Integrated Marketing Communications In Social Assessment Answer

•This is something every brand should do.

Five equal parts to the assessment

•Audit of Paid and Owned Messages

•Social Media Listening Report of Earned Messages

•Application of Strategic Consistency Triangle

•Recommendations

•Clarity and persuasion of written expression

Audit of Paid and Owned Messages

•What companies say, in paid and owned media.

•What companies do, sent out as service messages (such as product delivery or installation) or product messages (such as quality or experience) on owned media.

•In the audit, you need to identify key platforms in paid and owned media.

•Then summarize the key messages, the number of messages, the consistency of the messages and the timing of the messages.

Social Media Listening Report of Earned Messages

•What is confirmed about the company by stakeholders, especially customers, on social media.

•What companies do may also create earned media, and could be interpreted positively or negatively by the customer.

•Attend a workshop on Social Studio and develop a report on SML.

•Identification of key words used, frequency of use, sentiment of message and key platforms.

Application of Strategic Consistency Triangle

•Strategic consistency applies to all points of contact between a brand or company and its stakeholders.

•The “say” messages must be consistent with what the organization “does” and what others “confirm” about the brand.

•Report on the strategic consistency between the “say”, “do” and “confirm” from your audit and SML study.

Recommendations

•Are the brand messages strategically consistent?

•Are there any kinds of messages which should be strengthened or aligned?

•What recommendations would you make for the brand’s IMC strategy?

Introduction

In today’s economic world business communication is the backbone of every organization. Integrated marketing communication can be referred as integration of all the means and methods to promote product or services of the company. It enables the company to promote its brand through various marketing strategies (Luxton, Reid & Mavondo, 2015). It includes sales promotion, public relation, digital marketing, and so on. It shows a broader concept of marketing the product into the market. Assessment of the integrated marketing communication can be done using Strategic consistency triangle approach method. Strategic consistency triangle stands for 3 major factor of marketing a product. These factors must have certain consistency to be able to deliver the marketers message clearly and concisely (Munoz-Leiva, Porcu & Barrio-García, 2015).
 The three-key factor includes “say”, “do” and “confirm”. Each of these three factor representsmessage to the which are send by the marketer to the customer. The “say” factor refers to the messages send by the marketers through various digital marketing tools or it can be assessed as by using “say” factor marketer influences the customer to know or think as the marketers deliver the message. The “do” factor determines to what extent the product or service has satisfied the expectations of the customersin terms of delivery and the quality promised (Dahl, Eagle & Low, 2015). “Confirm” factor of strategic consistency triangle refers to the feedback and review of the product company receives from the customer or in other words it is the result of how customer perceives the product. 

The current assignment will focus on analysing the strategies that the companies adopt to manage integrated marketing communication in the business. To achieve the purpose of the assignment the brand Red Balloon will be assessed and examines. Audits regarding the messages posted by the company, social media strategy and application of consistency triangle will be applied to attain a clear and well defined evaluation of the subject. The assessment will efficiently identify the strategies and approach the brand has undertaken to enhance IMC within the economy.

ASSESSMENT OF IMCTHROUGH STRATEGIC CONSISTENCY TRIANGLE

Purpose of the assessment of integration is to measure the IMC through the process of strategic consistency triangle approach. Our research is based on the Australian company of online gift retailing marketed under the name ‘Redballoon’. It is operating its business successfully since 2001 and has been ranked amongst the top 20 business companies by business review weekly magazine. Our research will conduct the IMC assessment based on audit and social media reports of the company. Research will apply strategic consistency triangle theory to measure the integration. 

Audit of paid and owned messages

Paid and owned messages are terms derived from media planning and marketing. These are advertising plans categorized to clarify the marketing plans to their customers. Paid media messages are paid advertisement which is accessed through internet. It is the most common form of advertisement in today’s economic world. Whereas owned media messages are in-house channels that create long-term customer relations. Owned media messages include websites, blogs and newsletter (Scholz & Smith, 2016). Redballoon is marketing its business through media platforms. It is a great example of business strategy and integration through media planning approach. 

