Integrated Marketing Communications: What consumers want and your brand needs

Date Posted:Thu, 6th Oct 2022

Integrated Marketing Communications: What consumers want and your brand needs

If there's one thing we've all learned over the last two years, it's that the only thing you can depend on is change. And that includes business, too - from where you find leads to what (and how) your target market wants to hear from you; we just don't do things like we used to a few years ago.

 

But do you know what consumers want?

 

Consistency.

 

Living in an ever-changing world where change seems to be happening all day (and night), consumers value brands that know how to deliver a consistent message everywhere - one that resonates with them.

 

So, how do you give consumers what they want?

 

By ditching what doesn't work anymore and getting onboard with integrated marketing communications (IMC). Because how you market yourself is a new game now - and it's one you need to win.

 

What is IMC, exactly?

 

We're going to get a bit academic here and take a look at the Public Relations and Communications Association's (PRCA) 2018 and 2019 DIMENSIONS reports to help you understand IMC better.

 

PRCA is the world's largest professional PR association, and their research discovered some critical changes in how consumers think about brands. Specifically, they found:

 

  • 64% of connected consumers think every message published by a brand is advertising (that includes PR, digital marketing, social media - you name it)
  • The average consumer consults three communication channels to gather information about a brand
  • The prevailing attitude among consumers is that 'it's all advertising,' regardless of the source

 

What does IMC mean for you and your business in the real world?

 

Basically, it means everything your brand says and does must be consistent across all channels. To do that, you need integrated strategies working together on- and offline so that your marketing always hits the right note, no matter where consumers may find you.

 

This is where IMC comes in. It's essentially a plan specifically designed to ensure all of the contacts consumers receive from your brand are relevant to them and consistent over time and in every place.

 

Gone are the days of focusing on only one way to communicate with consumers. Now, your brand needs to be seen and heard regularly, delivering a unified message anywhere it connects with your target audience.

 

Where can you find help?

 

Like just about everything else, the internet has no shortage of online resources where you can learn more about IMC. You can even take a course and get a certification. And if you're looking for a deeper dive into what IMC is and some epic examples of IMC making an impact on consumers, there are plenty of examples to check out.

 

One thing you'll probably notice as you research IMC is that many of these sources say that this is a strategic process used by specialists in the PR/marketing industry to support their clients. That is an important point - IMC specialists will be better positioned to support businesses ready to give consumers exactly what they want. Taking the DIY approach probably isn’t the way to see real results.

 

Where can you find the specialists you need to get started?

 

An integrated comms agency can help you develop an IMC strategy to bring your brand into a new era of consumer communications. Essentially, an integrated communications agency combines branding, creative development, design, strategy, marketing (traditional and digital), public relations, and more in one package.

 

For example, at SOCIATE, we give our clients new, innovative solutions that consistently connect with consumers. That can include integrating social media strategies, event planning, traditional PR, and influence activations to launch a high-end furniture brand in Dubai or revamping a hotel's website whilst coordinating with conventional PR to help a client reach number one on Tripadvisor.  

 

Whilst specialist agencies such as digital marketing, PR-only or advertising may be the best choice for some tasks - like developing a single brochure or advertising a one event - it's no longer what works over the long-term. An integrated comms agency provides a brand with a fully integrated campaign where the present and future are both important. Businesses receive a unified message, with one brand tone for use across different platforms, giving consumers the consistency they need.

 

If IMC sounds like something you'd like to explore for your brand, get in touch at hello@sociate.ae.