DoubleTake Documentary
IMC JOURNAL SUSANNE LORRAINE HARFORD
Wk1EX –
“Case Study Activity”
Read the DoubleTake Documentary Film Study case study on page 13 of the textbook and answer the following (adapted from page 15 of the textbook).
“With reference to the above case study, today’s lecture and your own examples summarise the key elements of integrated marketing communications.”
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Week 1 Exercise 1: Case Study Activity
SUMMARY – Introduction
The subject of the case study in this PRN2124 off-campus, S2, 2015 Week 1 exercise/activity is possibly a particular type of public relations situation, being not only the product itself, but also a “special event”, as it fits the definition by (Shone & Parry, 2004, cited, Week 1 lecture slides):
That phenomenon arising from those non-routine occasions
which have leisure, cultural, personal or organizational
objectives set apart from the normal activity of daily life,
whose purpose is to enlighten, celebrate, entertain or
challenge the experience of a group of people.
This definition also in some regards relates to the process of human communication, as the ECU PRN2124 off-campus, (S2, 2015 Week 1) lecture notes’ definition of “communication” demonstrates, below.
Communication is the process whereby thoughts
are conveyed and meaning is shared between
individuals or organisations.
Communication is the foundation of the subject of this summary. It is a specific, integrated form of communications, developed and used, in this case to market this event for its parent organisation, that which controls this event. The key elements of this particular communications process, (the special event discussed in this case study 1.1) are described by using the Masterman and Woods (2006) descriptive summary of the structure of integrated marketing communications (IMC) as those “elements” that provide “consistency, integration and complementarity” (p. 8).
Masterman and Woods (2006) emphasise IMC is included in their further and more detailed description of three necessary “elements” of marketing plans in general (p. 2). These are:
- continuity (consistency)
- to develop the ability to swop between elements regularly, and to ensure these
elements overlap if required (integration)
- while the IMC components do not necessarily have to be dealt with in any
specific order they work best when considered together (complementarity) (p. 2).
Furthermore, these elements, Masterman and Woods (2006) say, rely upon:
- comprehensive research and analysis, widened to include reflection, in a continuous, circular-patterned strategy.
- identification procedures, to “target… objectives”, accompanied by steps to make decisions and to settle on specific targets.
- once target or/and objectives are identified further action can follow, that being created to achieve said objectives by the implementation of “innovative strategies”.
SUMMARY
Below is a summary of the key IMC elements, some examples from case study 1.1 (Masterman and Woods, 2006), and two other examples from personal research and reflection:
Case Study 1.1
The situation analysis sector of Masterman’s and Wood’s DoubleTake Documentary Film Festival case study (2006, pp. 13, 15) describes the existing, and public perception of the film festival current as at that time, and identifies this as the “key problem”. This knowledge, and the resulting decision, as action based on this knowledge, are possibly the results of extensive and consistent “research and analysis” (Masterman and Wood, 2006, p. 2), and as such are examples of (a. above).
By identifying the above IMC key problem it was possible for the parent company to set IMC objectives, and thereafter make “decisions …to settle on specific targets” (to improve growth by changing public perception). The strategies then chosen caused the IMC campaign to achieve a positive impact (Masterman and Woods, 2006, p. 13). This then led to improved growth of the festival’s customer base, associated seat sales increase, bigger and potentially more stable sponsorship, and new types of industry recognition (p. 13). All these positive results relate closely to the implementation of factors (b. above) – to identify the target or objective, and (c. above), to create “innovative strategies” (pp. 2, 15).
EXAMPLE 1
Fig. 4. The novel.
IMC is a flourishing development in the “model of event communications planning” (Masterman and Woods, 2006), and a robust, yet flexible structure is essential when marketing communications are to be integrated, and to successfully structure those identified IMC “elements… consistency, integration and complementarity” (p. 8). An example of IMC consistency aligned with “creativity… innovation… intuition” (p. 7) is…. shown in example 1, the successful “Love Sicily” cooking school situated in the town Modica, in Sicily (Pellegrino, 2013).
What is loveSicily –
loveSicily is a cookery school in Sicily, based in
the beautiful baroque town of Modica, run by
Katia and Ronald. – http://www.lovesicily.com
This innovative IMC possibly begins, IMC-circular fashion, with a small, lightweight, suitable for travel and light-of-heart, for women, in-English novel
(fig. 4). This story about a fictitious cooking school includes unusual yet traditional food recipes. To some extent the events in the novel, and recipes, are from a real cooking school called “Love Sicily” in Modica, Sicily. Also the novel, its story and recipes and the unreal/real cooking school/s are all important IMC components.
