Markedly, after ensuring brand equity and brand positioning for our product, the holy
basil natural drink. It is now time to establish an integrated marketing communications matrix for
our product. Arguably, the development of a marketing communications matrix refers to the
utilization of combined marketing tools and marketing channels (Anabila, 2019). Noticeably, the
focus of the marketing communications matrix is how a business communicates and sends
marketing messages to the desired market or the target market (Percy, 2018). Tools of marketing
communication include public relations, events and experiences (sponsorship), sales promotion,
advertising, publicity, personal selling, direct marketing, word-of-mouth marketing, and
interactive marketing (Percy, 2018). To this end, these tools of communication form or are
referred to as the marketing communication mix. The role of an integrated marketing
communication matrix is to ensure proper linkage of marketing communication messages. This
report analyzes the integrated marketing communications matrix for our product, the holy basil
natural drink. An integrated marketing communications matrix will form a strategy that includes
various tools and channels of marketing communication, and these will present organizations
with means for linking and controlling marketing messages to ensure they reach the desired
target market.
Reason for Developing an Integrated Marketing Communications Matrix
There are compelling reasons why we are developing an integrated marketing
communications matrix for our product, the holy basil natural drink. Ideally, strong brands
comprise several compelling and unique messages that delight customers, making them develop
an interest in a product or a brand (Gabrielli & Balboni, 2010). The reason why we are
developing a communications matrix is to ensure that there are customization and precise
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definition of critical brand messages for each market segment or audience that will comprise
customers for our product. As such, consistency is enhanced across a marketing team that is
distributed, which then offers advertising agencies and other third parties with guidance. To this
end, the integrated marketing communications matrix will be utilized together with the business
goals and the advertising budget to develop a plan for the media.
The Integrated Marketing Communications Matrix
The marketing communication mix or matrix for our product, the holy basil natural drink,
will include the following marketing communication tools or channels.
Tool Reach Range
Direct marketing and personal
selling
Target market/ our customers Once weekly
Advertising Target market/our customers Daily adverts
Sales Promotion and discounts Target market/our customers Once weekly
Sponsoring events Target market/ our customers Once per month
Public relations Target market/ our customers Once per month
Advertising
One of the approaches or the tools of marketing communication matrix to include in the
integrated marketing communications matrix for our product, the holy basil natural drink, is
advertising. Notably, the prominent element of a marketing communication matrix is advertising
(Dahlen, Lange, and Smith , 2010).To this end, we will place adverts on television, on the
internet or social media (website and mostly Facebook), print media (newspapers and
magazines), and on the radio. These messages are paid for as we seek to utilize these mediums or
channels to pass marketing messages to the target audience or market. As a result, we have to
allocate a substantial budget for placing adverts for our product, the holy basil natural drink, as
advertising is usually costly. However, we will have ultimate control over the messages that are
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delivered to the targeted audience since we will pay print media and mass media (radio and
television) to air adverts of holy basil natural drink.
Direct Marketing and Personal Selling
Ideally, we will employ marketing representatives or agents who will carry out door-to-
door marketing for holy basil natural drinks in the targeted market. Also, we will use a sales
force to enhance the marketing of holy basil natural drinks in the target market. The use of
salespeople in this tool of marketing communication is essential, meaning that we will have to
come up with a budget for the remuneration of the salespeople and the enhancement of their
welfare, but this will be commission-based.
Promotions and Discounts
Discounts and sales promotions are similar to advertising in the sense that their
promotion is through paid-up communication. Nonetheless, sales promotion leads to offering
products or services to a customer at prices that are discounted (Gabrielli & Balboni, 2010).
Typically, we will utilize sales promotions and discounts for purposes of enhancing marketing
communication for the holy basil natural drink. Examples of the tools that we will use in these
include giving free samples to customers, rebates, gifts like t-shirts, use of coupons, and absolute
percentage-off deals. The objective of utilizing this marketing communication tool is to clear out
extra stock, to attract new customers, and to optimize cash flow and revenue for our product, the
holy basil natural drink.
Public Relations
Markedly, much of public relations will involve the communication of marketing
messages through the mass media (radio and television). However, unlike advertising, we will
not pay for public relations time and space utilized in passing the message to the targeted
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customers. Examples of means of public relations include a feature on a newspaper or television
that mentions our product, the holy basil natural drink. Still, we will not pay for this feature. The
outcome of using public relations is that it will enhance brand exposure for our product holy
basil natural drink to both existing customers and potential customers. However, unlike in
advertising, in public relations, we will be having no ultimate control of the messages passed out
to the targeted audience. Arguably, the only through which we will influence public relations
messages is through inviting media to cover our developments concerning the holy basil natural
drink and also through consistent releases to the press.
Events Sponsorship
Ideally, we will sponsor events such as entertainment and sports and participate fully in
community events through various corporate social responsibility events that we will sponsor.
The idea of using event sponsorship is to ensure that we have a presence within the community
that surrounds our business. The benefit of this plan is mutual.
Envisaged Outcome of the Integrated Marketing Communications Matrix
The use of the above marketing communications matrix will contribute to brand exposure
for our product, the holy basil natural drink, as a result of increased customer awareness and
mutual understanding. These outcomes will, in turn, lead to higher returns on the investment that
will emanate from high turnover.
To sum it up, an integrated marketing communications matrix will form a strategy that
includes various tools and channels of marketing communication, and these will present
organizations with means for linking and controlling marketing messages to ensure they reach
the desired target market. The tools of marketing communications included in our matrix include
events, sponsorship, advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing, public relations, and
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sales promotions and discounts. As a result of using this marketing communications matrix, we
will have more brand exposure for our product, the holy basil natural drink, as a result of
increased customer awareness and mutual understanding. Manufacturers need to consider
utilizing the marketing communications matrix to achieve higher returns on the investment.
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References List
Anabila, P., 2019. Integrated marketing communications, brand equity, and business
performance in micro-finance institutions: An emerging market perspective. Journal of
Marketing Communications, 1-14. doi:10.1080/13527266.2019.1574868
Dahlen, M., Lange, F., and Smith, T., 2010. Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative
Approach. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Gabrielli, V., and Balboni, B., 2010. SME practice towards integrated marketing
communications. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 28(3), 275-290. doi:
10.1108/02634501011041426
Percy, L., 2018. Planning considerations. Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications, 229-
249. doi: 10.4324/9781315164342-15
Percy, L., 2018. The IMC planning process. Strategic Integrated Marketing Communications,
250-267. doi: 10.4324/9781315164342-16