IMC Plan: Benefits and Application

This assignment discusses the concept of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), which involves a comprehensive approach to marketing communication. IMC aims to enhance brand image and goodwill by using various tools and techniques such as product promotion, introducing new goods, and targeting specific audiences. The assignment provides references from books and journals that highlight the significance of IMC in shaping corporate brand perceptions and customer equity.

Integrated Marketing
Communication Plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Background of company, its product/services and marketing objectives..............................1
Targeting users by segment analysis at marketplace..............................................................2
Developing various communication elements which are related to promotion of
products/services....................................................................................................................2
Creative advertising style for promoting products/services and communication objectives
ethical issues...........................................................................................................................4
Media Plan..............................................................................................................................5
Measurement effectiveness of IMC plan................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Integrated marketing is a set of services that connects consumers and improves their
experience with brand name of an organisation. This type of marketing includes social media,
promotions, public relations, etc. in order to improve both; goodwill and brand image of
company. Executives frame a plan so that objectives can be achieved in a specific time period.
Company's supervisors use different kinds of tools and techniques to form a proper design of a
plan. All these functions develop a unified force among customers (Integrated Marketing
Communications, 2018). In this report, an auto mobile corporation of Australia i.e. Holden has
been selected. Also, various communicative strategies and styles that aid in targeting audience
are discussed. Apart from this, a media plan has been mentioned to hit the set targets. Lastly,
evaluation of plan that helps the firm in becoming effective in marketplace is provided.
Background of company, its product/services and marketing objectives
Holden's Background
Sir Edward Holden is the one who found Holden in 1856 at Adelaide, Australia. This
organisation was formally known as General Motors Holden. Firm is expanding its business in a
continuous manner by delivering high quality vehicles in all over Australia and in other countries
as well. Mostly, enterprise manufactures powerful cars for the people who love race (Barker,
2013). Apart from this, they also make performance vehicles for middle class families.
Products/services of Holden:
Organisation is introducing high performance cars in all around the globe. They rapidly
analyse the needs and wants of their consumers. This process helps in making the best products
according to requirements of its customers. New and innovative ideas with updated technology
used in cars aid Holden in giving the best experience to users. Few family vehicles like Holden
Astra and Ute are mostly liked by people of Australia. Apart from this, another product of this
organisation is Holden SSV which is one of the famous cars in human being whole loves speed.
These quality goods and services are rapidly enhancing goodwill and brand image of company.
Marketing objectives and mission of Holden:
Mission of Holden is to help the sellers to reach at their set targets. In this context,
research based strategies that becomes a game changer in selling habits. Mainly, this firms
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marketing objective is to grab attention of most of people by implementing innovations, quality,
integrity and dedication.
Targeting users by segment analysis at marketplace
In the modern era, companies are targeting group of members by different perceptions.
Market segment is said to be the selection of consumers in large number so that organisation can
earn profit at its maximum (Belch and et. al., 2014). It includes various elements and these are:
Segmentation Premise: In this, it can be stated as one of the most effective and efficient
ways to enhance profitability of organisation. Unnecessary wastage of money in advertisement
may lead Holden to losses. Hence, it is essential for them to target people as per their perceptions
using cheap promotional activities.
Types of Criteria: Demographic segmentation can be stated as one of the common styles
which every single organisation uses while segmenting target consumers. In this, executives
target human beings by looking at their age, class, etc.
Market Research: This kind of research plays a vital role in every industry including
Holden. It helps in giving overview of market that what tools and technologies their rivals have
already adapted. Also, these researches show the needs and wants of consumers. All these
activities aid in manufacturing the unique products. These goods then help in attaining objectives
of company by providing satisfactory services to users.
Customer Relationship Management: This type of management helps in looking at
various aspects which are related to business. Managers of Holden look at all the activities of
consumers that what they are buying according to their needs. By this, executives can easily
target groups in different manner.
Segmenting-Targeting-Positioning at Marketplace: Segmentation is a process in which
analysts identify, select and apply various elements to develop the sale of products (Booth and
Matic, 2011). Next stage is targeting in which supervisor picks up the best segmented group
which is the most beneficial for Holden. Lastly, positioning helps in finding out where they are
standing and also help them in finding solutions so that they can give competition to rivals.
Developing various communication elements which are related to promotion of products/services
Communication plays a vital role at the time of promoting goods and services of a
company. This helps in making long term relations with consumers. Holden can easily grab
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attention of people by giving advertisement of new vehicles. These ads can be placed on various
media'like television and social sites.
