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Interactive integrated marketing

communication: combining the
power of IMC, the new media
and database marketing
James W. Peltier
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, USA
John A. Schibrowsky
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
Don E. Schultz
Northwestern University, USA
The interactivity of the new electronic media requires that a database-driven segmentation
approach to communication strategy be employed to take advantage of its uniqueness. To
accomplish this, firms must develop ways of collecting information at the individual level
by traditional and/or electronic means, and of using that data to create informationintensive customer communication strategies. These strategies should then employ the
new media to generate interaction with customers. We term this approach Interactive
IMC. In this article we propose and illustrate an interactive IMC process model.

INTRODUCTION
Over the past decade, understanding the conceptual and strategic
ramifications of integrated marketing communication (IMC) has
become an increasingly important topic in both the academic and
advertising communities. Broadly defined, IMC is a concept of
marketing communication planning that recognises the added value of
using a comprehensive plan to evaluate the strategic roles of a variety of
communication disciplines. It combines these disciplines to provide
clarity, consistency and maximum communication impact (Schultz et al.
International Journal of Advertising, 22, pp. 93115
2003 Advertising Association
Published by the World Advertising Research Center, Farm Road, Henley-on-Thames,
Oxon RG9 1EJ, UK

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1993). Research on a national scale, and increasingly in the global

arena, has shown that IMC is becoming more widespread within all
types of marketing and advertising organisations.
The growing interest in IMC may be traced to a number of
interrelated factors. Schultz (1999) argued that IMC is the result of a
natural evolution from the use of mass-market advertising to more
targeted message strategies. Proponents of IMC contend that it
represents a logical first step in the transition from out-bound
product-driven communication to the more interactive, consumerand behaviour-oriented approaches of the twenty-first century
(Kitchen & Schultz 1999). From an outcome-based perspective, IMC
is prescribed as a solution for achieving synergy in advertising
planning and execution, with the end result being enhanced efficiency,
productivity and performance (Phelps et al. 1996). Although IMC is
not without its critics, its prevalence in academic periodicals,
educational and applied textbooks, and its use by advertising agencies
and other marketing organisations, all point to the fact that the
acceptance of the IMC framework is growing rapidly.
The meteoric rise of new electronic media has dramatically altered
advertising and marketing communication planning in general, and
IMC specifically (Hoffman & Novak 1996; Bezjian-Avery et al. 1998).
While the list of new electronic media is growing, those most often
discussed include the interactive portion of the world wide web, email,
interactive television, handheld wireless communication devices and
related systems. While some dismiss these new media as simply more
direct marketing tools, most experts acknowledge the potential for
these media to alter the way in which advertisers view marketing and
marketing communication (e.g. Glazer 1999; Korgaonkor 1999;
Lavidge 1999), especially as they pertain to IMC (Low 2000). The
challenge of the new electronic media is for marketers to find ways to
use these new tools to become more effective and efficient marketing
communicators.
Early research into electronic media focused on which businesses
and consumers use them. Recently, researchers have begun to identify
ways in which emerging electronic media are different from traditional
media (Hoffman & Novak 1996). This research is important in that it highlights the fact that the transition from a mass-oriented IMC approach
to an electronic media-driven approach requires a change in how buyer/
seller relationships are viewed (Peltier et al. 2002b). In particular, the
unique ability of the electronic media to provide two-way,
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user-controlled, customised, one-to-one communication programmes,

