A Study of Integrated marketing communication (IMC) in changing market scenario

The term "integrated marketing communication" (IMC) refers to a method for creating a unified brand identity across several media platforms. This includes but is not limited to public relations, social media, audience analytics, business growth concepts, and advertising. It enables both public and commercial sector entities to improve their public image and relationships with stakeholders by providing a more satisfying product or service to customers. Career opportunities for those with training in integrated marketing communications can be found in a wide variety of sectors, including but not limited to social media marketing; digital media; journalism; market research and consulting; public relations; non-profit and government; the arts; television and radio; and other related fields.[1] Integrated marketing communication spans several disciplines and draws from both old and new forms of communication. Integrated marketing communications, or IMC, is a kind of marketing that takes into account the whole picture of an organization's goals and company growth and maintenance requirements. Simply put, integrated marketing communications advocates for a more effective and coordinated approach to marketing by bringing together marketing, advertising, public relations, social media, and consumer/audience analytics under one roof. Let's have a look at the many parts of Integrated Marketing Communication:[2] 1. The Foundation: Analysis of the product and the market to whom it will be sold is the backbone of the "foundation" stage. Knowing the brand, its products, and its target audience is crucial for every marketer. Understanding the wants, mentalities, and anticipations of your ideal clients is essential. The actions of rivals should be closely monitored. 2. The Corporate Culture: A company's product and service characteristics need to reflect the values of its employees. Whenever a business is developing a new product or service, they must keep the company's overall mission in mind. Let's break it down with an example so we can grasp it. Organization The world A wants to see is one that is green and clean. In keeping with its mission, it is only natural that its output is sustainable and biodegradable. 3. Consumer Experience: What consumers think and feel about a product should be the primary emphasis of any marketing strategy. Products must not only live up to but also outdo client expectations. 4. Communication Tools: Advertising, direct sales, and social media marketing via sites like Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, and others are all examples of communication channels that may be used to promote a certain product or service. 5. Promotional Tools: Trade promotions, personal selling, and other forms of direct marketing are all used to spread the word about brands. The connection between businesses and their clientele both within and outside the company has to be reinforced. 6. Integration Tools: Monitoring reviews and comments from customers is essential for any business. To evaluate the efficacy of different integrated marketing communications platforms, specialized software such as customer relationship management (CRM) is required.

Major characteristics of this marketing revolution include:[3] 1. A reallocation of marketing resources away from traditional media ads and into alternative, more targeted channels, such as direct mail and in-store displays. Many in the marketing industry believe conventional media advertising is no longer worthwhile due to its high cost. 2. Second, as pricing wars heat up in many industries, companies are shifting their focus from traditional media advertisements to online and direct-to-consumer campaigns. 3. The splintering of the media market, has led to a shift away from large-scale platforms like network television in favor of more niche options like direct mail and even sponsorships. 4. Four, distributors and shops are gaining more influence in the market. Small independent stores are being driven out of business as larger retail conglomerates expand throughout the country and across the world. These mega-stores are utilizing their purchasing power to negotiate larger promotional allowances and fees from brands, and they are also taking use of emerging technology like cheek out scanners to learn more about the success of these brands' promotional quick results. 5. The fast evolution of database advertising #5. Using computers, many businesses are compiling databases that include client names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, interests in various forms of media, credit histories, and more. Now that depending on mass media via conventional advertising, marketers are instead leveraging this data to target customers through a range of direct marketing strategies including telemarketing and direct response advertising.

Implementing an integrated marketing communications approach into your company plan can produce long-term impacts that enhance your returns and establish you as a leader in your area. The next section will discuss some of the main ways employing IMC may directly benefit your company.[4]

High degrees of isolation between teams are characteristic of conventional marketing tactics. As a consequence, marketing materials including press releases, advertisements, direct mail, and sales promotions are often inconsistent with one another. Customers may get the impression that you're messy and disorderly from this first glance.

