MKT2001 Assignment 2: USQ IMC Campaign for Parent Influencers

This report outlines an integrated marketing communication (IMC) campaign developed for the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), focusing on influencing the perceptions of parents/influencers of school leavers. The campaign, designed for a three-month period leading up to December 2018, utilizes a combination of IMC mix tools deemed relevant to the target audience, including advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, and event sponsorship. The report details specific marketing communication objectives, such as increasing parent demand and improving brand image, and provides a budgeting breakdown across various platforms like event marketing, newspaper advertising, digital advertising, billboards, and social media. Both traditional and non-traditional media channels are explored, with a strong emphasis on leveraging social media, email marketing, and website promotion. The report also includes recommendations and mock-up illustrations to support the proposed IMC strategies.

Running head: MARKETING COMMUNICATION
Marketing communication

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 2
Executive Summary
The main aim of this research is to make the communication plan for endorsing the campaign of
USQ. This report would emphasize on integrated marketing communication initiatives to
accomplish the aim and objectives of USQ. The key purpose of the IMX plan is to provide a
feasible way by which USQ can interact with domestic and international customers. With the
purpose of globalization in the business phenomenon, functionalities of both multinationals and
locals have been transformed in a different way. Primarily, USQ were used traditional mode of
promotion, however, in the current scenario, it uses the contemporary method of advertisements
such as digital channels and IMC mix. USQ is one of the renowned educational services that
provide educational services to both local and international students. This report will focus on
IMC plan that would be a combination of different channels which could help to accomplish the
main aim and objectives.

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 3
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Marketing communication objectives and budgeting..................................................................................4
Develop message strategies.........................................................................................................................5
IMC Mix......................................................................................................................................................6
Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy Mix...................................................................................6
Advertising..............................................................................................................................................7
Personal Selling.......................................................................................................................................8
Sales Promotion.......................................................................................................................................8
Public relations........................................................................................................................................9
Direct marketing....................................................................................................................................10
Event sponsorship..................................................................................................................................10
Media planning, objectives and analysis....................................................................................................11
Non-traditional mediums.......................................................................................................................12
Social media......................................................................................................................................12
Email marketing................................................................................................................................13
Website promotion............................................................................................................................13
Traditional Mediums.............................................................................................................................14
Television and radio..........................................................................................................................15
Newspaper, magazine, and pamphlets...............................................................................................16
Billboards..........................................................................................................................................16
Recommendations and Conclusion............................................................................................................17
Mock-ups /illustrations..............................................................................................................................17
References.................................................................................................................................................19

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 4
Introduction
This report will present the marketing communication objective and budgeting that would be
used to in promoting the campaign of USQ. It will also explain the IMC Mix elements and also
describes the media mix elements that would be used to endorse the campaign of USQ.
Marketing communication objectives and budgeting
Following are smart objectives for this campaign:
S (specific): To offer the right message and facts to the parents and creates interest among them
with regards to differentiation of product from its key market players
M (measurable) - To target the right set of audiences by keeping them well-informed regarding
the educational services offered by the University of Southern Queensland
A (Achievable) – To attain high communication standard via advertising, promotions and other
direct marketing strategies
R (Relevant) – To enhance the word of mouth promotion by enabling the effective
communication procedure and persuades the behavior of the targeted audience for remaining
engaged with the company
T (Time-bound) - To cover 85% of targeted customers in both domestic with an international
segment of the market in the upcoming 5 years
Platforms Reach Frequency/Continuity Budget
Event Marketing
(Sponsorship)
Arrive to about 50 to
60%
5 Events in 6 months $100,000
Newspaper About 15 Million
People
Twice in Week
(Sunday & Friday)
About A$8000 Per
day, approx. 17000
in a month and A$

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 5
103,000
Digital Advertising
(Affiliate Marketing)
Arrive at 80% The advertisement
posted in each day on
several websites
through web
The basis of the
commission, 1% of
the sales worth
Billboard & Hoardings Arrive at about 50-
60%
50 Hoarding around
the city
On actual
Social Media
Marketing like
Instagram, Facebook,
Snapchat, Twitter, and
Youtube
Arrive at 80% and
20 Million of People
Daily update 4 Posts $300,000
Develop message strategies

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 6
(Sources: Andrews and Shimp, 2017).
By using the communication model, USQ is not only offering the right message or facts to
targeted customers but also, gather the response procedure effectively. Because of offering
responses and feedback, the receiver i.e. the parents have increased the behavior of making
buying and favorable mindset has been attained with regards to the brand. The underlying
principle of choosing the creative message for endorsements and advertisements are to target the
new and existing segment of the customer in a significant way (Jugenheimer, Sheehan, and
Kelley, 2015). USQ is a leading Australian university that offers different services to their
education such as counseling, well-being, accommodation, and safety. These services are
beneficial for USQ in terms of spending too much on the advertisement with the endorsement of
the campaign. Although, there is high competition in the education market hence, there is a need
to endorse the product and services. Further, the uses of technology and the internet are highly
implemented by universities in the educational industry hence; the company should use it to
create a base of the customer and gaining profitability with revenue. This could also lead to
attaining the goal and objectives of the company, and aids to increase the competitive benefits in
the target market (Lovelock, and Patterson, 2015).
For organizational new IMC initiatives, creative content would be implemented in the way for
endorsing the customer services as the organizational preferences. Moreover, educational
services are the key element that plays a fundamental role in the success or failure of an
organization. USQ is a service based company as it would promote the campaign by using IMC
mix and media mix. This would be beneficial for accomplishing the favorable result and
obtaining sustainable growth with development, and competitive benefits in both the domestic
and international market (Baker, 2014).

