Week 6 Portfolio Assignment

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is an important concept for a marketing manager to
understand. Write a reflection that addresses the following:
 Why are integrated marketing communication plans so important to marketers?

 What are the benefits and challenges of implementing an IMC?
 Identify a primary benefit of advertising online
 If a company A has come up with the new beverage product known as Akamu for
satisfying human thirst. Suggest some of the major advertising decisions which this
company can come up with in order to promote Akamu the new product.
Integrated marketing communications (IMC) can basically be defined as a unified consistent
approach to marketing toward a customer that ensures unified messaging, brand promotion and
audience engagement [CITATION Deb21 \l 1033 ]. For a broader description, the American
Marketing Association defines IMC as “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.” [CITATION Deb21 \l 1033 ]
 Why are integrated marketing communication plans so important to marketers?
Integrated marketing Communication plans are important to marketers because it crafts a consistent
message that will be applied throughout the promotional mix for the Brand. The customer would be
experiencing the same ad, be it from Social media, television, Google ads, website et cetera. In so
doing it allows the customer to build trust and better recognition of the brand. It also allows the
marketer to reuse elements of the plan, perhaps in newspapers, magazines and print, while
remaining consistent in messaging from the point of view of the customer.
 What are the benefits and challenges of implementing an IMC?
IMC implementation creates a host of benefits and some disadvantages. Benefits can be as follows;
- The customer gains awareness and visibility of the brand.
- Advertising reaches the customer irrespective of the platform he prefers.

- Consistent advertising on multiple advertising platforms – Social media, Website, Google
ads, television allows the customer to experience the same ad.
- Increased profits due to increased ad effectiveness and reduced rework since same ad can
be adapted to the various platforms. Savings on graphic design, photography etc.
- Establish brand expertise and thought leadership.
- Keeping brand relevant and within the mind of the customers
General challenges of IMC
- Restriction of creativity; it is difficult to change the IMC strategy once placed in motion. All
further advertising ideas may be limited to be whatever is aligned to the IMC strategy.
- Annoyance of Ads – Customers can get fed up of seeing ads and can begin to ignore due to
being oversaturated.
[ CITATION Rel13 \l 1033 ] and [ CITATION Ana19 \l 1033 ], Stokes, 2013
 Identify a primary benefit of advertising online
Advertising online has numerous benefits. The greatest benefit I believe is it allows brand exposure
to a global market. Your customers therefore are not only those you can physically meet, call on the
phone, or catch with a television advertising slot. Your potential customers are worldwide in any
areas you can legally operate or ship your product to.
 If a company A has come up with the new beverage product known as Akamu for
satisfying human thirst. Suggest some of the major advertising decisions which
this company can come up with in order to promote Akamu the new product.
Before the company can begin developing a strategy for Akumu, it is important to note that Akumu is
a brand new product from Company A and is a new beverage on the market.
Company A needs to ask and answer the following questions about Akumu in order to best develop
a marketing plan;
- Who is the target of advertising for this product? Company A needs to decide the target
audience, their demographics, behavioral characteristics et cetera and use this information
to determine what solution Akumu can provide them. Is it an energy drink, a relaxant, fitness
drink, Health tonic, party flavor et cetera.
- What edge does Akumu have over its competitors? Company A should do a swot analysis of
Akumu to determine what persuasive characteristics of the product can be marketed as its
edge or superiority over its competitors. Why should customers choose Akumu over other
brands?
- Determine Effective branding - What colours, logos and other branding would be applicable
or interesting to our target market. What branding can make Akumu stand out from other
products. It is important to consider the intended appeal of the brand and the impression we
wish to convey to customers of the product and brand.
- Determine Promotional mix suited to Akumu target audience – Which media works best for
them? Television, radio, influencer podcast, Online ad, social media, billboards, newspapers,
posters, et cetera.
These must also be done in tandem with active promotion of Company A brand to allow recognition
of the Akumu product as a part of the brand.
References
Ahmed, A. (2019, September 20). Benefits of Integrated Marketing Communication. Retrieved
from bizfluent: https://bizfluent.com/info-7801043-benefits-integrated-marketing-
communication.html
Davenport, D. (2021). What is Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)? Retrieved from
Purdue University Online: https://online.purdue.edu/blog/communication/what-is-
integrated-marketing-communication-imc
RelivingMBADays. (2013, June 2). IMC – Benefits and Challenges. Retrieved from
RelivingMBADays: https://relivingmbadays.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/imc-benefits-
and-challenges/
Stokes, R. & The Minds of Quirk. (2013). eMarketing: The essential guide to marketing in a
digital world (5th ed.). Quirk eMarketing (Pty)
Ltd. https://www.redandyellow.co.za/content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2017/10/e
marketing_textbook_download.pdf

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Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is an important concept for a marketing manager to

understand. Write a reflection that addresses the following:

 Why are integrated marketing communication plans so important to marketers?

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) can basically be defined as a unified consistent

and consistent over time.” [CITATION Deb21 \l 1033 ]

 Why are integrated marketing communication plans so important to marketers?

remaining consistent in messaging from the point of view of the customer.

 What are the benefits and challenges of implementing an IMC?

- The customer gains awareness and visibility of the brand.

- Advertising reaches the customer irrespective of the platform he prefers.

ads, television allows the customer to experience the same ad.

be adapted to the various platforms. Savings on graphic design, photography etc.

- Establish brand expertise and thought leadership.

- Keeping brand relevant and within the mind of the customers

General challenges of IMC

[ CITATION Rel13 \l 1033 ] and [ CITATION Ana19 \l 1033 ], Stokes, 2013

 Identify a primary benefit of advertising online

areas you can legally operate or ship your product to.

drink, Health tonic, party flavor et cetera.

wish to convey to customers of the product and brand.

of the Akumu product as a part of the brand.

from bizfluent: https://bizfluent.com/info-7801043-benefits-integrated-marketing-

Davenport, D. (2021). What is Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)? Retrieved from

Purdue University Online: https://online.purdue.edu/blog/communication/what-is-

digital world (5th ed.). Quirk eMarketing (Pty)

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