Integrated Marketing Communication and Brand Management

Concept of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC); evolution and importance of IMC; promotional mix and communication tools; role of IMC in brand building; customer decision-making process; brand concept, brand identity, brand awareness, and brand equity; role of integrated communication in shaping brand perception; stakeholder communication.

IMC planning process; communication objectives and goal setting; DAGMAR model and Hierarchy of Effects model; message strategy development; media planning and selection; brand positioning and value proposition; budgeting for IMC programmes; designing competitive brand communication strategies.

Advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, direct marketing; sponsorships, events, and product placement; digital marketing, social media marketing, influencer marketing; packaging communication; integration of offline and online communication tools; consistency in brand messaging; campaign design and execution.

Concept and dimensions of brand equity; brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and brand loyalty; brand identity and brand image; managing and sustaining brand equity; brand extension strategies; brand portfolio management; role of branding in competitive advantage.

• Measurement of IMC effectiveness; pre-testing, concurrent testing, and post-testing techniques; communication impact analysis; customer feedback systems; brand performance measurement tools; ROI in marketing communication; evaluation of brand campaigns; continuous improvement in branding strategies. Practical Activities 1. Selection of a well-known brand and map all its communication channels such as advertising, social media, PR, influencer marketing, and packaging, and analysing how these channels are integrated to deliver a consistent brand message, thereby developing a clear understanding of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and its role in unified brand communication. 2. Design of a mini-IMC campaign for a product launch including communication objectives, message strategy, media mix i.e. online and offline, and basic budgeting, and present a campaign
• storyboard, thereby gaining practical understanding of IMC planning, integration of communication tools, and campaign execution. 3. Analysis of a brand using Aaker’s brand equity dimensions like awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and loyalty to understand the impacts of marketing communication on brand performance.