Vol. 7(8), pp.

90-97, October 2015

DOI: 10.5897/AJMM2015.0475
Article Number: BD2276C55790 African Journal of Marketing Management
ISSN 2141-2421
Copyright © 2015
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
http://www.academicjournals.org/ AJMM

Review

A review and analysis of the role of integrated

marketing communication message typology in the
development of communication strategies
Mudzanani, Takalani
University of South Africa, South Africa.
Received 3 September, 2015; Accepted 6 October, 2015

This conceptual paper proposes that communication strategies should be aligned to the IMC message
typology in its entirety. In order to shed light on the role of IMC in the development of communication
strategies a literature review was conducted. The literature review revealed that IMC is a logical
structure of developing communication strategies. An organisation should control (planned) or
influence messages (unplanned, product, service) to ensure message consistency and maximum
communication impact. In simple terms, an organisation should strive to match its brand promise made
through planned messages with actual performance as reflected in its product, service, and unplanned
messages. The paper provides a communication planning framework to organisations on how to use
IMC message typology to ensure message consistency and maximum impact.

Key words: IMC message typology, marketing communication tools, product messages, planned messages,
unplanned messages, service messages, communication strategy.

INTRODUCTION

There is a growing interest in integrated marketing organisations in all sectors are being forced to embrace
communication (IMC) among marketing scholars and IMC as a marketing approach. IMC represents a
practitioners. Notably, the fragmentation of markets and paradigm shift from the era of mass marketing to the era
the multiplicity of promotional tools are a compelling of consumer orientation. The new marketing approach,
reason for organisations to adopt IMC in order to ensure as embodied in IMC, emphasises issues such as
consistent messages to all stakeholders (Gronstedt and relationship marketing, retention marketing and database
Sircuse, 1998:23). marketing (Iacobucci and Calder, 2003:6).
Traditionally, organisations have focused on mass In addition, Shimp (2003:6) claims that “a marketer who
marketing with the emphasis on selling goods and succeeds in the new environment will be the one who
services regardless of the needs of the customers. How- coordinates the communication mix so tightly that you
ever, with the increased competition in the marketplace, can look from (advertising) medium to medium, from

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Authors agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License 4.0 International License
 Takalani 91

