Every discussion in management has to begin with strategy. This one as well! Except for the fact, that RM chose a very appropriate moment to enter into our lives introducing Dr. C.K. Prahlad to uninformed campus denizens, including me. I won’t harp on this issue but yes he has been very active in this regard and ample proof was made visible in his first tête-à-tête.
As RM mentioned, every Integrated Marketing Communication (or Campaign) has to have a strategy in place. Simply put its stated objectives and stated methods of measurement are the only way of judging its success of failure.
Further he introduced us to the 3C and 6Ms of an IMC Campaign. Let me try and illustrate this with a launch of Colurs, the recently launched General Entertainment Channel(GEC) from the house of Viacom.
3Cs
The reasons why you are putting the elements (6Ms) of the IMC in the first place. A campaign cannot be drafted keeping these three’s out of the entire perspective. A simple example would be the recent campaign by taking the example of Colors, a channel being launched by Viacom 18.
Corporation: Viacom 18, a joint venture between two of the most prolific media groups, Viacom 18, known for MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon and Network 18. Both groups are known to be innovators in Indian Broadcast Media business.
Customer: The Indian General Entertainment Channel (GEC) viewer is a demanding chappie. He is quick on the remote, doesn’t give you an inch and completely unpredictable. Yet he has just one thing to admire, any idea which breaks away from the clutter.
Competitor: This is possibly the most brilliant time (from an IMC student’s perspective) to enter the market. A market saturated with STAR, Zee and Sony was thought to have no room, but 9X and NDTV Imagine have threatened to challenge the hegemony. Colors broke into the top three categories edging out these two (see Afaqs.com the Race for No.3)
RM mentioned about campaigns being essentially of three types. My interpretation through the eyes of a glamorous lady
- Pioneering (Launch) --- I came. E.g. Announcing your arrival
- Retentive – I Exist e.g. frequent wardrobe change
- Competitive – Drastic Change often with reference to the competition
The 6M framework for IMC Dissection
One assignment during the course is to dissect a campaign and RM suggests the following framework. A campaign dissection on the launch of DNA newspaper has been submitted to him.
As mentioned earlier sets out the tone, is the campaign, is it a pioneering campaign, a retentive or a competitive one. The other elements will get influenced based on this choice.
Market
An understanding of the market will be very crucial to determine the other elements. In case of DNA, as mentioned, I would call it a David Meeting its Goliath. ToI, the undisputed leader got stirred, shaken for the period of launch. Critically, they came back well showcasing why a longer tease-phase might just be adverse to your mission.
Money
A war chest depending on the saturation of the market.
Message
The message was beautifully crafted, breaking the monotony, identifying itself with the changing face of Mumbai and connecting with issues close to his heart and asking him to convey those.
Medium/Media
I have noticed how the choice of media vehicle can make/break a campaign. One key learning while marketing an alien concept in
Measurement
Critical to any IMC, a stated objective and a method of measurement determine the success or failure as mentioned earlier.
THE GANG WARS
Innovative way to break the monotony of academic rigor defined by NMIMS, a real IMC launch on campus by breaking the class in two halves. Chaos Theory at work! And what a marketing student really craves for, no attendance- as all marketers should believe, you have to listen to what the consumer is saying and RM has heard us well.
P.S. My ex-copy editors would be proud of me prologue and chapter one in 900 words.
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