The concept and content of integrated marketing communications

Effective communications of the company are one of the main conditions for its competitiveness on the modern market. Its relevant application and management causes significant opportunities for influencing the consumerκ and building relationships with them. Along with the traditional tools of marketing communications, we have studied modern approaches to the company's message delivering, making it more client- oriented and personalized. We considered the main components of the integrated marketing communications concept, outlined its role and objectives in the system of marketing of enterprises. The basic tools of marketing communications and also modern possibilities of their effective application are also considered. This approach allows to provide more qualitative interaction and to achieve results in communications with consumers.

Current development of market relations requires use of marketing techniques in the company's activity. Due to the necessity to compete on non-price term on the market, where the communications factor is involved, the role of communication environment building is expanding fundamentally.

In today's market it is important to build relations and communications with the internal and external audiences, employees and clients, for the promotion on product and services markets. One of the most significant factors in achieving its comprehensive coverage is marketing communications as an element of the marketing mix, providing the most impact on the company's target audience.

The marketing communications are at the core of promotion process of the company, which is aimed at the development of sustainable links with the market. That links are formed to inform, persuade and remind of the company and to promote sales of gods or services, creating positive image of the company. The means of promotion are the advertisement, PR, direct marketing and sales promotion.

There are four main marketing communications roles according to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM):

1. Differentiate - a product/brand (to make it different from a competitor's one or seem different through effective positioning).
2. Remind – and reassure a target audience with regard to the benefits (to encourage initial or subsequent purchase).
3. Inform – a target audience by providing new information (about a product/brand).
4. Persuade – an audience to take a particular set of actions (e.g. purchase a product or services) [1; 35]. Studies on marketing communications theory and practice were conducted by such foreign authors as
5. Blake, A. Bond, J. Burnett, E. Dihtl, T. Harris, P. Kotler, Lambin, С. Larson, S. Moriarty, L. Percy,J.R. Rossiter, W. Wells. In this field were carried out considerable researches that have become the basis for the implementation of marketing communications policy.

The first author who introduced the idea of integrated approach to marketing communications was T. Levitt in 1962 as a concept of centralized marketing. According to this concept the company is to asset all its commercial efforts, which include promotional messages, product design, packaging, design of the sale places and etc. All the messages should be coordinated, mutually reinforcing, to communicate fully a consistent corporate image [2].

The development of the concept of the integrated approach has led to the establishment of the integrated marketing communications concept. However, most of the works focus the general theory of marketing communications and its components such as PR, advertisement. Some studies addresses theoretical and practical problems of integrated marketing communications implementation, in particular, its components, organization and planning process.

Significant contribution to the development of IMC (integrated marketing communications) concept have been made by American (R.F. Lauterborn, S.I. Tannenbaum, D.E. Schultz) and European (P.R. Smith, C. Berry, A. Pulford) scholars, who fist applied systematic approach in designing the company's promotion policy. Among Russian authors this area of marketing communications has been studied by E.N. Holubkova, A.A. Romanov, A.V. Panko, E.A. Sotnikova, E. Popova, T.O. Primak, E.V. Romat, S.V. Kozlov.

There are different interpretations of IMC in the conceptual advances of foreign authors as well as views on its components (Table 1).

Table 1 Definitions of integrated marketing communications

End of Table 1

Note. Complied by the authors.

The reviewed definitions led to determination of main conditions of IMC formation. However, there is no unified approach to the scientific definition on IMC concept. According to the mentioned authors the following main components of IMC can be highlighted:

• Planning and coordination of marketing communications;
• Consistency of marketing activity;
• The developing communications between all parties involved;
• Combined application of marketing communications;
• Synergy of marketing communications; unified positioning;
• Strategic analysis of marketing communications;

Therefore, the scientific literature analysis shows that IMC are based on following principles:

• IMC integrate the business strategy as a whole for the formation of the unified and consistent message;
• Coordinate all the marketing activities of the company in complex application of marketing communications;
• Establish a contact with customers and all audiences, creating a dialogue;
• Build communications in a way that influences the individual customer in order to build loyalty.

In the formation of IMC the main components appears to be the mutual support and integration of all elements. Joint communication activities cause an effect exceeding its simple addition. IMC aim is to achieve the synergy, which is one of the ways to increase the efficiency of marketing activities. Synergism is the excess of cumulative effect of communications used for company's product promotion over the effect of separate communication components [15; 33].

According to P. Kotler synergetic effect is the effect of cooperation of the integrated marketing activities of different kind united by one purpose. A. Broderick adds that synergy is achieved with the use of marketing communication elements by their mutual support. In the result the general effect of cooperation can exceed the effect caused by its separate components [20; 6] (Fig. 1).

The reviewed IMC formulations resulted in identification of its following aims:

In our view, the focus on the specified aims defines its essence. The achieving of communication efficiency implies qualitative, persuasive transmission of a unified message about the product or company to the target audience. The main criteria for communication effectiveness are the increasing consumer awareness, strengthening intention to purchase and direct support in the acquisition of goods. The company's economic efficiency means maximizing profits as a result of marketing activities in the framework of IMC. By strategic efficiency we define the ability to strategically plan and analyze marketing activities of the company by combining and integrating various elements of marketing communications.

