If one thing is certain, it’s that the field of marketing communications is constantly changing. Marketing communications (marcom) represents the collection of all elements in a company’s marketing mix that facilitates exchange by establishing shared meaning with its customers. Promotion is just one element of the marketing mix, but it’s advertising, sales promotions, public relations, direct marketing, personal selling, and social media/digital marketing tools which are performing increasingly important and ever-changing roles in achieving a firm’s goals.
In the last few years, much has changed, with the appearance of programmatic ad buying based on online behaviour, subsequent ad-blocking reactions, ever-changing digital media choices (e.g., online, mobile, apps), the growth of “big data” from devices (Internet of things), pressure to justify social media effectiveness, the use of customer relationship management (CRM) software in personal selling, major intellectual property and online privacy issues, and the blurring of content and advertising. For marcom managers, it’s now a delicate balance navigating such changes, as well as doing the best job in successfully integrating these marcom and promotional elements to connect and solve problems for target audiences.
Also, marketing communicators realise now more than ever that they must be held financially accountable for their advertising, promotion, and other marcom investments. As companies seek ways of communicating more effectively and efficiently with their targeted audiences, marketing communicators are continually challenged. They should use communication methods that will break through the clutter, reach audiences with interesting and persuasive messages that enhance brand equity and drive sales, and assure firms that marcom investments yield an adequate return on investment. In meeting these challenges, companies increasingly embrace a strategy of integrated marketing communications whereby all marcom elements must be held accountable and “speak with one voice” in delivering consistent messages and influencing action.