makes the information age not fiction but reality. The net result of
the interactive capacity of the new media is the evolution of smart
customers, smart markets and smart companies (Glazer 1999).
In combination, the adoption of new electronic media and the
advancement of information technology have created the previously
elusive opportunity for firms to move to a customer relationship
marketing paradigm. In that model, the goal is to develop profitable
long-term relationships with current and future customers through
database-driven, individualised communication programmes (Peltier
et al. 1998). Especially promising is the capacity which electronic media
and database technologies have for creating unique and personalised
conversations with individual customers, an essential element in
developing customer relationship management (CRM) programmes
(Schultz 2000). To make these conversations a reality, a firm must
acquire and use an assortment of individual-level customer data
collected from a variety of sources that allows them to understand and
nurture buyer/seller relationships. To accomplish this, the firm must
have the capacity to collect data, and then to convert the data into
information that can be used to develop interactive CRM programmes
(Preston 2000).
Despite the promised possibility of using electronic media to form
interactive customer relationships, few organisations exploit this
capability in building IMC programmes. Instead, most companies have
paid only lip-service to the idea of developing interactive
communication strategies. As a result, they have failed to take
advantage of the full potential of interactive marketing (Deighton &
Glazer 1998). Still less is understood of how the fusion of electronic
media and customer databases can be converted into integrated
communication strategies (Peltier et al. 2002a). Even when efforts are
made to use individual-level data to understand customers,
demographics and purchase history are often the only information
collected, while other potentially valuable motivation-related
information, including customer lifestyles, values, needs, motivations,
and priorities are overlooked (Peltier et al. 2002a). Because databasedriven longitudinal contact strategies are essential for blending more
traditional media with electronic media into effective, efficient and
customised IMC programmes (Kestnbaum et al. 1998; Preston 2000),
research on the evolution of the new media along with the value and
methodologies of data integration is warranted (Berthon et al. 2000).
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This article has three major objectives. First, we conceptualise a

model that links the use of detailed database information to the
creation of customised and electronic media to develop interactive
and integrated marketing communication strategies. The model is
presented in Figure 1. As part of this model, we discuss the
foundations of interactive IMC and how it differs from traditional
IMC. Second, we present a case study of an organisation that had very
little previous experience in IMC or database marketing and is
developing and implementing an interactive integrated marketing
communication programme. Although we discuss the entire model,
the case study focuses on how psychographic, behavioural and
descriptive customer data can be integrated to form electronicallyenhanced IMC strategies. Finally, we demonstrate how the proposed
process model can turn customer data into meaningful information
that may be used to develop customised and electronically distributed
IMC plans. Examples of successful IMC are provided.
ELECTRONIC MEDIA, IMC AND INTERACTIVITY
The use of interactive media in the marketplace is experiencing
explosive growth. Unfortunately, high expectations have been replaced
by disappointment, with many companies becoming increasingly
sceptical as to when, if ever, their interactive media efforts will turn
profitable (Korganjor 1999). Part of this scepticism may be traced to
attempts to generate a quick electronic presence in the marketplace.
Many organisations that would normally advocate using sound
customer-centric research practices in their traditional marketing
efforts abandoned this logic in the interactive portion of their communication programmes. This lack of customer focus is especially problematic
from an IMC perspective since a major strength of interactive media is
its ability to tailor and deliver communication messages.
Interactivity in a marketing venue has been defined in a number of
ways. Bezjian-Avery et al. (1998) defined it as the immediately iterative
process by which customer needs and desires are uncovered, met,
modified, and satisfied by the providing firm. Similarly, Haeckel
(1998) viewed interactive marketing as an approach that uses customer
data captured via person-to-person or person-to-technology contacts
to create individualised exchanges designed to effect a change in
knowledge or behaviour of at least one person. Extending these
1

Footnote.

96

Customer
database

Traditional
and online
surveys
Website
tracking
E-mail
responses
Warranty
cards
Internal
records
Appended
data
Other data

97
Segment n

NEW INFORMATION

Traditional
media
Direct marketing
Internet
marketing
Permision e-mail
Interactive TV
Telemarketing
Other media
tools

Customised
IMC programme

IMC strategy
development

IMC plan for Segment n

IMC plan for Segment 3

IMC plan for Segment 2

IMC plan for Segment 1

Communications
campaigns

Response by
Segment n

Response by
Segment 3

Response by
Segment 2

Response by
Segment 1

Customer
response

FIGURE 1 A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DATABASE MANAGEMENT AND

