Marketing Communication Principles and Strategies – IMC Campaign

Most promotional campaigns are planned far in advance of implementation. The process for developing a campaign for a product or brand starts with a framework of all the items needed within the planning. This framework or outline will include the various IMC activities. Marketing managers will usually ask assistants and associates to gather information for the framework. A complete understanding of what goes into an IMC plan will help a marketer’s career path.

For this Assignment, you are to select a single product that will be used throughout the course and result in a completed Course Project. This first part is where you create a framework for an IMC campaign to promote the product for a 1-year period. You may select a product that is new, existing, or being repositioned. Be sure to explain the choice in your product proposal.

The objective is to make the most effective and consistent use of all marcom functions and to influence or control the impact of their communication elements.

Part 1: Product Proposal

Note: You may choose a product (goods or services) from an existing business or organization with which you have a connection, or choose a new product for a local organization with which you are familiar.

Submit your response to the following questions in paragraph format as a product proposal.

1. Name the product and briefly describe it. This is the product you will produce promotional materials throughout the course.
2. What is the brand name of the organization that is marketing the product?
3. Will your product be marketed locally, domestically, or globally? Briefly explain the differences in relation to promotions planning.

Part 2: IMC Plan Outline

Generally, describe in outline format the six key parts of an IMC campaign plan for your selected product. Be sure you designate if the market is business or consumer.

The outline is useful as a guide for the planning document, but more importantly, it also identifies the key strategic decisions that guide various sections of an IMC campaign plan.

I. Situation Analysis

• Background research
• SWOT: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
• Key communication problem(s) to be solved

II. Key Strategic Campaign Decisions

• Objectives
• Target and engaging stakeholders
• Brand positioning strategy

III. Marcom Mix

• Platforms and objectives
• Synergy

IV. Message Strategy

• Key consumer and brand relationship insights
• Message direction
• Strategic consistency

V. IMC Media and Contact Points

• Multimedia and multichannel
• Multiplatform
• Contact points

VI. Management and Campaign Controls

• Budgeting
• Evaluation of effectiveness