Group Project | Creation of an 

Integrated Advertising Campaign 

   

Part I 
Objective 
Focus on providing an opportunity to design a comprehensive 
integrated marketing communications (IMC) plan, enabling you to 
achieve a keen awareness and understanding of the decisions, 
issues, and activities involved in developing such a plan.  
Hopefully, you should: 
● get an understanding of the key elements of the marketing 
communications mix 
● comprehend the meaning and relevance of integrated marketing 
communications 
● get a feel of the complexity in designing a complete IMC 
plan 
● inculcate some proficiency in locating, understanding, and 
using information sources for marketing communications 
program design, execution, and measurement 
● enhance your ability to communicate, present and argue out 
rationally the logic of the work done.  
For all practical purposes, if the proposal is argued well, the 
Plan should be executed and go-to-market! 

The IMC Plan  

An IMC plan is a blueprint of the complete marketing 
communications program for a brand. A formal document, it would 
help evaluate the background of the brand and presents a set of 
guidelines and an action program for the advertising and 
promotions campaign.  
Formation of Agency Teams  
Each team should not have less than five members (and not 
more than six). Assign task for each member. I represent the 
Client - whose business you are pitching for. ​
Adopt a formal 
name for your entity​
. 
The Client and the Product  
The two themes related to the Group Project will be outlined 
this week. Any query on this later: email me at: 
[email protected] 

 
Requirement of Status Reports 

One/Two status reports would be required prior to the final 

presentation. Each report should be a maximum of 3-4 pages in 
length (not counting exhibits, if applicable) and should be in 
bullet form, detailing your findings and/or current thinking on a 
particular part of the campaign plan. To guide you in preparation 
of each report, you can imagine that I have called you and asked: 
‘You've been working on project for some time now. What have you 
found in terms of competitive analysis?’ The Report represents 
your best thinking at the moment and is subject to change. The 
Status Reports will be read but may not be evaluated. It acts as 
a checkpoint. 
You and [your agency] are free to e-meet me at a mutually 
convenient time.  

The Final Presentation-The Pitch  

Duration: 20 minutes approx. The team's basic mission is to 
convince the client to accept the campaign work and the proposal. 
Substance is critical, Style is important. Remember: what is 
being bought is not just the work, but also the strategy, the 
conviction of the team and the team itself! 
For each presentation, rest of the class (i.e., non-presenters) 
will be required to give an evaluation of the presentation. The 
Campaign Presentation Evaluation Form will be provided at the 
beginning of the presentation. 

The Written Report: Final  

The written report should show beyond question that the plan was 
prepared by a professional ‘agency’.  
Please keep in mind that the final written report becomes the 
permanent record of your effort. To that end, it should reflect 
the care and attention that merit the document bearing your good 
name. Both c
​ontent ​
and s
​tyle (
​to include all aspects of grammar 
and mechanics) are of supreme importance. The written report, 
even one that is outstanding content-wise, will be downgraded if 
it shows poor grammar and mechanics. 

Referencing guidelines​
: U
​se APA format​as applicable. 

Format:​A4 with standard spacing, 11 point,Times New Roman, not 

exceeding 12 pages. Excludes Cover Sheet, Content Sheet, 
Executive Summary, Appendices and References. 

Submission: 

● Report: S
​oft Copy - Only pdf. Share with 
[email protected] 
 ● Presentation:​Soft Copy ppt. Share with 
[email protected] 
● Creative Work - Presentation 
● All the above - Soft copy - ​
handover to PGDM office. 

Deadlines  
● August 18, 2018, midnight. Loss of 10 point(per 100) for 
each day delay. 
Successful marketing communications planning is dependent upon 
the meeting of deadlines. Assume that late work will not be 
accepted; so, it makes good sense to rigorously observe the 
deadline. 
 
 

Part II  
EXECUTIONAL GUIDELINES    

Preparation of Materials​: All materials must be created, 

designed, and executed exclusively by members of the agency team. 

Contacting Outside Sources​: Agency teams may (and, in fact, 

should) contact any firm for information and materials. For 
example, for cost estimates, previous advertising, research 
studies, ratings data, or industry reports, you may want to 
contact advertising agencies, the media, sales promotion firms, 
research firms, and other vendors. Teams may utilize any 
published and commonly available research materials. Sources of 
information and materials must be listed in the Report. 