INTERACTIVE IMC

Form
relational
segments

Segment 1

Profiling
and
Segment 2
prioritising
the
Segment 3
segments

Customer relationship
management development

17:10

Demographics
Psychographics
Behavioural
data

Database
development

Interactive IMC plan

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Data
collection

Database management

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definitions into an electronic media context, we refer to electronic

interactive media as any electronic medium that has the capacity to
establish two-way communication systems between buyers and sellers.
Although there are several aspects of the new electronic media that
differ from traditional media, we focus on those differences that are
crucial to developing an IMC programme. Our primary interest is in
identifying those elements that involve output and response methods
which permit ongoing interactivity and customermarketer dialogues.
Our view of interactive media includes four elements that are central
to the model: (1) the two-way nature of the communication system,
(2) the level of response control each party has in the communication
process, (3) the personalisation of the communication relationship,
and (4) the use and involvement of database technology. Although all
these elements are important to interactive media, the role of
databases is especially critical when moving from traditional IMC to
interactive IMC. Specifically, interactive personalised relationships,
electronic or otherwise, cannot be maintained without the use of
ongoing database management practices (Peltier & Schibrowsky
1997). Conceptually, interactive data may be synthesised to develop
and implement information-intensive strategies tailored to the specific
needs of targeted customers (Peppers et al. 1999). This is true whether
customer data are generated via traditional, website or email surveys,
through online or store-based purchase history, or by tracking website
navigation. Unfortunately, most organisations lack sufficient data to be
truly customer-focused, and are thus unlikely to attain the potential
benefits of interactive marketing (Deighton & Glazer 1998).
Despite the paradigm shift that is underway regarding how
marketers and customers interact with each other, and the role that
consumer databases play in this evolution, practical and theoretical
inadequacies abound. In particular, though direct marketers have long
practised database management, traditional advertisers and marketers
have not (Shepard 1999). Even when traditional marketers hold
customer information (i.e. internal records), the lack of connection or
cooperation between marketing, sales and research often prevents
their use. Consequently, the underuse of consumer data is usually due
to firms inability to accumulate and integrate existing data rather than
a lack of actual marketplace information.
A specific problem germane to the ability to develop personalised
communication is that the majority of marketers who claim to use
database information typically place the highest priority on generating
1

Footnote.

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transactional and other behaviourally-oriented data (Preston 2000), to

the exclusion of psychographic-oriented information such as motivations,
needs, attitudes and lifestyles (Webster 1998). Although behavioural
data are a necessary prerequisite for maintaining interactive relationships, the development of meaningful, effective, personalised communication strategies does not only require the measurement of who the
customers are and what they are doing. The marketer must also
understand the psychological factors that motivate those customers to
seek or maintain a relationship (Peltier et al. 2002b). At the highest
level, interaction requires an understanding of the total relationship
between buyers and sellers, and this requires the merging of both
behavioural and psychographic information (Schultz & Bailey
forthcoming).
Practising effective interactive IMC requires organisations to
develop an internal structure for doing so. For a firm to truly become
a smart company, it must have the ability to develop smart
marketing campaigns and smart integrated marketing communication
programmes. To accomplish this, firms must have the ability to collect
information at the individual level and use that data to create information-intensive customer management strategies that use electronic
media to generate interaction (Glazer 1999). However, while most
advertising researchers, managers and academics would agree that the
true value of electronic media lies in its interactivity, the way to
proceed to make that a reality is less clear. Consequently, the concept
of a fully interactive IMC approach is more of an intriguing idea than
a practised reality (Davenport et al. 2001).
Quite possibly the greatest change caused by increased interactivity
will be in the area of database construction where demographical,
psychographic and behavioural information about customers and
prospects is merged, with the end result being an increased use of
more personalised and consumer-driven IMC programmes. As is
evident from our model in Figure 1, IMC strategies rely on three
interdependent database management components: collecting,
analysing and using customer data. Drawing upon literature from the
disciplines of IMC, interactive marketing, electronic media and
relationship marketing, Table 1 is our conceptualisation of how the
IMC paradigm will evolve as the field moves from more traditional to
more interactive and electronic forms of IMC. We conceptualise four
specific areas of change: (1) the role of databases, (2) communication
issues, (3) relationship dynamics, and (4) IMC metrics.
1

Footnote.

