Integrated Marketing Communications, Marketing Communications Manager - Assignment Example

Scenario: You are responsible for marketing communications for a major cruise organisation, Star Cruises, based in Hong Kong. The company is going tostart cruises out of Dover (a major port on the Kent coast) with two ships that will sail to the Mediterranean for two weeks at a time cruising to such places as Barcelona, Rome, Athens and Malta. Sailings will take place between 1 June and the last day in September each year. Prices will be competitive and the company will compete with such companies as NCL Cruises, RCI and Costa Cruises. All ships are in the 4+ star category. Entertainment is provided on board (free) and all food is inclusive in the price. Alcohol and shore excursions are an extra cost to passengers. Tasks: In the role of Marketing Communications Manager for Star Cruises: 1. Investigate the concept of Integrated Marketing Communications and the role of the marketing communications mix components in supporting marketing strategy. a) Describe the concept of the integrated marketing framework In today’s trend of marketing activity, people are bombarded with communication because marketers are after of getting the attention of prospective customers. There are many organizations in the world and certainly competition is everywhere. Competition is around and its manifestation is clear enough on various marketing activities that try to catch up attention of prospective buyers or customers. This is evident in cruise industry in Hong Kong. The major player is Star Cruises but it has its major competitors such as NCL Cruises, RCI and Costa Cruises. All these three cruise organisations are playing important role in Hong Kong’s cruise industry. Without these competing cruise organisations, the cruise industry in Hong Kong will never be competitive enough considering that there will be no other players that try to challenge any existing cruise organisation. At this point, the Star Cruises is continually challenged by other competing cruises that eventually are trying to achieve competitive advantage. According to Porter (1980), competitive advantage can be achieved by formulating competitive strategies which involved overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Thus, it is for the benefits of the customers when there are competing companies or organisation for a certain product or services because it is emphasised by Porter that overall cost leadership is an integral part of any offering made in the market. However, the right cost or competitive price for instance still cannot guarantee attraction in the same way as the ‘mousetrap fallacy’ is true. Therefore, there is a need to effectively communicate better information about the offering in order to get the prospective customers informed about some substantial and specific answers to their needs. In the same way, in order for it to be competitive enough, there is a need for Star Cruises not to rely so much individually on traditional advertising, sales promotion, interactive marketing, database development, direct marketing and public relations. This level of understanding has brought forward the idea of Integrated Marketing Communications in which all the organisation’s communication channels such as mass media, advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing and packaging are integrated and coordinated together in order to substantially create unified and consistent message for the consumers to increase their awareness on the offering (Boone and Kurtz, 2006; Kotler et al., 1999; Belch and Belch, 1998; Yeshin, 1998; and Kitchen; De Pelsmacker, 2004; and Schultz et al., 1994). An integrated marketing communication is an integral part of a simple marketing system. However it puts too much emphasis on the communication process involved in the marketing system. A simple marketing system is illustrated below and it can be observed that it closely integrates both the industry and market. It is broad aspect since the whole communication process would involve information from the market to be processed by the industry. The output of such information is the industry’s communication strategy that will eventually motivate the market to get the offering in exchange of something which usually takes in a form of monetary value. The integrated marketing communications designs may vary from one organization to another depending on the needs and design of their system. An integrated marketing communication model therefore may vary as well. However, the entire concept remains the same and it all contains the basic. Shown in Appendix A is an integrated marketing communication models containing all the basic components. Illustration 1. A simple marketing system (Kotler et al., 1999) b) Analyse the relationship between marketing and communication objectives The marketing objectives of Star Cruises involved attracting prospective passengers into its offerings. Eventually part of its marketing communications are specific ideas about its routes, schedules, prices, service category and other attractive features such as drinks and entertainment. The general marketing objective now of the manager is eventually to keep the prospective customers informed about its offerings and underlying features of it. Such can be understood by presenting related marketing information about the Star Cruises offerings. It is therefore clear that marketing objective and communication objective are two different but important considerations that the Star Cruises marketing communications manager should try to take into account. Marketing objectives surely involved ideas about where the company would be heading in terms of its marketing activities (Boone and Kurtz, 2006; Kotler et al., 1999; and Belch and Belch, 1998). This means that every marketing activity of the company is linked to its marketing objectives. In order to reach these marketing objectives, there are ways that need to be considered and such would involve strategies as presented by Porter (1980). However, such strategies may encompass specific ways such as communications strategies which in marketing involved promotional activities such as personal and non-personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, publicity and public relations (Boone and Kurtz, 2006). In short, marketing objectives can be achieved with the right communication objectives encompassing any marketing activity. Thus, these two should come together in order to achieve corporate objectives. In the case of Star Cruises, its goal to attract prospective passengers into its offerings can be substantially addressed by creating effective communication strategies for the customers to understand completely more about its offerings. Marketing and communication objectives therefore are essential parts of any marketing activity and the good thing about them is that they are applicable to Star Cruises in order to effectively promote its offerings to its prospective passengers. The bottom line of this is to achieve corporate objective that can be achievable