programme event to programme event and instantly see Juxtaposed to the view that IC was an alternative term for
that the brand is speaking with one voice”. Shimp’s IMC, Rensburg and Cant (2009:3) are, nevertheless, of
assertion endorses the view that IMC is important to the opinion that IC differs from IMC. According to them,
ensure both message consistency and maximum IMC deals with integration within “the realm of marketing”,
communication impact. Moreover, as Gurău (2008:171) while IC goes beyond marketing to include communication
suggests, IMC “provides an opportunity for organisations fields such as corporate design, public relations and
to enhance the relationship of their brands with customers corporate communication (Rensburg and Cant, 2009:3).
and other stakeholders”. Despite its popularity; there is still no consensus among
In spite of the growing importance of IMC, there is scholars on the definition of IMC (Kerr et al., 2008:514;
paucity of research evidence on the role of IMC message Grove et al., 2007:37; McGrath, 2005:192; Anantachart,
typology in the development of communication strategies. 2005:102). In the next section, the definition of the
However, scholars such as Badrinarayanan (2005) have concept will, despite the confusion and lack of clarity
looked at integrated marketing communication and brand about its meaning, be examined.
identity as critical components of firms’ brand equity
strategy. In an article entitled “How integrated marketing
communication works? A theoretical review and an Defining IMC
analysis of its drivers and effects”, Porcu et al. (2012)
propose a conceptual framework around IMC. None of Despite confusion and ambiguity, several scholars have,
these studies focus on the role of IMC message typology nevertheless, proposed definitions of the concept of IMC.
in the development of communication strategies. It is Table 1 presents various definitions as offered by some
against this background that the goal of the paper is to of the authoritative voices on the concept: Table 1.
analyze the role of IMC message typology in the It may be deduced from the abovementioned definitions
development of communication strategies. This paper is that IMC is about the combined use of promotional tools
divided into four sections namely, literature review, in order to bring about “clarity, consistency, and maximum
research approach, discussion and implications for communication impact” (Schultz and Schultz, 2003:93).
communicators. However, it would not seem as if any agreement about
the definition of IMC is in sight. Moreover, understandably,
the lack of a clear definition and a solid theoretical base
LITERATURE REVIEW has resulted in IMC being a poorly defined discipline
(Kerr et al., 2008:516; Fitzpatrick, 2005:93; McGrath,
Historical evolution of IMC 2005:192). The definition that has been adopted in this
paper is that of Duncan (2002) because it takes the role
Communication integration is not a new concept and, in of IMC messages in the development of communication
fact, the concept of communication integration emerged strategies. The definition suggests that an organisation
as early as the 1930s. During this period the sales should control (planned) and influence messages
representatives would collaborate with the advertising (unplanned, product, service) messages to create and
team while, by 1966, scholars had already recommended nourish stakeholder relationships. Thus, it can be argued
the combined use of promotional tools in order to ensure that the IMC message typology in its entirety provides a
synergy (Thorson and Moore, 1996:13). framework whereby an organisation should communicate
The late 1970s and the 1980s saw an increase in with its stakeholders. Furthermore, there are messages
merger activity in the advertising industry. This trend that an organisation can control (planned) and there are
came about as a result of an industry-wide effort to offer those that the organisation can only influence.
more than advertising and to provide a one-stop service In addition, there is vociferous scholarly debate about
to clients (Thorson & Moore, 1996:13). In the late 1980s, whether IMC is a new concept, with three opposing
this new integration was labelled the “new advertising”. groups of scholars taking part.
However, this elicited an outcry from public relations The first group regards IMC as a new discipline while
academics, who saw the new concept as being, what the second group sees IMC as an old discipline. In other
they termed, a marketing imperialism and, to them; this words, the second group sees IMC as an old idea under
new concept would mean a domination of marketing over the guise of a new label with this group arguing that, as
public relations (Thorson and Moore, 1996:14). early as the 1950s, advertising agencies such as Leo
The 1990s saw IMC becoming one of the most topical Burnett were practising IMC (Thorson & Moore, 1996:14).
marketing issues (Percy, 1997:ix). Moreover, it was in the The third group claims that IMC is irrelevant (Kerr et al.,
1990s that IMC emerged as a discipline (Kerr et al., 2008: 517).
2008:514; Holm, 2006:24). Possible names that were
suggested for the new discipline included integrated
communications (IC), total communication and IMC with IMC message typology
the latter emerging as the most favoured term (Kerr et al.,
2008: 514). The IMC message typology presents a good framework
92 Afr. J. Mark. Manage.

Table 1. Definitions of IMC.

Author Date Definition

“A concept of marketing communications planning that recognises added value in a
American Association programme that integrates a variety of strategic disciplines – e.g. general advertising,
1989
of Advertising Agencies direct response, sales promotion, and public relations − and combines these disciplines in
order to provide clarity, consistency and maximum communication impact”

“The process of managing all sources of information about a product/service to which a

Schultz 1991 customer or prospect is exposed and which, behaviourally, moves the customer toward a
sale and maintains customer loyalty”

“The strategic coordination of all messages and media by an organisation in order to

Keegan 1992
influence its perceived brand value collectively”

“IMC is the concept under which a company carefully integrates and coordinates its many
Kotler 1999 communication channels to deliver a clear, consistent and compelling message about the
organisation and its message”

“A cross-functional process for creating and nourishing profitable relationships with

Duncan 2002 customers and other stakeholders by strategically controlling or influencing all messages
sent to these groups and encouraging data-driven, purposeful dialogue”

“IMC is a strategic process used to plan, develop, execute and evaluate coordinated,
Schultz and Schultz 2004 measurable, persuasive brand communication programmes over time with consumers,
customers, prospects and other targeted, relevant internal and external audiences”

“IMC is the concept and process of strategically managing audience-focused, channel-

Kliatchko 2005
centred and results-driven brand communication programmes over time”
Source: Kerr et al. (2008:515).