You probably know the idiom "you eat with your eyes" Okay, so it's not only for eating. Improving a brand's reputation requires a unified brand message across all brand touchpoints (including style guidelines, logos, voice, headers, etc.). Maintaining uniformity shows buyers that you value their business and their satisfaction with your goods.

As a company owner, you realize that cutting expenses wherever possible is crucial to staying in business. If for no other reason, this is why an integrated marketing campaign is important to launch.  Reduce Costs

We have so far covered many of the external advantages that IMC might provide your company. One of the internal advantages that might result from a well-executed IMC strategy is a boost in morale. Your teams will need to communicate more effectively now that they have fewer tasks to do yet a greater emphasis on quality and uniformity is required.

Greater effectiveness inside is another internal reward. With the right IMC strategy, you can build a marketing team that is both effective and efficient. Creating a cohesive unit necessitates setting up a means of rapid interdepartmental communication amongst all team members.

Don't kid yourself into thinking that all of your advertising will reach your target audience. According to studies, consumers need to be exposed to a product's advertising message seven times before they'll consider buying it. Because of this, IMC is crucial to the success of your company. There's a good chance that a consumer who sees your billboard on the side of the road will never hear your advertising on the radio or see your digital ads online.

Maintaining a consistent brand image requires doing all possible to keep clients from being confused. With integrated marketing, buyer‘s misunderstandings may be greatly decreased leading to more completed sales. Whenever a customer interacts with your brand, they will know exactly where to purchase your items, what discounts are available, and what days and times they are available, since your brand always sends the same message. As a result, your staff can focus on getting work done without worrying about inadvertently sending mixed signals.

The eight major Integrated Marketing Communication tools are as follows:- Advertising: Any sort of commercial marketing of a product or service by a recognized payor is known as and VHS), and display media are all used (billboards, signs, and posters).[5] The most significant benefit of advertising is its ability to reach customers in different locations. Even though advertising is a costly method of marketing, consumers often assume that a brand with extensive advertising must be of excellent value. Sales promotion: It's a broad variety of limited-time offers (such as lower prices or freebies) intended to encourage customers to give a product a try. Customer promotions include things like free samples, coupons, offers on larger quantity purchases, discounts, and prizes, whereas trade promotions include things like display and merchandising allowances, volume discounts, compensation for performance incentives, and incentives to salespeople. Advertising campaigns that include discounts, freebies, and other deals are a great way to get people interested in making a purchase. Personal Selling: Direct communication with a customer or customers to make a sale or answer queries. At the very end of the purchase process, this is the single most useful tool. The benefit of this approach is that the message can be tailored to the specific requirements of the buyer, and the emphasis is placed on establishing a lasting connection with the customer. Public Relations: An array of programs aimed at expanding the group's reach in the community at large. When compared to advertising, which can only be broadcast to the masses, public relations is a two-way communication that can monitor response and adjust its message for maximum benefit. Publicity, which uses the product or service's newsworthiness to get exposure in the media, is often used in this context. Media articles are more reliable and trustworthy than commercials because of their impartiality. It may also get through to people who often ignore targeted marketing campaigns. Direct Marketing: Direct marketing entails making direct contact with clients or potential customers using mediums such as mail, phone, fax, email, or the internet to convey information or elicit a reaction. Now more than ever, customers depend heavily on credit cards and online shopping, thus marketers must get in touch with consumers directly to assist them in making purchases. When a customer provides their contact information to a business, the business may then send the customer catalogs and other marketing materials, more important. Events and Experiences: These are business-sponsored events and initiatives aimed at fostering meaningful connections between brands and their target audiences. The company's name recognition rises as a result of the sponsorships. As a result of the company's efforts to delight its consumers, the latter have a more favorable impression of the company's brand than that of its rivals. The audiences seem to like these shows. Social Media Marketing: Marketing through social networking sites is the core idea behind the term "social media marketing." Businesses may reach a large audience and engage with customers in real-time using these platforms. These social media sites are pioneering cutting-edge methods of communication that will undoubtedly revolutionize advertising in the future. They may engage in dynamic two-way communication with their clientele. Mobile Marketing: Sending a short marketing message, informing customers about a new participation-based campaign, or allowing them to access a mobile website are all examples of mobile marketing. Mobile marketing is a condensed type of web marketing, and its usage is growing since it is more cost-effective than more conventional methods. One example is the commercials we see while using our favorite mobile apps.