99

1
2
3
4

5
6
7
8

9 Marketers identified value/form

10 Arms length relationships

11 Investments and output

12 Acquisition/number of customers
13 Efficiency measures (e.g. CPM)

Role of databases
1 Importance of databases
2 Data collection
3 Type of data
4 Use of data

Communication issues
5 Media/placement
6 Scope of communications
7 Communication flow
8 Nature of message consistency

Relationship dynamics
9 Specification of relationship
10 Degree of interaction

100

IMC metrics
11 Return on investment
12 Acquisition vs. retention
13 Contact measures

Based where customers already are

Targeted/personalised
Dialogue and ongoing
Overall best message, augmented by target-specific
and individual specific messages

High
Traditional plus interactive methods (email, web)
Demographic, psychographical, behavioural
Traditional plus detailed understanding of individual
customers and relationships

11 Value and returns

12 Customer retention
13 Effectiveness measures (lifetime value)

9 Customer and marketer identified value/form

10 Two-way relationships, mutual information exchange

5
6
7
8

1
2
3
4

Interactive IMC

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Based on weight and breakthrough

Mass communications
Outbound and specific
One best message/theme across media

Moderate
Traditional survey methods
Demographic, some behavioural
Media selection and profiling

Traditional IMC

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Change components

TABLE 1 TRADITIONAL VS. INTERACTIVE IMC

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The model presented in Figure 1 conceptualises the relationship

between database management and interactive integrated marketing
communication programmes. Using a database-driven CRM
programme provides the mechanism for firms to create and distribute
a customised, interactive, integrated marketing communication
programme. In our model, database management refers to the process
of collecting customer data, integrating the data to form customer
segments, and then using other data to build predictive models for
categorising other customers and prospects. The IMC portion of our
model relates to the development of targeted, personalised and
interactive communication programmes based on information learned
in the data analysis stage. In the following section, we illustrate how
the proposed model can be implemented in an organisation that does
not currently have a functioning customer database.
A CASE STUDY OF A FIRM DEVELOPING AN
INTERACTIVE IMC PROGRAMME
The case study reported here was done in conjunction with an energy
conservation organisation. Energy conservation was chosen for five
reasons. First, recent energy shortages and high energy prices in
California and other states illustrate the critical nature of energy
conservation. Second, the melding of behavioural, psychographic and
descriptive data for better understanding of and communication with,
customers has previously been advocated in the energy literature
(Formichelli 1999). Third, demographics and psychographics have
individually been found to be only weak predictors of attitudes
towards energy conservation and/or conservation behaviour (Pelton
et al. 1993). Fourth, while utility companies have little experience with
consumer databases, recent developments in the deregulation of these
industries have led to a number of these firms beginning to compile
data on their customers (Formichelli 1999). Finally, little is understood
either about how psychographic and behavioural data can be captured
and used to refine the processes of defining customer relationships
and segmenting customers in order to target communication and
offers, or about the impact that interactivity might have on maximising
long-term customer value. As a consequence, the energy field has
much to gain by developing specific and target-oriented energy
conservation communication programmes.
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Ultimately, the goal of the organisation was to gain a better

