IMC Strategy and ImplementationPlanning Campaigns Across Multiple Platforms to

Achieve Synergy and Success

June 18-19, 2015

Bonnie Harris

Principal, Wax Marketing Inc. Adjunct Instructor IMC Program, West Virginia

University Reed College of Media www.waxmarketing.com waxmarketing@gmail.com @waxgirl333

Agenda

The Case for IMC Branding and IMC Evaluating IMC Audiences Creative Strategy

Agenda

IMC Planning Messaging Strategies Measurements Barriers to IMC

IMC and the Communications ProfessionalToday we are…

Messaging Experts

Marketing Strategists

Brand Journalists

Technology Consultants

Project Managers

Definition of IMC

According to the AMA (American Marketing Association) the definition of Integrated Marketing Communications is:

“A planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.”

Definition of Integrated

Combining or coordinating separate elements so as to provide a harmonious, interrelated whole.

Organized or structured so that constituent units function cooperatively.

Definition of IMC

An approach to achieving the objectives of a marketing campaign through a well-coordinated use of different promotional methods intended to reinforce each other.

Why are Brands Turning to IMC?

Audience Messaging Channels Competition Technology Owned Media

Branding and IMC

How has branding changed

Perception is everything Influence Consistency Persistence Planning

Messaging Sources

Planned Messages Product Messages Service Messages Unplanned

Messages Employee

Messages

Say Goodbye to the Four P’s

Marketing Mix

Customer Cost Convenience Communication

Characteristics of a Strong IMC Campaign

Alignment of objectives from the top down Specific audience profiles including buyer

behavior and psychographics Strong project management including

synchronized tactics across components

Characteristics of a Strong IMC Campaign

Cross channel strategies Linked tactics Adaptive messages Robust results

The IMC Report Card Grading Existing Marketing Campaigns

Audience Definition

Demographics Psychographics Content

acquisition behavior

Buying behavior

Other segmentation strategies Geo-demographic Ethnic Relationship Adopter

Audience Definition

Building Personas

BACKGROUND:

• Head of Human Resources

• Worked at the same company for 10 years; worked her way up from HR Associate

• Married with 2 children (10 and 8)

DEMOGRAPHICS:

• Skews female, 3-45• Dual HH Income:

$140,000• Suburban

IDENTIFIERS:

• Calm demeanor• Probably has an

assistant screening calls

• Asks to receive collateral mailed/printed

• Uses Facebook socially• Uses LInkedIn

professionally• Schedules time for

continuous learning• Reads industry articles

often• Doesn’t like “salesy”

people• Likes to do research

Sample Sally

Why are we looking at this guy?

Choosing Channels

Carefully study audience behavior

Test iteratively for effectiveness Shooting for synergy Constantly updated

Messaging Strategy

Strategic consistency Begin with one voice Core Strategy

Statements Adaptive messaging

Messaging Strategy

Strategic consistency Begin with one voice Core/Integrated Strategy

Statements Message translations

Sample Core Strategy Statement

CORE STATEMENT:

Vail Place provides services, housing and skill building to reduce isolation and improve the quality of lives for those with serious and persistent mental illness.

Subsequent Messaging

MEDIA: Vail Place offers services, housing and skill building for

those with serious and persistent mental illness.

MEMBERS: The Clubhouse Model provides mental health recovery in an engaged and productive community. Community members are encouraged to manage and control their own lives.

SOCIAL WORKERS: Vail Place programs focus on mental health recovery through the Clubhouse model, a community where members learn to build relationships, increase self-confidence, and learn new skills and abilities.

Message Translation

Messages align with core strategy statement

Key messages are NOT common across channels

Written in persona’s language

Delivered according to persona preference

Optimized using keywords, phrases and long tail search terms

Includes hashtags

Powerful Strategies

Strategies stay consistent across the period though tactics may change

Drive toward increasing synergy between channels

Should be deployed across channels

Pay attention to buyer behavior and are specific to personas Combine traditional and online/social media

Strategies can focus on:

Messaging – Changing perception

Timing – Seasonal Area – Hyper-local Word of Mouth – Viral Product/Service offering

– Call to action Traffic– Landing

pages/conversions/promotion

Each strategy should focus on one stage of the buying cycle

Brand Strategies

Earned media Word of mouth Cause marketing Thought

leadership/education Sponsorships Celebrity endorsements

Brand journalism Online marketing

Brand strategies create awareness of a new brand, change perception of an existing brand or create a brand extension.

Content Strategies

Brand journalism Native advertising Social media Influencer marketing Multimedia messaging Education/Thought

Leadership

Contests/Quiz Ambassadors/Celebrity Testimonials

Content strategies are used when with a longer sales cycle, the client or customer is sophisticated and the brand needs credibility.

Promotional Strategies

Events Sponsorships Contests Rewards/loyalty programs Cause marketing Digital/mobile promotions In store sales

Add-ons/lost leaders Seasonal

Promotional strategies are used to influence the later steps in the buying cycle, including post-purchase behavior

Geographical Strategies

Geographical strategies might be used for retail, medical practices, franchises and other B2C businesses where the customer is not well-known.

Hyper-local marketing

Outdoor/On the ground

Micro-events

Retail business partnerships

Powerful Linked Tactics

Strong linked tactics are often combination of traditional and newer media

Can link two, three or even four tactics

Synchronized for best effect

Common message or tone

Simple Linked Tactics

Earned placement+ social media Direct marketing + landing pages Email + signage Print + mobile Product placement + ads

Complex Linked Tactics

Integrated product placement Music promotion Product launches PSA’s

BJP Party Campaign• Elected Modi in 2014• Created a landslide

victory in India• Core strategy statement

around change• Common creative • Understanding of

personas• Linked traditional and

bleeding edge technology

Measuring Tactics

Iterative, ongoing measurement Website behavior Social media engagement Online clicks Unplanned messages

Our IMC Plan

Audience Definition Persona Opportunities Objectives/Strategy/

Tactics

Integrated Strategy Statement

Selected Channels Timeline Measurement

S

Measurement

Measuring Objectives

Within target audiences Mix of Quantitative/Qualitative Brand Awareness Attitude Change and Preference Customer Retention

Measuring Tactics

Landing page conversions Website behavior Social media engagement Online clicks Unplanned messages

Measuring Behavior

Content Acquisition Buying Behavior Customer Acquisition Loyalty