By: Vera Ndrecaj BA (Hons). MBA
Introduction:
The purpose of this paper is to discuss and critically
evaluate marketing communication strategy of the panel debate “Value of MBA to
Employers”. Compare and contrast traditional
marketing communication approach implemented for the event with integrated
marketing communication (IMC) concept, which we failed to implement. This
approach will enable us to integrate and co-ordinate the event’s communication
channels such as public relation, direct marketing, packaging, and also to
deliver a clear consistent and compelling message about the panel debate (product). Academic theories of
marketing communication and examples from the above experience will be used to
support arguments put forward.
The critical evaluation will be
developed based on the events’ marketing communication strategy, its success
and failure. As highlighted in the
above report our marketing communication strategy was indistinct, we did not
have clear strategic planning. This approach is criticised by (Pearce and
Robinson, 2005; Pitt and Lei, 2006; Jones et al., 2007; and Grant 2009) they
highlight the importance of having strategic planning in order to facilitate
organisation towards its vision and mission. But on the other hand, Johnson and
Scholes (2001) described strategic planning as conclusive rather as directional in
nature. Jones (2007) argued that
planning is an unnatural process; it is much more fun to do nothing (Allen et
al., 2011). Although, lack of planning can persuade distraction. This is
supported by (Focussed Performance 2006) the ‘nicest’ thing about not planning
is that failure comes as a compliment. Nevertheless, Pitts and Lei (2006)
enhanced the impotence of flexibility of strategic planning in order to respond
quickly and effectively to changes. Hill et al (2007) clarified that;
occasionally successful strategies might emerge without prior planning. For a small
scale community event rational planning and formal structure are not
appropriate (Baker,
1992; Berridge, 2007), especially when the event has short life – cycle.
However, the mission and vision of the event was not
well defined that leaded to distraction and misunderstandings of the aims and
objectives of the event. Mission and vision are conditioned by the needs of
various stakeholders group, and also are a starting point of any strategic
marketing planning (Allen et al., 2011), therefore the impacts were unenviable.
Johnson et al., (2005, p. 13) defined mission as a “...the
overall purpose of the organisation, which ...is in line with the values and
expectations of major stakeholders, and concerned with scope and boundaries of
the organisation” (2005:13).
However, Pearce and Robinson, (2005) suggested that,
vision statement can be separated from an event’s mission, or the two may be
combined. Viljoen and Dan, (2003) described the role of the vision statement as
the answer of the following question; what event organizers are seeking to
achieve in long term through the conduct of the event. However, Allen et al.,
(2011) clarified that, vision statements do not necessarily need to be written
down, the most important point is to share it and make sure this vision is understood
from all team members.
To meet our customers’ needs and expectation, by
exchanging the product (debate) for something of value, we intended to
implement strategic marketing planning. Miller and Layton (2000) suggested that
marketing conceits all activities that designed to generate and facilitate any
exchange intended to satisfy human needs and wants. However, Gez, (2007) and
Hoyle (2009) do not attempt to define the term of event strategic marketing
planning.
Marketing is a business philosophy (Hall et al.,
2006). It is not just a series of activities, such as advertising or selling,
but more way of thinking how to satisfy customers’ needs (Kotler et al., 1999).
However, marketing and marketing communication mix are changing, new insights,
new tools, new opportunities, and new challenges are emerging (Allen et al.,
2011). Marketing communication is becoming more integrated (Smith and Taylor,
2004). The more integrated marketing communication, the more effective it will
be in achieving an event’s marketing objectives because potential customers see
and hear uniform and consistent message (Allen et al., 2011). In this context the role of
communication manager is becoming strategically very important (Johansson and Ottestig, 2009)
We
failed to adapt the concept of IMC due to functional silos, timescale, lack of
management, and budget restriction. We were not able of integrate and co-ordinate
between all communication channels, and also we did not manage to deliver
uniform, consistent massage because of linguistic problems and confusion. This
leaded to semantic noise and cognitive dissonances, and also could have
negative impacts and consequences of UOG brand and image. We comprised
marketing communication by looking at targeted audience, medium and message
diversity, and designed the communication system in order to include internal
and external stakeholders as suggested by (Kotler et al., 2000; Little and
Marandi 2003; Smith and Tylor, 2004;and Allen et al., 2011). Marketing communication has traditional
focused on planed promotional activities such as advertising public relation,
and direct marketing Little and Marandi, 2003). Clearly these channels are
important but (Murray, 1991) suggested that, in the early stages of the
relationship at least, stakeholders put more in messages from personal or
independent sources. However, one of our objectives was to build networking
with professional people from various areas of the businesses across Wales, so
we focused on relationship marketing (RM) rather than transactional marketing
(TM) in order to enable us to achieve the objective.
However Linton and Morley (1995) claimed that the
advantages of integrated IMC are consistency of message, more effective use of
media, improve marketing accuracy, cost saving, creative integrity and
operational efficiency. However, Duncan and
Moriarty (1998) argued that trust and commitment are products of IMC therefore
relationship is impossible without effective communication approach. However, we approach the combination
between traditional marketing communication mix and IMC. IMC strategy was based
on knowledge we gained through research about customers and potential customers
that was target market. The concern was that, how the event managed its
relationships with target market groups which drive its brand value (Duncan,
2002). IMC is about relationship (Madhavaram
et al., 2005) than ethnography in IMC can be as understanding of those
relationships (Mendez, 2009). However, Little and Marandi (2003) clarified
that, the key to successful relationship marketing (RM) communication is the
integration of the various messages transmitted and resided by the
organisation. This is share values that provide the bases for such integration
Gronroos, 2000).
