Table Of ContentINTEGRATED
MARKETING
COMMUNICATION
CREATIVE STRATEGY
FROM IDEA TO IMPLEMENTATION
T H I R D E D I T I O N
Robyn Blakeman
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
Executive Editor: Elizabeth Swayze
Assistant Editor: Carli Hansen
Senior Marketing Manager: Kim Lyons
Interior Designer: Andrea Reider
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Blakeman, Robyn, 1958– author.
Title: Integrated marketing communication : creative strategy from idea to
implementation / Robyn Blakeman, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Description: Third edition. | Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2018] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017042452 (print) | LCCN 2017051349 (ebook) | ISBN
9781538101063 (electronic) | ISBN 9781538101049 (cloth : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781538101056 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Communication in marketing.
Classification: LCC HF5415.123 (ebook) | LCC HF5415.123 .B557 2018 (print) |
DDC 658.8/02—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017042452
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
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Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Preface vii
Introduction 1
1 Integrated Marketing Communication 3
Here We Go Again 3
What Is Integrated Marketing Communication? 4
Basic Reasons for the Growth of IMC 5
Why IMC Fails 6
What Drives IMC 7
Case Study 1: NIVEA 8
Tying It All Together 17
2 IMC Marketing Plans 26
The Role of the Marketing Plan 26
Where to Begin: Research 27
What Does a Marketing Plan Do? 27
Case Study 2: Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers Campaign 28
The Creative Strategy and the Marketing Plan 42
3 Branding and Positioning 43
Defining a Brand, Its Image, and Its Worth 43
Case Study 3: Dracula 44
Brand Equity: What Is Brand Equity? 46
Brands: What’s in a Name? 46
Brand Awareness: Perception Is the Better Part of Advertising 47
Tweaking the Marketing Plan 52
4 Creative Briefs 53
The Big Influence Inside a Small Document 53
Case Study 4: CVS Rebranding Strategy 54
What Makes Up a Creative Brief? 56
5 The Creative Process 69
The Creative Brief Is the Inspiration behind a Good Idea 69
The Soccer Game of Idea Teamwork 70
Is the Idea on Target and on Strategy? 72
Where Does a Good Idea Originate? 73
The Creative Concept 74
iii
iv CONTENTS
Elements That Make Up an Ad: What Goes Where? 79
Type Is a Personality Thing 83
Putting Ideas on Paper: The Stages of Design 87
Visuals, Options, and Decisions 89
Color’s Representational Role 92
6 Copywriting 95
The Components of Copy 95
Visuals: Tying the Verbal to the Visual 104
The Logo as a Symbol 105
Visual/Verbal Parts 105
Writing beyond the Ad: Promotional Devices 106
Copy Sheets 108
Selling the Client on the Creative Idea 110
7 Campaigns 112
The IMC Campaign 112
Planning the Campaign 113
Case Study 5: Ecco’s Catwalk 114
Isolating the Key Consumer Benefit 115
Developing a Cohesive Visual/Verbal Message 116
The Promotional Mix 117
Types of Campaigns 118
Concept Components 122
Stand Up and Stand Out: It Pays to Be Different 128
8 Public Relations 129
The Strategic Use of Public Relations in IMC 129
Marketing Public Relations 129
The Diversity of the Public Relations Voice 131
Case Study 6: Dawn Dishes It Out 132
How Does Public Relations Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 136
Incentives and Deterrents of Public Relations 136
Putting Public Relations to Work 137
The Strategy behind Public Relations 138
The Many Documents That Make Up Public Relations 140
Publicity 147
9 Newspaper Advertising 149
The Strategic Use of Newspaper in IMC 149
What Is Newspaper Advertising? 149
Case Study 7: Nissan Altima 150
The Diversity of the Newspaper Voice 152
How Does Newspaper Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 153
Incentives and Deterrents of Newspaper Advertising 154
The Strategy behind Newspaper Advertising 155
The Look of Newspaper Advertising 156
Co-op Advertising 159
Evaluation 159
CONTENTS v
10 Magazine Advertising 161
The Strategic Use of Magazines in IMC 161
Case Study 8: Max Factor 162
The Diversity of the Magazine Advertising Voice 163
How Does Magazine Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 165
Incentives and Deterrents of Magazine Advertising 167
What to Avoid and What to Include in Magazine Advertising 169
