IMC CH3

• Branding plays a crucial role in marketing communications
• Brand positioning and repositioning strategies are essential in marketing
• Information needed to select appropriate target markets is crucial for marketing success
• Segmentation and positioning strategies are vital for selecting the target audience(s) for an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan
• The consumer decision-making process is closely related to marketing communication
• The consumer decision-making process varies for different types of purchases
• Target market and target audience have similarities and differences
• Options for making a target audience decision for marketing communication should be carefully considered
• A profile of the target audience is important for message, media, and IMC tool decisions
• Consumers engage in processes and activities when searching for, selecting, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services to satisfy needs and desires
• Need recognition is the first stage in the consumer decision-making process
• Consumer motivation influences the decision-making process
• Information search is the second stage in the consumer decision-making process
• External sources of information play a crucial role in the decision-making process
• Consumers in the information stage are in "active shopping mode"
• Marketers formulate communication strategies based on how consumers acquire and use information from external sources
• Perception is crucial in the consumer decision-making process
• Consumers filter marketing stimuli through selective perception
• Consumers use mnemonics to assist in learning and memory processes
• Alternative evaluation is the third stage in the consumer decision-making process
• The evoked set is a subset of all brands of which the consumer is aware
• L'Oréal's ads contribute to high levels of brand awareness
• Products are viewed as bundles of attributes in the evaluative criteria
• Consumers view products or services in terms of their consequences in the evaluative criteria
• Consumers make a purchase decision in the fourth stage of the decision-making process
• Purchase Decision Process:

  • Consumer stops searching for and evaluating alternative brands in the evoked set
  • Starts with a purchase intention, which is a predisposition to buy a certain brand
  • The purchase decision is not the actual purchase; the consumer must implement the decision and make the purchase
  • Additional decisions may be needed, and there is often a time delay between making a purchase decision and the actual purchase
  • The time delay affects the marketing strategy and depends on the type of purchase to be made and the risk involved
• Brand Loyalty and Purchase Decision:

  • Consumers may have a preference for a certain brand, leading to repeated purchases
  • Market leaders may use ads to support brand loyalty
• Post-Purchase Decision:

  • After purchase, the consumer assesses the level of performance of the product or service through post-purchase evaluation
  • Satisfaction is a judgment consumers make regarding the pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment
  • Cognitive dissonance may occur, which is a feeling of psychological tension or doubt after making a difficult purchase choice
• Group Decision Making:

  • Group situations constitute many purchase decisions
  • A group is defined as two or more individuals who share norms, values, or beliefs and have interdependent behavior
  • Roles in family decision-making process include: Initiator, Information provider, Influencer, Decider, Purchaser, and Consumer
• Target Audience and Marketing Planning:

  • Consumer understanding is crucial for the success of any Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plan, program, or ad
  • The target market is the focus of the firm's marketing effort, and strategies are developed to achieve objectives
  • Segmentation variables include geographic, demographic, socioeconomic, psychographic, and behavioral dimensions
• Promotional Planning Process:

  • The promotional planner must consider if the target segment is substantial enough and accessible
  • More precise understanding of a segment is achieved through segmentation, but fewer customers may be in each segment
  • Target Audience Options include Brand Loyal Customers, Non-Customers, Favourable Brand Switchers, New category users, Other brand switchers, and Other brand loyals
• IMC Planning:

  • Target Audience Profile is essential for directing decisions in the promotional plan
  • Profile for Messages: Content must be consistent with the audience's background for effective messaging
  • Profile for Media: Detailed profile allows precise delivery in a medium with excellent target audience reach
  • Profile for IMC Tools: Sufficient profiling aligns tools closely with the target audience