understanding of the customer at the individual level. This would
allow various communicators to take advantage of the benefits
associated with the interactivity, on-demand quality and one-at-a-time
nature of electronic media. We believe this is a necessary first step if
advertisers are going to integrate these new media successfully into
their IMC programmes.
THE SETTING
In collaboration with utility companies, a pilot study was conducted
designed to identify energy conservation segments in the residential
market. From this project, an integrated communication plan is being
developed to persuade Wisconsin residents to become more energyconservation-oriented. The programme was therefore designed to
influence attitudes towards saving energy and to promote energy
conservation practices across a wide range of potential behavioural
change opportunities. Note that the proposed model suggests that the
data-collection phase potentially includes data from a number of
sources. In this particular case the majority of the data were supplied
by an in-home energy audit survey completed by the home-owner.
The questionnaire contained questions pertaining to attitudes about
energy conservation (e.g. people should be able to use as much energy
as they wish as long as they pay for it), beliefs (we are using up our
energy too fast), motivations (we need to save energy for future
generations) and lifestyle questions related to energy use and
conservation (e.g. I tend to entertain a lot at home); behavioural data
such as average monthly home energy bill, amount of effort given to
reducing home energy bill, specific behaviours already adopted to
reduce energy bill; and respondent demographics.
Procedure
A mail survey was sent to 2000 randomly selected home-owners. To
enhance the response rate, a postcard was mailed prior to distribution
and a $2 participation incentive was attached to the survey. Of these,
68 were returned as undeliverable. A total of 1330 people responded
to the survey request. Of these, 33 were deemed unusable due to an
excessive amount of missing data. This resulted in a total of 1297
usable
surveys. The net result was a response rate of 67.1%
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(1297/1932). The data were integrated with other available

information from the companies database (e.g. energy usage, previous
energy audits) to form the initial database.
DATABASE MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
Forming segments
Respondents were classified into energy conservation segments using
k-means cluster analysis. While a number of different segment
construction analyses were employed, in the final analysis the use of
the individual energy-oriented attitudinal and psychographic questions
(in contrast to using factor scores), along with a summed energy
conservation score, worked best. The summed energy conservation
score was formed by adding up all of the self-reported energy
conservation behaviours from a battery of 16 activities (e.g. had an inhome energy efficiency audit, installed storm windows). Conceptually,
this suggests that behaviour and energy psychographics/attitudes
in combination were superior in forming segments than were
psychographics/attitudes alone. This is an important distinction from
previous research in interactive psychographic segmentation where
only psychographic information was used to form the segments.
Ultimately, a four-segment model best represented the data. The
segments were named as follows: apathetics, proactives, receptives and
comforts. Each cluster/segment had specific psychographic characteristics associated with it, and the names of the segments were derived
from their scores on the battery of psychographic and behavioural
questions. Table 2 contains a general description of each segment.
Profiling
It should be noted that the information contained in Table 2 would
normally be sufficient to develop a customised IMC plan employing
only traditional advertising media. However, the interactivity of the
new electronic media requires that all individual customers be
classified into one of the relational segments. Since the extensive
psychographical and behavioural data captured via the in-home energy
audit survey would not be available for all the customers, there needed
to be a way to generalise these psychographics to those energy
customers in the database who would not be surveyed so that they
1

Footnote.

103

104
Greatest number of
45 to 64 age group
Highest % of men
Highest income
group
Highest monthly
bills

Comforts

27.0

Younger
Highest % of
women
Lowest income
group

Receptives 33.8

Concerned about energy usage, but

place considerably high priority on
using energy sources to keep their
home and themselves comfortable.
They want freedom in choice of usage
control

Have a willingness to cut back on

future energy usage and are more likely
to feel that they have not done all they
can to lower their in-home energy
costs. This group is concerned with the
environmental impact of energy usage

Largest % over 45
The most positively predisposed group
More likely women regarding energy conservation attitudes
Highest % of college
graduates
Lowest monthly bill

Likely to use lights as a

means of enhancing
comfort, security and
home attractiveness

Somewhat careful about

how much electricity and
natural gas/heating oil/LP
gas they use, but are less
likely to have tried to reduce
their energy bill in the past

Most careful about electricity and home heating

use. Try hardest to reduce
energy. Most reported inhome energy conservation

Will not respond to the

its the right thing to do
message. Need to be
convinced that energy
conservation can be
accomplished without
sacrificing comfort

Would be willing to try

to conserve. Need
information and
direction

Most knowledgeable
about how to save
energy. The most likely
to respond to a new way
to save energy

17:10

19.7

Proactives

The least knowledgeable

The least likely to have
about how to save
made their homes more
energy efficient and report energy
that they are not likely to
do so in the future