Developing brand awareness: Every single organisation wants to keep its brand name in
every individual's mind (Burton and Soboleva, 2011). To sell its vehicles in higher number, it is
essential for Holden to keep consumers aware about the modification that they have made in
products that are already in market and also, about new products that they are going to launch in
recent time. This can be done in various ways like giving advertisement on television and social
sites this action may aid in grabbing attention of most of consumers. Brand awareness strategies
also aid organisation to bring up its image unique at marketplace. Also, they can give hard
competition to rivals as well.
Promotional activities: It is important for executives of Holden to take proper actions at
right time. Hence, this helps them in grabbing attention of most of the people all around world.
Launching of new products and making proper strategy in promoting may help Holden in
making lots of money in the market. Holden can use social sites and television as a main source
in doing promotion. Mostly, people in all over the world started using different social sites. Thus,
Holden should use promotions which are related to social websites. For an example:
Advertisement on YouTube can easily get viral among people all over world.
Influence interest of consumers: Organisation like Holden keep on updating the
information related to modifications that they are making in consumers mind. New techniques
and technologies that a company uses at right time may aid in keeping the interest of users in
their products. Apart from this, it is also important for Holden to improvise their vehicles as per
consumers’ needs so that long term relations can be made with them. Fulfilling all requirements
of a customers keep belief in commodities of company.
Improvisation of image of products : It has become vital for organisation to keep on
modifying products from time to time. In today's world, humans taste gets changes, thus it is
important for Holden's management to keep on analysing those changed needs and wants of
customers (Hede and Kellett, 2011). This helps them in improving their goods and services as
per their requirements. Management should also adapt alterations that are coming on daily basis
at marketplace.
These are informal way of communication where executives of Holden organisation are
providing details to consumers of their goods and services. This helps consumers in knowing
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about the products or about changes that they have made in commodities which are already at
marketplace. Giving details of engines, horsepower of vehicles and etcetera in an advertisement
may attract customers in effective way.
Creative advertising style for promoting products/services and communication objectives ethical
issues
Main aim of every organisation is to sell its products in an effective manner so that profit
can be earned. To gain the attention of people companies can use different sorts of promotional
activities. In this context, executives of Holden can use various type of creative style of
advertising so that large number of people gets attracted (Kim and Ko, 2012). For an example :
KTM uses orange colour which can be stated as a unique style of promoting its products. Just
like this Holden can also use create advertising styles like it can make videos racers that uses
Holden vehicles and broadcast it on YouTube. These kind of activity becomes more attractive
than any other style of advertising. Apart from this, executives can also use a distinctive colour
so that consumers can easily identify them at marketplace. Also, some eye catchy slogans that
organisation may uses. This has already been done by Holden and they have a distinctive slogan
”Lets go there”.
One of a kind advertising style that this organisation can use is making a video which is
connected to biography of a racer in which he/she is pulling up the interest of consumers to buy
vehicles of Holden company. It is essential for executives to bring up innovative ideas while
featuring an advertisement. These short stories should directly put positive impact customers
mind. Attractiveness of an ad may aid in attaining attention of ample number of members from
all over the globe. These promotional activities may push Holden where they can hit there
targets, improve goodwill, enhance brand image at marketplace and also help in giving
competition to rivals.
In this context, there are some problem as well that firms may face at time of doing
promotional activities. Organisation should not harm any culture, feeling of a human being and
etcetera. Some ethical issues that are related to marketing are :
 Person may buy more products then their pocket allows (Papasolomou and Melanthiou,
2012).
 It enhances cost of commodities.
 Offensive advertisements which may harm creatures.
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 Also, it may develop interest among teenagers that will consequentially create a desire of
driving vehicles without being adult. Holden ads which are related to racing may build
curiosity in children.
Media Plan
This type of plan have the elements which require in delivering a message in an ad to
grab the attention of most of people in effective and efficient way. Also, this plan do not cost
much to company while promoting its goods and services. In this context, there are several
elements that includes like analysis of market, setting objectives which are related to media,
developing strategies to attain desired targets in a specific time period (Percy, 2014). Main
objective of this kind of plan is to find out the best media to so that advertiser can communicate a
message to a big number of people in all around world at lower expenditure. Steps that an
advertiser has to follow while executing a media plan and these are follows:
Market analysis and identifying target market :
This can be stated as the first stage while developing a media plan. Executives of Holden
and of other organisations should do proper analysation of market. This gives them overview that
what new technologies that their rivals are using and what consumers are asking for. Managers
and leaders finds out requirements of customers. Also, they try to identify which market should
be targeted so that sale of products and services get increases. This type of strategies aid
supervisors in taking effective decisions so that profitability and productivity gets raises of
Holden. This includes two type of factors which may affect a media plan i.e. Internal and
external factor. Both of them are mentioned beneath:
Internal factor : This type of element includes budget of a plan, managerial and
administrative ability, people who have strong knowledge of media. All these components can be
stated as a part of internal approach of Holden (Schlinke and Crain, 2013).
