Memo2

1.      What is IMC about and how does it work in practice? Name a few examples.

• Who is in charge of, what do you coordinate, IMC and how?

IMC stands for integrated marketing communications. This is an approach to achieve the objectives of marketing campaign. This is used by organizations to brand and coordinate their marketing efforts across multiple channels. There is used different promotional methods both traditional and digital media, such as blogs, magazines, television, radio, search engine optimization and so on. 

Because marketing efforts have changed from mass advertising to niche marketing, companies have started using IMC more to develop more cost-effective campaigns that will still deliver consumer value.

"As defined by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, integrated marketing communications " ... recognizes the value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines advertising, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion and combines them to provide clarity, consistency, and maximum communication impact.""

Source: Boundless. “Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications.” Boundless Marketing. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 04 Feb. 2016 from https://www.boundless.com/marketing/textbooks/boundless-marketing-textbook/integrated-marketing-communications-12/introduction-to-integrated-marketing-communications-81/introduction-to-integrated-marketing-communications-403-4061/

Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/integrated-marketing-communications-IMC.html#ixzz3zEQp9SzE

2.      How can a company synchronize communication tools/channels to give a consistent message?

DeSantis Breindel's white paper on synchronized marketing, "synchronization goes beyond integration, allowing the voice of the brand to speak to every target, through every relevant discipline at every touch point."

Synchronized marketing's core is based on the brand's voice and message. Integrating your marketing is great; however, synchronized marketing is more than one campaign. It's the overall marketing and branding strategy. It's taking all of your marketing platforms and having them working together simultaneously, with your consumer in mind.

It's no longer just about integrating your marketing efforts; it's about keeping them "in sync" with each other, and more importantly, "in sync" with your overall brand message. Synchronized marketing takes the ideas of integrated marketing communications and expands upon them in a persona-focused approach.

o   Defining brands focus and reinforcing it continuously

o   Staying consistent on various platforms

o   Connecting your various platforms

o   Participating in and encouraging dialogue with your customers

o   using your own content

http://blog.hubspot.com/insiders/synchronized-marketing

3.      What are common mistakes in IMC? Give a few examples.

o Failure to distinguish positioning (what you say) from ad creative (how you say it)

o Mistaken assumptions about consumer knowledge

o Improperly positioned

o Failure to break through the clutter

o Distracting, overpowering creativeness

o Failure to use supporting media

o Changing campaigns too frequently

o Substituting frequency for quality

http://www.slideshare.net/yacikay/integrating-marketing-communication