Executive Summary
The Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) has repositioned their organization so that it will be recognized as the voice for integrated marketing solutions, through resources, education, networking and community. Definitions of integrated marketing were discussed at this committee meeting, as well as the evolution of communications planning and how marketers and agencies can organize themselves to achieve integrated communication goals.
Insights
What is Integrated Marketing?
PMA's definition of integrated marketing is "when a brand is integrated into a consumer's lifestyle." For this to occur, the communication must meet the following criteria:
- One unified message to the end user
- Be media agnostic
- Extend across international borders
- Reach across multiple constituencies including consumers, retailers, employees, and stockholders
Marketer-Agency Models:
Various models for integrated marketing are widely used:
1. Core Team:
- One team for each brand/product:
- May consist of brand managers, consumer insights and analytics staff, and agency partners including creative, media and promotions
- Roles are clearly established at first meeting
2. Centralized Integrated Marketing Team:
- This team is "loaned" out to brand teams
- Have functional expertise in areas such as promotions, media, public relations, shopper marketing, insights, etc.
- Success is based on collaboration and communication
3. Agency Models:
- Each agency is briefed on developing the "idea" - the agency with the best idea is selected as the lead agency and all agencies work with that idea
- Marketers must be careful in managing this process to ensure collaboration, sensitivity, and fair compensation
- Marketers are seeking alternative solutions to this model, such as the fully integrated approach used by advertising holding companies (e.g. WPP- Dell approach)
Top Issues Facing Integrated Marketing Today:
- Senior management needs to set the tone of corporate culture and ensure integration
- Difficulty with transition and change can come with a "new way of thinking"
- Turf battles among disciplines
- Lack of training
- Lack of published data
Source
"The PMA - Navigating the Possibilities of Integrated Marketing." Bonnie Carlson, President, PMA. ANA Integrated Marketing Committee Meeting, 03/20/08.