Presentation for the research paper titled "Integrated Marketing Communication and International Audiences" accepted to the 2015 ACE Conference in Charleston, SC. Integrated marketing communication is essential to the overall success of a marketing campaign by any company. Understanding your target audience plays a substantial role in success or failure and is especially true when working with an international audience. This study examined how international audiences prefer to communicate. Focus groups were conducted with international program participants to address the following research questions: 1. What are international audience’s awareness levels and perceptions of an organization’s website? 2. How are international audiences using social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Twitter? 3. How did international participants learn about industry training programs? 4. What is the preferred method of communication for international audiences to receive or seek information about agricultural training and educational programs? Findings indicated participants preferred one-on-one communication and direct email marketing, but were interested in a social media presence after they were made aware of it. They also expressed cultural workplace differences that inhibited their daytime use of social media sites. The results of this study indicate a need for an IMC plan focused on industry relevant information that accounts for cultural differences.

1. Integrated Marketing Communication
and International Audiences
June 10, 2015

4. Authors
*Cassie Wandersee, Graduate Student
Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
Dr. Lauri M. Baker, Assistant Professor
Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
*Kelly Hannigan, Undergraduate Student
IGP Institute
Brandi Miller, Distance Education Program Coordinator
IGP Institute

5. Introduction
IGP Institute serves U.S. commodity organizations
through its global education center housed in the Grain
Science Complex at Kansas State University.
Mission:
Offer innovative technical programs to enhance the
market preference, consumption and utilization of U.S.
cereal grains, oilseeds, and the value-added products for
the global grain industry.
IGP Institute, 2014a

6. Introduction
To meet this mission, course offerings are led by K-State faculty and industry
professionals in the areas of flour milling and grain processing, grain marketing and
risk management, feed manufacturing, and grain management.
In 2014:
• 1,687 participants
• 45 countries
• 62 courses
– 33 courses on location
– 29 course conducted via distance education
IGP Institute, 2014b
IGP Institute uses a variety of marketing channels to promote course offerings in
support of the mission.

7. Conceptual Framework
Strategic Marketing – Integrated Marketing Communications
Schultz (1993)
“A concept of marketing communications planning that
recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan that
evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communications
disciplines…and combines theses disciplines to provide clarity,
consistency, and maximum communications impact.”
IMC has largely been studied in countries where English is the
dominant language, therefore, those findings are not considered to be
representative of IMC worldwide (Kim, Han, & Schultz, 2004).

8. Conceptual Framework
“Digital divide” is the phrase applied to the gap that
exists between those that have ready access to
information and communication technologies, and
the skills to access them, and those that do not
(Cullen, 2001).
Non-use may also be a conscious choice due to
previous experience with computer technology
(Selwyn, 2006).

9. Conceptual Framework
IGP Institute implemented social media marketing to
accompany more traditional marketing efforts.
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Website

10. International Social Media Presence
• 82.2% of the 1.35 billion monthly active Facebook
users are outside the U.S. and Canada (Facebook,
2015)
• 77% of 284 million Twitter users are outside of the
U.S. (Twitter, 2015)
While international audiences use the Internet at
growing rates similar to the U.S., the way they use the
Internet may be different particularly where marketing
is concerned (Quelch & Klein, 1996).

11. Purpose
• Determine how international audiences prefer to
communicate via digital communication
• Evaluate perceptions and beliefs regarding social
media use and marketing efforts by the IGP Institute.
• Determine how international audience members
were using social media platforms for private and
professional use.
A consumer-focused approach to strategic marketing
communication involves being respectful and culturally
aware of consumer needs (Kliatchko & Schultz, 2014).

12. Research Questions
1. What are international audience’s awareness levels and
perceptions of IGP Institute’s website?
2. How are international audiences using social media
platforms, specifically Facebook and Twitter?
3. How did international participants learn about industry
training programs?
4. What is the preferred method of communication for
international audiences to receive or seek information about
agricultural training and educational programs?

