Creating Powerful IMC Strategies &
Linked Tactics
Bonnie Harris, B.S., M.S.
Wax Marketing, Inc.
Agenda
 Key Components of IMC
 Messaging
 More about Strategies
 More about Linked Tactics
 Incorporating IMC Methods
Definition of IMC
According to the AMA (American Marketing Association) the
definition of Integrated Marketing Communications is:
“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.”
Messaging Strategy
 Strategic consistency
 Begin with one voice
 Core/Integrated Strategy Statements
 Message translations
Why are we looking at this guy?
Results?
 1.2 billion media impressions
 100 million YouTube views
 Sales  55% first 3 months
 Sales  107% in the fourth
month
Powerful Strategies
 Strategies stay consistent across the period though tactics may
change
 Drive toward increasing synergy between channels
 Should be deployed across channels
 Pay attention to buyer behavior and are specific to personas
 Combine traditional and online/social media
Strategies can focus on:
 Messaging – Changing
perception
 Timing – Seasonal
 Area – Hyper-local
 Word of Mouth – Viral
 Product/Service offering –
Call to action
 Traffic– Landing
pages/conversions/promoti
on
 Each strategy should focus
on one stage of the buying
cycle
Brand Strategies
 Earned media
 Word of mouth
 Cause marketing
 Thought
leadership/education
 Sponsorships
 Celebrity endorsements
 Brand journalism
 Online marketing
Brand strategies create awareness of a new brand, change
perception of an existing brand or create a brand extension.
Content Strategies
 Brand journalism
 Native advertising
 Social media
 Influencer marketing
 Multimedia messaging
 Education/Thought
Leadership
 Contests/Quiz
 Ambassadors/Celebrity
 Testimonials
Content strategies are used when with a longer sales cycle, the client or
customer is sophisticated and the brand needs credibility.
Promotional Strategies
 Events
 Sponsorships
 Contests
 Rewards/loyalty programs
 Cause marketing
 Digital/mobile promotions
 Add-ons/lost leaders
 Seasonal
Promotional strategies are used to influence the later steps in the buying
cycle, including post-purchase behavior
Geographical Strategies
Geographical strategies might be used for retail, medical practices,
franchises and other B2C businesses where the customer is not well-
known.
 Hyper-local marketing
 Outdoor/On the ground
 Micro-events
 Retail business partnerships
Choosing Channels
 Carefully study audience
behavior
 Test iteratively for
effectiveness
 Shooting for synergy
 Constantly updated
Powerful Linked Tactics
 Strong linked tactics are often combination of traditional and newer
media
 Can link two, three or even four tactics
 Synchronized for best effect
 Common message or tone
Simple Linked Tactics
 Earned placement+ social media
 Direct marketing + landing pages
 Email + signage
 Print + mobile
 Product placement + ads
Complex Linked Tactics
 Integrated product placement
 Music promotion
 Product launches
 PSA’s
BJP Party
Campaign
• Elected Modi in 2014
• Created a landslide
victory in India
• Core strategy statement
around change
• Common creative
• Understanding of
personas
• Linked traditional and
bleeding edge
technology
Ways to Incorporate IMC
 Create a core strategy statement
 Link tactics and measure results
 Roll tactics into strategies and deploy
cross channel
 Review the buying behavior and try to
accelerate

Strategy and IMC

  • 1.
    Creating Powerful IMCStrategies & Linked Tactics Bonnie Harris, B.S., M.S. Wax Marketing, Inc.
  • 2.
    Agenda  Key Componentsof IMC  Messaging  More about Strategies  More about Linked Tactics  Incorporating IMC Methods
  • 3.
    Definition of IMC Accordingto the AMA (American Marketing Association) the definition of Integrated Marketing Communications is: “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.”
  • 4.
    Messaging Strategy  Strategicconsistency  Begin with one voice  Core/Integrated Strategy Statements  Message translations
  • 5.
    Why are welooking at this guy?
  • 8.
    Results?  1.2 billionmedia impressions  100 million YouTube views  Sales  55% first 3 months  Sales  107% in the fourth month
  • 9.
    Powerful Strategies  Strategiesstay consistent across the period though tactics may change  Drive toward increasing synergy between channels  Should be deployed across channels  Pay attention to buyer behavior and are specific to personas  Combine traditional and online/social media
  • 10.
