Hierarchy Of Effects

ABSTACT

The work of the marketers has never been as challenging as before in today's world where consumers are on a daily basis being inundated with information and new product. It is imperative for one to stand out in the competition in order to have a share of the market pie. Consumer behaviour is dynamic. How then can integrated marketing communication be planned with the understanding of consumer buying behaviour or even perhaps the cultural setting and/or other societal influence in the society to help the marketer better develop the programs and impact purchase decisions? This paper seek to understand the fascinating world of consumer driven IMC

1. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE

1.1 Introduction

In a world where products and services are being pushed into the market at the speed of light, it is imperative for marketers to understand what will makes the target segment of consumer tick and thereby creating the need and thus resulting in the action. This section will review the various theoretical definition as a background to the topic in study.

1.2 The Emergence of Integration Marketing Communication (IMC)

Perhaps the following description by Daniel Webster can be used to describe the emergence of IMC

"....When the mariner has been tossed for many days in thick weather, and on an

unknown sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm, the earliest

glance of the sun, to take his latititude, and ascertain how far the elements have driven him from his true course. Let us imitate this prudence, and, before we float further on the waves of this debate, refer to the point from which we departed, that we may at least be able to conjecture where we are nowЃE (cited in Packer. 1979, p 307)

The communication process is still passing through a storm so to say. The

communicator will in a way, develop program that is take from an "inside -outЃE

standpoint while pursuing to create a "one voiceЃEphenomenon. And at the end of the tunnel, the consumer are left intoxicated with messages in a storm of information. What IMC promises, and what is really needed, then is to emerge into a new paradigm that will facilitate the business that are clearly in the consumer interests.(Philip J Kitchen et al, 2004)

How then can IMC be still relevant in today business world? Clearly it is without any doubt that one has to look from outside of the organization.With all of the technological developments, product, distribution, and service has become easily duplicated. Also, companies really cannot compete on price since someone these days can always offer a lower price. As a result, marketing communications is more important than ever, especially since the consumer is very knowledgeable as well as having the power that the marketer once had. While IMC has been viewed as a valuable concept by practitioners as quoted by Duncan and Everett, 1993(cited in David & Tom, 1997) , some organization are still preoccupied with the functional focus, such as ЃEto do public relationsЃEor "to do advertisingЃE Before one is to talk about IMC, perhaps then one has to take a holistic view to it, beginning with the consumer.

1.3 IMC Uncovered--Definitions

Before a study on the dynamics towards a successful implementation of IMC, first the understanding of the definition.

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (the ЃEAsЃE developed one of the first definitions of integrated marketing communications (Belch & Belch,2004,pp 9) :

"A concept of marketing communications planning that recognizes the added of a comprehensive plan that evaluate the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines, for example, general advertising, direct response,

sales promotion and public relations , and combines these disciplines to provide

clarity, and maximum communications impactЃE

The Medhill School of Journalism of Northwestern University website defines

Integration Marketing Communication as "a customer centric, data drivrn method of communicating with consumers. IMC -- the management of all organized communication to build positive relationships with customers and other stakeholders - -stresses marketing to the individual by understanding needs, motivations, attitudes and behaviour.ЃE

Schultz(2003b) also advocates what he calls the "next generation IMCЃE a concept

which addresses the nex requirements of consumer focused organizations in the new

marketplace, involving the acquisition, maintenance, growth and migration of

customer groups, and their income flows over time.

Further exploration with consumer interest can also be found in the definition

"Interactive IMCЃEwhere the role of new media and their interaction with consumers

are discussed

(Peitier et al, 2003)

Duncan & Caywood (1996) defined IMC as the process of strategically controlling or

influencing all messages and encouraging purposely dialogue to create and nourish

profitable relationships with customers and other stakeholders.

Kliatchko's definition also mentioned on the "consumer focusЃEapproach states that

IMC is the concept and process of strategically managing audience focused, channel centered and results-driven brand communication programmes over time.

All the above definitions clearly point towards the audience-focused approach.

Kliatchko(2005) has identified this audience focused approach as one of the key

pillar of IMC program. To be audience focused in IMC requires to place the target

audiences (both internal and external) at the core of the process database building,