for communication planning purposes. This view is individual who has had personal experience of a service
consistent with Moriarty‘s statement (1994:39) that IMC provider may be regarded as an objective source of
message typology (planned, unplanned, product and information. References and testimonials represent an
service messages) “is a logical structure of developing active way in which an organisation such as a museum
stakeholder communication strategies” because an may use positive word-of-mouth communication in its
organisation should meet or surpass the customer marketing strategies (Hackey, 2010: 136; Melewar and
expectations created through planned messages with Karaosmanoglu, 2006:852). In addition, positive or
actual performance as reflected in its unplanned, product negative news disseminated by the mass media, non-
and service messages. In the same vein, Hawkins et al. governmental organisations (NGOs), employees and
(2011:230) state that IMC has “emerged as a strategy for others may also influence consumers’ perceptions of
gaining competitive advantage”. Thus, organisations such organisations (Melewar and Karaosmanoglu, 2006:852).
should use IMC as a strategy to survive in the highly In order to ensure message consistency, an
competitive environment. In order to make a brand organisation should influence product messages. Product
promise, an organisation should send planned messages messages emanate from the attributes of a product, for
to its customers and prospects. Planned messages, example, pricing, durability, distribution networks, form,
according to Duncan and Moriarty (1997:78) and Dahlén features, performance, conformance, quality, reliability,
et al. (2010:34), are messages that are sent via the reparability and style (Venter and Rensburg, 2009:260;
traditional elements of the marketing communication mix, Aaker, 1995:204; Kotler and Keller, 2009:363; Little and
namely, advertising, personal selling, public relations, Marandi, 2003:120). According to Van der et al.
sales promotion and sponsorships. (1996:172), a product is the first component of a
However, there are also various unplanned communi- marketing mix and, hence, it should form the basis of
cation activities which are major determinants of the communication decisions.
attitudes and behaviours of consumers. These activities In an effort to maximise communication impact, an
include word-of-mouth or interpersonal communication, organisation should ensure that customer expectations
intrapersonal communication and intermediary are consistent with its service messages. According to
communication (Dahlén et al., 2010:34; Melewar and Duncan and Moriarty (1997:84), service messages
Karaosmanoglu, 2006: 852). The impact of word-of- “originate from interactions with the organisation’s
mouth communication is particularly significant as an employees”. Clearly, in order to meet the expectations of
 Takalani 93

customers it is essential that museum employees be it is recommended that an integrated agency, as opposed
competent, reliable and responsive. This view is in line to a traditional agency, be used (Thorson and Moore,
with Yucelt (2000:4)’s suggestion that the quality of a 1996:27).
service is determined by the quality of the relevant
employees. Consumer-based integration: During this stage, an
organisation gathers information about both customers
and prospects with a view to improving its communication
Stages of IMC efforts with the profiles of customers and prospects being
an important consideration when determining a communi-
According to Thorson and Moore (1996:24), the IMC cation mix. To this end, it is advised that databases be
integration process comprises the following stages, established as these databases will enable the
namely, awareness, image integration, functional integra- organisation to match its market offering with the needs
tion, coordinated integration, consumer-based integration, of its customers. This, in turn, will enable the organisation
stakeholder integration and relationship management both to increase its customer retention rates and to
integration. attract prospective customers (Thorson and Moore,
1996:30).
Awareness: The business environment is dynamic. In
other words, economic, social, technological and cultural Stakeholder integration: Customers are the main reason
factors all have an impact on the existence of an why an organisation exists. However, noncustomer
organisation and are a compelling reason for a move to stakeholders also constitute an important part of the
new, integrated marketing systems (Thorson and Moore, stakeholder community of an organisation with these
1996:24). noncustomer stakeholders including employees, the
community, government, press, vendors and suppliers
Image integration: It is essential that an organisation
(Thorson and Moore, 1996:30). Employees are at the
present “a consistent message, look and feel”. In other heart of the implementation of IMC because they are the
words, the messages to all stakeholders and their embodiment of the brand. Accordingly, it is essential that
physical presentation should be consistent, as consis- employees “live the brand”. The growing importance of
tency of image and message eliminates both internal employees reinforces the view that internal communi-
contradictions and a fragmented image (Thorson and cation is an important tool in re-orientating employees in
Moore, 1996:24). line with the IMC culture, together with the concomitant
change in values and beliefs (Fill, 2001:414).
Functional integration: Prior to functional integration,
the strengths and weaknesses of all the marketing Relationship management integration: This stage
communication tools should be analysed. These tools involves measuring the effectiveness of both the
include public relations, advertising, sales promotions marketing communication efforts and the role that the
and direct marketing. Of special interest is the fact that communication professionals are playing in the strategic
these tools all complement each other (Thorson and direction of the organisation. IMC elevates communication
Moore, 1996:26). As Thorson and Moore (1996:26) professionals to a strategic level where they are able to
suggest, “public relations permits an organisation to use make a meaningful contribution to the strategic direction
third-party credibility with careful targeting and placement of an organisation. For example, they may assist in the
of newsworthy stores in media while advertising allows a implementation of programmes such as total quality
message to be repeated” Accordingly, the right mix of management. Significantly, they may also make a contri-
tools should be selected in order to ensure both message bution when an organisation enters into strategic alliances
consistency and maximum communication impact with with other organisations (Thorson and Moore, 1996:33).
written policies, manuals and guidelines being used to
achieve the desired results. In addition, cross-functional
communication is important in order to ensure successful Principles of IMC
integration (Thorson and Moore, 1996:26).
According to Schultz and Schultz (2003:50), there are
Coordinated integration: The communication integration eight guiding principles in the implementation of IMC.
may be driven by either an organisation or a communi- These principles include the following: become a
cation agency. In the case of an organisation, each of the customer-centric organisation, use outside-in planning,
communication disciplines may lead the integration, focus on the total customer experience, align consumer
depending on the marketing goals and objectives of the goals with corporate goals, set customer behavioural
organisation. The glue that binds the communication objectives, treat customers as assets, streamline func-
disciplines within an organisation “is shared budgets, tional activities and converge marketing communication
shared performance measures, and outcomes”. In the activities. Each of these eight principles will now be briefly
case of an agency driving the communication integration, described:
94 Afr. J. Mark. Manage.