by using marketing concepts which can be indicated by marketing and communication objectives. c) Assess the role of integrated marketing communications in supporting marketing strategy Marketing strategy is company’s specific approach in order to be competitive or become worthy in an on-going competition in the marketplace. Based on the definition of integrated marketing communications it can be figured out that it is a specific marketing strategy approach of a certain company in order to effectively communicate the message of a certain offering (Boone and Kurtz, 2006; Kotler et al., 1999; Belch and Belch, 1998; and Schultz et al., 1994 ). Kotler et al (1999) emphasised that integrated marketing communications lead to specific strategy in helping customers make out solutions for their problems, they unify company’s image and help produce consistent and better communications resulting to positive sales impact. This shows the fact that marketing communications eventually can create positive support for any marketing strategy which at some point is tantamount to creating competitive advantage. Marketing communications therefore are integral parts of any marketing strategy taking into account that any marketing activities should include promotional activities involving personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, publicity and public relations. This is shown in Illustration 2. The concept in Illustration 2 does not imply that only the promotional activities can eventually make marketing strategy a reality for marketers. In fact, there is a need to consider all marketing components. It is only shown that since promotion is an integral part of marketing mix, it implies that any promotional activity is in line with trying to create a marketing strategy that will be backed up with marketing communications activities. This clearly shows that marketing strategies and promotional activities aside from other marketing mix components should also come together in order to come up with successful and integrated marketing communications system. In line with this, there is a good chance to effectively convey the message to target customers. In the same way, there is a good chance to clearly emphasize the message about the offerings. Illustration 2. Relationship between marketing promotion and marketing strategy d) Provide a range of supporting examples in the context In this section, the proponent tries to emphasize how specifically can Star Cruises essentially address the need to come up with a marketing strategy that is backed up with integrated marketing communications and its marketing communication mix which absolutely involves promotional activities. In order that the marketing strategy of Star Cruises can be achieved, there is a need to come up with consideration of its marketing mix. Part of it is the consideration of promotional activities which would involve the entire marketing communication process. For instance, there is a need for Star Cruises to effectively understand other marketing mix components beforehand. In this regard, there is going to be a clear emphasis on how the company should create a communication process system about its offerings to target customers. In its marketing communication system, Star Cruises can eventually try to emphasize many other things in its promotional activities. One of the emphases of course is the coordination of its communications channels such as mass media advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, packaging and many others. With regards to this, the Star Cruises can eventually create a consistent message about its offerings to prospective customers and this will run down consistently to its different communication channels. This means that each communications channel involved should carry the same message about the offering to every potential customer. Toyota is good at its integrated marketing communication designs. Dell is also known to become top in its industry due to effective and efficient system for its integrated marketing communications. In its IMC campaign, Chrysler Crossfire was able to utilize Web Site and Toll Free Number. In this case, the company was able to coordinate mass media advertising and specific strategy for publicity (Boone and Kurtz, 2006). In the same way, Star Cruises can definitely create a working system coordinating its communications channels. 2 Investigate the concepts of marketing communications theory and communications a) Explain the principal concepts of marketing communications theory in relation to buyer behaviour and decision making. Marketing activities nowadays are trying to create needs for certain offerings (Smith and Taylor, 2004). These offerings however are essential to customers because they eventually can address their needs. What marketers usually do is to focus on how to open the mind of consumers beyond their perception of their needs. It is therefore important to understand what motivates consumers. Maslow was able to identify consumer’s hierarchy of needs that contains essential information on what motivates consumers. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is presented in Illustration 3 which shows physiological needs as primary in every walk of life. Freud on the other hand puts it into assumption that consumers are largely unconscious about their needs in life due to the repression of some urges in life from their start of development and until as they grow (Kotler et al., 1999). The point of Freud therefore is clear. Marketers are therefore encouraged to help consumers understand their needs and in such a way they will be motivated enough to understand their repressed desires in life. This only implies that in order to effectively implement successful marketing communications, marketers must be able to understand the hierarchy of needs of consumers and their repressed desires in life in order to substantially determine what motivates them to go for an offering. Since marketers are trying to create needs for their offerings, it is important to understand the concept of customers’ needs and consumer behaviour. In doing this, marketers will be able to determine the right and accurate marketing communications that essentially will create motivation among customers in addressing their needs. Illustration 3. