Unit 23: Integrated Marketing Communications Case Study Report

This report presents an analysis of the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) marketing communications strategy. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, followed by an overview of the current communication objectives, primarily focusing on increasing awareness, raising participation, and developing brand image. The report evaluates these objectives, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. It then explores the channels of communication used by BHF, including web-based communication, word-of-mouth, and social media, assessing the effectiveness of each. An example of creative content is provided, with a focus on social media marketing. The report concludes with recommendations for improving the IMC plan, such as recruiting digital expertise and providing training to volunteers, and a call for situational analysis to develop effective strategies. References are provided, supporting the analysis with academic sources.

Marketing
Communications

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Communication plays an important role in every organisation as it help in increasing
awareness about the product as well as service offered by company in the market. It is essential
for an entity to set communication objective as it help in working with full efficiency and
enhance the overall productivity of an organisation. The evaluation and monitoring of
communication objective is required in order to make improvements and attain objectives in an
effective manner. Nowadays, Integrated marketing communication approach is used by company
that involve mix of communication tools such as print media, TV, Online advertisement and
many more. Social media applications is consider as an effective communication tool as it help
in reaching maximum number of people within a short span of time.

Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Current communication objectives.........................................................................................4
Evaluation of communication objectives along with strength and weaknesses.....................5
Channels of communication...................................................................................................5
Evaluation of channels with strength and weaknesses...........................................................6
Example of creative content from organisation marketing communication..........................6
Recommendations..................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Recommendation to improve IMC plan.................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Integrated marketing communication is defined as an approach of promoting a product as
well as services by using multiple channels in an effective manner. Integrated marketing
communication is stated as reliable approach because it is a fusion of modern & traditional
marketing, which guarantees an effective results to an organisation. Communication plays an
important role as it help in creating awareness and developing effective relationship with people.
IMC is also consider as a planning process which is designed to ensure that all products received
by users are relevant as well as consistent in time period (Dong and Li, 2018). For the present
report, British Heart foundation , which is a charity organisation is taken into consideration. The
organisation was established by a group of medical professionals in the year 1961. The
professional are concerned about raising number of death rate due to cardiovascular disease. One
of the objective of organisation is to research out the causes of disease and prevention of heart
disease in society. The region served by organisation is United Kingdom and in order to
maximise income, the organisation work with others in order to combat disability and premature
death from cardiovascular disease. The main focus of British Heart foundation is to fund
cardiovascular disease and at present they are funding more than 1000 research projects. In order
to create awareness, the higher authorities of British Heart Foundation uses marketing
communication channels that is describe in the report. In addition to this, the report covers
communication object and the evaluation of objectives in an effective manner. Later, evaluation
of creative content from organisation marketing communication is discuss in the report.
MAIN BODY
Current communication objectives
Marketing communication plays an important role in order to promote a product and
services in market effectively. In order to achieve success, it is essential for companies to set
communication objective. British Heart Foundation more focus their advertising through “word
of mouth strategy” and for this, the family, friends and contacts is used by company. In addition
to this, sometimes it also use social media in order to create awareness and to reach large
number of people in an effective manner. The communication objective is defined below in
relation to the chosen organisation.

Increase awareness and raise number of participants: One of the major communication
objective of British Heart foundation is to educate more number of people towards its services in
order to decline the number of people of cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, the company
wants to raise the number of volunteers that has a positive influence on the overall performance
of an organisation. It is determine that increase in number of volunteers leads to high services
and reaching of more number of people. If the organisation has high number of volunteers, then
it can expand its services and save the life of people effectively from heart disease.
Develop brand image: The Company wants to make partnership with gyms and it is not only
possible, when it has high reputation in market. The marketing communication help an
organisation to develop effective relationship with people and enhance customer base level
(Dalstam, Nordlöf and Holmgren, 2018). In addition to this, it also aid in developing positive
mind set of people towards the brand that directly leads to increase in brand image of company at
marketplace.
Evaluation of communication objectives along with strength and weaknesses
It is essential for higher authorities to set communication objectives as it develop a criteria
about to implement activities associated with communication of products and service in market.
The strength of setting communication objective is help in attaining desired goals and also clear
employees about the activities they are required to perform in order to achieve objectives. If the
communication objectives is not achieved then it might decline the productivity and bring down
the morale of employees, which is consider as a weaknesses.
Channels of communication
Communication channels means passing an information from sender to the receiver. It is
important for an organisation to determine an effective channel of communication so that
information are pass through in an effective and proper manner (Rubtcova and Pavenkov, 2018).
choosing an effective communication channels help an entity to attain their communication
objectives in an effective manner. The channels of communication used by the organisation are
as follows:
Web-based communication: These type of communication channel includes video
conferencing that allow a people to interact with others on different locations. The volunteers of
British foundation works on different locations and in order to conduct interactive meetings, the
organisation make use of Web-based communication channels.

