Insights on integrated marketing communications: implementation and impact in hotel companies

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insights on integrated marketing communications (IMC) by empirically examining the concept in a new context, that is hotel companies, and comparing its implementation and impact in Italian and Croatian hotels. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses survey methodology to assess IMC, approaching managers and guests in high-quality hotels. Findings – From the manager’s point of view, both Italian and Croatian hotels show a high level of IMC implementation and significant differences regarding some items. From the guest’s point of view, significant differences are obtained between the two hotel groups. In addition, IMC is found to influence positively and significantly customer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications – This research is limited to the Italian and Croatian hotel context. Future studies should approach a greater number of hotels to obtain more representative results. Practical implications – Managers need to adopt a holistic vision of marketing communications and regularly analyze consumers’ opinions to understand if their campaign works. Originality/value – This paper makes several original contributions, thus filling the existing gap in the literature. First, IMC is analyzed in a new environment, that is high-quality hotels. Second, the study is conducted in Italy and Croatia, where research on IMC is rather neglected. Third, in addition to managers’ opinions, guests’ perceptions are assessed, thus highlighting that consumers need to be considered as true “co-managers” of business strategies.

Integrated marketing communications. The Coca-Cola Spain IMC model

“…"The Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a tactical and strategic consumercentric business process, boosted by advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which, on the basis of information obtained from customers databases, delivers a clear and consistent message through the coordination and synergies of different communications tools and channels, in order to nourish long-lasting profitable relationships with customers and other stakeholders and create and maintain brand equity." (Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ozretić-Došen, 2015).…”

The Effect of Message Consistency and Destination-Positioning Brand Strategy Type on Consumer-Based Destination Brand Equity

“…Scholarly research on tourism has also given rise to this dual analytical perspective, although in this case the number of studies is much lower. The majority of these studies have mainly focused on tourism service firms (Elliott and Boshoff 2008) and on hospitality (Šerić and Gil-Saura 2012; Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ruiz Molina 2014; Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ozretić-Došen 2015; Šerić 2017). To our knowledge, no previous study has centered on tourist destinations.…”

“…To our knowledge, no previous study has centered on tourist destinations. Some of the extant works have taken the tourist perspective, by examining the extent to which tourist perceptions of message consistency determines brand loyalty (Šerić and Gil-Saura 2011; Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ruiz Molina 2014), brand image and quality (Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ruiz Molina 2014), tourist satisfaction (Šerić, Gil-Saura, and Ozretić-Došen 2015), and brand equity (Šerić 2017).…”

Adding Value to Logistic Delivery through Package Marketing

“…Marketing communications are methods attempted by companies to directly or indirectly inform, convince, and remind consumers of business products and brands (Kotler et al, 2013). Effective marketing communications could not only benefit brand equity by establishing brand recognition and brand images, but also increase sales and improve the benefits of stockholders (Luo and Donthu, 2006;Ots and Nyilasy, 2015;Seric et al, 2015).…”