications tactics –
The main elements of the communication tactics include a consistent message and focus on the brand value.
Communications mix –
Both the traditional and conventional IMC tools could be used to strengthen the marketing message.
Suggestion of Creative Concept and Execution
This creative IMC concept and careful execution would help it to strengthen its brand image.
Budget Allocation
The available budget of $100,000 would help the vineyard to strengthen its IMC model in the dynamic market setting.
The Actual or Perceived Value Created For the Target Audience
It would strengthen the actual or perceived value for the target audience of the business.
References
Ang, L. (2014). Principles of integrated marketing communications. Cambridge University Press.
Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., & Brennan, R. (2015). Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education.
Batra, R., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Integrating Marketing Communications: New findings, new lessons, and new ideas. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 122-145.
Bhupathi, M. M. (2016). Integrated Marketing Communications. In Strategic Marketing Management in Asia: Case Studies and Lessons across Industries (pp. 425-445). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Belch, G. E., Belch, M. A., Kerr, G. F., & Powell, I. (2014). Advertising: An integrated marketing communication perspective. McGraw-Hill Education.
Cooney, R. L. (2016). Integrated Marketing Communications.
Fill, C., & Turnbull, S. L. (2016). Marketing communications: brands, experiences and participation. Pearson.
Keller, K. L. (2016). Unlocking the power of integrated marketing communications: How integrated is your IMC program?. Journal of Advertising, 45(3), 286-301.
Luxton, S., Reid, M., & Mavondo, F. (2015). Integrated marketing communication capability and brand performance. Journal of Advertising, 44(1), 37-46.
Percy, L. (2014). Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge.
