The IMC Planning Process

The IMC Planning Framework

• Requires answering ‘Six Questions’:

• Who is my target? : Target Consumer (Audience)

• Why are ‘they’ my target? : Communication Need (Objective)

• What do I want to tell them? : Benefit Proposition (Message)

• How to say it effectively? : Message Format (Creative)

• Where will I find / reach them? : Reach-out Channels (Media)

• When will they be more receptive? : Timing (Schedule)

 The IMC Development Process
Marketing
Objective

role of
communication Communication
Marketing B
Objective
Strategy R
A
N Media/Channels
Communication
Strategy D
Segmentation Comm Activities

Target Group Core Audience Style/Design/Tone

Key Message Idea/Concept/

Positioning Proposition Campaign
 Steps in IMC Planning
• Identify the target audiences and their needs/expectations

• Decide the core brand message/proposition to communicate

• Plan the key communication activities, along with the media to

reach the TAs

• Create different message format/designs to be used

• Prioritize and allocate budgets/resources across activities/media

• Measure the results and effectiveness by activities/media

 Steps in IMC Planning
1 Audience

Target
Media Audience Lifestyle
Habits (Product / Service
Segment Needs & Wants)

Monitor & Measure Performance

Promote Implement

Promotion Promotion
Channels Plan Messages
Campaigns Budgets Resources Technology
3 2
Media Message
1. Identifying Target Audiences
Community (Media, Public)

Customers

Brand
Primary
Secondary
Employees Partners Tertiary

Industry, Government
 Identifying Target Audience

• Who buys, who influences and who uses:

Initiator --- Influencer --- Decider --- Buyer --- User

• More complex and expensive decisions likely to

involve more deliberation and participation
 Understanding Target Audience

• Profile - Demographic, Psychographic, Usergraphic

• Lifestyle and consumption preferences

• Decision-making and buying process

• Product category motivators and price sensitivities

• Personality and brand attitudes and preferences

• Brand contact points and media habits

 Audience Strategy

• Undifferentiated Targeting
– All possible consumers, mass audience
– Examples: Coke, McDonalds, Google, PayTm, Amazon,…

• Differentiated Targeting
– Multiple target groups
– Examples: Sony, Toyota, Honda, Samsung, Dabur, Flipkart,…

• Niche Targeting
– One focused, homogenous target segment
– Examples: Ferrari, Lacoste, Hugo Boss,…
 2. Identifying Message

• Be Specific - not all consumer segments can be given the same message

• Focus on their “needs”, not just your “product / service”

• Have a ‘differentiating’ proposition - Either satisfying a different

need, or satisfying the same need better / differently / more relevantly

• Convey the message in an appealing, compelling way

• Ensure the “brand” connect (name / logo, benefit / meaning)

 Message Strategy
Emotional Appeal

Associative
Brand Identity Elements

Feeling

Brand Brand Brand

Awareness + Persuasion = Preference
Thinking
Functional
Brand Utility Elements

Necessary condition Sufficient condition

Rational Appeal
Possible Message Differentiation

• Product Characteristics (ingredients, texture, performance,

packaging, country of origin, etc.)

• User Characteristics (no. and kind of people who use it)

• Usage-of-product benefits (sharing, giving, self-indulgence)

• Production process (any special manufacturing process, etc.)

• Surprising facts about the product, users and usage

Possible Message Differentiation

• Price Characteristics (cheap, value for money, premium, exclusive)

• Image Characteristics (quality, personality, trendy, etc.)

• Satisfying Psychological / Physiological Needs

(thirst, hunger, sex, status, self-confidence, being a good wife / mom / father,….)

• Product Heritage (founders, years of establishment, lineage,…)

 3. Identifying Media

• Again, be ‘Segment’ specific - Not all groups, and not all segments
within each group, can be reached by the same channels / media

• Focus on:

– which ‘media’ do they use regularly

– which media would be appropriate to ‘reach enough’ of them

– how ‘frequently’ should I promote to achieve the desired effect (goal)

– what will be the cost and what will fit within the budget
 Media Strategy

• How much to spend? Media Budget

• Where to spend? Media Selection (Vehicle)

• In what quantum? Media Format

• When, how frequently? Media Scheduling

The IMC Activities Spectrum

Word of Mouth
Consumer - Merchandising
Audience

The 3600 Reach Out Approach

 IMC – ATL vis-à-vis BTL

Above The Line (ATL) Below The Line (BTL)

• The more visible media level, • The less visible ground level, ‘one-
‘one-to-many’ comm activities to-one’ comm activities

• Mass media Advertising • Direct Marketing

(TV, Print, Radio, Outdoor, Digital/SEM,…) (Per. Selling, Tele calls, Mailers, Social Media,…)

• PR • (POS) Collaterals, Packaging,

Merchandising, Sales Promotion

• Events, Exhibitions, Sponsorship

• Referral, Internal Communication

• Website, SEO, Social Media,…

 Example of a 3600 Communication Campaign Plan

BS-VI Launch, IOC Corporate BS-VI Launch

Advertising BTL Comm.

Print Petrol Pumps
Media Industry
Outdoor Vehicle Markets
Radio
Digital
IndianOil Red Lights
Traffic Posts
BS-VI Launch IPL Delhi Matches (“6” Poster)

Consumer Government
BS-VI Launch BS-VI Launch

Sponsorships Social Media

TV, Print media
Cricket / IPL (“Sixers”, “Max. Sixes Award”) Quizzes / Contests / Posts
Online media
Radio (“Traffic Updates”, “Delhi Breaths Easy”) PR Bloggers
YouTube (Videos)

Newspaper (“Air Quality Index”) Twitter (News, Announcements)

BS-VI Launch, IOC Corporate
Facebook, Instagram (Campaigns)
 The Implementation Steps

• Draw up lists of specific activities with measurable goals

• Determine and mobilize resources

• Execute the activities and capture their results

• Review, evaluate and modify activities as required

 Managing Implementation

• Activities and Tasks Lists

• Schedules and deadlines

• Resource allocation and coordination (Budgets, Costing, Manpower,

Technology, Skills, Partners / Vendors, Logistics,….)

• Designing / Preparation / Dispatch of promo materials

• Ground level activations (media ads, online, events, collaterals.…)

• Tracking outcomes / performance / achievements

Assignment 1 – Individual Project

• IMC Mix analysis of a selected brand

• Choose a brand in any product / service category and analyze its

marketing communication mix

• 10 Marks:
– Coverage and analysis of the marcom mix – 5 marks
– Assessment of the ‘Integration’ in the communication mix – 5 marks

• Submission of the project PPT in soft copy before session 8

Late submission will result in 5 marks deducted as penalty