Integrated Marketing Communication
What this domain tests
Message strategy, media planning arithmetic, touchpoint integration and campaign measurement across paid, owned and earned channels.
Core rules
- IMC means one positioning idea executed consistently, with each channel given a defined job in the hierarchy of effects: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, loyalty.
- GRP equals reach percentage times average frequency. Impressions equal GRP percentage times population. CPM is cost per thousand impressions.
- Effective frequency is a planning judgement, not a fixed law; new brands and high-involvement categories generally need more exposures.
- Budget methods: percentage of sales (simple, procyclical), competitive parity, affordability, and objective-and-task, which is the defensible standard because it derives spend from required reach and frequency.
- Pretesting predicts recall and persuasion imperfectly; in-market testing remains necessary.
Worked example
A brand wants 60% reach at average frequency 5, giving 300 GRP. With a population of 2,000,000, impressions are 3.0 times 2,000,000 = 6,000,000. At CPM 250, media cost is 6,000 x 250 = 1,500,000. A budget of 1,200,000 buys 4,800,000 impressions, or 240 GRP: holding reach at 60% forces frequency down to 4, while holding frequency at 5 drops reach to 48%. Choose according to whether the objective is breadth of awareness or message retention.
Traps
Confusing GRP with impressions or with reach; treating frequency as free; measuring awareness when the objective was trial; letting channels run inconsistent claims, such as a discount banner against a premium brand ad; counting earned media as risk-free.