What is IMC?
"Agencies that only want to do traditional advertising remind me of the railroad companies when the automobile came on the scene."
— Bill Cleary, Co-founder, CKS
IMC Defined.
The textbook definition of IMC: "The coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues and sources within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost." Clow and Baack (2004).
But what does that mean to you? It means society is changing. Fast. Old assumptions about the roles of advertising, promotion and media are fading. Ideas about how agencies should be organized have been turned upside-down, leaving many scrambling to accommodate their new roles.
So it’s no surprise that many are turning to integrated marketing communications (IMC). They’re looking at the whole marketing picture, where there were once only parts.
Coordination. Integration. Seamless. Maximizes Impact. Minimal Costs.
These are the most important concepts found in Clow and Baack's definition, and they are at the heart of IMC.
IMC Rising.
True or false: If a company is involved in a variety of promotional activities, such as advertising, sponsorships and PR, it is practicing IMC.
False.
IMC means looking at the whole picture, not just at the parts. It means re-aligning communications and seeing things the way the consumer sees them – as a constant flow of information from indistinguishable sources.
In fact, IMC came about when marketers decided their disjointed communications weren’t working. The idea of strategically integrated messages began to make more sense.
Carefully coordinating your marketing efforts has many benefits.
- You avoid duplicate messages.
- You capitalize on the synergy among promotional tools.
- You create more effective marketing programs.
Champions of IMC claim it's one of the simplest ways for a company to maximize return on investment (ROI) for their marketing dollars.
IMC in Action.
Who uses IMC? Federal Express. Hewlett-Packard. CIGNA. Dow Chemical. Fidelity Investments. The list is long and getting longer.
One of the most interesting practitioners of IMC is the city of New Orleans. In January 2007, the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (NOMCVB) launched “Forever New Orleans" -- a branding campaign created to celebrate the city's unique culture and put to rest myths about the post-Katrina tourist experience. The NOMCVB has effectively used many integrated strategies to maximize marketing dollars while increasing tourism. These include:
- The development of a series of "Forever New Orleans" print ads (see below).
- The creation of "A Whole New Orleans" — a half-hour travel show highlighting the eclecticism and vibrancy of the city. Episode titles include "Arts in Motion," "La Vida Loca" and "If it Crawls, You Can Eat It."
- The launch of 24NOLA.com, an interactive website and itinerary planner for tourists who want to experience the city's culture as locals do (see below).
- Airplane tray table ads celebrating New Orleans cuisine that were featured on 2,800 flights.
- More aggressive direct sales efforts with international travel professionals and convention industry influentials.
- A public-relations tour designed to bring the best of New Orleans culture to major metropolitan areas and earn positive mainstream media coverage.
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