The Look of Magazine Design 170
Cooperative Advertising and Magazines 173
11 Radio Advertising 175
The Strategic Use of Radio Advertising in IMC 175
Case Study 9: Post Honey Bunches of Oats 176
The Diversity of the Radio Advertising Voice 177
How Does Radio Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 179
Incentives and Deterrents of Radio Advertising 180
The Strategy behind Radio Advertising 181
The Sound of Radio Design 181
What to Consider When Designing for Radio 184
12 Television Advertising 190
The Strategic Use of Television in IMC 190
Case Study 10: The “Aflac Duck” Historic Campaign 192
The Diversity of the Television Advertising Voice 196
How Does Television Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 197
Incentives and Deterrents of Television Advertising 199
The Strategy behind Television Advertising 200
The Sight, Sound, and Motion of Television Design 201
How to Deliver the Message 204
13 Out-of-Home and Transit Advertising 216
The Strategic Use of Out-of-Home in IMC 216
The Diversity of the Out-of-Home Voice 217
Case Study 11: The Metropolitan Museum of Art 218
How Does Out-of-Home Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 224
Incentives and Deterrents of Out-of-Home and Transit Advertising 225
The Strategy behind Out-of-Home and Transit Advertising 226
The Look of Out-of-Home and Transit Advertising 227
14 Direct Marketing 230
The Strategic Use of Direct Marketing in IMC 230
A Word about Databases 232
The Diversity of the Direct-Marketing Voice 233
Case Study 12: Auburn University 234
How Does Direct Marketing Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 238
Incentives and Deterrents of Direct Marketing 239
The Strategy behind Direct Marketing 240
The Many Documents That Make Up a Direct-Mail Kit 242
Bottom Line 247
vi CONTENTS
15 Sales Promotion 248
The Strategic Use of Sales Promotion in IMC 248
The Diversity of the Sales Promotion Voice 249
Case Study 13: Pepsi 250
How Does Sales Promotion Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 255
Incentives and Deterrents of Sales Promotion 256
The Strategy behind Sales Promotion 257
The Look of Sales Promotion 258
16 Internet Marketing and Social Media 260
The Strategic Use of Internet Marketing in IMC 260
The Diversity of the Internet Marketing Voice 261
The Strategic Use of Social Media in IMC 267
Case Study 14: Gatorade Dunk 268
The Diversity of the Social Media Voice 269
How Do Internet Marketing and Social Media Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 277
Incentives and Deterrents of Internet Marketing and Social Media 279
The Strategy behind Internet Marketing 280
The Design of Internet Marketing 281
Designing for a New Medium 282
The Strategy behind Social Media 285
Bottom Line 286
17 Mobile Media Marketing 289
The Strategic Use of Mobile Media in IMC 289
The Diversity of the Mobile Media Marketing Voice 291
Case Study 15: IKEA 292
How Does Mobile Media Marketing Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 298
Incentives and Deterrents of Mobile Media Marketing 300
The Strategy behind Mobile Media Marketing 301
The Look of Mobile Media Marketing 303
Designing for the Newest Digital Medium 305
18 Alternative Media Advertising 310
The Strategic Use of Alternative Media in IMC 310
Case Study 16: Allstate 312
The Diversity of the Alternative Media Voice 314
How Does Alternative Media Advertising Help IMC Be Consumer Focused? 319
Incentives and Deterrents of Alternative Media 321
The Strategy behind Alternative Media Advertising 322
The Look of Alternative Media Advertising 324
The Choice to Use Alternative Media 327
Guerrilla Marketing Is All about the Innovative Encounter 328
Glossary 335
Bibliography 346
Index 351
About the Author 359
Preface
Selling a product or service today requires the creative and strategic use of multiple media
options. Understanding how to use those options to best effect requires having a firm
handle on how business theory affects the development of the creative message. Professors,
instructors, and students in myriad disciplines will appreciate the unique approach of this
book—which takes a combined look at both marketing and advertising rather than focusing
on just one or the other. The goal here is to provide readers with a simple introduction to
how the business of marketing can be transformed into a visual/verbal message and how
that message can in turn be strategically delivered.
