Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, is a set of coordinated and linked marketing communication methods, techniques, and tools that work by reinforcing each other to always provide a strong, clear, consistent, and persuasive brand message. IMC is important to marketers and advertisers since every customer has their own preferred form of communication, and there no single form that is sufficient enough to reach all market segments. With IMC’s power, each customer will be reached by the right message at the right time using the most correct, appropriate, and preferred form of communication.
IMC has many benefits to companies; it can create a competitive advantage, increase their sales and profit, increase customers loyalty, and at the same time it will save them time and money. For example, the successful Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was started in Australia, then was rolled out to the rest of the world. This campaign created a competitive advantage for the company and increased their customers loyalty as people were looking to buy the bottles or cans that has their names on them. It also saved the company time and money since all Coca-Cola branches worldwide were using the same graphics and design for their campaigns . Financially, Coca-Cola’s sales have increased about 2% in the United States alone. Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was one example of a successful IMC which provided a strong, clear, and a consistent brand message to all customers all over the world.
Useful Links and References:
- https://imc.wvu.edu/about/what-is-imc
- http://multimediamarketing.com/mkc/marketingcommunications/
- http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/integrated-marketing-communications-IMC.html
- https://online.purdue.edu/comm/masters-in-communication/resources/what-is-integrated-marketing-communication-imc