Therefore, integrated marketing communications (IMC) constitute a system of information and communication impact on the target audience, which results in a synergy from the integrated application of marketing communications tools and the integration of all separate messages of the company.

Traditionally, there are several elements in the marketing communications, which are in constant interaction between company and its external and internal environment. These elements include according to advertising, sales promotion, sponsorship, public relations, direct marketing, and personal selling (D. Pickton and A. Broderick, P. Kotler, K.L. Keller, J-J. Lambin). According to S.I. Tannenbaum it also includes logistical support [21; 37].

Some additional tools can be added due to development of means of communications as well as the division of traditional tools into several elements to distinguish the difference. These tools are packaging, word of mouth, point of sales, E-marketing and exhibitions, sponsorship.

The Figure 2 shows the most important marketing communications tools.

The use of these tools allows defining some integrated system of marketing communications of company.

The basic tools (the basic means of goods and services promotion) of the integrated marketing communications system in accordance with the mentioned definitions are:

• advertising - is any paid form of non-personal communication, presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor [22];
• public relations is an indirect promotional tool whose role is to establish and enhance a positive image of an organization and its products/services among its various audiences;
• sales promotions is the use of short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. Achumba I.C. adds that the displays, trade fairs and shows are the vital tools of sales promotional activity;
• personal selling is personal presentation by the firm's sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships [23].

Supporting marketing communications (promotion of the company in the marketing environment) are:

• sponsorship - the activities that the company finances in order to create daily or special contacts with the brand;
• corporate identity expressed through all of company contact with public: including the design, exhibitions, point of sales, documents, packaging;
• most of the marketing communications influence potential consumers through informal opinion, word of mouth, by positive feedback sent by customers to their closest associates.

Some marketing communication tools cause an immediate reaction in a measurable market (e.g. personal sales). Other instruments are difficult to measure, but effect for a prolonged period of time (e.g. PR) [24].

A consistent dialogue with the target audience is also achieved though the Internet that includes web pages, social networks, mobile applications. Table 2 presents the features of traditional and online advertising.

As shown in the Table 2 there are differences between channels and means of promotion, which include traditional and those developing in the Internet. The use of advertising tools in the Internet provides company an immediate response from targeted and other audiences to ongoing communications and product promo-

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tion. It gives opportunity to communicate the way it meet the expectations and preferences of consumers within the framework of integrated marketing communications strategy. That strategy is focused on establishing interaction with potential consumers and assumes the parallel use of various communication channels, which also include online communication. According to K.L. Keller there are many ways to combine different traditional and new communication options available today [25].

Table 2 Comparative characteristics of the traditional and Internet advertisings

Note. Complied by the authors.

Hence, electronic or online word of mouth (eWOM) has become an important factor in consumer buying decisions along with traditional recommendations. eWOM is an interpersonal communication in which a sender spreads a message to receivers by the Internet. Consumers trust eWOM more than advertisements, as they regard their peers as more reliable than companies. As such, companies receiving favorable eWOM have a better chance to increase sales. Although eWOM is implemented by consumers, companies can initiate eWOM campaigns for marketing communications. It has become increasingly important for companies to utilize electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in their marketing campaigns for desired product sales [26].

In our view, there following trends in the development of integrated marketing communications:

• extension of relationship marketing strategies within the IMC;
• coordination of tools of marketing communications with technologies, especially through Internet;
• shift in the concept of a communication aimed at several different audiences with the consistent positioning of the product /service /brand;
• evaluation of the efficiency of a IMC complex;
• most of marketing communications influences potential consumers through informal opinion, when consumers give positive feedback to their associates.

Communications should be considered as forming part of a marketing mix. Communications have certain information impact through which the company maintains communication with consumers. The impact is a complex one and involves two levels: communications of goods/services promotion and communications of company's image formation (Table 3).

Table 3 Types of marketing communications

The use of communication influence at all levels allows company to cover the most of existing and potential customers, advertise the services provided, maintain a positive image among employees, competitors, suppliers, thus creating a system of integrated marketing communications.

The analysis of researches in the field of integrated marketing communications determined their main components, objectives, and identified various opportunities in the application of marketing communications. There are some main tools of the IMC system in accordance with existing approaches. However, we can add according to the studies such components as increased involvement of employees in conveying messages to consumers and using the opportunities of the Internet. Current market conditions and the level of information technologies development determine the further development of the IMC theory.

The use of IMC helps company to gain a competitive advantage, increase profits, and positively influence consumers, due to the strengthened communications with them and at the same time effectively, in the use of funds and information resources, as the result of the application of marketing communications tools increases. IMCs require complex approach; however, it brings significant benefits by influencing customers and increasing the company effectiveness on different levels.

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