While integrated marketing has been understood as the most effective strategy for marketing since the 70’s, the digital landscape has completely changed marketing’s potential for effectiveness, ROI, measurement and most importantly - the consumer experience.
What is integrated marketing?
Integrated marketing is a marketing strategy that insists on a consistent, seamless, multi-dimensional brand experience for the consumer. It aims to meld all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and social.
The market has changed and therefore so has marketing;
As we are all increasingly connected by technology, marketing campaigns must now cross-over all supported media channels for example; websites, digital advertising, remarketing, AdWords and social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube & so on) plus print, outdoor, radio, TV.
With access rates to websites from mobiles at 80%+, consumers expect to access a brand anywhere and anytime. For example, if we see an ad on Facebook, or hear an ad on radio, we expect to be able to access that brand immediately for a particular campaign and/or offer (on a website or landing page) to read more, interact with, or purchase.
The strength of a brand’s integrity (and effectiveness) is its memorability which relies on the sum of all points of contact being consistent. From the consumer’s perspective, hearing and seeing the same message - from social through to print - to websites and so on - helps the consumer become familiar with your brand and build trust.
“Alarmingly 50% of business don’t have an integrated marketing strategy and therefore minimise both marketing effectiveness and ROI."
Integrated Marketing Model
To plan an Integrated marketing campaign, businesses and marketers need to plot all customer touch points with the brand across the customer journey. This planning ensures campaigns are integrated and aligned with consistent branding and messaging.
Integrated Marketing for all brands – big and small
While larger companies like Coca-Cola, Nike etc. have been advocates for integrated marketing for years, with digital capabilities available to us all – savvy small -to-medium sized businesses with minimal marketing budgets can implement integrated marketing cost-effectively. Measuring parameters available also allow us to measure performance ie. visits, interaction with campaigns plus conversion (sales) - to really appreciate marketing’s value to a business.
“Marketing has never been more exciting!”
Recent campaigns like ‘Compare the Market’ have this model completely wired. This campaign shows incredible creativity, integration and engagement with consumers across all channels. Sergei, the meerkat and his growing family and adventures entertained and gained an enormous fan base via their website, social, TV & promotions dedicated to building interest in the brand well before they even asked consumers to buy via the brand “compare the market”. Their tagline even became a loved vernacular – ‘Simples!”
Coke’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign used unified messages and branding across TV, social, outdoor, digital and POS to result in a 7% uplift in consumption in their target demographic – making it one of Coke’s most successful campaigns in history.
Sunspray 24/7
BEAM created retailer Sunspray 24/7's latest campaign to incentivise memberships during Spring and Summer with a fully integrated communication and branding across Print at POS, social media ads and website to incentivise with a ‘Season’s Pass’ as the theme & key message across all materials. Proving integration is not only for BIG business but a necessity for ANY business today.
Is your marketing integrated?
Check out our Integrated Marketing Checklist to assess your Marketing integration & effectiveness – CLICK HERE
Written by: Natalie Potter (brand strategist / director)
Email Natalie at Natalie@identitycreative.com.au - or call 0409 996 087
