Integrated marketing communication campaign elements

IBM's Strategy Keeps It In And On Demand

This paper is a review of the article entitled, IBM's strategy keeps it in and on demand. It discusses how IBM has utilized a IMC campaign successfully to rebuild its failing brand image, raising it to one of the top ranked brands in the world.

IBM's strategy keeps it in and on demand

In Maddox's (2004) article entitled IBM's strategy keeps it in and on demand, the author explores how IBM has been able to utilize integrated marketing communications as a powerful marketing campaign strategy. In 1999, Maddox notes, Fortune deemed IBM Corporation the 'big blue dinosaur', in their annual 500 issue. IBM appeared to be on the brink of extinction. However, in 2004, Business Week/Interbrand ranked IBM number three in their annual report of global brands, signifying an incredulous ability to turn the organization's brand image around.

According to Maddox (2004), "In the past decade, IBM has built its brand to a leading worldwide position by keeping its business relevant to changing times and effectively communicating its positioning through integrated marketing communications." A decade prior, the company was not doing as well, though. IBM had trouble with its global brand, and that brand's image, as it had become irrelevant. For this reason, the company employed Oglivy & Mather Worldwide, New York, to set a new direction for its brand strategy and began to utilize an integrated marketing communications campaign.

This strategy was used for their 'e-business on demand' marketing campaign, beginning in 2002. They designed the campaign so that all aspects of marketing communication work together as a unified force, including: advertising, public relations and direct marketing. By utilizing this "360-degree marketing communications strategy, IBM has effectively used TV, print, outdoor, events, sports sponsorships, online and non-traditional media to communicate its brand positioning" (Maddox, 2004).

Maddox (2004) notes in her article that IBM's campaign was centered around using traditional media in new and radical ways. For this IMC campaign, IBM used online video to get their brand message out to it and business decision makers. Their partnerships with ESPN.com, CNN.com and other Internet sites released interactive video interviews with key IBM executives, along with a variety of other content, to connect with IBM's target audience.

Primary Issues Discussed:

The primary issues discussed in Maddox's (2004) article was how IBM used an IMC campaign to pull itself out from a brand image that had become irrelevant to one that was admired globally. IBM used innovative twists to traditional media for its IMC campaign. By utilizing television, print, outdoor, events, sports sponsorships, and online advertising, IBM rebuilt its brand positioning to the top of the industry.

Evaluation of Effectiveness of the IMC Campaign:

To evaluate the effectiveness of IBM's integrated marketing communication campaign, one must first understand what IMC truly is. IMC is a marketing concept whereby all aspects of marketing communications are unified. Advertising, sales promotions, public relations, direct marketing all work together towards a singular goal, as opposed to working independently from one another.

Typically, an IMC campaign begins with an assessment of the organization's customers' needs. This includes both internal and external customers. These needs then form the primary marketing goal that all facets of the marketing communications strive for.

IBM clearly was able to bind together all forms of marketing communications into one cohesive unit, for their 'e-business on demand' campaign. No matter where the marketing communication came from, the message was consistent. Whether IBM utilized television, print, outdoor, events, sports sponsorships, or online advertising they ensured that all facets of the marketing campaign were aligned with what public relations and direct marketing were doing to rebuild their failing brand.

This campaign was also built to be customer-centric, which is a key starting point of any integrated marketing communication campaign. They utilized marketing channels, such as web sites with interactive videos with key IBM executives to ensure that they effectively reached their target audience. As one IBM marketing executive noted, "When we are trying to reach loyalists for a given server platform, it wouldn't be economical to deliver the message using traditional TV" (as cited in Maddox, 2004).