integrating communications

Peggy Simcic Brønn 1

Integrating Communications


Key Words

Stakeholders

Relationships

Reputation/Image

Competitive Advantage

Cause or Mission Marketing


Marketplace Trends

Proliferation of brands and products 4 P’s no longer provide USP Too many messages Increasing distrust of business Deparmentalization/specialization

Marketplace Trends

Decreasing message impact and credibility Decreasing cost of using databases Increasing client expertise Increasing mergers and acquisitions of MC

agencies Increasing cost of mass media Increasing media fragmentation


Traditional MC and IC

Transactions Functional organization Specializations Mass marketing Stable of agencies Customers Mass Media Ads & Promotions Cause Marketing Adjust prior plan

Relationships Cross-functional org. Core Competencies Data-driven marketing CMO agency Stakeholders Purposeful interactivity Strategic consistency Mission marketing Zero-based planning

Traditional New


IC Cross-functional approach for managing

profitabale, long-term relationships Bringing people and corporate learning together In order to maintain strategic consistency in all

communications Encourage and facilitate purposeful dialogues

with customers and other key stakeholders Create awareness and commitment to the

corporate mission.


Relationship Building

Key element of IC Not just with customers

Knowing Responsive Trusting Affinity Consistent Likeable Accessible Committed

Constructs determining strength of relationships


Communication

Relationships

Brand Equity

Stakeholder Support

Say

Confirm Do

PlannedMessages

UnplannedMessages

Product,ServiceMessages

The Integration Triangle -Does behavior confirm what organization is saying?

Duncan, T. and Moriarity, S., Driving Brand Value


Drivers of IC

Focus on stakeholders Focus on relationships more than

transactions Strategic consistency process Interactive process Mission Marketing process


Drivers of IC

Zero-based planning process Cross-functional team infrastructure Core competency infrastructure Database infrastructure IC agency infrastructure


IC

Really about integrating all communications functions Marketing Organization Management

Strategy

Identity Image

ManagementCommunication

OrganizationalCommunication

MarketingCommunication

Common Starting Points

van Riel, C., Principles of Corporate Communications

Evolutionary Integrated Communications

Stage 1 Integration: Awareness Proposition: the greater the degree of

change on the existence of specific market pressures, the grater the likelihood that integrated marketing communication will emerge

Stage 2 Integration: Image Integration Need for consistency message, look and

feel.Duncan and Caywood

Stage 3 Integration: Functional Integration Greater degree of involvement among still

traditionally separated areas. Stage 4 Integration: Coordinated

Integration Barriers starting to disappear, each function

becoming more equal.

Stage 5 Integration: Consumer-Based Integration The value of a refined customer and prospect

database. Elements begin to work together. Stage 6 Integration: Stakeholder-Based

Integration IMC becomes more broadly defined to

become integrated communications.

Stage 7 Integration: Relationship Management Integration A fully integrated communication strategy

reaching all stakeholders brings communications professionals into contact with all management functions.


CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

Management Communication senior managers to internal and external

groups Marketing Communication

advertising, direct mail, personal selling, etc..

Organizational Communication PR, public affairs, investor relations,

corporate advertising, etc...


MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION

Develop a shared vision of the company/organization

Establish and maintain trust in leadership

Initiate and manage change process Empower and motivate employees


ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

All forms of communication used by organization other than marketing communications

Most commonly Public Relations Directly primarily at ‘target groups’

(stakeholders) other than customers Less obvious in attempts to influence behavior Spend about 1/5 the amount spent on

marketing communications


MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Communication efforts supporting sales of goods/services

Advertising usually recognized as dominant element

Largest share of communications budget used here


Marketing Communications Tools

Advertising Sales Promotion Product Public Relations Direct Mail Sponsorship Personal Selling

Planned Communication Directed Toward Consumers Primarily


Public Relations Communication

Media Relations Employee and Member Relations Community Relations Public Affairs and Government

Relations Consumers, Environmentalists Investor Relations

Often Unplanned Communication Due to Stakeholders Raising Issues, not Organization


INTEGRATING COMMUNICATION

So that management can harmonize all consciously used forms of internal and external communication as effectively and efficiently as possible in order to create a favorable basis for relationships with groups upon which the company is dependent.

Cees B. M. van Riel


Barriers to Integration Ego and turf battles Uneven compensation and reward systems Lack of corporate discipline to put customer first Absence of databases and accompanying

technology Lack of an internal communication system to help

with cross-functional planning Lack of a core competency in marketing

communication


Barriers to Integration Lack of understanding of importance of

stakeholders Lack of agreement on marketing and marketing

communication objectives Overdependence on mass media Lack of understanding of how to use one-to-one

media Functional areas not used optimally for overall good

of organization in building and sustaining customer relationships

Organizational Differences

Marketing Public Relations - Integrating PR with Advertising

Public Relations Under Marketing Integrate all Communications Functions

Using Marketing Theories for Planning and Managing

Integrating all Communications Functions Through Public Relations Function

Obstacles to Integration and Potential Solutions

Obstacle Solution• Turf battles between functional areas

• Managers’ background/expertise

• Organizing and planning an integrated marketing effort

• Information sharing

• Leadership and Infringement - budgets

- public relations

• Ethical issues

Re-engineering

Hire generalists rather than specialists

Clear goals; unified approach

Strong information culture

Zero based communication planning Recognizing stakeholder base

Clear mission and policy directions


Benefits of Integration

Gives a better process for acquiring, retaining and growing customers

Adds value through facilitating customer recourse, feedback, recognition

Enables brands to be more knowledgeable of customers and therefore more responsive

Gives a process for making brand communications and company more human, personal

Ensuring internal understanding and external acceptance

Understanding

Openness

Clarity

Strength

Company

Attention

Acceptance

TrustInternalEnvironment

ExternalEnvironment

Schultz, M., Ervolder, L., Hulten, J., ‘The Integration Between Corporate Culture, Identity and Image: The Emergence of a New Industry?, Working Paper, Copenhagen Business School (1997).

integrating communications

Documents