Shang (2000) expand on the goal of learning what elements influence how well businesses can adjust to internet marketing. Product personalization, product availability, logistics, and transaction complexity are only a few of the aspects and channel choice functions that are revealed. As the world of internet computing continues to advance at a fast pace, businesses must give it significant consideration. Next to the ability to personalize products and the complexity of transactions, logistics was shown to be the most influential function. The internet is recommended for low-complexity transactions involving non-urgently needed items.[6] Nicholas Ind and Maria Chiara Riondino (2001) argued that the Internet serves as a platform for dissemination and reception, and hence promotes community development, transparency, and inside and outside. While this may not cause a global reorganization, it does become an innovative kind of business art that impacts how consumers interact with a company's products.[7] Athyaman and Adee (2002) have noted that behavior comprises the study of instrumental acts which are important in getting the desired item and the actions involved in consuming it. The essential act of visiting a purchasing outlet to acquire a product on the internet is extremely simple with the technology. Only one in four internet users purchase online. The empirical investigation demonstrated that security concerns and intents related to online purchasing of the flying ticket. It is also proposed that online marketers might work on influencing the attitudinal structure of customers.[8]

Tsiamis (2003) have created a model for establishing a company's identity on the web (its "e- brand"). The revolution's effect on the development of new business models and an explanation of how shifts in the market influence the time-honored method of constructing a brand is presented. Awareness, image, and the 7Cs framework are the primary components that contribute value to the quality of an online experience built on a strong brand.[9] Christian Rohrex and John Boyd (2004) have outlined the need of generating revenue from advertising and selling advertising space, as well as keep visitors satisfied, to ensure a website's long-term viability. Because of the method they've established and their in-depth familiarity with the state of the art, participants may begin enhancing their sites right away.[10] Parul Singh (2014) has made an effort to investigate the role of the crowd in solving problems and the role of crowdsourcing in producing novel ideas that may be used by a company to spur open innovation. This report then proceeds to critically examine the findings and conclusions of several other studies on the same topic. The paper is an effort to fill in the blanks about the state of knowledge and research on social media crowdsourcing, as well as to point the way for future study.[11]

Primary data: In any study, primary data are actual observations that the researcher or his collaborators obtain for the first time and employ in statistical analysis. There are several ways to get primary data, especially in descriptive studies.

• Telephone inquiries

• Postal/mail questionnaire

• Personal interviewing

• Panel research

• Special survey techniques

Secondary data: Secondary data is information that has been gathered and utilized in the past by others. Either public or unpublished data is possible. This is among its components:

Based on the above research problems, the research objectives are as follows,

• To understand the importance of Integrated Marketing Communication and Online advertising in changing market scenarios.

The analysis is the process of computing various metrics and sifting through data in search of relationships across categories. Following data collection, it is necessary to process and evaluate the information following the protocol specified in the study plan or research design. The inclusion of all important data for comparison and analysis is crucial for scientific research, thus we must ensure that this is the case. Data processing, from a technical standpoint, includes cleaning, classifying, categorizing, and tabulating information so that it may be analyzed. Estimating the values of k of the lation and testing hypotheses for inferences are crucial to analysis, especially in the case of surveys.

The table shows that when questioned about their familiarity with the internet, respondents

• 7% were not knowledgeable about the internet.

• 14% were somewhat knowledgeable about the internet.

