Coordinating different groups and bringing teams across marketing, sales and communications together is a monumental task in itself. However, if all teams synergise well, they are able to deliver integrated programmes and campaigns better while working in tandem and saving the client time and money. There is a growing recognition to ditch the office politics and siloed departments and instead forge friendships in the office.
So, what are the internal steps to managing an integrated marketing programme? According to David Pickton and Dr Amanda Broderick, authors of Integrated Marketing Communications, there are four essential Cs that need to be followed in order to craft an integrated campaign. I’ve taken these four Cs and put my own spin on them, based on what I believe makes an integrated campaign a successful programme.
Coherence
A coherent campaign is one that is simple and does not waste resources or budget on activities and media channels that do not matter. Instead they focus on making clear choices about what needs to happen in order to differentiate a business and its product or service. The same is true of the message. A company cannot be everything to everyone! Instead, they need a single identity that is either based on innovation, price, or service. But not all three. Take an obvious example like Apple – It has a simple product portfolio; the Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad – all bearing the mark of the company’s ethos of innovation.
Consistency
When you hear a politician interview, you may well roll your eyes at the repetition of the message. But that repetition is what makes a message stick. Which is why “Brexit means Brexit” or “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” are recurring themes in the editorial agenda here in the UK.
Consistency in communications requires teamwork, focus and discipline because a single idea can still have many layers and many more voices. So, it’s important that, to cut through the clutter, it all sounds unified.
Communication
Colleagues are not clairvoyants. So, when running an integrated campaign, it cannot be assumed that everyone knows what each other’s skills and responsibilities are. As much as it is up to the project manager to effectively delegate, so the onus is on the individual to educate colleagues about what they can bring to the table and how they prefer to receive instruction, or if it’s a creative department, the brief.
Complementary
Providing it is obvious that the team is totally committed to the cause, then mistakes or unmet expectations can be honestly appraised. Having a transparent relationship, especially with your agency, allows the team to collaborate, working through inevitable challenges together. Rather than ever feeling on the defensive when facing the unexpected.
In turn when things are going right, which they will if everyone is pulling in the same direction, complements are that much more sincere.
If you’re looking for an integrated marketing agency to support and deliver your campaigns, get in touch.
