Although the term is relatively new, Integrated Marketing has been a common practice in mega corporations for quite some time now. These large firms which are marketing products or services simultaneously to mass audiences across several markets are now doing it in an “integrated” way.

Typically they operate with several agencies to help them promote what they are bringing to market. If it’s a”B to C‟ corporation, the ‘roster’ usually includes specialized agencies ranging from advertising, media, digital, PR/WOM (Public Relations/Word of Mouth), experiential, promotional and shopper marketing. ”B to B‟ companies will operate quite similarly except for the promotional and shopper marketing components. Normally in an integrated marketing model, the advertising agency is often mandated to drive the process and to find the big communication idea (b.c.i.). That’s the angle chosen to communicate the key product or service’s benefit. From that point on, everything revolves around the b.c.i.

In 2009, when our client Kimberly-Clark launched its revolutionary Huggies® Little Movers diaper, they ask their advertising agency JWT to come up with a brilliant big communication idea. And they sure did…

Since the new diaper allowed little ones to move like never before, the question was asked: have we made babies too fast… From that b.c.i. JWT created an award winning advertising campaign and in conjunction with K.C., lead the Integrated Marketing process. As a result, all other partner agencies were asked to decline the big communication idea in their respective campaigns, each time using the great creative assets brought to life by JWT.

Our mandate at Xclamation was to bring the b.c.i. alive in face to face interactions with shoppers and consumers in traditional retail stores, shopping malls and selected baby fairs. In a nutshell, proud new parents and their babies were greeted by our staff in a fun and friendly environment where they could find out about the new diaper’s benefits, play with little one and change her/him using the new diaper. To thank them for their stop at the exhibit, we took a picture of their baby in front of a blue screen and emailed it back to the parents with little one now superimposed as the ‟star” of the Huggies® print ad creative with the tag line saying: have we made babies too fast…  (click here to find out all details of that campaign)

A couple of years ago the Center for Integrated Marketing determined that the average ratio of benefits for marketers adopting an Integrated Marketing approach was a 10-25% enhancement in business performance. I believe it’s still hard to quantify today. However, the whole idea behind an integrated marketing model is to communicate more efficiently, more persuasively in one joint effort providing the audience with a 360-degree encounter with the brand. And I know it works!