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Kotler et al., 1999) b) Assess the role of e-communications in supporting marketing communications activities Electronic businesses are everywhere today due to the sophistication of World Wide Web. This means that everyone has the chance to conduct business wherever in the planet across the globe. This has made marketing communications become possible everywhere in reaching prospective customers (Yeshin, 1998). In this case, it is necessary to design electronic marketing communications that will help address the needs of consumers. Companies nowadays are installed online and are becoming increasingly visited by customers through the World Wide Web. The reason for this is that these companies are offering services online and they are promoting products and services to customers all throughout the world. Their target customers are not only local but abroad. E-communication therefore is trying to support marketing communication activities to another level of marketing system. E-communication is trying to integrate the world into a whole new market. Thus, this means that marketing communication activities with the aid of e-communications are trying to momentarily integrate the world into a whole new bunch of markets with the core foundation of traditional marketing system. c) Provide a range of supporting examples in the context With the use of e-communications, Star Cruises can eventually use the internet for marketing purposes of its offerings. The company can advertise online transactions for tickets and other related transactions involving reservations, accommodations and promotions. This would ensure comfort on the part of customers or passengers. On the other hand, Star Cruises can eventually encourage every passenger to conduct transaction at home while ensuring satisfaction of accommodation. Not only that, with the current system of marketing communication in the electronic world, it would be easy to capture attention of the passengers regarding the company’s promotion and other related services. Star Cruises can try to communicate intensively, creatively and manipulatively about its offered products and services and promotions. This ensures that with e-communications, everything can be done with comfort and in a fast-paced manner. Not only that, Star Cruises will be guaranteed with a promising profit due to minimal utilisation of manpower as applied in the old nature of traditional marketing system. Airline passengers nowadays are ensured with the comfort of travelling abroad due to highly advanced e-communication in business. Some passengers may just bring with them credit cards or debit cards without having too much risk. With advanced e-communication system integrated into marketing system, customers can appreciate the comfort of paying without the need to bring substantial cash with them. This brings comfort and security on their part. On the part of the company especially in Star Cruises such level of transaction brings about sophistication of its services and it is timely since it is in line with the current trend of the needs and demands of customers. d) Evaluate how ethical and legal issues might constrain marketing communications activities Every business should have to be designed to work in an ethical way. The mere proof is the institution of law covering substantial issues regarding on consumer welfare for instance. Since marketing is an integral part of a business, it is therefore covered by ethical and legal considerations. There are some claims that media which fundamentally used for marketing communications and any other related activities are shown to corrupt consumers. As stated earlier, marketers are able to create needs for their offerings and the only way to do so is to conduct marketing communications activities. As also stated earlier, there are different communications channels that marketers can use and part of it are advertising and any other related promotional activities. Most of these activities try to use media in order to influence or inform customers about the message of an offering. Some marketers are said to come up with messages about the offering that promote lifestyle of consumers based on the nature of consumption that is not widely justified (Foley, 2000). This means that it would be misleading on the part of the customers since they have to be informed exactly about the truth and not merely on superficial image of the offering. Consumers have the right to use products or offerings based on safety and which has to be governed by the law. This level of thinking about advertising and other related marketing communications channels significantly have an impact on the reliability of the message of the marketing communications activities. With this level of awareness and sophistication on the part of customers on marketing communications activities, there is an evolution on the part of marketers on how to essentially address the needs and desires for an offering. In this case, the best thing that the marketing communications activities can guarantee is just gaining popularity about the product and the rest will depend on the acceptance of customers. Customers definitely determine the life of an offering in the market and marketing communications activities help ensure a communication process with substantial and reliable information in it. Sad to say, not all consumers got to agree every marketing communication activity and that the only way to believe each of them is to prove and try it themselves. In addition, some regulations and legal and ethical considerations on marketing communications are intended to suppress marketing communications activities. According to Laczniak (2000), this is due to rapid idealism of consumers and lack of depth information on issues governing economical and social considerations. All of these issues are potential hindrances of marketing communications activities to effectively communicate information about an offering. Marketers are therefore encourage to try and develop more meaningful marketing communication strategies that promote efficient information about an offering and are still covering ethical and legal considerations. References Belch, G. E., and Belch, M. A. (1998) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. 4th ed. USA: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Boone, L. E., and Kurtz, D. L. (2006) Contemporary Marketing. 12th ed. USA: Thomson/South Western. Foley, J. P. (2000) ‘Ethics in Advertising: A Look at the Report by The Pontifical Council for Social Communications’, in L. H. Newton and M. M. Freud (eds). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society. USA: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill. Kitchen, P. J., and De Pelsmacker, P. (2004) Integrated marketing communications: a primer. New York: Routledge. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Saunders, J., and Wong, V. (1999) Principles of Marketing. Milan: Prentice Hall Europe. Laczniak, G. R. (2000) ‘Reflections on the 1997 Vatican Statements Regarding Ethics in Advertising,’ in L. H. Newton and M. M. Freud (eds). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society. USA: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill. Porter, M. E. (1998) The competitive advantage of nations: with a new introduction. USA: Free Press. Schultz, D. E., Tannenbaum, S., and Lauterborn, R. F. (1994) The new marketing paradigm: integrated marketing communications. USA: McGraw-Hill Professional. Smith, P. S., and Taylor, J. (2004) Marketing communications: an integrated approach. Malta: Kogan Page Publishers. Yeshin, T. (1998) Integrated marketing communications: the holistic approach. Great Britain: Butterworht-Heinemann. Appendix A. An integrated marketing communications planning model (Belch and Belch, 1998) Read More