Least concerned about conserving

electricity, the environment, seeking
information on how to reduce energy
consumption, and about saving money
by using less energy. View energy
conservation as requiring more effort
than it is worth

Communication
issues

Energy conservation
behaviours

Attitudes towards
energy conservation

Oldest and youngest

2nd highest
percentage of men
Lowest % of college
graduates
2nd highest monthly
bill

Percentage
of sample Demographics

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Apathetics 19.5

Segment

TABLE 2 ENERGY CONSERVATION SEGMENTS

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could also be categorised into the energy conservation segments. To

accomplish this, demographic information, a limited amount of easyto-obtain psychographic information and behavioural data were used
to develop the scoring models. These data were chosen because it was
felt that they were either already contained in the database (e.g. size of
the electric bill) or could be obtained easily through external means
such as warranty cards, on-line surveys and data warehouses. In
addition, the profiling results and past research has shown that while
individual variables tend to be relatively good discriminators, the real
value in this type of modelling is the predictive power of the
combination of variables used to construct the model (Peltier et al.
1998; Peltier et al. 2002a).
A variety of models employing various types of data were
developed using discriminant analysis. (It should be noted that a
number of statistical techniques have been used to develop customer
classification models including discriminant analysis, logistical
regression, CHAID and neural net modelling.) Once the models were
constructed, they were investigated to assess their accuracy in
classifying customers. The assessment was performed on a set of
customers who had been given the home energy audit survey, so that
their true classifications were known.
First, a demographics-only model was developed. The model
contained two predictor variables. It correctly classified 37.2% of the
sample. This was an improvement of 41% over the proportional
chance criterion.
Second, a model that included demographics and responses to a
limited number of general energy conservation perceptions and
attitude questions was developed. Examples of the overall energy
perception questions include: (1) I am careful about how much energy
I use; (2) I have already done most of what I can do to lower my
energy bill; and (3) I should probably cut back on how much energy
I use. This model correctly classified 47.1% of the respondents or an
improvement of 78.5% over the proportional chance criterion. This
represented a significant improvement over the demographics-only
model and demonstrated the added value of including psychographics
in the classification model.
Finally, a model that included demographics, a limited number of
general energy perception questions and individual energy conservation behaviours was developed. Individual energy conservation
behaviours included such items as: (1) I have turned down the
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temperature on the water heater; (2) I have purchased energy-efficient

