Integrated Marketing Communication Plan: A Critical Analysis

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Integrated Marketing Communication

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................2
P4 Marketing communication plan.............................................................................................2
Task 4...............................................................................................................................................6
P5 Critical evaluation of marketing communications plan.........................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

Introduction
Marketing is an appropriate communication process through which an enterprise tries to get
connected with outer world in order to promote their product or services at marketplace.
However, number of channels are used by corporate world for maintaining positive connections
with end users such as; social media, social gatherings, online services and many more (Yeshin,
2012). In fact, there are numerous of examples are identified which shows an appropriate
example of marketing communication such as; public relations, product launch, advertising,
promotion etc. Therefore, this part of assignment is going to highlight marketing communication
plan which helps in attaining its objectives. Along with this, critical evaluation of this plan in
relation with communication strategy, channel selection and many more is also outlined in the
project.
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Task 3
P4 Marketing communication plan
Marketing communication is a very complex procedure because in this process an organization is
going to transfer their promotional messages to the targeted consumer audiences. In fact, this
plan is considered as single component of overall promotional plan that includes; strategy,
competitive assessment, directs marketing, advertising and so on. However, main objective of
this plan is to minimize the probabilities of marketing errors so that company can easily acquire
trust of customers. Thus, marketing manager always believes in making prior plans for their
advertisement activities for attracting the minds of customers in suitable manner. An effective
communication plan always helps in meeting set objectives in a given time frame because proper
plan automatically minimize the chances of major mistakes. Therefore, an appropriate marketing
communication plan is a mixture of various steps for completing the procedure which begins
from Informing, persuading and ends at reminding (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo, 2015).
Some of the essential steps which comes under marketing communication plan for effectively
meeting the set objectives is going to described as follows-
Situation analysis- Initially, research team of marketing engaged in assessing situation for
defining potential customers for company’s product in order to target that particular group of
consumers. Along with this, competitors are another factor which will influence marketing of an
association in distinct manner such as; launching of close substitute is a major threat for an
enterprise by rivals. Therefore, marketing team of selected company is analysing these kinds of
issues and business obstacles for understanding uncontrollable factors in order to control
maximum possibilities of losses. For instance; company is analysing the political situation of
nation before launching its new product at marketplace for controlling fraudulent activities and
many more situations are there which must be studied by marketing communication plan in this
first step.
Communication Process analysis- In the second step of planning process, marketing team will
assess the influence of various kinds of advertising messages because that will directly affect end
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users. It means, this phase involved in designing impressive slogans, logos and messages for
attracting minds of distinct consumers according to final product or brand. Therefore, most
significant part of this stage is to set specific goals and targets of communication for finalizing
the message which is going to circulated at marketplace for making things clear about newly
launched product. Along with this, appropriate communication models is also applied in this
phase which shows the suitable channel for circulating particular message or to accomplish or
any other activity related to this (Blakeman, 2018) .
Budget development- Capital is consider as most indispensable factor for every
organization, department or activity because all the things are fully based on funds only. In fact,
generating maximum range of revenue is most important reason for setting a business. Thus,
marketing communication plan have to analyse the size of the business before executing things
for understanding its financial resources. For example; company is having a budget of 600Euros
for launching a new product whereas marketing communication plan is of 800Euros. It means
that budget assessments haven’t done by team leader before designing a plan. As a result, it has
been understood that budget development is another factor that needs to be discussed in detail
manner for controlling possibilities of heavy losses. Moreover, studying of industry growth rate
and firm’s position at marketplace is another criterion which falls under this phase of plan. At the
same time there are few methods are also there that might use by company for measuring the
accurate budget of an enterprise such as; percentage of sales, competitive parity, All-You-Can-
Afford and objectives task.
Program Development- Now it’s time for developing program by analysing above steps
in order to enhance it more and more which helps in reducing chances of omission. For example;
conveying of clear messages with the help of suitable methods such as; personal selling
advertising, public relations, direct marketing or there is also few combination of these methods.
Moreover, program of communication plan can also develop by improving its pricing strategy,
product quality and many more. Additionally, push and pull strategy are two most suitable
schemes for enhancing this plan such as; push strategy is all about convincing intermediary
channels for pushing the product towards end users (Thorson and Moore, 2013).
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Integration and Implementation- This step is all about implementing the above
designed plan in appropriate manner by consider all the terms and conditions for controlling
probabilities of losses. In fact, this phase needs full concentration and attentive nature of
employees, employers or entire team because it’s time to execute overall strategy.
Monitoring, Evaluation and controlling- Now it’s time for monitoring the situations
after implementation process with the help of several factors such as; promotion of sales can also
analyse through various coupons that were redeemed. Another factor is by calculating
effectiveness of new personal selling scheme by assessing at number of new accounts opened.
Moreover, one of the most indispensable factors that aids in reviewing process is that evaluation
of sales outcomes and attribute fluctuations in sales volume to multinational organization.
Consequently, all these factors help in monitoring process so that company can take further
actions accordingly.
Marketing Plan Review- At the end of this marketing communication plan, an
organization needs to review the entire process by assessing several factors for modifying
accordingly.
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Throughout this communication plan, it has been understood that company is trying to
