Integrated Marketing Communications: A Customer-Focused Approach in Marketing Modern Businesses

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of integrating Marketing Communications tools by companies as a customer focused means of marketing their businesses. The Marketing communication tools considered include advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and internet/interactive communications. Previously, most companies concentrated mostly on advertising to communicate to their target customers and seldom used the other communication tools. Some companies used other communication tools but on separate basis which is in contrast to the concept if IMC. This is the premise on which this paper studied how modern firms use comprehensive integration of marketing communications tools which enhances success through synergistic execution of their marketing communication programs. Available literature indicates that an effective IMC program ensures a successful marketing of a company’s product/service and improves on their brand image as well as corporate image. The again focuses on finding out whether this could be proven practically.

Keywords: IMC, Advertising, Sales Promotions, Direct Marketing