appliances; (3) I use water heater jacket/wrap pipes; and (4) I installed
energy-efficient ventilation and/or an air-conditioning system. This
model correctly classified 68.5% of the respondents. This was an
improvement of 260% over the proportional chance criterion. This
was also a substantial improvement over the demographics and
psychographics model, and signified the added value of including
behavioural data in the classification model. This is of particular
importance since behavioural data can often be obtained from internal
records. This model therefore provides a logical starting point. It
correctly classified slightly better than two out of three customers with
relatively easy-to-obtain data.
The results highlight the value of collecting additional information
from customers over time. The more information the organisation has
on its customers, the more accurately it will be able classify them. This
also suggests that continuous analysis of data is needed to improve the
classification models. In the final analysis, the ability of the organisation to create a differentiated integrated marketing communication
programme is predicated on its ability to classify its customers
correctly. It is important to note that, although the energy segments
were validated via a test and holdout sample, the focus of this paper is
on how interactive IMC may be enhanced using combined attitudinal
data, and not on whether these energy segments are generalisable to
other studies. Moreover, the model is designed to turn this attitudinal
and behavioural data into actionable interactive IMC strategies.
TURNING CUSTOMER DATABASES INTO
INTERACTIVE IMC
The guiding principle of the interactive integrated marketing
communication model is that to take advantage of the interactivity of
the new electronic media, an organisations marketing strategy must be
data-driven. To accomplish this, a firm must have a process in place to
collect information at the individual level and use that data to create
information intensive customer communication strategies that use the
new media to generate customer interaction (Glazer, 1999; Davenport
et al. 2001). The segmentation and profiling data illustrated that
attitudinal and behavioural data collected through traditional and/or
electronic means may be used to further understanding of what it is
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that customers are looking for in their relationships with sellers and
how those relationships might be developed and enhanced. At this
point, we turn our attention to how this customer orientation can be
converted into interactive integrated marketing communication
programmes. The approach is outlined in Figure 1.
Blending traditional and interactive data collection
The starting point in this model of the relationship between database
management and interactive integrated marketing communication is
the collection of data to further understanding of customers. The
issue is not whether an organisation can acquire individual level data;
that is a given. Rather, the question is: What specific information
should be gathered and what is the most efficient way to obtain
accurate data from customers? Traditionally, marketers have relied on
demographic information and perhaps some group-level psychographic data collected via survey research. Although traditional
methods are likely to remain a strong component of the datacollection process, augmenting the existing or to-be-built customer
database by collecting additional customer data through multiple
interactive contact points creates both opportunities and challenges
regarding how we describe buyer/seller relationships (Preston 2000).
Interactive IMC
The case study demonstrated the ability to develop segments, to
identify the relationship each segment is seeking, and illustrated the
process whereby all customers could be categorised. However, this is
only the first step. Once segments are identified and understood in
terms of attitudes, beliefs, motives, knowledge and lifestyles, an IMC
programme based on these differences, employing both traditional
and new media, can be developed. Significantly, the data-collection
process we used was not contingent on whether energy consumers use
email and other web-based information sources on a regular basis.
Rather, interactive IMC is built on the ability of sellers to communicate with buyers and prospects through a variety of electronic
techniques.
Interactive IMC strategy development differs from that of
traditional IMC in that the goal of interactive IMC is to establish
ongoing dialogue and communication programmes with specific
groups of identified customers. The starting place is to prioritise the
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segments in terms of IMC efforts and investment levels and, from

that, to use various media tools to establish segment-specific
communication objectives, messages and incentives. In other words,
the general approach should be to develop an analysis of the
individual segments, determine their value to the marketing
organisation and then prioritise them in terms of the amount of the
communication budget and other efforts directed towards each one of
them. In most cases, the potential return on invested communication
dollars will be much higher for some segments than for others. The
smaller the overall communication budget or investment level
available, the more critical this stage becomes.
As is the case with traditional IMC, the interactive approach has
both overall objectives and themes. However, with the interactive
approach there are segment-specific goals based on those overall
objectives. The segment-specific information contained in the
database determines the goals to be achieved with each group. One
advantage of the database is the ability to develop more specific and
measurable goals and objectives, and to provide a meaningful form of
measurement of results.
While traditional IMC has demonstrated the value of creating a
consistent theme and/or creative platform for the communication
campaign, the CRM foundations of interactive IMC highlight the
importance of being able to develop individualised messages that are
consistent with the overall theme and creative platform of the communication programme. The synergistic value of this combination of
consistency and customisation, all under a broad communication
umbrella, is one of the key strengths of interactive IMC.
Once the interactive IMC strategy has been developed, segmentspecific IMC plans can be formulated. First, every communication
should be tailored either to fit with, or to alter, the prior attitudes and
behaviours of the customers in that segment. For example, in the
energy study, it was found that the receptives were concerned with
the environmental impact of energy usage, while the comforts were
not interested in environmental impact issues at all and felt that energy
conservation was an individual choice. To be effective, the messages
targeted at each of these groups should be dramatically different, yet
reinforce the overall theme of energy conservation.
A second important point is that every communication with
customers should be considered as an opportunity not just to talk to
the customer but to learn more about the customer as well. Thus
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there should be a goal of collecting more individual-level data with

each and every communication contact. In our view, virtually every
communication contact should encourage some type of traceable
response from the customer, which can be added to the marketers
store of knowledge.
Both traditional and electronic media create opportunities to target
specific segments. However, with an interactive IMC approach, the
emphasis should be on how the media types may be used together to
develop more effective and efficient communication programmes.
Specifically, each customer is placed a priori in an attitudinal/
behavioural segment and personalised messages are sent according to
their segment classification. In this way, IMC becomes interactive
IMC. The following are just a few examples of how the various
traditional and electronic media tools can be employed to create
customised, segment-specific IMC communication approaches. What
all of these techniques have in common is that an organisations
database is used in a fashion consistent with that outlined in Figure 1.