follow each and every step for meeting set objectives in a defined time frame. In fact, above
plans is highly suitable for selected firm because this process aids in directing each and every
employee towards corrective path for attaining set target in a minimum time period (Porcu,
Barrio-García and Kitchen, 2012).
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Task 4
P5 Critical evaluation of marketing communications plan
From last decade, product marketing and technique through which interaction incurred between
producer and consumers has been modified tremendously. However, emergence of modern
technology and rising of innovations such as; usage of mobile phones or internet enforce
corporate world towards modification. Moreover, surrounding of market also get changed
because of globalisation of marketing schemes, lack of confidence in advertisement through
mass media and many more. Therefore, these changes in marketing environment enforce
marketers to adopt more integrated approaches. This leads to adoption of more or more holistic
consumer oriented approaches for conducting promotional communication activities and this
procedure is known as Integrated Marketing Communications.
According to Jonathan Arteza-Acosta, marketing communication plan aids in
implementing an appropriate strategy for the growth of an enterprise. In fact, this plan is also
known as marcom plan that means it is a strategy which helps in informing target audient about
particular goods or services. However, this process is seen as one of the most indispensable
component of overall marketing plan. Moreover, marcom plans helps managers to understand
distinct things such as; where are you going with particular schemes, what you required to say,
how manager can bring goods from factory to customers and do for promoting end users. Hence,
this procedure is also known as marketing channel. Moreover, this author states that plan
requisite to be very solid, eye-catching, and impressive, exposed and means that it must be cover
all the primary interaction channels.
Furthermore, solid marcom plan is highly stable and examined as well as having
capability for successful when implemented. For instance; Oakley & Oakley was assigned for
designing an effective marketing plan for Toyota Prius in order to launch it at UK marketplace
and having an intention of enhancing solid plan. However, main objective of this strategy is to
describe target market that means specific consumer groups are determined for selling certain
product or services. Additionally, target market is determined with the usage of demographic,
psychographic and geographic assessments. After this stage, plan will further discuss objectives
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of campaign and unique strategy. As a result, set objectives aids in ensuring that marketing
communication plan is attaining at corporate, marketing and interaction levels by covering
several goals which needs to be met (Killian and McManus, 2015).
According to above tabular representation, it has been understood that an impressive plan is
going to be like above because this table is covering the entire essential criterion by mentioning
minimum time period. In fact, each and every activities of promotion has been covered under
this plan in suitable manner by targeting audience.
On the other hand, communication mix is another step of this plan in which various techniques
of promoting goods towards end users is outlined. However, public relations, direct selling, mail
and sales promotion are the few selected tools which is used Toyota Company for reaching to
their end users. At the end, this plan will be ended with media and timing strategy as well as
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budget proposals. Hence, by the combination of these elements marketing plan of Toyota
become more solid.
In broader sense, marketing communication plan become more effective and eye-catching when
there is a presence of informative factor as well as grabbing the attention of readers. For
example; Oxford University is having highly impressive marketing plan because readers are also
feels very satisfied whenever they read the plans of this university. This example shows that
Jonathan Arteza-Acosta covers various factors for explaining effectiveness of marketing
communication plan which is used by most of the multinational organizations.
Successful marketing communication plan is mainly classified into three steps such as;
analysing, strategy and implementation. In fact, all the three steps are having its own role in
attaining set objectives by satisfying needs of end users (Marketing Communication
Plan: Analysis. 2015). At the same time, Elyse Flynn Meyer states that there are main four major
steps through marketing communication plan is going too enhanced. Initially, it is essential to
determine various marketing communications which includes such as content marketing,
advertising, sales promotion and social media. Secondly, needs to develop the promotional
interaction plan for supporting entire sales and mission. Thirdly, managers of planning process
requisite to understand the consumer decision making process such as; what makes users for
buying certain goods, then create the reason for buying any particular product and many more in
order to seek the attention of customers. Last but not the least, it’s time for implementing a plan
by creating focussed marketing communication mix which helps in informing consumers about
products as well as makes an outstanding connection with them (Elyse Flynn Meyer, 2019).
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Conclusion
From the above report, it has been summarized that marketing communication plan is playing
very significant role in promoting organizational products or services at marketplace by
satisfying client’s needs. Throughout the project, an appropriate steps and procedure is also
discussed which clarifies that company can achieve their target by following proper steps.
Moreover, this aids in minimizing probabilities of mistakes or errors while performing
promotional activities. Hence, it has been understood that number of authors have explained that
there are several techniques through which marketing communication plan has been enhanced
more or more. Along with this, various factors are also involved in entire procedure for gaining
trust or loyalty of end users. It means, main objective of this project is to analyse the
effectiveness of communication plan.
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References
Books and Journals
 Yeshin, T., 2012. Integrated marketing communications. Routledge.
 Luxton, S., Reid, M. and Mavondo, F., 2015. Integrated marketing communication
capability and brand performance. Journal of Advertising, 44(1), pp.37-46.
 Blakeman, R., 2018. Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to
implementation. Rowman & Littlefield.
 Thorson, E. and Moore, J. eds., 2013. Integrated communication: Synergy of persuasive
voices. Psychology Press.
 Porcu, L., Barrio-García, S.D. and Kitchen, P.J., 2012. How Integrated Marketing
Communications (IMC) works? A theoretical review and an analysis of its main drivers
and effects.
 Killian, G. and McManus, K., 2015. A marketing communications approach for the
digital era: Managerial guidelines for social media integration. Business Horizons, 58(5),
pp.539-549.
 Online
 Jonathan Arteza-Acosta, 2019. Marketing Communications Plan. Available through<
https://study.com/academy/lesson/marketing-communications-plan-defintion-
example.html >.
 ELYSE FLYNN MEYER, 2019. 4 Steps to Developing an Integrated Marketing
Communications Strategy. [Online]. Available through<
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