Heading (messages)    Paid media    Owned media

Say messages    On paid media like TV advertisements and interviews Redballoon market its product through various offers and discounts especially on the occasions and events such as women’s day ( Redbaloon Review., 2018).      On Owned media like websites and blogs company promises its customer with the quality products and service. For example: on their website they showcase their products as an inspiration and joy of celebration which touches the sentiments of the customers.
Do messages    This message of the company assures customers by fulfilling their demands.    On Owned media, company offers its best products in a most delightful manner through attractive designs and tag line  (Redbaloon Review., 2018).

Redballoon aims to provide best quality products to their customers at reasonable prices. They believe in creating happiness amongst their customers by offering decorative products. On paid messages they promote their brands with various discounts and gift vouchers. Their main motto is to create customer relations through their variety products and services. On Owned media they have well developed websites and blogs with an attractive design. In recent year they have collaborated with various tourism and distribution partners to capture a larger section of population. 
Redballoon uses Google analytics to measure the results of the business which further helps them in understanding the market. It promotes its brands through various owned and paid media blogs and channels like naomisimson.com, LinkedIn, Supplierhub, etc. In 2010 the organization brought Artificial intelligence digital marketing platform to Australia to create the brand reputation and recognition amongst its customer. Redballoon’s online marketing is the key for successful growth in the market (Andersen & Johansen, 2016). Company signed contracts with various TV channels to promote their brand through TV ads and telephonic sales. Company has gained its reputation with various TV interviews and reality shows. Redballoon identifies the demands and trends of the customers, monitor the competitors and market its product through owned and paid social channels. 
Social media reports of earned messages 
Earned messages refer to the brand content which is spread by the customer themselves and that content becomes a channel. This media plan marketing is attained through social web, company cannot purchase the earned media it can be only promoted via SEO and PR. Earned media messages usually spreads when users share the content online with the other group of people (Engert, Rauter & Baumgartner, 2016). In case of Redballoon social media listening is helpful as it makes the company understand customer perspective regarding the product and services. According to the Naomi Simonon Social media platform it states that the motive behind the business is to spread love and happiness through their products and services,but the survey shows that the customers are not satisfied with the services and products of the company. 
Heading    Earned media

Confirm factor    Earned media audit reveals a negative reaction from the customers stating unsatisfactory products and services (Redbaloon product Review., 2018). 

Redballoon is somehow managing its social media content through interviews and search engine optimization. By setting up campaigns on digital platform Redballoon is maintaining the brand reputation. According to the social media listening report 42% of the businesses doesn’t take the customer feedback seriously which leads to bad reputation of the company. Redballoon’s founder Naomi Simon has earned its brand reputation through blogs and interviews with the Tv channels and promoted the brand amongst the Australian people (Xu, et.al., 2016). Redballoon has always been active on social media regarding the marketing of product and has never left any opportunity of celebrating occasions or joining any community. By joining social causes and creating communities regarding public awareness, company has always managed to create an appropriate content on the social media. Social media sentiments are the key part of effective social media listening. 
Redballoon has failed to maintain the reputation as their consistency regarding customer queries and requests are not fulfilled as per the customers. Company has not been able to retain its reputation on earned media market as their authenticity with the products and services doesn’t match (Maftoon, 2016). Their engagement with the customers doesn’t meet the required standard as they are not properly linked with the companies reviewing their products and services. As far as the feedback is concerned Redballoon has not been able to reach their clients for the problems and issues they are facing. Application of strategic consistency triangle 

