Communication and Marketing or Communication in Marketing?

First, I think it is appropriate to analyze the title. This dual-title, with the questioning/enigmatic wording, is the most suitable in our opinion to highlight today’s topic. Our goal is to approach Communication and Marketing, not in the “traditional” way, i.e. as two separate parts/fields of product promotion.

But through the new perspective of IMC, the “Integrated Marketing Communication“, a new communication concept that was introduced in the USA around 2000 and today is now recognized by the majority of marketers as the “key” to achieving high quality in advertising and promotion.

Although various definitions of Integrated Marketing Communication have been given by marketing experts, there is no universally accepted definition. Given the spirit of the analysis that we have followed up to now in our articles, the prominence, that is, of Communication in a dominant position among the advertising and promotion mechanisms, the following definition was preferred here as more comprehensive: “IMC is a communication design concept marketing, which recognizes the added value of that integrated communication plan that assesses the strategic role of multiple communication tools (e.g. general advertising, sales promotion, direct response actions, public relations) and synthesizes these tools so that there is consistency, clarity and maximum effect of the message on the target audience”.

From the above, it is easy to understand something that we previously pointed out: our study over the years has shown the complete confusion that exists in the majority of companies, which, despite their generally good operating conditions, do not seem to understand that the Marketing department does not can replace the Communication section. Instead, there should either be two separate departments working together or the Communications and Public Relations officer should intervene in a consultative manner where the communication situation requires.

It is not possible -and of course it would be unreasonable- to question Marketing techniques in the slightest. However, given that globally the marketing communication tools available to marketers are increasing daily thanks to globalization and the development of new technologies, it is now considered imperative to remove any confusion in the name of overall communication quality.

The importance, after all, that must be given to the correct communication of the product is confirmed by two main characteristics of IMC. One is neutrality towards the choice of communication media and methods. IMC does not consider any media or methods of communication better than others but uses on a case-by-case basis all those media to which the consumer is receptive and which are chosen based on the cost-benefit ratio.

In addition, IMC perceives as potential communication channels all the “contacts” that the consumer has with the brand or the company. All these “contacts”/elements of an IMC program must “speak with one voice”, i.e. work together to deliver the exact same message and reinforce each other. The second feature we emphasize is relationship building. This is the “key” of modern marketing and IMC is the main means to this end. Building relationships presupposes a dialog between the brand/product and its consumer. Precisely this planning and coordination is the work of a specialized Communication department.

So, since we are referring to a company that claims to want to stay strong in its market, we automatically accept two positions. First of all, when designing strategic communication plans, the role that the various elements of the promotion mix, such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, etc., are called to play, must be fully clarified, because each of these elements has strong and weak characteristics, presented case by case.

For example, advertising, despite its benefits, is often perceived by consumers as unreliable. Also, that businesses cannot achieve their goals if they do not have good relations with the public. It is therefore imperative that they develop relationships with their audience that are not limited to the simple sale of a product or service. This is something that is undeniably much more true today, due to increasing competition in the business arena.

So let’s complete our analysis with some key conclusions:

How important are communication and marketing when it comes to business?

Communication and marketing are extremely important for businesses. Communication helps businesses build relationships with customers and partners, while marketing helps businesses promote their products or services. Without effective communication and marketing, businesses would struggle to build and maintain relationships to promote their products or services and ultimately generate sales.

What is the relationship between Communication and Marketing?

The relationship between communication and marketing is that communication is the process of sending and receiving messages, while marketing is the process of creating value for a company through the creation and distribution of products or services. Communication is necessary for marketing to take place as it is how information about a company’s products or services is disseminated to potential customers. Marketing cannot take place without communication. As a result, communication is essential for effective marketing because it allows companies to reach out to their target market. It also allows for feedback to be gathered and used to improve future marketing campaigns.

How should Communication and Marketing be related?

There is no one answer to this question, as communication and marketing can be related in many different ways depending on the specific goals and objectives of the organization. However, in general, communication should support and reinforce marketing goals and objectives and vice versa. For example, if the marketing goal is to increase brand awareness, then communication activities should be designed to raise awareness of the brand and create a positive association with it.

We do not need to expand more on the relationship between Communication and Marketing techniques. After all, the goal, which was to clarify the role of Communication in this relationship, we consider having been achieved.

Written by Fotis Pantopoulos.
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