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 7
IMC Mix
Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy Mix
Integrated marketing communication strategy mix is the procedure of incorporating different
techniques that are practiced for advertising the products and services of the company. There are
some innovative and attractive notes for gaining goodwill with awareness of the brand. In this
way, USQ can practice the sponsor and alertness with the objective of influencing the targeted
audience. There are certain elements, which could be entailed in the integrated marketing
communication strategy mix like an advertisement, public relations, personal selling, direct
marketing, event sponsorship, and sales promotion (Nagle, and Müller, 2017). It is discussed as
follow:
Advertising
Advertising tool is a significant tool of IMC mix strategy that helps to attain the targeted aim and
objectives. It could be practiced for gaining the goodwill and awareness of brands and practiced
for spreading the understanding in targeted customers. There are some factors like profitability,
the foundation of customers and improvement in productivity that could be gained by
implementing this tool. This factor will aid the USQ for keeping the goodwill in the market as
compared to its key market players (Kumar, and Reinartz, 2018).
(Sources: Kumar, and Reinartz, 2018)

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 8
USQ can promote their products with services in existing with new marketplace by
implementing the advertising. This element performs as a medium that enables the University for
influencing the parents of school leavers applying to university entrance for 2019 because this
element focuses on feasible message. There are some channels that could be applied in
advertising such as traditional with non-traditional communication channels (Bowie, et. al.,
2016).
Personal Selling
(Sources: Spiller, and Tuten, 2015).
Personal selling is a key tool of marketing, which is significant for a company to promote their
services to parents of school leavers applying to university entrance for 2019. This is also called
direct marketing. For influencing the parents, USQ can provide a range of services such as
counseling, electronic library and experts for supervising the student. It can be also beneficial for
gaining the demand and goodwill of corporation (Spiller, and Tuten, 2015).
Sales Promotion

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 9
(Sources: Lusch, and Vargo, 2014).
This tool of advertisement is used by the company for gaining the demand for products and
services. Moreover, in order to influence parents of school leavers applying to university
entrance for 2019, USQ can assess the competitor’s strategy and develops the new services as,
parents will take admission in this university as compared to another university. USQ can
provide some offers in terms of scholarships, and initiates new investment scheme for targeting
the lower with a middle-class segment of parents. It could also lead to influence more students,
and also aids to increase the profitability of USQ (Lusch, and Vargo, 2014).
Public relations
(Sources: Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ruiz-Molina, 2014).
This is also an essential element for retaining the current and upcoming consumers along with
targeting the new segment of consumer. There is requisite for enhancing the performance of
USQ and develops the reliability among parents of school leavers as, it would lead students for
applying to university entrance for 2019. For building the public relation, USQ will create the
customer-centric products along with services. This could also promote the mass media with the
feasible message. The logic of building the public relation is strong because it facilitates for

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 10
accomplishing the targeted objective and gaining the competitive advantageous under the target
market (Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ruiz-Molina, 2014).
Direct marketing
(Sources: Strauss, and Frost, 2016).
Direct marketing is defined as the combination of personal selling with sales promotion. This
technique could be implemented when parents demonstrate a high level of interest in the services
of USQ. In addition, USQ is engaged in providing the educational services hence, while a target
parents will show their interest in the new services, and then they would be directly persuaded by
a teacher of USQ in terms of changing their interest into the revenues. It is stated that email
marketing is another factor that can be influenced to directly influence the customers who show
their interest in organizational products with services (Strauss, and Frost, 2016).
Event sponsorship
(Sources: Calder, Malthouse, and Maslowska, 2016).

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 11
It is an additional element of an integrated communication strategy mix, but, as per the existing
market condition, sponsoring could be organized through the event in order to promote the
campaign. Moreover, sponsorship of event entails the educational events, sports events, not for
profit event and sponsoring health and care. For illustration, USQ may sponsor the Australian
cricket team who play in both local with international level. Hence, distributing awareness is the
key intention of marketing strategy that can be straightforwardly performed with the application
of sponsoring the events (Calder, Malthouse, and Maslowska, 2016).
Media planning, objectives, and analysis
Media objectives
 To increase the parent's demand by 35% in the upcoming 1 year
 To gain the revenue of USQ by 45% through appropriate media selection in the
upcoming 2 years
 To improve brand image by 25% via feasible traditional and non-traditional method in
the upcoming 1 year
Marketing and promotion are essential for USQ with respect to motivating the products and
services. In addition, it can focus on the advertisement and promotion for creating the
understanding amid existing, new and potential segment of customer. It could be beneficial for
influencing and retaining the parents of school leavers applying to university entrance for 2019
in USQ. It should show the distinctiveness in their products and services as compared to its key
market rivalry. It can also integrate their media mix according to need and consumer behavior
with the trend of the market (Šeric, Gil-Saura, and Ozretić-Došen, 2015). In this strategy, USQ
will focus on both traditional with the non-traditional method of promotion with marketing with
the purpose of promoting the services with the product. The following are the tools that can be

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 12
implemented by USQ with respect to promoting the products with services and attaining the
expected goals and objectives (Smith, et. al., 2015).
Non-traditional mediums
These are trending methods as digital media is used by a large number of users rather than using
traditional technique of marketing. USQ should use advanced technology and internet as the
users of the internet are increasing promptly and their significance is high as compared with the
traditional mode of marketing (West, Ford, and Ibrahim, 2015).
Social media
(Sources: Kerr, and Patti, 2015).
Social media is a significant element of IMC mix to promote their products with services. It is
evaluated that there is a certain corporation that is inappropriate with respect to the nature of the
operation that they have implemented in this technique. There are some modes of using social
media like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter. In addition, Facebook was launched in the period of
2004 and till that period, there are approximately 2.6 billion of people who actively use
Facebook. This population is approximately ¼ of the total population of the globe. As a result,
USQ will use this technique because these are inexpensive and support to develop the customer’s