Expert: Peter Gabany - 11/19/2007

Question
How does IMC relate to advertising strategy and planning?  

Answer
IMC is a favourite subject of mine. IMC is the mix of Public Relations, Advertising, Direct Response Marketing and Sales promotion. I wish to add that I believe - great design is the overarching tool that binds this together. Some add event marketing and buzz marketing and internet - but I consider all of these with any client.

Traditionally a client would arrive on the agencies doorstep with a budget - say a million dollars. They would ask - how would you spend this towards reaching our goals. The agency after consideration would reply - well we believe we would spend it on advertising.

Well why wouldn't they? That is their business.

An IMC agency however would look at the entire toolbox at their disposal and consider how Buzz my work. How advertising might help and how PR might build the story.

In truth the client uses IMC to move business and product each and every day. Sales of products and service do not occur unless people first understand what it is that they are buying. This initial brand building exercise is called PR. It places into context what the item or service is.

Imagine 15 years ago not knowing what an iPod was and I showed it to you and asked you for $300 to buy it. You would undoubtedly ask - what is it and what does it do. Imagine again once I told you that you WILL be able to download music to it. Would you buy it? Absolutely not - back then there was no concept of download sites.

Now imagine if I were to go to that 1st agency I mentioned and spent my million dollars - how many do you think I would sell?

So what would be my return on investment? IMC considers the entire market problem and creates a strategy on how best to market the product or service.

A simplistic strategy for the iPod would be to 1st tell the story how now we can legally download music from the internet. We have the option to download movies, TV programs, podcasts and more. We spread this story virally through the internet - maybe with an interactive website demonstrating how it works.

The next thing would be to advertise it - placing into context the application but supporting it with sales promotion - buy a pod and get the 1st 10 downloads for free.

My approach goes a bit further in that through design we create items such as packaging, in store look, on-line look and ease of navigation to heighten the customer experience.

Design in our minds plays a very important role.

Repeat for greater effectiveness!

It is not simple thing but maintaining simplicity with only strengthen your message.

I hope that this helps.

Pete