IMC is part of marketing and sales process, and it is important in tough marketing environment. It makes marketing work effectively and achieve its goals in making a sale or achieve target etc. Marketing is taking product from manufacturer to end user, and it includes all activities as sales pricing distribution packaging etc. Marketing mix is price product packaging promotion etc. and if all are good product will sell in marketplace. IMC includes advertising publicity promotion as direct mail or all other involved in making marketing a success.
Management principles are staffing planning directing and controlling and marketing is a part of management. Marketing tries to take products from manufacturers to end users or consumer, and IMC is used in this direction. Advertising sales are related to marketing
IMC includes advertising and it is directly connected to product and that too connected to marketing effort. It would be like dealer advertising or distributor advertising and such efforts to promote car sales mentioning where that brand of cars are available and how to buy them etc.
Symbolic activities are also important as celebrities are appointed as brand ambassador. It is like America honored Indira Gandhi in 1980s by giving Key to San Francisco city to show is good human lady. Earthquakes are often in that region and honoring her will save or something like it they might have thought. Also, Russia and former communist countries gave awards to PM Modi as he is symbolic of a rich person and that countries are richer etc. Symbolic ads and celebrity endorsements help marketing efforts greatly also.
Marketing communication includes direct mail as Readers Digest used to send mailers to individual homes for subscriptions. Every one’s individual name is printed and making it a personal appeal for subscriptions. Point of purchase materials are also used in marketing communication to sell products directly in shops.
Commercials promoting products as Vijay in coke Ajit in Nescafe Sachin Tendulkar in Boost and Parthiiban in TMT bars Prabhu in Vicks Kalyan Jewellers are also widely used. Actresses and Actors play many leading roles displaying products adding beauty and affluence to sell in marketplace. Government uses PM Modi in most appeals Congress governments use Indira Rajiv in their schemes reaching out to people.
Radio commercials air cinema ads some product advertisements as well. And print media announce launch of new projects products services and the like. Banks as Bank of India launched a commercial wherein a child boards a boat and travels to make a saving in BOI Other banks as Canara Bank had also advertised its credit cards and travellers’ cheque etc.
IMC has become a marketing tool adding marketing and communication in all companies and sectors greatly. IMC working well in countries like the US and India aiding marketing and sales process and a tool in advertising and promotional communication for many years to come.
In a changing marketing environment IMC is very useful in aiding sales process greatly and it substitutes personal selling and is also useful not only in consumer products but also assist sale of industrial products in large number.
It is hoped finally marketing planners will give adequate attention to IMC in their marketing plans so aid sales and marketing efforts of organisations will achieve their goals.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