Kliatchko, (2008) described IMC as a strategic
process. The idea of IMC concept
initially was adapted on the events field by McDonnell (1999). The variety of
definitions has since emerged from an IMC concept each with their own emphases
and possible meanings. Shimp,
(2003) explained that, IMC concept
integrates all sources of the
communication costumers have as potential delivery channels for messages and
makes use of all communication methods that are relevant to customers. However,
Institute for Integrated Marketing Communication (IIMC, 2006) highlight the
coordination of promotional elements and other activities that communicate with
customers. IMC focuses on the synergistic role of advertising, direct
marketing, internet and interactive marketing public relation and personal
selling in the communications program. However, both definitions failed to
mention the various methods as using internet as a promotional medium such as
social networking, registration, and ticket distribution which we managed
successfully. But on the other hand, we did not utilise all elements of
communication mix suggested by (Duncan 2002; Smith and Taylor, 2004). We used
personal selling – by approaching friends and family, sale promotion- promoting the product
not only through channels but also we used open day to promote the product,
word of mouth- we did spread the world last minute , packaging- refreshment,
venue, and also we used corporate identity - UOG brand to promote the event. We
did not use advertising, sponsorship,
exhibition, merchandising publicity. However, Nowak and Phelps (2005) argued that, the boundaries
between types of promotion are vanishing. But, on the other hand, Drobis (2003)
criticised advertising as term of high cost and controlling from third-party.
This is not the best way to build relationship. Advertising and other forms of
marketing communication also do not match public relations on flexibility
(ibid).
The improvement in computer technology are speeding
the movement towards segmented marketing rather than mass marketing. We used segmented
marketing, by choosing social networking as a successful and trendy
communication channels to promote IMC is key factor for the success of events (Getz, 2005; Masterman and
Wood, 2005). In developing an IMC
strategy, we considered four sources of marketing communication such as planned
messages; unplanned message, product message, service message, but we used
successfully only plan and unplanned message. From traditional communication mix each type of
the promotion has separated function; fragmentation of messages and imagery
therefore the brand image occur (Masterman and Wood (2006) but on the other
hand integrated marketing communication mix all types integrated in to one
strategy; synergy occur between various type (Kotler et al., (2000; Smith and
Taylor 2002; and Masterman and Wood, 2006). However, we started the project
with the event and its production rather than starting with event customer
needs and how the event can satisfy these which is suggested from IMC (Kotler,
2004). The MBA team intended to use unified consistent message, rather than
fragment communication programs this is suggested from TMC (Masterman and Wood,
2006). We aimed to build a
relationship with our customer and add value to the brand instead of short-term
objectives for each promotion campaign that is function of TMC. We did not target mass audience
Nevertheless, it is important for marketers to
understand how communication works. A variety of definitions have since merged
for communication. Smith and Taylor (2004) referred to dictionary to define
communication “as a science of transmitting information” (2004:71) but this
view is criticised by (LittleJohn and Foss, 2008) because information is
transmitted but it is not necessary ‘received’ or ‘Understood’. However to
communicate effectively marketers need to understand how communication work
(Kotler et al., 2000) The targeted audience was mainly composed from those who
already knows and prefer UOG brand. However, Kotler (2010) argued that, this
strategy is not effective because communication to this group of people is not
productive and useless.
Kotler (2010) developed the communication model
based on Schramm’s (1955) model, as shown in figure 1.2 with nine elements. Two
of them represent the major parties in a communication –sender and receiver,
message and media representing communication tools, and four represent
communication function- encoding, decoding, response and feedback, and last
element is noise in the system (ibid).
The communication model must answer following question; who? says what?
in what channel? To whom? With
what effect?
However, Smith and Taylor (2004) argued that no
single model can reflect the complexity of communication process. However, IMC
required careful integrations and co-ordinations between various communication
channels to deliver a clear consistent message about the organisation and its
products (Kotler et al., 2003). IMC also increase profit through effectiveness
(Smith and Taylor, (2004).
There is ongoing debate in marketing field between
traditional and integrated marketing communications views. But on the other
hand, there is an agreement about unified and integrated message. Two major factors are changing today’s
marketing communication. The mass marketing is fragmented; marketers are
shifting away from mass marketing. Secondly, vast improvement in computer and
information technology are speeding the movement toward segmented marketing.
Today’s information technology helps marketers to keep close track to customers
needs. New technology also provide new communication avenues for reaching small
customer segmentation with more tailored message. The shift from mass marketing
to segmented marketing has had a dramatic impact on marketing communication. Mass-media
communication shifted to one-to-one marketing is spawning a new generation of
more specialised and highly targeted communicated effort. However, marketing
communications adapt richer but more fragmented media and promotion mix to
reach their diversity markets, they prevent the dangers of creating a semantic
noise for customers by adapted integrated marketing communication. This calls
for careful integrating all communication sources to deliver clear and
consistent message to target markets. But to integrate external communication
effectively it is important first to integrate internal communication
activities, and also carefully co-ordinated the promotional activities and the
timing. Finally, to help to implement integrated marketing strategy, the company
appoints a marketing communication manager (Kotler et al., 2000) who has
overall responsibility for the communication efforts. The table below summarise
both communication mix used for this project.
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