Integrated Communications

Scenario:

You work within the marketing function of an organisation of your choice. You have been tasked with carrying out a review of the organisation’s current approach to integrated communications.

You are required to produce a report which considers the impact of the organisation’s culture on its internal marketing and how it allocates its resources for internal and external marketing purposes.

You are also required to present the process to develop a creative brief and to consider aspects relating to the organisation’s brand and new product (or service) process. You are required to propose marketing communications objectives and an integrated marketing communications plan which will improve the organisation’s image and reputation.

TASK 1

Internal communications play a key role in facilitating highly effective cross-functional relationships and in ensuring that the organisation can leverage its resources in the best way to engage with customers and other stakeholders.

In this first section of your report, you are required to consider the chosen organisation’s culture and its impact on how internal communications are applied. You will also consider the issue of resourcing and how internal communications might be measured.

Required:

(a) Using the organisation summary guidelines, provide a background to your chosen organisation. Include within this a brief explanation of the organisation’s culture.   

(b) Describe how the organisation’s culture has influenced the role of internal communications within your chosen organisation. Within your answer you are required to make reference to ONE method of internal communication used by your chosen organisation.

(c) Describe how your chosen organisation has allocated its available resources for both internal and external marketing.

(d) Outline how your chosen organisation might assess the effectiveness of its internal communications.   

TASK 2

For organisations to be successful over the longer term, it is vital that they understand and remain focused on delivering an appropriate and competitive value proposition to customers. Key to this is the development and maintenance of a relevant product (or service) portfolio and a strong brand.

In the second section of your report, you are required to consider the chosen organisation’s brand, customer value and its products (or services).

Required:

(a) Describe the key characteristics of your chosen organisation’s brand and explain how these contribute towards delivering customer value.   

(b) Explain the process of developing a creative brief, with the emphasis on delivering relevant messages to reinforce customer value.   

(c) Briefly explain the process adopted by the chosen organisation to develop new products (or services).   

(d) Discuss how your chosen organisation’s method of brand building attempts to increase customer loyalty and achieve competitive differentiation.   

TASK 3

Marketing communications are vital in most organisations. As a result, the development and execution of effective and integrated marketing communications plans is crucial to the long-term success of most businesses.

In this final section of your report, you are required to develop marketing communications objectives and an integrated marketing communications plan. You are also required to consider internal and external stakeholders and their needs.

Required:

(a) Recommend marketing communications objectives and identify appropriate communications tools to enhance your chosen organisation’s image and reputation.   

(b) Propose an integrated marketing communications plan to achieve the objectives stated in your answer to Task 3 (a). Briefly explain, within your answer, how you would measure the effectiveness of the plan.   

(c) Explain the relationships between internal and external stakeholders and how your plan in Task 3 (b) will meet the needs of these different parties. Within your answer identify potential barriers and issues which might arise due to conflicting interests.