Overview

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) blends advertising, public relations, sales promotion, social media, and personal selling into a consistent voice. An IMC strategy ensures every touchpoint delivers a unified message and amplifies brand impact.

Key Concepts

• Promotion Mix Elements: Advertising, PR, sales promotion, personal selling, direct & digital marketing.
• AIDA Model: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action guides message design.
• Push vs. Pull: Push targets channel partners; pull targets end consumers to create demand.
• Message Consistency: Brand story, tone, visuals, and value proposition aligned across media.
• Media Planning: Reach, frequency, GRPs, CPM; paid–owned–earned media framework.
• IMC Budget Methods: Percentage of sales, competitive parity, objective-and-task (preferred).
• Measurement: ROMI (return on marketing investment), engagement metrics, attribution models.

Step-by-Step Example

Scenario: SolarSip launches a solar-powered iced-tea brewer and needs an IMC plan.

1 Objective & Task: Goal: Sell 10,000 units in 6 months. Tasks: build awareness, educate, convert.

2 Message Platform: "Brew sunshine into every cup—zero electricity." Tone bright & eco-friendly.

3 Mix:

• Advertising: 15s YouTube pre‑roll, Instagram Reels.
• PR: Earth Day press release, influencer unboxings.
• Sales Promotion: $20 launch rebate + referral credits.
• Personal Selling: Live demos at farmers' markets.
• Email/Digital: Welcome series with how‑to videos.

4 Schedule: Teaser ads → launch week blitz → sustain with user‑generated content.

5 Measurement: Track unique discount codes, site conversions, and brand‑lift survey.

Final Answer: An IMC plan syncing paid, owned, and earned channels builds cohesive brand narrative and drives SolarSip sales.

Quick Tip