Become a customer-centric organisation: It is essential Streamline functional activities: An organisation should

that an organisation’s activities revolve around the final disseminate messages and provide incentives to both
consumer as it is the customers who are the lifeblood of customers and prospects. These messages may be sent
an organisation. Failure to meet the ever-changing needs out via marketing communication tools such as
of consumers may signal the demise of an organisation. advertising and public relations while incentives in the
“Unless a firm is financially successful, it cannot reward form of sales promotional activities may attract customers
shareholders, management and society.” Accordingly, it and prospects alike (Schultz and Schultz, 2003:63
may be stated categorically that an organisation should
spare no effort in meeting the needs of its target market Converge marketing communication activities:
(Schultz and Schultz, 2003:50–51). Marketing communication activities should be converged
in order to effect integration. As indicated earlier, inte-
Use outside-in planning: If an organisation is to become gration results in message consistency and maximises
a customer–centric organisation then the organisation communication impact (Schultz and Schultz, 2003:63). In
should implement an outside-in planning system. In terms this section, relevant literature on IMC was reviewed. The
of such a system the organisation is informed by the following section will focus on the research approach that
needs of its customers and determines both its objectives was adopted in this paper.
as well as the way in which these objectives will translate
into reality. Of special significance is the fact that such a
system links the financial goals of an organisation to the RESEARCH APPROACH
marketing spending levels. Accordingly, if an organisation
wants a high return on investment, then the organisation This is a conceptual paper on the role of IMC message
should spend more on marketing communication (Schultz typology in the development of communication strategies.
and Schultz, 2003:53). In order to shed light on the role of IMC message
typology in the development of communication strategies
Focus on the total customer experience: A customer’s a literature review was conducted. In reviewing the
total marketing experience is not limited to the marketing literature on IMC, journal articles, textbooks, the internet
communication activities of an organisation but includes, (Google scholar) and online databases were used. Some
inter alia, the customer’s interaction with intermediaries. of the databases that were used include Emerald,
As a result, an organisation’s partners are critical in ProQuest, Nexus, and Academic Search Premier. The
ensuring communication integration (Schultz and Schultz, review was conducted around the following questions:
2003:56).
1.What is integrated marketing communication?
Align consumer goals with corporate goals: The 2.What are the IMC messages?
needs of consumers are ever-changing and, thus, in 3. What is the role of IMC message in the development of
order to keep their customers satisfied, it is essential that communication strategies?
organisations align their corporate goals to the needs of
their customers. In other words, the strategic direction of
an organisation should be determined by the needs of DISCUSSION
customers and not vice versa (Schultz and Schultz,
2003:57). As indicated in the literature review, IMC involves
disseminating clear and consistent messages to an
Set customer behavioural objectives: An organisation organisation’s stakeholders. As advised by Moriarty
should set the following customer behavioural objectives (1994), organisations should use the four messages to
in an effort both to attract and retain customers − acquire structure their communication efforts. In order to achieve
new customers, retain and maintain present customers, full integration of communication, the communication
retain and grow sales and migrate existing customers activities of the museums should not be aligned to
through the firm’s product or service portfolio (Schultz planned messages only. While there is consensus that
and Schultz, 2003:60). IMC is about the harmonisation of the four messages. In
practice IMC means the integration of promotional tools
Treat customers as assets: It is essential that an or marketing communication tools. However, contrary to
organisation such as a museum be consumer orientated this practice, an IMC message typology orientated
as an organisation that does not satisfy its customers’ communication strategy should encompass all the
needs is doomed to fail in the marketplace. It must be messages. While there is consensus that IMC is about
remembered that customers are the source of income of the harmonisation of the four messages in practice IMC
an organisation while the other activities within an means the integration of promotional tools or marketing
organisation are mainly cost centres. Accordingly, an communication tools. However, contrary to this sugges-
organisation should invest in its customers as an asset tion, the IMC orientated communication strategy should
(Schultz and Schultz, 2003:63). encompass the other messages. While organisations do
 Takalani 95

Table 2. IMC objectives.