13. Methods
• Five focus groups from participants in the IGP
Institute Advanced Milling course
– Reviewed and received university IRB approval
• 31 participants total
– Eight domestic participants in focus groups whose
responses were excluded from analysis
• 84% male

14. Methods
• Questions develop in conjunction with IGP
Institute and K-State Agricultural Communications
and Education Department
– Reviewed and received university IRB approval
• Transcripts were analyzed using Weft QDA
software
– Major themes were identified and grouped

15. Malaysia, 2
Taiwan, 1
Nigeria, 13
Vietnam, 7
Participants by
Country of Origin

16. Results – Research Question One
What are international audience’s awareness levels and perceptions
of an organization’s website?
Lack of Awareness
“I didn’t know they had a website.” (C7)
“I didn’t know there was a blog, it’s not in an obvious position with the icon.” (B6)

17. Results – Research Question One
Difficult to Find
“I was not in this particular website, but the university’s own website.” (D4)
“I search ‘grain’ so one showed ‘grain science and industry’ and it was the
undergraduate degree program.” (D7)
Lack of industry relevant information
“We also look for news such as safety practices, accidents that happen to
someone else. Interested in explosions or something similar to grain dust
explosion or the business side.” (B6)
“What the wheat crop production was in the last ten years. What’s going on
in the future, something like that.” (D4)

18. Results – Research Question Two
How are international audiences using social media
platforms, specifically Facebook and Twitter?
Social Media for Personal Use
“Facebook is for personal use. My friends don’t need to
know about milling industry.” (B6)
“If I want to find out the industry’s information I’m not
going to Facebook, I’m going to other websites.” (E3)

19. Results – Research Question Two
Unawareness of IGP
Institute Social Media
“We never knew IGP is on
Facebook. Not until today.”
(D3)
“I love to see the pictures
of the class and the past
students on this website.
And maybe connect to
them on Facebook.” (E3)

20. Results – Research Question Two
“I don’t see what the
relevance is.” (B6)
“I have to tell that I follow
only Mr. Obama.” (C4)
Lack of Interest and Use in Twitter

21. Results – Research Question 3
How did international participants learn about
industry training programs?
Aware of Program through Sponsor or Work
“Almost all flour mills in Nigeria are somehow in contact
with U.S. Wheat Associates so they organize most of
these courses.” (C5)
“I learned about this course actually through my
supervisor.” (A3)

22. Results – Research Question 4
What is the preferred method of communication for international
audiences to receive or seek information about agricultural
training and educational programs?
Email is Preferred for Communication
“I prefer email because as you know back in my company during
working time, my boss doesn’t allow the Facebook.” (E6)
Personal Contact Share
“Face to face to show latest technology and things changing. So go
to boss and say send more, send more millers to Kansas State
University.” (B7)

23. Discussion
• Awareness levels and perceptions of the website
were found to be low.
• Including industry and educational material will
increase the value perceived within the website.
• Respondents indicated they used Facebook largely
for personal use.
– Enjoyed seeing pictures of themselves
• Most participants did not have Twitter accounts or
did not understand or know what Twitter was.

24. Discussion
• Prefer face-to-face communication from peers or
supervisors when sharing information about
available programs.
• Informed of available programs at IGP Institute
through their sponsoring groups, specifically the
U.S. Wheat Associates and the USDA.
• Email is their preferred method of communication
to receive or seek information about agricultural
training and educational programs.

25. Recommendations for Practitioners
• Post pictures of organizational activities to social
media in a timely manner.
• Educating participants about webpage and social
media presence is necessary to the success of an
IMC plan.
• Direct communication is likely to produce the best
results.
– Relevant industry information

26. Recommendations for Research
• Communication preferences of international
audiences.
• What international audience considers to be
industry relevant information.
• International audiences preference for their own
images to appear in social media communications.

27. Thank you.