This course is built on a hands-on experience in developing an integrated marketing communications strategy plan for a real client from the information technology category and facilitates understanding how advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, word of mouth, social media, website content and presence, internal marketing, and in some cases design and packaging decisions form a coordinated marketing communications strategy. The course will provide the theoretical underpinnings of a set of concepts, approaches and tools in integrated marketing communications and at the end of this course students should be able to:

Understand the current status of the marketing category in global terms

This course is built on a hands-on experience in developing an integrated marketing communications strategy plan for a real client from the information technology category and facilitates understanding how advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling, word of mouth, social media, website content and presence, internal marketing, and in some cases design and packaging decisions form a coordinated marketing communications strategy. The course will provide the theoretical underpinnings of a set of concepts, approaches and tools in integrated marketing communications and at the end of this course students should be able to:

• Understand the current status of the marketing category in global terms,
• Understand market/category research methodology and concepts of consumer behavior analysis,
• Develop a relevant insight from the research data,
• Understand each IT client unique scenario and customize the project based on client’s needs,
• Develop a creative brief,
• Develop a feasible integrated marketing communications strategy plan with focus on an IT category,
• Apply project management best practices to successfully manage a project,
• Visually express their ideas in creative designs (logos, posters, website mockups, banners, etc.),
• Effectively develop and manage a flourishing client relationship,
• Effectively present and sell their strategies in front of the client

Course Outline

• The Marketing Communication Process
• Perspectives on Consumer Behavior
• Model of Consumer Decision Making
• Creative Strategy, Planning and Development
• Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications
• Establishing Objectives and Budgeting for the Promotional Program
• Organizing for Advertising and Promotion, The Role of Ad Agencies and Other Marketing Communication Organizations
• Why Agencies Lose Clients
• Public Relations, Publicity, and Corporate Advertising
• The Role of IMC in the Marketing Process
• Source, Message, and Channel Factors
• Understand market/category research methodology and concepts of consumer behavior analysis:
• Develop a relevant insight from the research data:
• Understand each IT client unique scenario and customize the project based on client’s needs:
• Develop a creative brief:
• Develop a feasible integrated marketing communications strategy plan with focus on an IT category:
• Apply project management best practices to successfully manage a project:
• Visually express their ideas in creative designs (logos, posters, website mockups, banners, etc.):
• Effectively develop and manage a flourishing client relationship:
• Effectively present and sell their strategies in front of the client