In addition, the cooking school has a website: www-lovesicily.com. Mass media items in Australia, and New Zealand, present, generate awareness and encourage discussion, while food and travel reviews, and cooking articles, mention the cooking school. Further international promotion of book and cooking school occurs on food and travel blogs, and at book fairs. The cooking school has its own blog.
We are also the people behind the loveSicily blog –
a diary of recipes and other interesting news for
people looking to travel to Sicily.-
http://www.lovesicily.com/blog
The novelist has a website, http://www.nickypellegrino.com and there promotes the cookery school, the food, the places and products, the novel.
Modena, the town promotes the cooking school. There is also circular promotion between the cooking school and several retail food outlets in Modena. There are multi-faceted linkages like the quote below, from within this IMC. These linkages integrate and expand the IMC outwards – to the “rest” of the whole region.
Explore Sicily
If you are interested in exploring the rest of
Sicily we offer information on travel and the
towns of South-East Sicily. You can also search
for hotels in Sicily – or compare quotes across car
rental providers for car rental in Sicily.
You can also get regular updates on Sicily by
signing up to our newsletter.
So, each IMC step reinforces the other-s, continuously back and forwards, between all IMC components as Masterman and Woods (2006) describe the “need to utilize and integrate a wide variety of tools, techniques and media” to develop objectives, or “long-term and integrated” marketing communications plans (p. 3). This “Love Sicily” IMC demonstrates the importance of objective-setting and how set objectives are achieved.
EXAMPLE 2
fig. 2. “Made in Italy” retail promo material, 2015.
The three items (fig. 1, 2, and 3) are tiny parts of a successful Italian Government-initiated IMC-campaign.
fig. 3.
“Made in Italy” give-aways, 2015.
This campaign, amongst countless items and events, has created:
a comprehensive and searchable directory of over 55,000
Italian manufacturers and suppliers, with company profiles,
online catalogues and business opportunities
– Search the Directory – Post your offers/requests for goods
and services directly to Italian companies.
– Send us your business proposal
This IMC desires and targets, key long-term objectives like “brand loyalty” and “attitude change” (p. 3). This extensive, and long-running, far-reaching IMC campaign: “Made in Italy” (fig. 5, 6) runs in Italy (personal experience, 2014-15).
fig. 5. One of the “Made in Italy” logo, 2015.
The campaign also runs outside Italy, for example in Canada:
“Our team is thrilled to help the Italian Trade
Commission (ITC) forge new ground with the
iconic ‘Made in Italy’ brand, and to raise
awareness with both industry and consumers
on the quality and origin of authentic Italian
products,” said Sid Lee’s managing content
director, Joseph Barbieri.
Reference
Barberieri, J. (2015). Sid Lee.
http://www.marketingmag.ca/advertising/sid-lee-takes-on-made-in-italy-campaign-142103 –
ECU PRN2124 Off-campus (S2, 2015) lecture notes, Week 1.
Harford, S. (2015). own photographs: “Made in Italy”.
Fig. 1: women’s clothing label (found in market in Rome, Italy, 2015).
Fig. 2: advertisement for a new shop (opening in Marchiana Marina, Isola d’elba, Italy, 2015).
Fig. 3: café sugar packaging, (on the Rome – Genoa train, Italy, 2015).
Fig. 4: own photograph of the cover of novel (purchased, 2015): “The
Food of Love Cookery School”.
Love Sicily. (2015). Website. www.lovesicily.com
Made in Italy (2015). Logo.
Masterman, G. and Wood, E. H. (2006). Innovative Marketing Communication,
Strategies for the Events Industry. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann.
Pellegrino, N. (2013). The Food of Love Cookery School: A novel. 4 women learn
the lessons of a lifetime. London: Orion.
and
Appendix
Italy’s % of world trade in 2013:
Mechanical machinery 6.5
Fabricated metal 5.6
Furniture 7.5
Leather 11
Footwear 9
Clothing products 6.4
Textiles 4.4
http://www.italtrade.com/about/about_us.htm
Further information about Italian trade in Canada
http://www.italtrade.com/countries/americas/canada_en/index.htm
The ITC estimates that Canadians spend $3.6 billion every year on agricultural products with Italian-sounding names.
http://www.marketingmag.ca/advertising/sid-lee-takes-on-made-in-italy-campaign-142103 –
http://www.italtrade.com/about/about_us.htm
3.
A comprehensive and searchable directory of over 55,000 Italian manufacturers and suppliers, with company profiles, online catalogues and business opportunities
– Search the Directory – Post your offers/requests for goods and services directly to Italian companies.
– Send us your business proposal
http://www.italtrade.com/countries/americas/canada_en/index.htm
END