Merging Advertising and PR: Integrated Marketing Communications:

Integrated marketing communications (IMC), also known as integrated communications: advertising and public relations (ICAP)--the merger of all communication functions under a single organizational unit-is one of the most debated and controversial topics in the field of mass communication, both from an educational perspective and from its practical application. For the most part, advertising educators are in favor of IMC, while public relations educators tend to oppose it. This debate intensified at the recent AEJMC Conference at which the preliminary Task Force Report was presented recommending curricular integration of public relations with advertising and/or marketing (Duncan, Caywood & Newsom, 1993). A quick counter was made by the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC) of the Public Relations Society of America opposing the conclusions and recommendations of the Task Force. EAC's position is based on the belief that public relations is much broader than a marketing function and fulfills different functions within the organization (Ferguson Turk, 1993). This was not unexpected; some public relations educators have gone as far as to call the current movement imperialist and an encroachment on the field (Lauzen, 1990; Dozier & Lauzen, 1990).Regardless of the theoretical debate, the reality is that more and more clients are taking a multidisciplinary approach to corporate communication planning (Alter, 1990; Kotler, 1987). Several forces account for this trend: (a) Agency mega-mergers combined with greater emphasis on niche marketing have reduced the need for clients to turn to multiple specialty firms (ad agencies, public relations agencies, direct response agencies, sales promotion agencies, etc.) (Kalish, 1990); (b) An increased emphasis on bottom-line profits has spurred agencies to add functions; (c) The proliferation of small, multipurpose agencies in smaller markets (Schultz, 1991); and (d) A perceived need on the part of clients to integrate communications. Recently, Leo Burnett, the country's number two ranked ad agency added sales promotion and event marketing to its existing integrated direct marketing program. They believe that the integration has been successful (Kirk, 1991). Likewise, Ketchum Public Affairs has adopted an integrated philosophy and is on record that their approach is "to start with the nature of the problem and apply whatever communication discipline will help solve it" (Newsom, Carrell & Hussain, 1992). Even Manning, Selvage & Lee, one of the world's largest public relations' firms, has stated "we are no longer content to stand alone--part of a team that includes advertising, marketing, sales promotion, and direct promotion." (Stanton, 1991). A general belief is emerging: The integration of public relations activities with the total communication program not only saves time and money but also improves the firms or organization's ability to protect the integrity of the product (Nakra, 1991). The Task Force Report echoes these developments when it states, "it would seem that those individuals and agencies who are best-prepared to work within an IMC atmosphere are the most likely to survive and prosper." (Duncan & Everett, 1993).Indeed, 70 to 80 percent of the respondents to the American Association of Advertising Agencies' study on "The Status of Integrated Marketing Communications" supported the concept of integrated communications (Caywood, Schultz & Wang, 1992; Schultz, 1991). A key finding in a study by Lehigh University faculty and Advertising Age was that agencies must offer an inter-promotional team (Smackey & Maskulka, 1991). Additionally, Martin, Lloyd, et al. point out that "IMC is not a recessionary fad that will die when the national economy builds up steam." (Martin, Lloyd, et al., 1992). Indeed, many small agencies have been providing same for years (Jaffe, 1991: Schultz, 19911. And, "IMC is clearly in the best interests of the client ... the synergy that results from genuine integration can help clients" both in "cost savings" and "a gain in effectiveness from the concentration of power that results" (Novelli, 1989-90). …