Theoretical Concept or Management Fashion? Examining the Significance of Imc
Theoretical Concept or Management Fashion? Examining the Significance of IMC
Particularly throughout the last decade Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) appeared to have found increasing acceptance as a theoretical concept, Idea, technique, or simple rhetoric with advertising agency executives, marketing, and advertising practitioners, as well as with writers in the popular and academic marketing and management press. Despite its pervasive penetration in the marketing and communication management world, little has been said, however, about IMC's theoretical robustness as well as its actual significance for marketing and advertising thought and practice. In an attempt to help remedy this situation, this articie examines IMC as a body of theory and hypothesizes its influence upon practice—as a theoretical concept, general idea, management technique, or simple rhetoric. The analysis and argument presented in this article suggests that IMC is a management fashion, apparent in its lack of definition and transient influence, and that its influence upon practice should be conceived accordingly.
JOEP P. CORNELiSSEN
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
ANDREW R. LOCK
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
have received more attention in the marketing literature of recent years than that of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). As researchers, students, and practitioners in the field of marketing communications, it is hard not to have been confronted yet Influenced by the riches of writings on IMC. It seems particularly difficult here not to be in any way appealed to by these writings, when reflecting upon the "potentialities" associated with IMC or the simple solutions that it offers for the complexity of managing marketing communications across organizations. Not surprisingly, and perhaps as a consequence of these appealing features, it appears that IMC has found a perpetual and widespread acceptance among marketers (e.g., Schultz, 1996b) and advertising
Particularly throughout the last decade Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) appeared to have found increasing acceptance as a theoretical concept, Idea, technique, or simple rhetoric with advertising agency executives, marketing, and advertising practitioners, as well as with writers in the popular and academic marketing and management press. Despite its pervasive penetration in the marketing and communication management world, little has been said, however, about IMC's theoretical robustness as well as its actual significance for marketing and advertising thought and practice. In an attempt to help remedy this situation, this articie examines IMC as a body of theory and hypothesizes its influence upon practice—as a theoretical concept, general idea, management technique, or simple rhetoric. The analysis and argument presented in this article suggests that IMC is a management fashion, apparent in its lack of definition and transient influence, and that its influence upon practice should be conceived accordingly.
JOEP P. CORNELiSSEN
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
ANDREW R. LOCK
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
have received more attention in the marketing literature of recent years than that of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). As researchers, students, and practitioners in the field of marketing communications, it is hard not to have been confronted yet Influenced by the riches of writings on IMC. It seems particularly difficult here not to be in any way appealed to by these writings, when reflecting upon the "potentialities" associated with IMC or the simple solutions that it offers for the complexity of managing marketing communications across organizations. Not surprisingly, and perhaps as a consequence of these appealing features, it appears that IMC has found a perpetual and widespread acceptance among marketers (e.g., Schultz, 1996b) and advertising