Today’s business environment requires students to be well-rounded professionals,
understanding not only the business of advertising and marketing but also how to choose
and employ the best media options to deliver the message and reach the intended target
audience. This book focuses on:
• communicators employing the correct message;
• placing the message in the most appropriate media; and
• using the most advantageous communications approach.
Instructors who can combine both marketing and advertising tactics let students know that
marketing and design are no longer separate entities; they are the result of all parts working
as a cohesive whole.
In order to achieve this cohesive visual/verbal message, the choice of media vehicles
employed depends on several factors, such as a brand’s life-cycle stage, copy length, who is to
be reached, what objectives need to be strategically accomplished, how the most important
attribute will be visually and verbally presented, and the overall tone of voice used to deliver
the message throughout the campaign. To ensure effective delivery, the text breaks down
the varied media options into individual chapters, allowing instructors to tailor both lecture
and projects around how each vehicle can or cannot accomplish the overall marketing and
advertising goals.
Instructors teaching courses that focus on finding strategic and creative solutions
to business problems will find that this text not only simplifies abstract design and con-
cept-building principles but also clearly and simply outlines:
1. how to lay the foundation for the development of a marketing plan, creative strategy,
and creative brief;
vii
viii PREFACE
2. how a creative strategy fits in a business plan and how it is developed and used;
3. how to use a creative brief to develop a brand image and/or concept that is cohesive
across multiple media and speaks to the intended target; and
4. how to write and design for multiple media using the strategy developed during
the business phase.
To keep up with the ever-changing media environment, I have updated the discussions on
newspaper, magazines, out-of-home and transit, electronic media, and mobile to include
more interactive options. The discussion on social media has been expanded to include the
growing use of video; additional alternative media examples and case studies have also been
presented. Although not all visuals used in the text are available in color, the e-edition of
the book uses the color images whenever possible. New to the third edition is the inclusion
of discussion questions and additional teaching materials.
A complimentary Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank are available, as well as an open-
access Companion Website for students that includes interactive flashcards and other learning
material. Visit http://textbooks.rowman.com/blakeman3e or e-mail textbooks@rowman.
com for more information.
Introduction
Have you ever seen an ad and said, “Wow, that’s cool?” Or thought it was stupid, or that you
could do it better? If you have, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, creative teams rarely get
to do whatever they want with an ad. They must meet strict prerequisites for an ad to be
considered effective or successfully sell a product or service. What ends up in print, online,
or on television isn’t all about the message; it’s also about how the message visually and/or
verbally accomplishes a marketer’s business plan of action.
There’s a lot of really good advertising out there, but if an ad doesn’t reach the target
audience with a relatable message . . . if it doesn’t strategically accomplish a predetermined
set of objectives or goals . . . if it doesn’t clearly push a single attribute important to the target
. . . no matter how cool that ad is, it will fail. Some of the most mundane, seemingly uncre-
ative ads you are exposed to are often more successful at accomplishing these prerequisites
than their more entertaining counterparts.
Successful, memorable advertising needs to figure out how to tie the business of adver-
tising to the creative of advertising, part of the foundation of integrated marketing com-
munication (IMC). Creative represents the voice of business and can ultimately determine
the success or failure of a product or service in the marketplace. It is important for you to
understand that the advertising creative process is not an art—it is a marketing function. To
be successful, advertising must seamlessly integrate the business of advertising into a visual/
verbal message that not only sells but also can build or maintain image as well as engage the
target, all at the same time.
In a nutshell, the goal of advertising is to generate revenue through information and
entertainment. To do this, account and creative teams must build an interpretive creative
strategy based on a sound business plan. A creative strategy looks at who is most likely to
purchase and what it will take to get them to purchase. A business plan that employs IMC
expands the creative strategy’s voice by using one visual/verbal message throughout multiple
media. This consistent visual/verbal message can be more accurately targeted to reach those
most likely to purchase or use the product or service by incorporating a message developed
with their specific needs, wants, and lifestyle in mind.
The development of an effective IMC campaign requires you to look at the creative
side of advertising as a part of the business of advertising rather than seeing the two as sep-
arate functions within the advertising process. Although two very distinctive and different
mind-sets will need to analyze these areas for advertising to succeed or make a profit, they
must work together. A creative idea doesn’t work unless the groundwork for that idea is
laid down in the marketing process, is tied directly to those most likely to use or purchase
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