Understanding the Diffusion of Integrated Marketing Communications

Abstract

Once again a "paradigm shift" is about to occur, leaving an accepted and acknowledged academic and social frame of standardization, simplification, and specialization totally perplexed. In the field of advertising, the paradigm change is coming from an offspring called Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). And, nowhere is that more evident than in the non-English-speaking countries where the primary focus on mass advertising and mass communication is giving way to more integrated forms of communication, including such areas as sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, events, and the like.During the last decade, a series of studies have been conducted, either on a country level or sometimes among several nation states investigating the development, diffusion, and acceptance of IMC. In many of those studies, the comparison has been in the development and diffusion of the concept among traditional advertising agencies and/or advertiser companies. Thus, the most recent research on IMC has been mainly focused on its perception by clients and their advertising agencies (1991 and 1993 in United States; 1995 in the United Kingdom; 1998 in New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, and India; 1999 to the present in many research studies). In some of those studies, scholars have argued that IMC is nothing new, it is simply a reiteration of what marketing and communication organizations have always done. In others, research has shown that IMC is indeed a new paradigm and can be quite successfully deployed by all types of firms in the new millennium. IMC AS A FIELD OF STUDY is only a decade old, and in spite of the contradictions, in our view, it is still in its introduction or early growth stage. For the most part, we argue that the results of the various studies indicate that there is considerable scope for the expansion and development of truly integrated communication programs in many markets and geographies around the world. One interesting fact emerged from our review of the literature-virtually all reported studies have been concerned with the development of IMC in countries where English is the dominant language. Thus, we do not believe the findings can be considered as a representative of the current status of IMC worldwide. Indeed, IMC may or may not be as accepted and progressing at the same rate in the balance of the world as these studies might lead us to believe. Therefore, it seems timely to extend the geographical parameters of IMC research and to assess the relevance and meaning of IMC in countries where different languages dominate the scene.This work was supported by the research fund of Hanyang University (HY-2002-1). Professor Han gratefully acknowledges the Hanyang University.

Webpage Design and Quality of Seaside Tourism Destinations: A Question of Collaboration

“…The planning of promotional campaigns is no longer typified by simplistic, one-dimensional relationships. Collaboration between a range of stakeholders is a condition for successful marketing communication campaigns (Grimes, 2004); there is a shift from collaboration beyond the preserve of advertising agencies to a range of networks (Kim, Han, & Schultz, 2004). In other words there is a growing demand for connectedness and integration driven by clients whose businesses have become increasingly based on collaboration and interaction.…”

Nuevas prácticas de comunicación y gestión de la información sobre el cliente: Un estudio empírico en los hoteles Croatas.

“…Considerando los avances de las TIC como el factor más significativo que ha provocado la CIM (Schultz y Kitchen, 2000a;Kim et al, 2004;Kitchen et al, 2004a;Jiménez et al, 2006;Holm, 2006;Gurău, 2008;Kliatchko, 2005; Debido a la importancia de la gestión de la información sobre el cliente, tanto en la elaboración de los programas CIM (Peltier et al, 2003) como en el desarrollo de los programas de fidelización del cliente (Palmer et al, 2000) El trabajo de campo se realizó en los meses de abril y mayo de 2010 en la provincia de Dalmacia, el mayor centro de atracción turística del país. La población principal objeto de análisis está constituida por hoteles de cuatro y cinco estrellas ubicados en este entorno geográfico.…”

“…Existen varios cambios que se han producido en el mercado que han posibilitado el desarrollo de la CIM; uno de los más significativos es el avance en las Tecnologías de Información y Co-municación (TIC) (Schultz y Kitchen, 2000a;Kim et al, 2004;Kitchen et al, 2004a;Jiménez et al, 2006;Holm, 2006;Guräu, 2008;Kliatchko, 2005;. Tal y como se ha afirmado: la integración no se ha manifestado antes porque no se ha podido alcanzar sin las TIC (Duncan, 2002).…”

Integrated Marketing Communication

“…These benefits were either derived from quantitative studies (Eagle, Kitchen, and Bulmer, 2006;Kim, Han, and Schultz, 2004;Kallmeyer and Abratt, 2001) which left little room for an actual investigation of why these benefits have occurred, or they were the direct result of researchers credulousness when faced with marketers' positive perceptions of IMC. Most IMC research has concentrated on the opinions of advertising executives or clients.…”

“…Integration necessitates not only vertical communication but also horizontal communication, a state of affairs which often causes conflicts among the employees and their functions and tasks (Gould, Lerman, and Grein, 1999;Grein and Gould, 1996;Schultz, 1993a). Communication across strategic business units (SBUs), brands and departments, as well as from brand managers to senior managers and vice versa, needs to be secured, which requires an open-minded business culture (Kim, Han, and Schultz, 2004). IMC may lead employees to a sacrifice of power, which could cause disputes among them because of fears arising over loss of control and authority (Eagle and Kitchen, 2000;Gonring, 1994).…”