IMC Tag

24 Apr

Posted at 12:22h in Integrated Marketing by
imc tacticsIn both integrated marketing communications and traditional marketing, strategy gets a short shrift. Most marketing plans I've seen either dive right into tactics after defining their objectives, or they mistake strategies for objectives. It's always a squishy subject - let's start with a good definition. A strategy is the "what" - the overriding method for reaching your goals. Tactics are the "how" - the action items aligned with that strategy. In IMC, strong strategies are a critical success factor to the campaign for several reasons:
  • Strategies help with alignment. A strong strategy can be implemented across channels.
  • Integrated marketing communications require constant, iterative testing of IMC tactics. With a good strategy, you can constantly change up your tactics without changing direction. Tactics or linked tactics may fail to produce, but your campaign doesn't have to fail overall.
  • Messaging is a strategy in itself. Developing strong messaging that is translatable across channels and targeted toward the chosen personas is the foundation of great IMC campaigns. A core or integrated statement helps to drive alignment throughout the campaign.
  • Strategy is easier to communicate than specific IMC tactics. And again, if a tactic fails you don't have to tank the entire campaign.

20 Apr

Posted at 16:14h in Campaign of the Month by
One of the greatest examples of integrated marketing communications is a plan so seamless and flawlessly executed that it deserves a place in the hall of fame for a completely immersive experience that didn't even feel like marketing. Who will ever forget the Smell like a Man, Man campaign , AKA “Old Spice Man?” This particular IMC campaign heavily integrated advertising with content and social media marketing. Combining television ads with wildly viral video and above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty social media engagement, Old Spice plucked the memorable, tongue-in-cheek character of Old Spice Man, initially portrayed by Isaiah Mustafa, straight from television screens across the country and deposited him on YouTube. This was the start of pure magic. It all started with a 30 second ad spot that was widely run and exceptionally well received. Realizing the potential reach and cost effectiveness of YouTube, particularly when marketing to a younger generation (the target demographic for their line of body washes – who were already being assailed regularly with memorable ads from brands like Axe), the Old Spice team uploaded additional videos in the campaign series online. Fans of the character could see him in action far beyond the reaches of their TV screens. As interest in the character and the ads became clear, Old Spice released additional television commercials. These were supported with continued YouTube content, one of the first and certainly most spectacular examples of how video on TV and video online can work perfectly together. But Old Spice had the smarts to not just upload ads, but to pay attention to what people were saying to the character in tweets and video responses. They added the perfect twist that accelerated results astronomically. 

13 Apr

Posted at 08:48h in IMC, Integrated Marketing by
PRSA_RGB_234781Advising and empowering fellow professionals in the PR and marketing industry is an honor and passion of mine. It was fun develop an online course for  PRSA  to help position professional communicators to oversee integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaigns. This course gives professionals the tools to put together successful, integrated campaigns.
The following is a summary of the five in-depth lesson modules included in this e-learning course.
  • MODULE 1: Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Master the Key Components of Every Campaign Learn the definition of IMC, the building blocks of a successful IMC campaign and the starting motivations for developing one.
  • MODULE 2: Defining Key Audiences: Identify Audiences Within the Buying Cycle Review the historical evolution of audiences and the implications, how to define an audience, the buying cycle process and the motivation behind personas.
  • MODULE 3: Leveraging SWOT Analysis: Ensure Strategic Consistency Understand the purpose of a SWOT analysis and how to implement the findings, as well as the integrated strategy purpose.
  • MODULE 4: Syncing Tactics: Align Messaging Channels and Linked Tactics Go over messaging channels and media components and the purpose and execution of tactics used.
  • MODULE 5: Measuring Performance: Analyze Qualitative and Quantitative Data A cohesive look at measuring objectives, responses and performances of campaigns.

13 Mar

Posted at 09:37h in IMC by

Here is an excerpt from my article on the PRSA ComPRehension blog. A link to the full article is below. Enjoy!  Although most marketers accept that integrating marketing communications is a powerful approach, campaigns today seldom realize the full power of the methodology commonly known as...

