Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Adriele Correa
Content:
1. Introduction....1
2. Marketing Communications.2
3. Integrated Marketing Communications..2
4. Interactive Marketing Communications..3
5. New digital Communications tools and platforms.4
6. Pros and Cons of the new digital communication tools and platforms..5
7. Digital Communications tools and platforms: their role in IMC plan in modern
organizations..7
8. Conclusion.....9
9. References...10
1
The Digital revolution of integrated marketing communications (IMC).
1. Introduction
As the world continues to advance fiercely into the Digital Age, marketing and
business have been transforming. Nowadays information is in our hands, but everything is
spinning in a velocity that became impossible to follow.
Society is being surrounded by new technologies, which affects the way marketing is
being produced. A massive number of advertisements with an assorted number of media
channels result in a wave of connected customers that come and go as they wish - along
with marketing teams rowing to call their attention day in day out, whose competence is also
judged by how effective their message is to sell their product, service or their business brand.
In such a cybernetic scenario, the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plays an
important role in creating harmony between the message sent from the company to the
costumers. Marketing strategies have also been modified as a result of this digital revolution.
This essay critically traces the impact of the digital media and technologies on
interactive marketing communications. In addition, it also aims to convey the advantages
and disadvantages of some of the new digital communications tools and platforms and how
important is their role in the Integrated Marketing Communications in contemporary
organizations.
This paper has been divided into 3 parts: the first part defines Marketing
Communications and Integrated Marketing Communications as well as Interactive
Marketing Communications. The second part presents the new digital communication tools
and platforms and the pros and cons of these new technologies. The third part aims to
critically discuss how significant the digital media and technologies in the IMC plan of a
modern organization.
2. Marketing Communications
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Originating an impact with a message today is ambitious in such a supersaturated market
and this is where one the biggest challenges of this new age lies.
Synergy is described by Pikton and Broderick 2005, as responsible for joining the
various facets of marketing communications in a mutually supportive and enhancing way
then the resulting 'whole' is more than the simple sum of its parts. It is through synergy and
consistency that a company will achieve the objectives in the IMC programme, where
consumers are clear about a unified, effective and integrated message due to a powerful
brand and a solid image. Integration is only achieved when the 4Es and 4Cs come together
in synergy:
The IMC 4Es are: enhancing, economical, efficient, effective: expand and improve
the strategies with least cost; not only financially, but in terms of all resources: being
competent and delivering essential results.
The number of mobiles, digital and social networking channels are continuing to
disrupt the way marketing is being produced, and results change per what companies
choose to present to their customers.
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4. Interactive marketing communications
The interactivity of the new electronic media offers unique benefits. Professor Cheng
(2014), affirms that the Internet restores, amplifies and enriches communications world
over. It is now possible to have clients not only in the area where the product is, but globally.
Everything is interconnected: the real life and the virtual space. The Internet is now a mirror
of real life. It's possible to do basically everything on the internet, such as study, shop, meet
people or look for entertainment. It is key for companies and businesses to offer an
opportunity to spread marketing products or services. There is where the brand can present
itself through clear content, interact with their clients, or present a rich visual design.
However, all this new interaction needs to be combined with the traditional business and
other marketing strategies. The offline presence of the company is also very important and
both require key strategies decisions. As Chaffey and Chadwick (2016) define in their book,
one of the main digital marketing strategies is to specify the mix of online and offline
communication tools to invite visitors to interact with the brand or the company website.
The challenges and new opportunities are remodelling marketing strategies.
Innovation is one of the them. Companies are advancing into this diversity of new resources
and creating new business models. Moreira 2012, affirms that Marketing innovation is the
combination of alterations presented by the company influenced by a vast set of internal
and external factors. Further than that, it is important to select, adapt or modify the
knowledge, or gain skills in new technologies to succeed in business nowadays.
Differentiation is an important key feature in interactive marketing and the numerous
communication channels available have changed the interactivity in marketing
communications.
There are a variety of digital media channels, numerous digital tools and a vast
number of platforms and software on hand. Marketers and industries must evaluate them
and choose the ones that will create opportunities to engage customers online or offline.
It is important to emphasize that these tools can be used inside the company as
business communications or outside to reach the customers. Siv Rauvi 2016, exposes
different tools which are being used by companies to succeed in their communications, such
as intranets, apps, emails and video calls. A variety of platforms can be found and used to
organize and help workforce, such as intranet: that can be used as internal or external tool
and have efficient results on organizing and keeping data, edit documents, connect with
external data such as Google, or the company's business system. Another example is the
group or private message, and the platforms vary per the necessity and the size of the firm.
It includes: Instant messages, bots, chatrooms, they increase customer services or speeding
business internal communications. The list of platforms also includes: podcasts, gamification,
internal blog, ticketing, case software and issue tracking.
