Integrated campaigns that operate across media platforms still need to satisfy the basic rules of successful creative advertising. That is, they need a creative execution that resonates with the target audience. One questionable example was the launch campaign for the eleventh generation Toyota Corolla, the biggest selling car brand in the world. It was launched in 2014 with an integrated marketing communication campaign called 'Elevate' from Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles, targeted at the 'Millennial generation, while still appealing to Baby Boomers', according to the press release.9 The key broadcast ad was a 60 second spot called 'Style Never Goes Out of Style', shown on TV and in cinemas

The ad placed the Corolla at the hub of pop culture since its launch in 1968. The print campaign showed crowds of people cheering the car, while content clips of battling DJs and a hip-hop music producer were shown on digital. LED highlighted OOH signs and billboards in major US cities had a built-in chip that enabled consumers to go on a virtual test drive via their smartphone. An advergame mobile app added to the excitement, while 6 second Vine videos and 15 second Instagram videos showed dance styles including the signature 'Elevated' dance from the broadcast commercial. The agency hoped that viewers would share content via the hashtag CorollaStyle.10 Experiential and activation included events and games at cinema showings of the ad, and opportunities for test drives. Some industry bloggers11 were unconvinced about the youth-oriented street style of the campaign. The Toyota Corolla was known, said the bloggers, as a reliable, trustworthy workhorse of a car - not a cool style leader. In contrast, the Nike 'Find Your Greatness' campaign was hailed as a strong creative idea grounded in a powerful consumer insight,12 as was the Snickers 'You're Not Quite You When You're Hungry' campaign and another campaign for Foster's lager that played on laddish humor. In each case, the writer claimed that the foundation was a great idea based on a consumer insight.

A campaign that was less creative but highly effective for Dunkin' Donuts in South Korea took the activation element one step further with 'flavor radio'. Every time the brand's jingle was played on the radio in public buses in Seoul, a flavorsome artificial coffee smell was released in the bus. Sure enough, Dunkin' Donuts stores near bus stops grew sales by 16% while the chain as a whole saw a 29% sales increase, according to the Huffington Post.13 Koreans are coffee aficionados and coffee shops abound in Seoul. The brand was associated more with donuts than with coffee, so there was plenty of competition. The campaign began with radio ads that told commuters about Dunkin' Donuts stores that were near bus stops. The commuters then heard the ads while travelling on the bus, and smelt the coffee aroma. On alighting the bus, they found the bus stops peppered with outdoor ads pointing to the nearest store. The seamless alignment of integration with activation led a proportion of the estimated 350,000 consumers who were exposed to the campaign on a short journey from exposure to the radio ads, all the way to the store via their daily commute.

questions

1 Design an IMC campaign for a new brand car. The name, brand positioning and target market are your choice. Try to integrate as many media channels as possible, and unite them with a key idea. What are the key problems that emerged in this task?

2 Does IMC re-write the rules of marketing, or merely offer increased opportunities for good marketing practice to reap rewards?

3 Does IMC change the game of advertising and promotional communication, or does the tension between creativity and effectiveness still remain just as it does for mass media advertising?

4 List all the circumstances you can think of in which an IMC campaign would not be appropriate for a brand. Give reasons to justify your list.