Marketing vs Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC): Difference and Comparison

When developing the marketing strategy, companies mostly focus on marketing and integrated marketing communication or IMC. In today’s competitive world, developing a marketing strategy is the most important task for a company to promote their brand to the targeted market. For this, both marketing and integrated marketing communication are important. There are some differences between marketing and integrated marketing communication. 

Key Takeaways

1. Marketing encompasses creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers, while IMC focuses on coordinating and integrating communication channels.
2. IMC aims to deliver a consistent message across all marketing channels, whereas marketing includes a broader range of strategies and tactics.
3. IMC contributes to building a strong brand identity and customer loyalty, while marketing focuses on attracting, retaining, and satisfying customers.

Marketing vs Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) 

The difference between marketing and integrated marketing communication (IMC) is that marketing refers to the action of selling business products and services and promoting those products and services to be sold as much as possible. On the other hand, integrated marketing communication (IMC) refers to a concept of management where all the marketing communication facets work together. 

Marketing is the action of promoting products and services to the targeted market to be sold as much as possible. Marketing includes several steps through which business organizations encourage their targeted market to buy their products and services and build a relationship with them. Marketing focuses on satisfying the customers with the company’s products and services. 

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the promotional activities of the business organizations which bring together different types of communication tools and methods used by businesses for presenting a consistent message to the customers and ensuring that the action influences the customer opinions and behaviour. Communication tools like sales promotion, advertising, public relations, and direct marketing are used in this process.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Marketing	Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
Definition	Marketing refers to the business activities of identification of the targeted market and promotion of the products and services of the company.	Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the process of integrating different types of promotional activities and messages conducted by a company to ensure that the company is delivering a consistent message to its targeted customers.
Objective	The main objective of marketing is to create brand awareness and generate sales of the products and the services.	The main objective of integrated marketing communication (IMC) is to integrate various promotional approaches and tools of the company and ensure a consistent message from the company is influencing the customers.
Action	In marketing marketers first, identify the needs of the market, then try to satisfy the customers with the products and services of the company.	For integrated marketing communication (IMC) Communication tools like sales promotion, advertising, public relations, and direct marketing are used.
Main components	The marketing is based on four marketing components known as the marketing mix. These are product, price, place, and promotion.	The main components of integrated marketing communication (IMC) are the foundation, integration tools, communication tools, promotional tools, brand focus, the corporate culture, and consumer experience.
Scope	Marketing is the whole marketing field which consists of four key elements- product, price, place, and promotion.	Integrated marketing communication (IMC) consists of just the promotional part. So, integrated marketing communication is a part of marketing.

What is Marketing?

Marketing is the activity undertaken by a business organization to promote the products and services to the targeted market and ensure the sales of the products and services are increasing. The main objective of marketing is to create brand awareness and generate sales of products and services.

Marketing is the most significant process of the company, which includes several steps through which business organizations encourage their targeted market to buy their products and services and build a relationship with them. Marketing focuses on satisfying the customers with the company’s products and services.  

Before developing an effective marketing strategy, marketers first need to identify the target market. The target market is the people who the products and services of the company can serve. Instead of targeting the whole market, most of the companies segment the market. After identifying the targeted segment, marketers develop an effective marketing strategy.

There are four main marketing components, known as the marketing mix. The marketing mix consists of four Ps- product, price, place, and promotion. Companies need to align these four elements to fulfil the target market’s needs. Otherwise, a conflicting message will be delivered to the target market, affecting sales negatively.

What is Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)?

After developing a product or service, companies take the initiatives to make their products or services known to the customers. For this business, organizations conduct promotional activities to increase awareness about the product or service in the target market. Integrated marketing communication is used to do this job.

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the process that unifies several marketing communication elements like social media, public relations, business development principles, advertising, and audience analytics into a brand identity. It is the process of integrating different types of promotional activities and messages conducted by a company to ensure that the company is delivering a consistent message to its targeted customers.

The main objective of integrated marketing communication (IMC) is to integrate various promotional approaches and tools of the company and ensure a consistent message from the company is influencing the customers. For integrated marketing communication (IMC), tools like sales promotion, advertising, public relations, and direct marketing are used. 

In IMC, all of the promotional tools collaborate in an integrated campaign to ensure that a consistent message is given to the target market, which will benefit the product or service sold. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) makes it easier for customers to make purchase decisions according to their needs and avoid confusion about the product’s or service’s usefulness.

Main Differences Between Marketing and Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) 

1. Marketing refers to the business activities of identification of the targeted market and promotion of the products and services of the company. On the other hand, integrated marketing communication (IMC) is the process of integrating different types of promotional activities and messages conducted by a company to ensure that the company is delivering a consistent message to its targeted customers.
2. The main objective of marketing is to create brand awareness and generate sales of products and services. The main objective of integrated marketing communication (IMC) is to integrate various promotional approaches and tools of the company and ensure a consistent message from the company is influencing the customers.
3. In marketing, marketers first identify the needs of the market and then try to satisfy the customers with the products and services of the company. For integrated marketing communication (IMC), tools like sales promotion, advertising, public relations, and direct marketing are used.
4. The marketing is based on four marketing components known as the marketing mix. These are product, price, place, and promotion. The main components of integrated marketing communication (IMC) are the foundation, integration tools, communication tools, promotional tools, brand focus, corporate culture, and consumer experience.
5. The marketing field comprises four key elements- product, price, place, and promotion. Integrated marketing communication (IMC) consists of just the promotional part. So, integrated marketing communication is a part of marketing.

References

1. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=what+is+marketing+&oq=what+is+marke#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DjETCEPW8E18J
2. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=what+is+integrated+marketing+communication+&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DKkOelHTnapkJ