Planned message to increase the number of visitors by 10% this year; to increase the level of awareness of the museums’
objectives: market offering; to increase profit by 5% during this financial year; to increase donations by 3%
Unplanned to counteract negative publicity within three hours of its occurrence; to generate free media coverage
message objectives worth R1 million; to reduce the amount of negative publicity
Product message
to improve existing exhibitions; to provide a more diversified product offering
objectives:
to reduce the number of visitors’ complaints by 20% during this financial year; to provide prompt,
Service message
courteous and knowledgeable responses to all visitor enquiries; to create a conducive service
objectives:
environment; to increase the level of visitor satisfaction; to increase the number of repeat visitors by 5%

Table 3. IMC programme.

Action required Deadlines Budget Status

PLANNED MESSAGE ACTIVITIES
Establish marketing and communication partnerships with role players in the
Ongoing R 1 million Not yet done
tourism industry
Develop and implement an advertising (magazine, radio, television)
01/11/2015 R2 million Not yet done
campaign
Design, print and distribute posters and leaflets 01/11/2015 R500 000 Not yet done
Arrange media conferences 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Compile and send out media releases 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Write and send out media invitations 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Write and place opinion pieces 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Design and print branding material 01/11/2015 R200 000 Not yet done
Arrange media interviews Ongoing Not applicable Not yet done
Organise events 01/11/2015 R 1 million Not yet done
Arrange stakeholder meetings 01/11/2015 R300 000 Not yet done
Inform visitors of upcoming events and exhibitions through social media 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Solicit funds from potential donors Ongoing Not applicable Not yet done

UNPLANNED MESSAGE ACTIVITIES

Monitor media stories and write daily reports Ongoing R200 000 Not yet done
Respond rapidly to negative media stories Ongoing Not applicable Not yet done
Handle all media enquiries within three hours of receipt Ongoing Not yet done
Appoint artists, business executives and soccer personalities as
01/11/2015 R 500 000 Not yet done
ambassadors

PRODUCT MESSAGE ACTIVITIES

Acquire additional cultural history collections 01/11/2015 R3 million Not yet done
Diversify into natural history collections 01/11/2015 R 1 million Not yet done
Improve existing exhibitions 01/11/2015 R 2 million Not yet done
Develop three new travelling exhibitions 01/11/2015 R 5 million Not yet done

SERVICE MESSAGE ACTIVITIES

Train all staff members in customer service 01/11/2015 R 500 000 Not yet done
Arrange refresher courses for all staff members 01/11/2015 R 1 million Not yet done
Establish a visitors’ complaints desk 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Establish a suggestion box 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
Renovate old buildings 01/11/2015 R 10 million Not yet done
Improve the parking facilities 01/11/2015 R 200 000 Not yet done
Draw up a database of visitors 01/11/2015 Not applicable Not yet done
96 Afr. J. Mark. Manage.

