Assessment: IMC Strategy

—  Working individually, students will be required to follow an established format and use research and IMC theory to develop an IMC strategy for a client/brand. The IMC Strategy Development structure is detailed in this Assessment Guide.

—  Details:

—  Length: 2,000 words (+/- 10%)

—  Approach: Individual     

—  Format: Professional report

—  Weighting: 40%

—  You MUST upload PDF copy of your assignment

—  You must have an Australian focus for the brand you select.

IMC STRATEGY STRUCTURE:

—  Section 1: Strategic Review

—  Message Review

—  Channel Review

—  Section 2: Horizon Scanning

—  Target Analysis

—  Competitor Analysis

—  Section 3: Strategy Development

—  Competitive Consumer Benefit

—  Message and Media Strategy

Note:     You must have an Australian focus for the brand you select.

IMC Strategy Development

Students must select topics from the ten brands listed below

: Establishing Objectives and Budgeting

Primary Research:

A critical component of Integrated Marketing Communications is the use of reputable data to develop and justify strategic decisions.  Although this is not a marketing research assignment, our focus needs to be on how to best utilize both primary and secondary sources of marketing research.  Commonly used forms of primary research are survey, interview, focus group, experiment, observation, and mystery shopper.  The last two, observation and mystery shopper, we will utilize in this assignment.  Observation and mystery shopper are particularly important because they help us gain a consumer perspective which is a key goal of IMC.  Observation is where we as marketers view the ways in which consumers interact with the brand or product.  Based on this we can make assumptions on a range of areas such as consumer decision making, consumer demographics, promotional impact, ect.  Mystery shopper is where we as marketers act as a consumer and have interactions with the brand, services cape, company staff, ect.  For each of these tools we need to include an appendix detailing our research.  Components for including primary research:

1.     Questions … What are the specific consumer behavior/marketing areas you are looking for?

2.     Data … A detailed description of what you witnessed

3.     Application … What are the results of this data from an IMC perspective?  How can we incorporate this into our strategy development approach?  Consider the sections of the assignment. 

Secondary Research:

Secondary research differs from primary research in that we do not specifically undertake the research ourselves but rather we utilize information already available.  Secondary research can be a powerful tool for marketing but it is important to provide details on how the particular type of data applies to our strategy development context.  Different types of secondary data we can utilize include official company websites, online forums, new articles, review by marketing companies (such as inter-brand), ect.  Again, as with primary research, when we include secondary research we need to provide the example and then provide a discussion of the application to our topic.  This would be provided in the appendix for each piece of primary data you use.

: Message Strategy and Execution

1.0    Message Review

1.1    Current Message Strategy

Discuss the current message approach of your selected organization.  Detail the tagline, the visibility of the message, and the length of time this message has been in use. This will need to address both push and pull message strategy elements:

·        Address the organization one-way (push) communication approach – planned messages. This is typically used to gain awareness and build the brand and encompasses the organisations planned messages. Remember to use examples. 

·        Address the organisations two-way (pull) communication approach – product and service messages. This is typically used to build and enhance relationships with the target market to ensure a positive and long-standing relationship for both parties. Remember to use examples. 

1.2    Message Effectiveness Critique

The second component of the message review section is a message effectiveness critique.  This requires assessing the effectiveness of the organisations current message approach.  For this it is best to find 3rd party information (not from the organisation) that discusses how well the message approach has worked.  Some questions to consider:

·        Has the current approach had the result the organisation intended for it to have?

·        Has there been any unintended consequences of this approach? Unplanned messages?

·        What are the ways in which the organisation can improve its message approach?

·        Is there an alternative approach, which would be better?  Support with referencing. 

1.3    Proposed Message Strategy Adjustments

The final element of the message review section is proposed adjustments to the organisations current approach.  There are always ways in which the organisation can improve its tagline, strategy, or implementation or message.  This section (supported by referencing) needs to briefly outline the intended course of action to improve the message strategy of your organisation. 

2.0    Channel Review

2.1    Channel Integration Grid

Grid Key:

2.2    Channel Effectiveness Critique

Section 2.1 Channel Integration Grid has outlined a number of strengths and weaknesses in the current one and two-way communications approach of the organisation.  Regarding factors of integration strengths, corporate colours were very strong and were consistent across all media.  Furthermore, the logo was highly integrated into media and multiple audiences were largely attained across media types improving value of spend.  Strengths of media included TV, print, radio, and product packaging which presented a consistent strategy at all times.  Factors of integration weaknesses were also present with key elements requiring attention being the tagline and message strategy delivery.  Both elements were missing from some communications and represent a critical weakness for the organisation.  Weaknesses of media exist specifically in the direct mail channel, as well as the companies’ online presence.  Direct mail represents a critical issue for the organisation as it has limited coordination in in terms of both integration factors or cooperation with other media elements. 

2.3    Proposed Channel Strategy Adjustments

There are a number of key elements that can be used to improve the situation outlined in sections 2.1 and 2.2.  The suggested improvements including the following:

·        Direct mail is a critical issue for the organisation and needs to be improved or scraped from the IMC mix.  It is proposed that direct mail take a supporting, sales promotion based function to support the other elements of the IMC mix.  This would include integration in specific promotions with other tools including mass media, online and staff service messages. 

