Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications

Introduction

Did you ever feel lost while your smartphone was not in your hand? Did you stare at your phone for over 10 hours per day? Communication Technology such as the Internet and cell phones helps businesses grow and creates relationships with their customers. Now, it is even changing the type of messaging strategy businesses use. Knowing how your customers get information and how companies can communicate with you about their products and services is one of the crucial parts of your business. 

In addition, once companies have successfully created a new product, they often try hard to promote its popularity. To do that, all different types of media such as traditional TV, radio, magazines, the Internet, and mobile apps are on the marking list. Therefore, they need a better option, and here are the integrated marketing communications come in. It provides an approach designed to deliver one consistent message to consumers and even span multiple types of media.

Messages Have Seen or Heard from Several Companies

I think a company’s consistent message can be a consistent or very similar design. For instance, South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer KIA put a Tiger Nose grille on its all series of cars. The message is pretty clear that if you see a Tiger Nose grille, it is very likely made by KIA. Not only does KIA use this approach, but you can also see BMW, Lamborghini, or Tesla apply a series of differentiated designs. Even more, 7-11 in Taiwan also apply the same voice while customers enter their stores. Although you are not in their store, you still remember it is the voice of 7-11. 

Are The Companies Being Consistent with Their Messages Across The Markets They Are Targeting?

As mentioned above, KIA and 7-11 in Taiwan are both consistent with their messages across the markets they are targeting. Kia's unconventional approach to design was the Tiger Nose grille and it has become the face of every Kia, which leaves such a lasting impression, has the Kia signature grille to thank for it.

What Factors Are Causing The Media Landscape To Change?

It is very obvious that changes in communication technology and instant access to information through mobile devices boost the importance of integrated marketing communications. Moreover, it also changed how we work, how we interact with other people, and how we use our time. For instance, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, more and more people shopping, doing exercises, and working online. As a result, businesses have realized they need to change their promotional strategies.

Advertisements on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter have become more and more popular since 2005 as businesses explore social media. For instance, Facebook announced an amazing function called, Facebook Business Manager that lets teams at enterprises and agencies manage multiple ad campaigns and Pages in one interface. Traditional media like magazines, newspapers, and TVs are hard to compete with new media now, mobile phones have unlocked the limited of tools and locations. They are movable promotions. 

As the media landscape changes, the money organizations spend on different types of communication will change as well. Some forecasts indicate that in the next five years companies will increase their ex- expenditure on new media from approximately 16 percent of their total promotional budgets to almost 27 percent of their budgets, or $160 billion by 2012. 

How Can You Maximize The Reach of The Promotional Mix on A Limited Budget and Get The Most Exposure for A Minimal Investment?

The Promotion Mix refers to the multiple promotional methods used by the business to increase the demand for goods and services. According to the Principles of Marketing written by Tanner, J. & Raymond, M.A. in 2015, The Promotion Mix is the integration of Advertising, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, and Direct Marketing. 

Advertising is any paid form of non-personal promotion of goods and services by an identified sponsor. Personal Selling is the traditional to promote wherein the salesman interacts with the customer directly face-to-face. The sales promotion is the short-term incentive to increase sales for a specific period. The Public Relations is to build a favorable image in the market by creating relations with the general public. Direct Marketing means businesses reach customers directly without any intermediaries. For instance, sending emails and direct messages to the customers.

Companies can use any tool of the promotion mix depending on the nature of a product and the overall objectives. However, no matter which promotional methods we use, we all try to grab their attention and influence their purchase decision. But for many companies, the budget available to market a product determines what elements of the promotion mix are utilized. In short, the budget affects a promotion’s reach and frequency. I think if companies want to grab attention within their budgets available, they should targeting a specific group first. Then, put their resources on the most potential one. How do we know which one is the most potential one? Companies all want to know their customers' demands, so they should put some of their resources to do research and analysis. 

Reference

Says, A., Witharana, A., Says, E., Edson, Says, S., Rathnayaka, S., . . . Krikly. (2018, December 11). What is PROMOTION mix? Definition and meaning. Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://businessjargons.com/promotion-mix.html

Tanner, J. & Raymond, M.A. (2015). Principles of Marketing. University of Minnesota Open Textbook Library. Licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa.