Imc and Marketing Comparison

IMC and Marketing Comparison

In today’s competitive, fast paced world businesses agree that Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is vital to success. But what is IMC? This is a question with several answers. It can be defined as: “The coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues, and sources within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost” (Clow, 2004). Medill Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University describes it as “the management of all organizational communications that builds positive relationships with potential customers and stakeholders, including employees, legislators, the media, the financial community, and other segments of the public” (medill, 2004). Both definitions show that the customer is the center of all IMC plans. Though the customer is the focus in traditional marketing plans, IMC takes the process further. With ever changing technology, new global competitors and the change in power to the consumer, companies must step up and differentiate themselves from the competition. IMC gives them a way to do this.

To create the marketing plan a company may use the traditional marketing mix show below:

FIGURE 1.3 Traditional Marketing Mix

(Clow, 2004)

For this plan to transcend into an IMC plan the four elements of the marketing plan must blend together to present a unified message (Clow, 2004). For example, if a company would like to portray themselves as one who stresses