    Strategies can focuson:  Messaging – Changing perception  Timing – Seasonal  Area – Hyper-local  Word of Mouth – Viral  Product/Service offering – Call to action  Traffic– Landing pages/conversions/promoti on  Each strategy should focus on one stage of the buying cycle
  • 11.
    Brand Strategies  Earnedmedia  Word of mouth  Cause marketing  Thought leadership/education  Sponsorships  Celebrity endorsements  Brand journalism  Online marketing Brand strategies create awareness of a new brand, change perception of an existing brand or create a brand extension.
  • 12.
    Content Strategies  Brandjournalism  Native advertising  Social media  Influencer marketing  Multimedia messaging  Education/Thought Leadership  Contests/Quiz  Ambassadors/Celebrity  Testimonials Content strategies are used when with a longer sales cycle, the client or customer is sophisticated and the brand needs credibility.
  • 13.
    Promotional Strategies  Events Sponsorships  Contests  Rewards/loyalty programs  Cause marketing  Digital/mobile promotions  Add-ons/lost leaders  Seasonal Promotional strategies are used to influence the later steps in the buying cycle, including post-purchase behavior
  • 14.
    Geographical Strategies Geographical strategiesmight be used for retail, medical practices, franchises and other B2C businesses where the customer is not well- known.  Hyper-local marketing  Outdoor/On the ground  Micro-events  Retail business partnerships
  • 15.
    Choosing Channels  Carefullystudy audience behavior  Test iteratively for effectiveness  Shooting for synergy  Constantly updated
  • 16.
    Powerful Linked Tactics Strong linked tactics are often combination of traditional and newer media  Can link two, three or even four tactics  Synchronized for best effect  Common message or tone
  • 17.
    Simple Linked Tactics Earned placement+ social media  Direct marketing + landing pages  Email + signage  Print + mobile  Product placement + ads
  • 18.
    Complex Linked Tactics Integrated product placement  Music promotion  Product launches  PSA’s
  • 19.
    BJP Party Campaign • ElectedModi in 2014 • Created a landslide victory in India • Core strategy statement around change • Common creative • Understanding of personas • Linked traditional and bleeding edge technology
  • 20.
    Ways to IncorporateIMC  Create a core strategy statement  Link tactics and measure results  Roll tactics into strategies and deploy cross channel  Review the buying behavior and try to accelerate

Editor's Notes

  • #5 All marketing communications Messages must be consistent with the brand position in IMC we talk about one voice as an elementary type of IMC campaign were all components have the same look and tone. This is the first way to start but it’s not enough. The messaging strategy has to be planned, relevant , consistent. The biggest challenge is to figure out how to resonate with diverse channels, while still maintaining the overall message. And then, you have to move them through the buying cycle. You’re figuring out how to influence your buyers at every turn and meeting them where they receive their information Example in a minute = not to be shown to the public , pragmatic who we are what we do. Becomes the sounding board for all the messages that ARE outward facing. You can use it to ensure you're not going off the rails First of all use your integrated strategy statement to determine the overall theme. - Next, identify your messaging channels. - then identify translation needs for each channel identify your key publics Translate for them as well All translations have to ALIGN with core strategy statement -
  • #6 Advertising as part of an IMC campaign often has to have not only a call to action, but be part of the content marketing mix as well. Perhaps the best example of this is the Old Spice Smell like a Man campaign. This highly integrated campaign was a genius mixture of social media engagement, viral video, traditional advertising and public relations. The Campaign generated more than 1.2 billion media impressions, over 100 million YouTube views and exponential increases in the brand’s social media networks. The Old Spice campaign revived a tired old brand . According to ad week, sales for Old Spice jumped 55% in the first three months of the campaign. In the fourth month, however, sales jumped 107 PERCENT. What a remarkable case study for IMC. Isaiah Mustafa  
  • #9 Advertising as part of an IMC campaign often has to have not only a call to action, but be part of the content marketing mix as well. Perhaps the best example of this is the Old Spice Smell like a Man campaign. This highly integrated campaign was a genius mixture of social media engagement, viral video, traditional advertising and public relations. The Campaign generated more than 1.2 billion media impressions, over 100 million YouTube views and exponential increases in the brand’s social media networks. The Old Spice campaign revived a tired old brand . According to ad week, sales for Old Spice jumped 55% in the first three months of the campaign. In the fourth month, however, sales jumped 107 PERCENT. What a remarkable case study for IMC. Isaiah Mustafa  
  • #10 Good messaging is a strategy all by itself. For Vail Place, because we’re raising awareness messaging is extremely important. But for other types of goals, you’ll have a different set of strategies. Before I go into common IMC strategies, there are some key characteristics of strong strategies I’d like to share with you. Strategy is the one piece that many people forget about. They jump from objectives to tactics. And that’s a bad idea, and you’ll find out why when we move into discussing tactics Client that quadrupled web traffic. Can also be used as combinations within different pieces of a channel like different social media accounts or with different buyers within the same geographical region \ Radio/social media for awareness Print/digital campaign within a small geographic target for specific services Billboards and digital for sales promotions
  • #11 What they should not focus on is one particular channel.