10 Feb

Posted at 18:59h in IMC, Nonprofit by
[caption id="attachment_6353" align="alignright" width="300"] Headwaters Relief in Colorado.[/caption] As I wrote last week, IMC is not easy. It's definitely a case of progress, never perfection. And yet nonprofits seem to have grasped many of the components of integrated marketing and are running with it. I thought that was worth a little bit more analysis to see why that would be true. 1. Nonprofits understand the buying behavior of their target audience. Face it, trying to get money out of people for charity is really, really hard. It takes a great deal of understanding of your audience in terms of what pulls at their heart strings. (As marketers, isn't that what we're all trying to do?) Good nonprofits know the basic messages that appeal to their targets, how they get their information and how best to influence those decisions via the use of media placements, email, social media and other channels. The Red Cross does this better than anyone else. Sign up for their email newsletter and experience them leading you by the nose through their IMC channels. Brilliant, really. 2. Nonprofits usually don't have money to burn. Unless you were lucky enough to work on one of the .orgs spawned by the Big Tobacco settlements, for the most part a nonprofit marketer is working on a tiny budget. This breeds creativity and that's what IMC is all about. Nonprofits jumped on the social media bandwagon (and other brand new bandwagons) as soon as they could.

02 Feb

Posted at 13:04h in IMC by
integrated marketing communicationsIMC is a complicated beast. After working on integrated marketing communications strategies for several years I still feel as if each new campaign is like a new romance novel, with unusual plot twists and surprise endings. Although a lot of people say they're doing IMC, unfortunately most supposedly integrated campaigns are not really integrated in the true sense of the word. The AMA defines IMC as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” The key words here are ALL, RELEVANT and CONSISTENT. We're all working on a continuum, gradually adding capability and components as we learn what mix works best for our brands. Making sure EVERY touchpoint is consistent with the other, and relevant to the message is nearly impossible in this fragmented communications world. So to borrow a phrase from a well-known 12-step group, it's about progress, not perfection. HOWEVER. And here comes the big BUT. I'm afraid there are a lot of people trying to catch the wave of IMC that have no idea what they're doing. It's really appalling and you need to make sure you're not falling into the trap of a consultant who claims to make IMC "easy." To help you with these hucksters, and to help you grade your own work, here are 5 ways to know if your campaign is truly integrated: 1. You've articulated strategies that align with overall measurable goals.  

29 Oct

Posted at 11:33h in IMC, Integrated Marketing by
[caption id="attachment_6058" align="alignright" width="300"]Photo courtesy of MSNBC.com Photo courtesy of MSNBC.com[/caption] Last week I wrote about the importance of defining your best customer(s) and the influencers that send them your way. This is important when you're defining an overall campaign and determining their hangouts. ( sorry for the pun, Google) There is, however, an insidious problem with many business owners when it comes to marketing messages, audiences and customers. If nothing else, here's what I want you to remember. YOU ARE NOT YOUR BEST CUSTOMER. Let me repeat that. YOU ARE NOT YOUR BEST CUSTOMER. You may have been the best customer at one time, or  knew one really well. Or perhaps you  were an influencer. But the minute you decide to start your own business, or manage the business, you become biased. Here's a great example:

13 Oct

Posted at 06:23h in IMC by
IMCI'm always amazed at the ability of PR people to accomplish things in about a third of the time it would take the rest of us. But I think it's a necessity. News moves practically at the speed of light these days. Trying to stay ahead of that cycle (which is what public relations professionals have to do) takes a giant amount of energy, alacrity and mojo. I was incredibly honored to be asked to speak at the PRSA International Conference yesterday. True to form, the staff asked me to present an overview of Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC. In an hour. I did a webinar version of this talk in August, and the general consensus after that session was they wanted less "what and why" and more "how to." Makes sense right? There's very little time to look at the pretty train and enjoy the comfortable seats. No my friends. The train has left the station and PR people are leaping on the roof, dashing into the cars and at times hanging onto the caboose with their fingertips.  I love that energy! I'm not entirely sure I delivered what they needed yesterday. Technology was not on my side and I probably tried to present way too much information. (Here it is on Slideshare if you're interested) It's hard to say. Here's what I'm really hoping they took away from all my mumbo jumbo: