Communication effort as a way of marketing a particular brand makes use Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) (Smith &Taylor, 2004). Through this concept, the relationship between the customer and the brand is greatly enhanced. The communication efforts employed here are primarily meant to foster a warm customer relationship so that a particular brand can be consumed at will by customers.
Such relationships are also considered to be profitable since they are cross-functional in nature. For instance, these communication efforts are considered to be profitable owing to the fact that all the messages sent to the active and prospective customers are meant to be persuasive since they encourage dialogue.
Quite a number of relevant marketing communication tools are usually integrated and employed when IMC concept is adopted. The rationale is to create the greatest impact to the consumers at a cost that is relatively low and manageable (Percy, 2008). In most instances, internally directed communications, customer-focused as well as marketing channels are all affected in this form of integration.
When developing an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan, it is imperative for a company planning to advertise and market breakfast cereals suitable for both young and old, to bear in mind the right promotional strategies that will not only reach the target audience but also be cost-effective (Kitchen & Pelsmacker, 2004.
The two communication efforts will markedly differ along the IMC plan such that the latter will depict the behavior of buyers, brand management and corporate image. For instance, a company marketing its brands should not give conflicting messages that may equally confuse the entire market. In any case, the aforementioned components form part and parcel of foundation for an organisation.
Another difference is the consumer and trade promotions that can be used to push sales. Others include customer relations management, data base marketing and personal selling (Shimp, 2008). They are all different since they are classified as promotional tools. Additional, another difference emerges in the design of advertising used. Several tools exist here. For example, selection of the advertising media is paramount.
Others are execution frameworks and advertising design and management that has been put in place. The last difference is the nature of integration tools used for promoting a certain brand or product.
The marketing program is integrated in addition to entrepreneurial ventures that are available for newly introduced products into the market. One typical example is the case of Kellogg’s company whereby the two communication efforts differ significantly in the sense that the company is using a mixed variety of reaching out for its consumers.
Indeed, if Kellogg’s were to cereal breakfast for both the young and old age, then it can still apply such winning strategies such as giving prices upon purchase, relaying messages of goodwill upon exercising after utilizing the product, convincing the buyers that both adults an children will benefit from sensible breakfast (Kellogg, 2010).
Kellogg is also promoting healthcare concerns upon using its products. For instance, c consumption of food substances that have low sodium content as well as engaging the public (consumers) in corporate social responsibility.
In recap, it is imperative to note that the various marketing mix available as part and parcel of communication efforts to consumers can all be applied differently both at the product and brand level.
For example, positioning, targeting and variables of segmentation are some of the marketing components that have revolutionized promotional strategies. Nonetheless, the very elements have been boosted by the internet (such as in the application of e-commerce).
References
Kellogg. 2010. Promotions. Web.
Kitchen, J.P. & Pelsmacker, de P. 2004. Integrated marketing communications: a primer, New York: Routledge.
Percy, L. 2008. Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications, Burlington: Elsevier. Shimp, A. T. 2008. Advertising Promotion, and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications, Ontario: South-western Cengage Learning.
Smith, R. P. &Taylor, J. 2004. Marketing communications: an integrated approach, London: Kogan Page Ltd.