  • #12 You may groan and say “I don’t have the money for this” – then create your own celebrityBrand strategies Geographical strategies Content strategies Timing strategies Event strategies Promotional strategies
  • #13 Often is a B2B strategy Timing strategies Event strategies Promotional strategies
  • #15 Typically this client doesn’t have time for brand awareness. They need to drive brand awareness AND sales at the same time. Very much a small business, retail type of strategy.
  • #16 IMC is far more than using multiple channels. But the real key is figuring out the correct mix of channels to meet your audience where they gain information. You may not always choose all the channels. Let’s talk about Apple and why they might not choose to use social media. Know your audience. Know where they get their information. Go back to the personas and talk about the kinds of channels she might be into? Is it effective? Let’s talk about direct mail? Does it work anymore? Why would it work? Synergy…the best combinations – what are some of the best combinations you’ve found? Radio/social media is my #1 favorite. I also like print/public relations. Who wants to discuss native advertising? How well does this work with other venues? Finding the right mix is important. Every brand is different because every customer is different. This is the benefit of pilot projects and smaller projects to begin with.
  • #17 Typically this client doesn’t have time for brand awareness. They need to drive brand awareness AND sales at the same time. Very much a small business, retail type of strategy.
  • #18 Print and mobiel; Coupons that are in .
  • #19  American Idol – coke on judges table, coke advertisements, sponsorship of AI concerts, product placement in tweets Music promotion – songs that are integrated into commercials Sting Desert Rose before launching. This was the first linking of tactics (and then there’s the anti plan, Beyonce’s latest album. I would argue that “stealth” was a strategy all it’s own, and that the viral nature was planned. Now that’s common and the tactics are linked across social media, as theme for TV shows, etc Taylor Swift with her “swiftmas” Product launches – Apple watch (appearing in editorial first, on your phone in the latest update, then in ads. Apple knows how to TIME things to get you standing in line for a product. That’s amazing. Let’s move – Michele Obama’s campaign has an on the ground component, editorial with the top TV (granted she’s got everything) Within all these complicated tactics is a common element. They all tried out different tactics at the micro level. And you can too.
  • #20 This the IMC magic worked by the Bharatiya Janata Party of India. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed in 1951 as an “Integral Humanist” party, which basically means the BJP strives to create an economic model (indigenous to India) that places the human at the center of all concerns. BJP’s presence in India is significant – it’s the largest party represented in parliament and the second largest represented in individual states. For example in a given election year, that audience includes a significant youth presence, as the BJP aims to motivate youth to vote. Some of the strategies the BJP utilized for these goals included rallies (some rallies even had 3D hologram components), animated videos, mobile games and extensive social media marketing including a Google hangout in 2012. If you go look, there’s a slideshare of their campaign that talks about how they modeled it after the various plans, their tactics also included: Print adsTV adsCampaigns in WhatsApp (mobile messengerRingtonesYouTube videosViral memes…and the creation of a song intended to inspire hope in voters, which was distributed through many online and offline channels. What makes the BJP’s campaign such good IMC is not just that they utilized a lot of different channels in harmony, but that they first identified and organized their audiences, and then clearly defined messages to appeal to each demographic. Then, the channels they used to spread that message were tailored to the audience. Appealing to youth through messages in WhatsApp or funny memes is nearly guaranteed success. They also branded the BJP politicians heavily, such as Prime Minster candidate Narendra Modi, who has his own Facebook page and got his own mobile app (the “Modi Run” game). They hit Facebook and Twitter particularly heavily with relevant hashtags and creative messages, generating more following and positive sentiment than their opponents, overall. The end result was a near landslide victory for the BJP and BJP allies. As far as IMC results go, you don’t get a much grander or spectacular example than winning a nation!