not have control over unplanned, product and service unplanned messages to ensure message consistency
messages, they should influence them. and maximum impact. The organization should set IMC
In other words, they should try to match customers’ objectives and develop a programme featuring planned
expectations which were created through planned message activities, product message activities, service
messages with the actual experience as manifested in message activities and unplanned messages activities.
the form of product, service and planned messages as a
match between customer expectations and actual
experience (product and service messages) will result in Conflict of Interests
positive unplanned messages, that is, maximum
communication impact and message consistency. This The author has not declared any conflict of interests.
section presents the observations that were made during
the literature review. The following section looks at the
implications of the findings for communication REFERENCES
practitioners.
Aaker DA (1995). Strategic market management. New York: John
Wiley.
Anantachart S (2005). Integrated marketing communications and
IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNICATION market planning: their implications to brand equity building. J. Promo.
PRACTITIONERS Manage. 11(1):101-125.
Dahlén M, Lange F, Smith T (2010). Marketing communications: a
brand narrative approach. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
This paper proposes a break away from the tradition of
Duncan T, Moriarty S (1997a). Driving brand value: using integrated
limiting communication integration to the harmonisation of marketing to manage profitable stakeholder relationships. New York:
planned messages (marketing communication tools). The McGraw-Hill.
paper suggests that the IMC message typology is a Fill C (2001). Essentially a matter of consistency: integrated marketing
communications. Market. Rev. 1:409-455.
logical structure of developing communication strategies. Fitzpatrick KR (2005). The legal challenge of integrated marketing
Contrary to the traditional view, the communication communication: integrated commercial and political speech. J.
objectives should not be linked to planned messages Advertising, 34(4):93-102.
(marketing communication tools) only but, instead, the Gronstedt A, Siracuse L (1998). The ABC’s of IMC: building blocks for
objectives of the organisation should also be aligned to integrated marketing communications. New York: Advertising
Research Foundation.
the unplanned, product and service messages. It is Grove SJ, Carlson L, Dorsch MJ (2007). Comparing the application of
against this background that the organisation’s communi- integrated marketing communication in magazine ads across product
cation objectives should be termed IMC objectives and type and time. J. Advertising, 36(1):37–54.
Gurău C (2008). Integrated online marketing communication:
not mere communication objectives as this will highlight
implementation and management. J. Commun. Manage. 12(2):169-
the fact that the objectives have been aligned to the IMC 184.
message typology in its entirety. Accordingly, the Hackey C (2010). Advertising and promotion: an integrated marketing
organisations should formulate planned message communications approach. London: Sage.
Hawkins J, Bulmer s, Eagle L (2011). Evidence of IMC in social
objectives, unplanned message objectives, product marketing. J Soc. Mark. 1(3):228-239.
message objectives and service message objectives. In Holm O (2006). Integrated marketing communication: from tactics to
addition, the objectives should be SMART; that is, they strategy. Corporate communications: Int. J. 11(1):23-33.
should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and Iacobucci D, Calder B (2003). Kellogg on integrated marketing. New
time-specific. In line with the IMC message typology, the Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
Kerr G, Schultz D, Patti C, Kim I (2008). An inside-out approach to
IMC orientated communication programme formulated by integrated marketing communication: an international analysis. J.
an organisation should be divided into four sections, Advertising 27(4):511–548.
namely, planned, unplanned, product and service Kotler P, Keller KL (2009). Marketing management. New York: Prentice-
Hall.
message activities. The following are examples of IMC
Little E, Marandi E (2003). Relationship marketing management.
orientated objectives and activities for a museum: Table 2 London: Thomson Learning.
and 3. Badrinarayanan V,Madhavaram S, McDonald R (2005). Integrated
marketing communication and brand identity as critical components
of brand equity strategy. J. Advertising, 34(winter):69-80.
MCGRATH JM (2005). A pilot study testing aspects of integrated
Conclusion marketing communication concept. J Mark. Commun. 11(3):191–214.
Melewar TC, Karaosmanoglu E (2006). Seven dimensions of corporate
identity: a categorisation from the practitioners’ perspective.
The purpose of this paper is to propose that communi-
European J. Mark., 40(7):846–869.
cation strategies should be aligned to the IMC message Moriarty SE (1994). PR and IMC: the benefits of integration. Public
typology in its entirety. The paper dispels the notion that Relat. Quart. 39:38-44.
IMC is limited to the integration of marketing communi- Percy L (1997). Strategies for implementing integrated marketing
communications. Chicago: NTC Business Books.
cation tools (planned messages). It suggests that an
Porcu L, Del Baario-Garcia S, Kitchen PJ (2012). How integrated
organization should make a brand promise through marketing communications works? A theoretical review and an
planned messages and influence its product, service and analysis of its main drivers and effects. Bus. Soc. 25(1):313-348.
 Takalani 97

Rensburg R, Cant M (2009). Public relations: South African Van der WA, Strydom JW, Marx S, Jooste CJ (1996). Marketing
perspectives. Cape Town: Heinemann. management. Cape Town: Juta.
Schultz D, Schultz H (2003). IMC – the next generation: five steps for Venter PVan Rensburg MJ (2009). Strategic marketing: theory and
delivering value and measuring returns using marketing applications for competitive advantage. Cape Town: Oxford
communication. New York: McGraw-Hill. University Press.
Shimp TA (2003). Advertising, promotion and supplemental aspects of
integrated marketing communications. Ohio: Thomson Learning.
Thorson E, Moore J (1996). Integrated communication: synergy of
persuasive voices. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.