Application of strategic consistency triangle

By applying strategic consistency triangle into the digital media marketing Platform Company can assess its integrated marketing communication tools and methods. Strategic consistency triangle helps in understanding the type of messages companies are marketing and the response regarding these messages company is receiving. This assessment is made based on “say, do and confirm” factor of the digital marketing. According to the research, “say” factor of the Redballoon states that company communicates its message with the market by creating the image of brand through quality, competitive pricing, and accessibility of the product and by stating its benefits (Ocampo, Clark & Tanudtanud, 2015). Company promote its brand though messages regarding services like responsiveness of the staff, assurance of services, reliability of brand, etc. which helps in creating a positive image of the product in the market. The other factor of strategic consistency triangle “do” represents the messages that tell about the product information, its benefits, its features and purchase information (Clarke & Clarke, 2014). This marketing strategy is fulfilled through paid media and owned media platforms.
 The final factor is “confirm” which sates the feedback and reviews that are received from the customers based on the expectations and satisfaction from the products and services. Company has been successful in creating brand reputation by serving variety of products to its customers. According to the SML study Company has developed an emotional bond with their customers through proper strategy of market communication (Tree & Playfoot, 2015). Company has touched the hearts of million through their ideas of promoting their brands on digital platform (RedBalloon shares its marketing evolution strategy., 2016). Company’s consistency in marketing the brand with the new ideas and concepts is tremendous. Their campaigning for the support for women and other social cause has helped the company in gaining reputation amongst the other competitors like Magazine Luiza, World duty free and Shop Locket. But in the real market company has failed to maintain the quality and services of their products. Because of its wide variety of products and services company has failed to maintain its quality regarding the products and services. Customer’s feedback and review on various websites doesn’t show a positive (Economides & Hermalin, 2015). Customers are not happy with the products and services as their products are not up to the expectations.   

RECOMMENDATION

 Redballoon is a well established business unit which is developing at a significant rate. The business operations of the company are expanding widely in the nation. The integrated marketing communication of the business reveals that there are significant aspects which demands effective improvements. 

As per the evaluation it has been analysed that The Company adopted effective communication strategy however the feedback and reviews that are received from the customers based on the expectations and satisfaction from the products and services. Company has been successful in creating brand reputation by serving variety of products to its customers. However implementation of effective CRM will help the business in developing a well defined communication with consumers. This will help in enhancing business performance and developing trust within consumers. 
 
Analysis of Addwords revealed that there is a significant need to enhance google addwords and link it with business growth. This will help the company in creating a valid and effective impact on business development. It will help the brand in enhancing visibility thus creating high consumer reach within the market. It will be highly effective for brand enhancement thus creating a valid development measures in the economy. It will also enhance the sales and promotional aspects of the business. Moreover the application of strategic consistency triangle revealed that IMC of Redballoon is effective however it can be improved but delivering effective services and enhancing authenticity of the products and services offered by the business. The company must undertake effective measures to review consumer feedbacks and address them efficiently to attain significant market success.

CONCLUSION

Integrated marketing communication plays a significant role in enhancing business reach in different parts of the world. It helps the company in creating significant impact on consumer needs and demands. As per the analysis, effective marketing communication is essential for analysing consumer perception and also creating awareness about product and its availability in the market. This is a two way channel which helps companies in delivering and attaining information. In the global era of competition the stated tool has created a wide impact on organizational growth and competitiveness. Social media and online platforms has helped businesses in efficiently linking with consumers and users thus delivering them services with efficiency. 
 
The current analysis of Redballon brand helped in analysing that company in growing widely due to its unique concept and technological efficiently. It has adopted significant measures to develop business promotion within the market. The growth and development of the company has created a wide impact on consumer needs and perception. Effective audit and paid and owned messages was undertaken by the company which helped in evaluating that the business has created a well defined position within the market. Moreover, the messages were clear and attractive for enhancing consumer awareness about the organizational operations and services. Moreover the application of strategic consistency triangle revealed that IMC of Redballoon is effective however it can be improved but delivering effective services and enhancing authenticity of the products and services offered by the business. The company must undertake effective measures to review consumer feedbacks and address them efficiently to attain significant market success. 

References

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