Creative Executions  
Each promotion plan should consider including the following 
executions as appropriate and applicable:  
● Television: storyboards/or video executions 
● Radio: scripts 
● Magazine: examples of advertising executions 
● Newspaper: examples of advertising executions 
● Out-of-Home: examples of executions (billboards, transit, 
etc.)  
● Sales Promotion: examples of consumer and trade executions  
● Direct Marketing: examples of direct mail, email 
● Public Relations: any specific thrust 
● Corporate Advertising: examples of advertising executions 
● Event Sponsorship: what, where, how, when 
● Cause-related Marketing: examples of advertising executions 
or other implementations 
● Press release example of written press release 
 ● Web/Internet/Interactive examples of executions, description 
of program components  
The suggested executions are suggestions for consideration. You 
may choose within or beyond this list. You are also encouraged to 
present some ​
unexecuted i
​deas, i.e., basic description of ideas 
for additional creative executions, without actually preparing 
them. 
 
 
Continued in the next page ... 
   
Part III 
SUGGESTED INFORMATION SOURCES    
Collecting and organizing information for this project requires 
time and ingenuity. The following list of suggested references is 
intended solely as a jump-start.  
● Previous Campaign Plan reports in the category 
● Cases relating to your category and work therein: marketing, 
promotion strategy, advertising, sales promotions, personal 
selling, public relations, direct marketing, Internet 
marketing  
● Periodicals 
● Interviews 
● Distributors, wholesalers, retailers 
● Trade associations 
● Advertising agencies 
● Commercial reports 
● The Worldwide Web 
● Trade publications  
Some books on various topics: 
There are enough and more sources on the web - authenticated 
information itself. As a starter you can look at some of these - 
beyond the standard text 
● Advertising : Belch, Belch and Keyur Purani 
● Your - Marketing Text; Consumer Behaviour Text 
● James W. Taylor, ​How to Write a Successful Advertising Plan 
● Robert Bly, ​
The Copywriter's Handbook 
● Philip Wad Burton , ​Advertising Copywriting 
● Albert Book and Dennis Schick, F​undamentals of Copy and 
Layout 
● Jack Sissors and Lincoln Bumba, S​trategic Media Planning 
● Jim Surmanek, ​Introduction to Advertising Media 
● Don E. Schultz, William A. Robinson, and Lisa A. Petrison, 
Sales Promotion Essentials 
● Simon Broadbent, ​The Advertiser's Handbook for Budget 
Determination 

Additional Resources  

● Your own primary research - could be amongst consumers, 

trade etc 

Advertising Dictionaries, Guides and Handbooks  

● Baker, Michael J. Macmillan ​
Dictionary of Marketing and 
Advertising. 
 ● Bushko, David, editor Dartnell's ​
Advertising Manager's 
Handbook. 
Useful periodicals/special pages 

● Adweek  
● Campaign India 
● Brand Equity 
● Advertising Age  
● Brandweek  
● Journal of Advertising  
● Journal of Advertising Research  
● Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising  
● Mediaweek  

Online Search Resources  

● Nielsen 
● SRI 
● Ipsos 
● Strategic Business Insights 
● Mckinsey Reports on Industry 
● KPMG studies on retail, garment industry 
● Retailers Association of India 
● Indian Retailing 
● Technopak - reports on retail and fashion 
● Proquest  
Contains abstracts of nearly academic and trade business 
publications with the full text of half of the journals 
available.  
● Factiva 
Includes over 6000 newspapers, trade journals, and wire 
services in full text. Use for articles, industry or company 
information.  
● Lexis-Nexis Academic. 
Search the full text of thousands of local, national and 
international newspapers,consumer and trade magazines and 
journals.  
● Internet Advertising Resources  
● Advertising World: The Ultimate Communications Directory 
(from the University of Texas ) 
http://advertising.utexas.edu/world/ 
Extensive collection of advertising links on the internet.  
● eMarketer. 
http://www.emarketer.com/ereports/welcome.html 
Provides e-advertising report, free weekly newsletter, list 
of top e-business sites and more.  
] 
REPORT FORMAT 
Title Page​
:  

The following information should be included:  

Name of client: Give a Name 
Course Code 
Title of Project 
Professor's Name 
Name of your agency team  
Names of agency team members  
Date  

Table of Contents  
List all major headings in your plan, with page numbers.  

