Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 38

Marketing - Essay Example This new phenomenon is known as integrated marketing communication (IMC). As such, this paper seeks to critically evaluate the effectiveness of IMC in the operations of McDonald’s restaurant in the UK. The paper starts by explaining the meaning of IMC in order to gain a clear understanding of the whole concept. The paper will also explain how the concept of IMC is applied by the above mentioned company in its operations. Picton and Broderick (2005) define integrated marketing communications as â€Å"A process which involves the management and organisation of all agents in the analysis, planning, implementation and control of all marketing communications contacts, media, messages and promotional tools focussed at selected target audiences in such a way as to derive the greatest economy, efficiency, effectiveness and coherence of marketing communications effort.† Basically, integrated marketing communication is mainly focused on the strategic coordination of roles of a variety of communication disciplines such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and public relations (Cant, 2000). Integrating the various communication channels used by the firm seeks to create the contact points where the firm can interact with the customers while the customers can also discover the firm and its brands. McDonald’s Corporation is viewed as a force to reckon within the fast food industry in the world today. The company is renowned for its burgers as well as its sophisticated delivery system that has greatly contributed to its success (Wiley, 2012). However, though the company has often come under fire for â€Å"its genetically modified practices,† it has sought to present itself as a giant in the fast food industry (Alford, 2012). The company uses different marketing communications in order to appeal to the interests of the customers as well as to retain the consumers that already exist. For instance, mass techniques