Word-of-mouth: The organisation states that many of the people believe on the words said
by others. For this, BHF increase the number of contacts and make use of family and friends in
order to spread positive word of mouth towards the brand. In addition to this, it help company to
gain loyal volunteers and companies, who help in gaining higher growth and success at
marketplace.
Social media: It is determine as one of the emerging channel of communication that help
in reaching large number of people rapidly and effectively as well. It allow BHF to increase
awareness about the organisation and its services globally within the short span of time. In
addition to this, it help company to increase number of volunteers and providing services to more
number of societies.
Evaluation of channels with strength and weaknesses
There are various communication channels is used by companies such as social
applications, presentations, web-based application, formal channels and many more. The strength
of communication channel is it help in increasing awareness of product offered by company at
marketplace. In addition to this, it also assist in developing brand image or reputation at market.
sometimes channels of communication such as social media give wrong information that is
consider as weaknesses of communication channels.
Example of creative content from organisation marketing communication
There are various channels of communication that is adopted by company in order to
increase awareness in market about the brand. It include advertising, word-of-mouth, push and
pull strategy and many more. It is determine that social media marketing is one of the effective
and appropriate channel of communication (Azmy, 2019). It include communicating through
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and many more. The higher authorities of
British Heart Foundation used social media marketing as a communication channel. It is
important for an organisation to develop a creative content in order to promote and create
awareness through this channel. The strength and weakness of social media communication
channel is given below:
Strength: Social media marketing help companies to reach large number of people within
a short period of time. In addition to this, it also assist in connecting and communicating with
people at any place or at any time. There are millions of people using social media applications
and share hundreds of post daily in order to gain popularity and to share their thoughts with other

people. It is important for BHF to develop an effective or creative content, which attract large
number of people and join organisation as a volunteer. Raise in number of volunteers leads to
increase in number of projects and services that help company in prevention of cardiovascular
disease.
Weaknesses: Every communication channel has both strength and weaknesses. The social
marketing and applications allow people to give reviews and feedback on the pages. The
negative feedback by any of the people decline the brand image of the organisation as people
nowadays read reviews first and then decide whether to consume product and services or not.
Recommendations
After analysing the above recommendations to the organisation is give below:
It is recommended to organisation to recruit a digital expertise who has the ability to handle
social media channels in an effective manner (Blakeman, 2018). Social media plays an important
role in order to increase awareness and to reach more number if people. If the organisation is not
able to properly promote its product on social then there might be a chance in decline in number
of research projects of Cardiovascular disease.
 In addition to this, it is suggested to BHF to provide training to its volunteers as it
enhance their communication and presentation skills. This will help company to develop
effective relations with people and gain funds in order to prevention of people from heart
or cardiovascular disease.
Conclusion
From the above study, it has been analysed that integrated marketing communication
channel help an entity to promote products and services in an effective manner at marketplace. In
addition to this, it is important for an organisation to adopt appropriate channel of
communication as it help in attaining objectives within stipulated period. It is also analysed that
social media is one of the effective communication channel that help companies to reach large
number of people globally and attain higher growth as well as success in the marketplace.
Recommendation to improve IMC plan
It is essential for an entity to improve its integrated marketing communication plan in order
to increase awareness and attain success in the market. The recommendations for improving IMC
plan is given below:

 It is suggested to companies to do situational analysis so that an effective plan is
developed. By the assistance of this, an organisation get to know what are its strength and
where it lacks so that improvements can be done rapidly and effectively. The higher
authorities also gain knowledge the areas the need to focus at the time of developing
integrated marketing communication plan. In order to improve IMC plan, it is essential to have accurate information (Gather correct
information) about market that leads to increase in performance and efficiency of an
organisation.
 One of the factor that plays an important role at the time of developing IMC plan is target
audience. An organisation can gain success, if it target the right and potential customer
through marketing activities.

REFERENCES
Books & Journal
Azmy, N. A., 2019. The impact of integrated marketing communication towards customer’s
brand awareness on food product.
Blakeman, R., 2018. Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to
implementation. Rowman & Littlefield.
Dalstam, M., Nordlöf, H. and Holmgren, D., 2018. The NA-KD Truth About Influencer
Marketing: Exploring influencer marketing through integrated marketing
communication and the influencer’s role in strengthening a brand.
Dong, X. and Li, H., 2018. Does online media sequence matter in product marketing?. Electronic
Commerce Research and Applications, 28, pp.44-53.
Frandsen, F. and Johansen, W., 2018. Corporate communication. The International Encyclopedia
of Strategic Communication, pp.1-10.
OTERO GÓMEZ, M.C. and GIRALDO PÉREZ, W.I.L.S.O.N., 2019. Integrated marketing
communication: an empirical analysis from the perspective of the young consumer.
Rubtcova, M. and Pavenkov, O., 2018, October. The Role of Advertising in the System of
Integrated Marketing Communications. In International Conference On Engineering,
Technology, Applied Sciences, Humanities and Business Management for Sustainable
Development (ETAHBS-2018). 20th to 21st October.
Strycharz, J., van Noort, G., Helberger, N. and Smit, E., 2019. Contrasting perspectives–
practitioner’s viewpoint on personalised marketing communication. European journal
of marketing.
Zwerin, A., Clarke, T. B. and Clarke III, I., 2020. Traditional and Emerging Integrated
Marketing Communication Touchpoints Used in Effie Award-Winning Promotional
Campaigns. Journal of Promotion Management, 26(2), pp.163-185.