Advertising and Corporate Communication

It is a fact that communication is a mainstay of our daily lives and this could not spare the meaning of communication within the company. The meaning of the symbol, the value the consumer gains when using a specific brand and the lifestyle it promotes are all issues closely connected to the communication policy of the company. A challenge emerges; all actions concerning the company's communications are coordinated and directed towards a specific direction, under the scope of an Integrated Communications Strategy, creating and reinforcing the image of the product-service. The concepts of advertising and corporate communication can therefore be regarded under the wider scope of integrated corporate communication. Integrated Communications Strategy is thus the process by which the company designs and manages promotional tools to achieve its goals. These objectives may include various groups such as potential and real customers, potential and real internal customers, i.e. employees as well as the community in which the company operates shareholders, suppliers and other potential partners. Through this course participants will learn how to handle and implement the components of the communications mix: advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, direct marketing, publicity and public relations. Some other important concepts to be examined are events organization and sponsorship. Emphasis will be given on modern forms of communication that current executives cannot ignore to be competitive, such as guerilla marketing, experiential marketing, the importance of atmospherics, viral marketing, and the use of social media for the of the company’s benefit. Upon completion of this course participants will be able to design a program of integrated communication and to evaluate its effectiveness, suggesting corrective actions wherever and whenever needed.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course students will be able to: • Effectively use the communication mix components of a comprehensive communication program. • Develop strategies for successful positioning and diversification for each consumer segment towards which a communication program is addressed to. • Understand the way that integrated communication strategy helps building strong brands. • Evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated communication plan and its strengths and weaknesses. • Develop their own designs of integrated communication, using all components of marketing mix and applying new trends in marketing.

Prerequisites

The knowledge acquired from the course Marketing of the program is a prerequisite for this course.

Syllabus

The concept and practice of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): Definition. Importance in the evolving marketing environment. Factors necessitating comprehensive. Marketing communication tools: Advertising. Sales promotion. Personal selling. Direct marketing. Public relations and publicity. Interactive marketing. Alternative methods, etc. Integrated communication strategies for building strong brands Integrated communications and branding. Consumer behavior and bying process for branded goods. The development of IMC plans: Planning models and guidelines