Introduction
By definition, marketing communication refers to the process of conveying products’ information and ideas among organizations and individuals or simply a distribution channel. From a managerial and theoretical perspective, communication has proved a vital channel, especially in marketing. As a result, effective communication is transmitted through simple and exact channels, therefore, becoming a need to spread ideas, create a network and promote the products and services in marketing.
Traditionally, marketing communication was known as promotion. It was among the 4Ps in marketing, including place, development, and price. Subsequently, it represents the accumulation of all components in a brand to promote exchanges and has the power to remind, induce action, inform, and persuade consumers. Research, however, shows that, in the modern world, marketing communication is two-way, more interactive than the traditional one. Hence, developing a communication strategy is essential for business growth, especially for Netflix, which heavily relies on its digital content.
Main Body
An effective communication strategy should have clear and achievable goals. In the case of Netflix, IMC is connected with brand and management alongside being a communication process, which is one of the critical elements of the marketing mix.
Netflix’s brand equity is how consumers react to a brand marketing that they know the service (Gómez & Quevedo, 2018). This usually happens when they are close to the brand, and they still have a unique and favorable association with it in their mind. The expected audience’s reaction to the message is a positive interest in the company’s products and services. Hence, Netflix’s communication strategy would be to achieve brand loyalty and awareness of recent products by the audience.
In developing a communication strategy, it is essential to know the company’s audience and adapt the message to the customers’ profile. With 213 million subscribers worldwide, the audience of Netflix is inclusive of males and females of all educational levels, ages, and occupations (Statista, 2021).
The challenge might be posed by the international nature of the company’s broadcast; hence, the resistance to the message might be caused by cultural differences depending on the region. Thus, the communication must be built around universal topics, which in the case of Netflix might be shows and movies that it broadcasts.
Another critical aspect of developing a communication strategy is choosing the channel to deliver the message. Netflix is a company, which provides its service digitally; therefore, modern technologies may be effective in customer engagement and authentic brand identity (Burroughs, 2019).
Social media such as Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube effectively promote the media content, create a brand image, and engage followers internationally. In addition, acknowledging and addressing the fan base of the existing or upcoming shows could potentially initiate more engaging discussion, hence, providing a brand with more recognition. Therefore, social media is chosen as an optimal feedback channel for Netflix’s communication strategy.
Conclusion
In the modern world of business, the level of communication has advanced due to technological progress, which has turned the world into a global village as market players can interact freely without any obstruction. In this process, communication can be controlled and regulated at one central point, enhancing monitoring and supervision, leading to efficient business activities.
Netflix’s communication strategy involves engaging customers on social media by creating a discussion on social media. Moreover, the company’s accounts are used to promote media content, which is essential for the streaming service, producing its own content. Therefore, it is the most authentic form of communication because it informs, listens, and answers while boosting sales.
References
Burroughs, B. (2019). House of Netflix: Streaming media and digital lore. Popular Communication, 17(1), 1-17.
Gómez, E. F., & Quevedo, J. M. (2018). Connecting with audiences in new markets: Netflix’s Twitter strategy in Spain. Journal of Media Business Studies, 15(2), 127-146. Web.
Statista. Number of Netflix paying streaming subscribers worldwide in the 3rd quarter 2021. Web.