Executive Summary 

A cogent summary (maximum: two pages) of exactly what your IMC 

plan involves. Among the items to include are:  

● Major target audiences  

● Time period of the plan  
● Campaign objectives  
● Campaign theme/slogan  
● Overall budget total  
● Budget breakdown (dollars and percentages) by each major IMC 
element and each medium  
● Summary of media used (Media flowchart)  
● Evaluation program  

The Executive Summary may be arranged in any fashion. The purpose 

of the Executive Summary is to inform top officials at the client 
organization exactly what you are proposing -- in one or two 
pages. Be precise and complete.  
The rest if the pages will detail the above. Include any material 
that you believe will add value. 

Review of Marketing Plan  

Industry Background Size, Growth, Current Trends/Developments 
Affecting the Promotion Program, Macro Environment Factors and 
Issues, (e.g., demographic, economic, technological, political, 
legal, social, cultural, environmental)  
Company Snapshot ​
Brief Sketch, Target Markets, Positioning, Brand 
Review ( t
​he product/service that constitutes the focus of the 
campaign),​Description, Market Share, Sales, Growth, Strengths 
and Weaknesses, Key Benefits, Brand Image, Positioning, 
Perceptual Map, Category Development Index (CDI), Brand 
Development Index (BDI)  

Competitive Review:​Direct and Indirect Competitors, Target 

Markets, Positioning Budgets, Current Advertising, Sales 
Promotion, Public Relations, and Direct Marketing Programs, 
Message Strategies, Media Strategies, Overall Assessment 

Buyer Analysis:​User Profile(demographic, geographic, 

psychographic, behavioristic factors), Buying Decision Process, 
Who Buys the Product, Who Influences the Purchase Decision, Who 
Makes the Decision, Decision Criteria  

SWOT Analysis:  
Strengths and Weaknesses  
Marketing Goals: Sales Volume, Market Share, Sales Revenue, 
Profit, Return on Investment  
[Marketing goals and communications objectives are not the 
same. Marketing goals establish a framework for the 
determination of communications objectives] 
Promotional Program Situation Analysis  
Review of Existing/Past Programs  
Review of Previous and Current Promotion Programs for the 
Product or Service, including Budgets, Promotion Mix, Share 
of Voice, Message Strategies, and Media Strategies    

IMC Objectives and Strategies ​

   
A statement of what the marketing communications program will 
accomplish – the role the program will play in the marketing 
effort. IMC objectives involve a desired audience response, which 
results from the process of consumer decision making, useful 
frameworks for planners are the hierarchy-of-effects models 
Example Objectives:  
● Awareness Objectives​
: used when most of the target audience 
is unaware of the product, service or brand or when 
awareness levels need to be increased  
● Knowledge Objectives​
: used when the target audience has 
awareness, but knows little beyond that  
● Liking Objectives​
: used when the target audience knows the 
company and its product, but does not look favorably on it  
● Preference Objectives​: used when the target audience is 
aware of the product, knows about it, and likes it – but 
does not prefer it to other brands  
● Conviction Objectives​
: used when the target audience may 
prefer the product but is not convinced that it is the best 
choice for them  
 ● Purchase (
​i.e., ​
Action ​
) O
​bjectives​
: used when the target 
audience has conviction but still hasn't purchased the 
product  
( Y
​ou may choose to use any other hierarchy as well - if it 
fits the situation better) 
Campaign Objectives –
​ Example  
● increase awareness among ‘specific audience’ by 10% that 
Crackerjack irons have the highest consumer satisfaction 
ratings of all major brands, in a three-month time period  
● increase trial of ‘Brand X’ among Brand Y users in 35-49 by 
3% in three-month time period 
● create the understanding among 5% of target audience that 
Brand X has specific features ‘Neo’ and ‘Deo’ that keep a 
baby ‘happy’ 
Creative Recommendations  
The Copy Platform (which includes the following)  
● Advertising Objectives ( ​ what the advertising is supposed to 
do) ​
- ​
Example :
​ To increase awareness ... ​ Example :
​ To 
persuade the target audience that ...  
● Message Strategy ( ​what the advertising is attempting to 
communicate; i.e., the benefit, problem solution or other 
advantage that is the value of the product -- physical or 
psychological ​
) - ​
Example : ​ Use of this product will allow 
you to recover more quickly after strenuous exercise.  
● Message Appeals ( h
​ow the advertising stimulates interest 
and influences feelings )​ - ​Example :
​ fear, pleasure, 
comfort, convenience  
● Rationale for Creative Recommendations  
● Executions : Storyboards, Scripts, Mechanicals, etc.  

