Integrated Marketing!
submitted 3 months 14 days 8 hours ago by: abidnaseem : 12 comments
You must have heard the term “Integrated Marketing”. People can come and talk about it for hours in conferences and seminars but what it actually means?
Most of the people believe that running the same TVC on all TV channels, playing the exact audio of the TVC on radio and a snapshot from the TVC on billboard and print is something known as “Integrated Marketing”. I am so sorry to tell you that this is not the idea anymore.
Marketing arena is changing at the speed of rumors globally. Since we have this habit of adapting everything late (internet marketing, official website etc) and continuing the legacy of lethargic corporate attitude we don’t care what companies are doing globally to integrate all the medium they are using for advertising. Yes I am talking about Mobile or Cell Phone Medium. This is one platform that brings all other mediums at one place and integrates them like never before.
The World is not talking about NEW TV CAMPAIGN instead they are talking about INTERACTIVE TV CAMPAIGN. Why you think social networking sites like facebook and orkut have become big brands in very short span of time? Because of Interactivity! People want to communicate with real people in this world of Apple, Intel, HP and Compaq! We talk about Brand Persona and other terms that consider brand as a living being. Isn’t it a joke that at one place we say brand is a living being and it has its own personality but on the other hand your living being doesn’t interact with its consumers like normal people do?
Interactivity is the next Big Term!
In Pakistan, I only know Mobilius which is the first and largest mobile marketing company with lot of clients globally. I don’t know why our companies are not getting into mobile marketing whole heartedly but here I would like to mention that some of the local Pakistani companies are taking interest in this revolutionary technology. “DAWN” that makes bread, parathas, margarine and many more products is now starting a mobile campaign. This is the time that bigger companies should notice this evident change that is taking place in the Marketing arena globally.
Other local brand that believes in mobile marketing and interactivity is http://www.RadioActive96.fm . It is purely a youth radio brand as compared to other tv and radio channels who just talk about youth and doesn’t care what youth actually wants.
RadioActive 96 Fm interacts with its listeners like anything. I was surprised to see how young people from all over Karachi and from all over the world (through their online live radio) request songs and discuss issues with their favourite RJs. This wasn’t the case initially. But they noticed the change in the attitudes of their target market and became pioneers in Interactive Entertainment (sms at 143 and see how interactive they are).
Currently they are in the process of updating their website but you can check the old website at the link mentioned earlier.
I hope more companies like Mobilius come in with creative ideas and revolutionary technology so that more companies can benefit from them
[Reference: http://wordcom.webng.com/mobile.pps ]
Author is a Marketing Consultant and works with people in establishing their brands worldwide: http://abid.shorturl.com
Comments
What point are you trying to make?
Plant a tree
Abid, you have raised a good point, but here in Pakistan very less people are able to understand this thing, only the ones who are working in the field of Marketing.
However, your post is informative. I came to know certain things about marketing thru it.
RizSh
Have just completed Masters in Marketing, but still not sure what point Abid is trying to make here.
Mobile marketing is one possible channel which may or may not have better access to Pakistani consumers, especially younger folks, but considering the limitations of this channel i.e. in terms of how the message will be presented, I am sure responsible brands will be very careful in adopting this as their flagship medium.
Secondly, mobile messaging will very soon become an irritant for most consumers, the same way as telemarketing or junk mails have become. In my understanding Brands in developed countries are now actually moving away from any form of advertising that may appear like a spam or a junk mail to receiver.
& we certainly do not need to repeat same mistakes.
Yes mobile can be used as a feedback or interactive device but then there are several other means which can also be adopted in this regard. I agree that the tradition of customer feedback and consumer knowledge through research needs greater attention in Pakistan
Plant a tree
Babr: mobile marketing just not refers to mobile messaging...it is taken from mobility just as UFONE is running a mobiel marketing campaign... If we will forcelly go towards mobile messaging only, for many products it wil be a failed medium....
Abid: please keep marketing and sales promotion seprate...many of these activities come in sales promotion becasue they are more concerned about market share instead of mind share
Mianjee,
I am not in Pakistan for over a year- What is UFONE doing?
Plant a tree
babar: my friend there is a 180 degree difference between the messages that we normally recieve(buy a flat, main shahrahe faisal, babu manjan etc etc) and mobile marketing. mobile marketing is responsibly conducted by specialized companies like mobilius in pakistan and dubai, iM in india, plusone in australia and many more like these through short codes like 143. these are opt-in services that means you first get yourself in the database of your favourite brand like coca-cola, ufone etc through competitions, contests. you choose to recieve offers,alerts etc (similar to what you get when signing up for new email account).
read my previous post "Marketing is in the Air" http://abid.shorturl.com
it will give you some case studies about how mobile marketing is done globally.
mianjee: i am sure you must be knowing better than me but just wanted to correct you that i was talking about consumer promotion not sales promotion. there is a thin line between the two and that line is Marketing.
just an introduction: i am an iba graduate, working as a marketing consultant with 2 years of global experience.
since i am always in a learning mode, please point out my mistakes and correct them.
ready to learn.
I am still not convinced mate.
It looks more like a fad then a proper medium. & like I said in my previous post - a good brand should not associate itself with anything that looks like a junk mail.
If there is a specific purpose e.g. building a database of customers or customer promotion campaign, then it may be used, but that too with proper support of mainstream media, so it does not look like a hoax.
Plant a tree
must be my fault, didnt communicate well i guess. you are right, it is normally used for database building and consumer promotion. thanks for your comments.
i liked your signature by the way "plant a tree". have a beautiful day!
Thanks Abid.
Signature "Plant a tree" is my way of reminding ourselves i.e. common people of Pakistan, of our social responsibilities, which we owe to our nation.
Instead of weening and blaming governments for our miserable state, we can all play a constructive roles. Be it plant a tree, educate a child or feed a hungry.
You can call it social-responsibility marketing ;-)
Plant a tree
Abid, i am impressed with tag of IBA :) i am just a business graduate of a "minor institute" I was just refering to babar's understanding of mobile marketing as he thought it just as a mobile messaging.... if it will eb just mobile messages then it will not be included in marketing....mobile marketing refers to bigger spectrum as you explaiend above....Very informative post indeed
thank you :) but i am not very happy about you calling your university "minor institute"! I value people not buildings! i wish i would have impressed people by my thoughts and not by any tag. better luck next time poor abid.
keep sharing some good marketing stuff guys.
I complete agree abid, buildings and tags are irrelevant, people are important.
Mianjee, your contributions, not just here but also in all other buzzez are valuable. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us
Plant a tree