As part of communications strategies, companies must examine the number of online
communications tools. Some of the most essential ones are: search engine marketing:
Encouraging users to click and visit the website. Online PR: must be included in social
networks, podcasts, feeds, blogs and others to enlarge recommendation of the website
company, products, services or brand. Online partnerships: Including link building, affiliate
marketing or price comparison. Display advertising: Brand awareness through online ads,
with a click-through to the company's website. Opt-in email marketing: List for customers
activation or retention or renting email lists. Social media marketing: social networks and
communities to reach the target marketing awareness and drive response.
Social media marketing is essential for digital marketing where users are motivated
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to communicate with the company, or social presence when customers chose to be part of
it. (Chaffey and Ellis Chadwick, 2016 pp.32-33)
6. Pros and cons of the new digital communication tools and platforms
Internet, social media, cell phones, computers, software, and hardware, have a
major impact on consumer behaviour. Users are empowered and the range of information
flows rapidly. Furthermore, marketing communications can be abandoned by consumers
with a click, and business brands, products or services shelved somewhere. The importance
of the new digital communications tools will vary from the size of the company to the product
or service provided. Important decisions must be taken by companies and marketers to
make the most of this new era.
Almost all the social media platforms are free to use, which
becomes convenient for many other marketing tactics. Some
of them are very simple to use and offer a range of
opportunities for business. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and
Instagram are some the examples. They are good tools in business when combined with
consistent images or selected content. They are all changing or suffering from the ups and
downs of new technologies. It is certain that they will remain; however, to invest money in
any of them, companies must follow where the target market is.
Cons:
Not easy to measure success. Pros:
Bad reviews or negative publicity such The most effective and fast way to
as complaints. circulate information.
Time consuming: fast answers or Great environment to create
content must be delivered in a very awareness of the brand and engage
short period. users to go to the website
Lack of security. Engage audience and reach target
marketing.
Develop brand loyalty.
Customer services competence.
Instant feedback tool for a product or a
service.
Study of the target marketing.
6
E-mail marketing:
E-mail marketing within appropriate use can become an outstanding tool.
Personalization must be a key feature of it. Marketers need to personalize the content to
engage readers, bringing a topic that interest specific targets or promotional options.
Pros:
Saving cost: it's free and environmental
friendly.
It is possible to track e-mails and Cons:
gather data from them. Most of the e-mails are not accessed
Instant direct to the website. by receivers.
Customization to different clients. Span filters.
Regular updating.
Not seen by users as personalized.
Pros: Cons:
Lead traffic to website when it belongs Demands quality and sometimes
to the same domain. specialized content.
Meaningful discussion about a topic Posts are permanent.
related to the band, product or service. Time-consuming.
Algorithms on search engines directing Became popular and lost credibility.
to your website. High cost.
Feedback tool. Not easy to measure success or who
are the readers, if any.
Pay-per-click advertising:
From all the variety of types of advertising offered nowadays, PPC is an investment.
Cons: Pros:
Can be expensive. Send traffic to your website.
Not certain that your traffic will Generate awareness of the brand,
increase. service or product.
Not easy to manage. Generate conversion when there is
online products.
Advertising on online partnership.
Possible to be measured.
Faster results.
Target the chosen region
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Search engine marketing:
The search engine marketing or SEO is a powerful online presence. It is necessary
to have good content on a very neat and organized website to generate conversion.
Pros: Cons:
Continuous flow of traffic. Difficult to measure ROI.
Generates good awareness that can Very competitive niche.
be reverted in conversion. First page rank is very hard to be
reached.
All modern tools used are to be analysed to be considered relevant for each type of
business. There are advantages and disadvantages on each one. It is necessary to be
updated to understand the necessity and how they are being applied in business. Many tools
were created to help companies to know their
competitors, data management or to identify threats
or opportunities in the market. Companies need to
evaluate to decide regards different costs and
investments to each one. (Smart Insights, 2016)
BOOKS:
Vlasac, G. And Kesec, T. (2007) 'Analysis of consumers' attitudes toward Interactivity and
Relationship personalization as contemporary developments in Interactive Marketing
Communications,' 13(2) pp. 125-126 Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost [Online].
(Accessed: 09 November 2016)
Vlasac, G. (2006) 'The power of information and commutation control in ICT environment
what information collection/use practices should companies implemnt to gain consumers'
confidence?, Managment, 11 pp. 9-27
Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost [Online]. (Accessed: 09 November 2016)
American Marketing Assossiation:(2015) 'The New P s of How to survive the digital age'.
Available at: https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingInsights/Pages/the-new-ps-of-
marketing.aspx (Accessed: 20 October 2016)
ElcomSMC: (2016) 'Communication Tools Used in Modern Day Business'. Available at:
http://www.elcomcms.com/en-au/resources/elcom-blog/posts/communication-tools-used-
in-modern-day-business (Accessed: 01 November 2016)
Smart insights: (2016) 'Essential Digital Marketing Tools 2016' Available at:
http://www.smartinsights.com/guides/essential-digital-marketing-tools/# (Accessed: 02
November 2016)