Media Recommendations  
● Strategy - E
​xample :
​ Use magazines primarily targeted toward 
women 25-49; E
​xample ​
: Schedule increased media use to 
coincide with sales promotions.  
The Media Plan 
● Media Mix Recommendations and Rationale  
● Share-of-Voice (SOV)  
● Geographic Scope  
○ Brand Development Index (BDI)  
○ Category Development Index (CDI)   
● Scheduling Pattern and Rationale  
○ Reach and Frequency with Rationale  
○ Cost-per-Thousand (CPM) 
○ Cost-per-Point (CPP)  
● Media Plan Rationale – Summary  
 ● Budget Breakdown: By Media Class (e.g., print)  

Sales Promotions Recommendations​(Consumer)( I

​f appropriate)    

Objectives, Sales Promotion Plan/Timing, Rationale, Budget 

Sales Promotions​​
Recommendations​(Trade ​
)(If appropriate ​
): 
Objectives, Sales Promotion Plan/Timing, Rationale, Budget  
Direct Marketing​​
Recommendations​, Objectives, Direct Marketing 
Plan/Timing, Rationale, Budget  
Internet/Interactive Recommendations - O​bjectives, Strategy, 
Rationale, Budget, Execution, Timing,  
Public Relations Recommendations ​
Objectives, Strategy, Rationale, 
Budget, Execution, Timing,  
Personal Selling Recommendations ​Objectives Strategy Rationale 
Budget     
Campaign Flowchart  
Measurement and Evaluation  
Budget Summary  
Timetable  
Appendices  
References   
 
   
Guidelines for the evaluating your current status:  
R​
eview of Marketing Plan: Look at it in 2 stages. Cover status as 
on date issues as outlined below: 
Stage I 
Industry/Company Review   
A description of the industry in which your product 
competes, its size, growth, current trends and developments, 
and any key factors necessary for an understanding of the 
setting.  
Product Review/Buyer Analysis  
A description of the product or service that is the focus of 
your campaign plan. You could look at:  
the product, market share, strengths, weaknesses, potential 
key benefits, brand image etc for an understanding of the 
product's performance among its competitors. Identification 
market segments, user profile for the product, description 
of the consumer decision process for the product, important 
factors influencing brand selection etc 
Who buys? Who decides? Who influences? What are the 
demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral 
factors influencing the buying decision? Is buying behavior 
characterized by extended or limited problem solving? Is it 
a high-involvement or low-involvement purchase?  
Competitive Review  
Identify direct and indirect competition. For each 
competitor, focus should be on factors such as sales, market 
share, growth, key benefits, positioning, advertising and 
promotion budget, promotion program mix, message and media 
strategies, and an overall assessment of strengths and 
weaknesses.  
Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning 
Which of the market segments will be the target market for 
this campaign? What will be our positioning strategy?  
Communications Objectives & Budget 
What are the objectives of our campaign as they relate to 
brand awareness, knowledge and interest, favorable attitudes 
and image, and purchase intentions?  
Estimation of ‘money’ to achieve the campaign objectives? 
What budgeting method will be employed?  

 
   
Stage II​(can focus on) 
Integrated Marketing Communications Program  
Creative Strategy Statement  
A one-page statement of your copy platform, Include 
components of the message strategy: objectives, key 
benefits, support, claims and promises, reassurance, and 
tone.  
IMC Mix  
Identification of the major program elements of the IMC 
campaign, the relative emphasis to be placed on each 
(including a tentative percentage allocation of the budget). 
Sp​
ecific objectives for each element, and the rationale - of 
the advertising, sales promotion, public relations, 
Internet/interactive, direct marketing, and personal selling 
components of the IMC campaign.  
Specific Media Objectives/Mix  
View, suggestions on the reach, frequency, and message 
weights sought. Geographical allocation of the media budget 
and why? Which media will be used and why? What scheduling 
pattern will be employed? Potential effectiveness of the 
investment. 
Measuring IMC Program Effectiveness ​
   
Evaluation Program  
Any view on evaluation, testing of effectiveness of the 
work. What can be tested? When? Where? How?