·        The tagline of the organisation is not consistent.  It is used in a number of variations and is omitted all together from some media elements.  As the tagline (and related message strategy discussed in section 1) is a key element of an IMC approach it is proposed that a new tagline be developed to better articulate the key competitive advantage of our organisation over others in the market place.  The new approach will incorporate a competitive consumer benefit and a message strategy execution.  This will be addressed in section 5 Campaign Development. 

: Media and Contact Strategy.  Evaluation.

3.0    Target Market

The purpose of the Horizon Scanning section is to understand the organisations CURRENT approach while developing opportunities for IMPROVEMENTS which may provide additional opportunities for the organisation.  Sections 3.1-3.5 will detail this with section 3.6 Target Market Description Statement identifying the specific target you intend to communication with for your proposed campaign.  In this section you need to support your work with secondary referencing. 

3.1    Geographic Segmentation (P.205)

Developed by area (region, nation, state, district, suburb). 

3.2    Demographic Segmentation (P.205)

Developed by characteristics of a human population (age, sex, family size, income, ect). 

3.3    Psychographic Segmentation (P.205)

Developed on the basis of personality or lifestyle (personality, values, lifestyle). 

3.4    Behavioural Segmentation (P.205)

Developed on the basis of usage (product usage, loyalties, or buying response). 

3.5    Benefit Segmentation (P.206)

Developed by looking at advantages consumers are looking for in the offering. 

3.6    Target Market Description Statement (P.207)

For example … Triumph motorcycles services a wide range of target markets via its distinct niche product lines. The key target market of Triumph’s urban sports market is described as: 

Males aged 20-34 who currently hold an Australian open motor cycle license. These users currently own or are looking to purchase a motorcycle and are motivated by prestige, performance, quality and to a lesser degree, price. They come from a wide range of backgrounds but are unified by a common interest in motorcycling. They tend to be self motivated risk takers who are happy go against the norm. 

4.0    Competitor Profile

4.1    Competitive Framework

4.2    Competitor Analysis – Offerings and Communication

This section deals with consumers’ evaluation (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and attitudes) of competitors (compared to the product you are basing this project on) based on the communication they have received from and about them.  Highlight any weaknesses or inconsistencies you have found between the company’s communication about the product and the way that consumers evaluate the same product.  This may identify areas where your competitors are weak and where a gap in the market may exist.  You are required to describe, compare and contrast competitors’ product offerings and marketing communication with customers, for instance, their message strategy, media strategy and contact strategy. 

4.3    Competitive Advantage

Competitive advantage is something unique or special that your company does or possesses that provides an advantage over competitors.  Competitive advantage can stem from cost leadership (lowest cost product) or differentiation.  Alternatively, the firm can achieve competitive advantage through a focused approach that requires the firm to concentrate on a narrow, exclusive competitive segment.  Identify the source of competitive advantage that exists or that should be developed using the previous sections as justification. 

Measuring the Effectiveness of the IMC Program

5.0    Campaign Development

5.1    Competitive Consumer Benefit Statement

Your competitive consumer benefit needs to be developed off what you have addressed in the first four sections of this strategy report; message review, channel review, target market, and competitor profile.  The first component here is a justification for your CCB which justified against those four elements.  Your competitive consumer benefit should be based off all you identified. How does this approach adjust the message/channel approach currently adopted by your organisation?  What can you offer your target market?  How does this approach differ to what is offered by competitors? 

Additionally, you must include your CCB statement: “Include your CCB statement here”

5.2    Message Strategy Statement (P.285)

The purpose of a message strategy statement is to articulate the guiding principles of your campaign.  

·        For (who is the behavioural target our communication program is to impact?)

·        Who (what is the customer insight that has been identified and what is the category motivation that drives that customer or prospect?)

·        Our product is a (what is our product or service in the eyes of the customer or prospect, that is, what is our whole product?)

·        That provides (what is the key benefit or value the customer wants and our brand or product can deliver based on our insights?)

·        Unlike (who is the relevant competitor or competitors?)

·        Our product is (what is our key point of differentiating relevance?)

5.3    Message Strategy Approach (P.285-303)

This section will discuss which message strategy you have selected and why.  Examples of message strategy approaches include generic, pre-emptive, unique selling proposition, positioning, brand image, inherent drama, resonance, and affective.  It is critical in this section that you support your selection with elements outlined in the preceding sections of this document as well as references from 3rd parties.  Selection which are NOT supported will not receive a passing grade.  Details on different strategic approaches are included in chapter 9 of the text. 

: Direct and Interactive Marketing

6.0    Media Strategy (P.310, Chapter 10)

Select and justify the top 2 choices for media in company, customer, intrinsic, and unexpected.  Discuss in detail the approach, purpose, and implementation of the choices and be as specific as you can.  Support with referencing. 

6.1    Company Contacts

These are planned marketing communication activities.  Make sure you include specific media choices and scheduling and justify your decisions using the previous sections.  Some examples include …

6.2    Customer Contacts

These are created when a consumer actively searches out the brand.  The main role of the company is this kind of contact is to be available to facilitate relationship building with customers.  Some examples include …

6.3    Intrinsic Contacts

These contacts are inherent in the process of acquiring and using the brand and act as a supporting element.  Some examples include …

6.4    Unexpected Contacts

Expected contacts occur when something is communicated by the brand, but are not by definition under the control of the company.  Identify the potential contact points and discuss how and why the company needs to manage unexpected contacts.  Some examples include …

: IMC Strategy Assignment Session