MOS 3322: INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

EXPECTATIONS FOR IMC PLAN PROJECT

This project involves having 5-member student teams develop and present an
integrated marketing communications plan for a product or service of their
choice. The objectives of this project are to have you apply the course material and
develop an appreciation for the process that a brand manager, account executive or
marketing communications manager goes through in developing a complete IMC plan.

In selecting the product or service that your team will develop an IMC plan for, be sure
to pick an organization that has at least one competitor (in the case of a for-profit
company) or another similar agency that also has a communication plan (in the case of
a not-for-profit organization). Select a current brand of interest. Please note that you
are NOT allowed to choose the brand that you already have picked for other
group projects. You should focus on existing products or services that currently
have a marketing communication campaign in place that you can readily access.
Moreover, you should select a product or service organization that you feel could
significantly improve their communication efforts.

Each team must submit an one page report to obtain approval to proceed. The
proposal/outline should include: (1) a description of your product/ organization and your
rationale for selecting it; (2) a brief analysis of the product market/category you will be
dealing with (name, size, environmental influences affecting the market); (3) a list of the
key competitors in this product category (including your product), along with their
positioning strategies; and (4) your assessment of why your product’s current
communication efforts are weak or could be further improved. The proposal submission
should be typed, single spaced; use 12 point font with one inch margins, and include the
names of each of your group members. The proposal will not be graded, but feedback
will be provided that is meant to be helpful toward the preparation of the final IMC plan.
Your team, with each of the members present, is encouraged to meet with Professor
Lee to discuss the suitability of your proposed project. The proposal is due on Monday
February 3rd at 5:00pm). Late submissions will not be accepted.

Each team will make a 15 minute presentation, which will be based on the subject
matter of the IMC plan document being prepared. Five minutes will also be designated
for questions. The complete project is due on April 2nd (Thursday) by NOON. Each group
must hand in a paper copy (either that week in class or I will be in my office April 2 nd
Thursday between 10:00 AM – 12:00PM) as well as submit the project through the
assignment tab on the OWL site. Choose one member of the group to submit the
electronic copy. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Presentations should be supported by audiovisual aids (e.g., PowerPoint slides), and

presenters are expected to submit an abstract or executive summary (roughly 200
words), an outline of their slides, and a one-page bibliography handout that constitutes
key references of their IMC plan document. Please keep in mind the severe time
restrictions when making your presentations and focus on communicating just enough
information to allow the audience to grasp the key components of your situation or your
plan and to make comments on them.

A recommended presentation content/order includes:

* General Introduction
* Explanation of Market and Competitive Situation
* SWOT Summary and Priorities
* Marketing Objectives and Strategies
(Outline Target Market and Account for Brand Positioning)
* Communication Plan Objectives
* Creative Strategy
* Creative Executions
* Media Strategies
* Flow Chart
* Summary or Conclusion

Any feedback you receive on your presentations can be used to improve your final
written submission. Grading criteria for the presentations will include the completeness
of material being covered, the clarity of situation, issues, or proposed objectives and
strategies, creativity in thinking/analysis/planning, and the flow or organization of the
material.

Each team will also submit two copies of the complete project. The IMC plan must be
typed, double spaced; use 12 point font with one inch margins; and include page
numbers, an executive summary, headings and sub-headings to enhance readability,
and a complete bibliography. You must be explicit and thorough with endnotes; all
information taken from another source, whether quoted verbatim or merely summarized,
must be properly acknowledged in the body of the document. The IMC plan submission
should be no longer than 30 pages (including exhibits and appendices).

The IMC Plan is worth 30% of your final grade.

 SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR IMC PLAN PROJECT

1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION – this is a brief summary of your company/brand’s history and/or

status in the marketplace; it should include a brief assessment of the key problem(s) that the
company/brand is facing and that your IMC plan will address.

2. BACKGROUND (aka SITUATION ANALYSIS)

a. MARKET ANALYSIS – this section should include information such as the market
definition, current market size, overall market trends during the last 2-5 years, anticipated
overall future trends, plus any other key information you have found about the market
that might impact communication planning

b. MARKET ENVIRONMENT – this section should include key demographic/socio-cultural,

economic, political/legal/regulatory, and technological factors impacting all of the key
market players – you should focus on factors that might impact communication planning
now or in the near future

c. CONSUMER ANALYSIS – this is a profile of primary users of this product category

(demographics, geography, psychographics, and behavioural aspects), and a review and
explanation of what is known about their consumer behaviour (with regard to this or
related products)

d. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS (INCLUDING YOUR OWN PRODUCT) – for each one,

review and analyze recent, past/present marketing and communication plans plus known
factors (such as pricing or distribution) that will impact marketing planning now or in the
near future

3. SWOT ANALYSIS – this is a summary of the prioritized issues facing your brand based on the
above situation analysis and clarification of which ones your IMC plan will address

a. STRENGTHS
b. WEAKNESSES
c. OPPORTUNITIES
d. THREATS
4. IMC PLAN – REMEMBER: rationales must be provided throughout

a. MARKETING OBJECTIVES – the overall business goals the communication plan will
help achieve
b. MARKETING STRATEGIES – if different from current, how and why?
1. BASIS FOR SEGMENTATION
2. TARGET MARKET
3. POSITIONING
4. COMPETITIVE APPROACH
c. TARGET AUDIENCE – same as Target Market or not?
d. PROPOSED BUDGET – IMC Plan spending target and rationale
e. OVERALL COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVE(S) – what communication effect/response is
the plan designed to achieve?
f. OVERALL CREATIVE STRATEGY – what is the primary campaign message? what is
the support for this message?
g. CREATIVE EXECUTIONS – mock-ups for each communication method to be used (can
be as simple as line drawings)
h. MEDIA STRATEGIES – which communication methods will be used? desired media
characteristics? coverage? duration & continuity? reach & effective frequency targets?
i. FLOW CHART/ACTIVITY SCHEDULE – summary chart of specific media/vehicles
planned each month during the plan year

5. PLAN ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION – why is your plan a good IMC plan? How does it
address your key SWOT’s? how will you determine whether all or parts of your plan will work? –
can involve tests conducted before the plan is fielded or after the campaign is over

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY – summary of sources used for the project (NOTE: these should have
already been cited in the document)

7. APPENDICES – optional; anything of key importance should be put in the body of the
document – use this section for supplementary information of potential interest to the plan
evaluators – any appendices provided should be referenced in the plan document