• 33.5% were knowledgeable about the internet.

• 45.5% were very well knowledgeable about the internet.

This suggests that the vast majority of responders have excellent online literacy. They've come to converge on the many uses, features, and advantages made available by the web. However, just a small percentage (7% out of 200 respondents) are online novices. This indicates a very high level of online literacy.

Print ads 22 11.0 Television Commercials 53 26.5 In-store Promotion 37 18.5 Outdoor Media 18 9.0 Online Media 70 35.0 Total 200 100.0 You can see the results of a survey asking respondents where they acquire the most information about different companies by looking at Table 3.

• 11% have chosen print ads,

• 26.5% of respondents have chosen Television Commercial,

• 18.5% have chosen In-store promotion,

• Only 9% have chosen outdoor media,

• 35% of respondents have chosen Online Media, which is the higher of all.

In other words, consumers do use a variety of channels to get information, but online media is receiving the most recommendations. Consumers nowadays are more likely to see advertisements in online media, which includes blogs, online PR, Window displays, banner ads, etc., than in traditional media.

The responses were analyzed by asking respondents to rate how much they agreed with statements about

• Strongly disagree

• Disagree

• No option

• Agree

• Strongly agree

Researchers found that customers used a variety of channels to learn more about brands. This indicates that people use a variety of resources before settling on a purchase. They also depend significantly on a more contemporary marketing instrument, namely, internet advertising, in addition to more conventional methods. Consumers need specifics about the brand to weigh its merits and potential drawbacks; armed with this knowledge, they may make a more informed buying choice in less time. The rising level of literacy among the general public is also cited as a primary cause for the rise in the significance of internet marketing in the research. They see the internet as a useful tool for achieving a variety of goals, including communication, commerce, and entertainment (photo, music, video). Due to the internet's increased utility, they are

Gavin Lees and Benjamin Heal, ―A Test of the Effectiveness of a Mouse Pointer Image in Increasing Click through for a Web Banner Advertisement‖, Marketing Bulletin, Research Note

1, 2005.

1. Badnjevic, Jasmina and Padukova, Lena, ―ICT Awareness in Small Enterprises in the Indian Tourism Branch‖, Master Thesis, Lulea University of Technology, 2006. 2. Zeki Ali Bulut, Ali Nacikarabulut, Tugba Ucma Uysal, and Ali Caglar Uzun, ―Explaining you consumers online purchase behavior under risky conditions: Perspectives from mental accounting‖, International Journal of Online Marketing, Volume 5, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 65-80. 3. Payam Hanafizadeh, Mehdi Behboudi, and Hamideh Mokhatari Hasamabad, ―Online Advertising Intermediary – How Online Advertising Works‖, International Journal of Online Marketing, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2014. 4. Yasser A.El-Kassrawy, ―The Impact of Trust on Virtual Team Effectiveness‖, International Journal of Marketing and Communication, Volume 2, No.2, 2006. 6. Melody Y.Kiang, T.S.Raghu and Kevin Huei-Min Shang, ― Marketing on the Internet2000 7. Nicholas Ind, Maria Chiara Riondino, ―Branding on the Web: A real Revolution?‖, Journal of Brand Management, Vol.9, No.1, September 2001, p.8-19 8. Aryaman, Adee, ―Role of E-commerce in Economic growth‖, Journal of Internet Marketing, Volume 4, No.1, February 2002 9. Dr. George, J. Siomkos and Ioabbis S. Tsiamis, ―E-brands: The Decisive factors in Creating a winning Brand in the Net‖, International Journal of Internet Marketing, Volume 4, No.1, February 2003. 10. Christian Rohrex and John Boyd, ―Ads that work on the Web‖, 2004 11. Parul Singh, Social Media Crowdsourcing: Supporting User-Driven Innovation by Generating Ideas‖, International Journal of Online Marketing, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2014.

Research Scholar