Integrated Marketing Communications Assignment 2

Integrated Marketing Communications 2 - Assignment Example First class passengers are served breakfast along with afternoon and evening meals. There is an onboard shop serving a range of alcoholic, cold and hot beverages. The train service has been identified in various industry awards. In the year 2010, it was awarded as Year’s Best Rail Operator at Travel Globe Awards. It is also known as one of the most preferred domestic passenger service in the United Kingdom. The trains are known to be environmental friendly as their carbon dioxide emission is 78% less than average domestic flights and 76 % less than cars (Virgin Trains, 2013b). Integrated Marketing communication Integrated marketing communication has become as a major phenomenon since early 1990s. Corporate and marketing communications are few of the critical persuasive factors used by organizations for market connection (Constantinides, 2006). The objective is to deliver certain perception of products, services and brands to consumers, customers and stakeholders. As a result o f the increasing variety of promotional and communication tools, modern day channels are able to disseminate messages in wide forms. According to Kliatchko (2008), â€Å"integrated marketing communication is audience-driven business process of strategically managing stakeholders, content, channels, and results of brand communication programs.† Marketing communication planning or mix can be characterized in the form of its communication strategies in the market. The various ways through which an organization communicates to its market are advertising, sales promotions, personal selling, direct marketing and public relations (Gronroos, 1994; Ferdous, 2008). Advertising Advertising can be described as a non-personal strategy for mass communication offering great level of command for people responsible for design, manufacturing and delivering of advertising messages (Fill, 2006). This message is transmitted in a particular style and manner which best suits the customer as well as management’s requirements. Regular usage of advertising is critical for creation and maintenance of brand personality, especially when it is integrated with other elements of the mix. It is a dominant form of advertising communication for many firms (Panda, 2003). In any case, advertising needs a carrier so that message can be delivered to the desired receiver (Pelsmacker, 2001). Sales promotions Sales promotion is used for delivering the action plans. Sales promotion and advertising harmonize each other as promotion is short term to generate sales and advertising is for long term awareness and relationship building. Sales promotion is also a non-personal form of marketing communication targeting a smaller audience. The techniques include offering better offers and adding value with the objective of future sales. Various presentation kits such as, catalogues, selling aids and brochures, are used for sales staff. Financial mechanisms such as, promotional pricing and incentive s, are used as a push strategy by companies (Young and Aitken, 2007). Public relations Public relations can describe as relationship management between an organization and its various stakeholders. It is an attempt to establish and preserve shared understanding, good relationships and goodwill with the secondary targets,