External factor : This type of factor includes element which may affect media plan of
Holden from outsider. This constituent is indulge with various key components and these are
variation media's cost, dynamic updation in technology, rules and regulations that has been set by
government and etcetera.
Establishing media goals and objectives :
This is the second step in organising a media plan which includes setting the objectives
related to media. There are several factors in this context and these are mentioned beneath :
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Coverage/reach : This can be stated as one of an approach by which advertiser try to
broadcast its message ad in front of large number of people.
Frequency : Advertisers are basically wants to show ad to a person for maximum time.
Gross rating and continuity : Both of the terms related to expertise in total weight of
media in quantitate way. Apart from this, ad should rapidly come in front of people.
Develop and implement media strategy :
This approach enables advertiser in making effective decisions for firm. This aid in
enhancing sale of products. Media mix, geographical coverage, scheduling, media reach are
some elements of this hypotheses. This process gives opportunity to supervisor to show ad to
large number of people with using minimum cost (Smith and Zook, 2011). It is important for
these executives to make these ads in different languages so that human being of different culture
and countries can easily understand it. Also, they should locate the ways by which advertisement
can come in front of people for several time.
Evaluating and follow ups :
After broadcasting an ad it is important for advertiser to find out the effectiveness of
advertisement. This easily helps supervisor to find out if the set objectives is going to get hit or
not. If not, then he/she should take appropriate actions so that company can lead at marketplace
(Yannopoulos, 2011).
Measurement effectiveness of IMC plan
Integrated marketing communications aid in promoting not only just products but it also
gives clear message to person all around the world. Away from this, it also aid in attaining set
objectives in a limited time period. Executives first set targets which are related to enhance sales,
pulling up new goods, introducing company in front of people who don't know about at the time.
This can also be done by different tools and techniques which Holden's management can use
under this context (Yeshin, 2012). Supervisors can hit their targets in a short time of period with
the help of IMC plan. By this, Holden can improve both goodwill and brand image at
marketplace.
CONCLUSION
IMC Plan is said to be services that improves the experience of consumers with brand
name of organisation. Companies can use different sort of tools and techniques like promoting a
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brand or introducing new products at marketplace. Main aim of this type of communication is to
attract large number of consumers towards products and services of organisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barker, R., 2013. Strategic integrated communication: An alternative perspective of integrated
marketing communication?. Communicatio. 39(1). pp.102-121.
Belch. and et. al., 2014. Advertising: An integrated marketing communication perspective.
McGraw-Hill Education.
Booth, N. and Matic, J. A., 2011. Mapping and leveraging influencers in social media to shape
corporate brand perceptions. Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
16(3). pp.184-191.
Burton, S. and Soboleva, A., 2011. Interactive or reactive? Marketing with Twitter. Journal of
Consumer Marketing. 28(7). pp.491-499.
Hede, A. M. and Kellett, P., 2011. Marketing communications for special events: analysing
managerial practice, consumer perceptions and preferences. European Journal of
Marketing. 45(6). pp.987-1004.
Kim, A. J. and Ko, E., 2012. Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An
empirical study of luxury fashion brand. Journal of Business Research. 65(10). pp.1480-
1486.
Papasolomou, I. and Melanthiou, Y., 2012. Social media: Marketing public relations’ new best
friend. Journal of Promotion Management. 18(3). pp.319-328.
Percy, L., 2014. Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge.
Schlinke, J. and Crain, S., 2013. Social media from an integrated marketing and compliance
perspective. Journal of Financial Service Professionals. 67(2).
Smith, P. R. and Zook, Z., 2011. Marketing communications: integrating offline and online with
social media. Kogan Page.
Yannopoulos, P., 2011. Impact of the Internet on marketing strategy formulation. International
Journal of Business and Social Science. 2(18).
Yeshin, T., 2012. Integrated marketing communications. Routledge.
Online
Integrated Marketing Communications. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<http://multimediamarketing.com/mkc/marketingcommunications/>.
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