(1) Targeted permission emails, along with electronic and

traditional segment-customised newsletters, can be sent to the
individuals of particular segments. The message of the email
and any click-through URLs should be designed for that
specific segment. The newsletter would employ the same
strategy of directing its readers to segment-specific links and
information sources. The same strategy could also be employed
for targeted bill inserts. Members of each segment would
receive bill inserts asking them to go to a specific URL designed
to provide information for that segment, or to phone a
particular number to request a segment-specific brochure or
catalogue. Peppers and Rogers (2002) reported research by
Yesmail which showed that having a number of personalised
elements in an email significantly boosted the campaigns clickthrough rate. Specifically, in a study of over 90 million
messages, Yesmail found that emails with no targeting or
personalisation pulled an average click-through rate of 4.7%.
The click-through rate jumped to 7% when three to six
personalised elements were introduced, and to 14.8% when
seven or more personalised elements were used. The authors
contend that email messages can be differentiated using
demographic, attitudinal and behavioural data. They caution,
however, that inundating users with data-collection enquiries
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must be done with caution and advise businesses to make sure

their customers know exactly how personal data will be used.
(2) Broadcast and print media could be designed to work in a
similar fashion. The original advertisement media selection and
message would be segment-specific, based on the profile of
each customer group. For example, the segment-specific profile
might be used to match the demographics of a particular
magazine or television show. The specific advertisement placed
there would be based on the message selected for that segment.
In addition, the message could include a request for a traceable
response, such as contacting a segment-specific URL or calling
a unique segment-dedicated telephone number. It is essential
that all responses be directed to segment-specific traceable
locations, such as URLs or telephone numbers. Segmentspecific URLs should contain segment-customised messages,
information, links, goods and services, chat-room information
and so on. If the user has been to the site before, a cookie could
be used to further customise the site. A good example of using
mass media to form interactive relationships is that of Voice,
Europes first mass-customised consumer print magazine.
Published in Sweden, Voice targets women between the ages of
25 and 44, and creates hundreds of different variations by
combining editorial, advertising, and insert content according
to how subscribers have answered a wide range of questions.
There are unlimited advertising combinations, up to 36
different advertorial inserts, and nine editorial sections. This
interactive IMC strategy is powered through self-provided
demographics, communication channel preferences, buying
attitudes, general interests, editorial interests, and media and
product preferences. Since its introduction in 1998, Voice has a
circulation of more than 100,000 the third largest in Sweden.

(3) The potential of the telephone as a link in the new electronic

media should not be overlooked. Advances in computer
telephony integration (CTI) allow the telephone to become a
virtual terminal so that callers can use the keypad to send and
receive information. The information collected from this form
of response can then be electronically integrated into the
database. This is a key electronic tool for markets and segments
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that do not generally have access to the internet or other

interactive devices. In addition, inbound and outbound call
centres may be used to further customise messages by
developing segment specific scripts and by using instant access
to specific customer data. Although in its infancy, banks are
starting to see the value of customising both telephone-based
and personal contacts. For example, Peppers (2002) reported
commercial research for a bank which showed that providing
customer service reps with a complete view of each customers
history and account information and programmed on-screen
prompts greatly increased cross-selling of the banks products.
Peltier and colleagues (2002a) found similar results for the use
of personalised messages for different bank segments.

(4) Finally, the key element in interactive IMC is just that,

interactivity. The ability of the new electronic media to
provide two-way, customised communication allows
organisations to develop smart communication programmes
that evolve constantly over time. It is the firms ability to
respond to customers responses that makes the IMC
programme truly interactive. Interactivity should be designed to
create conversations with customers rather than simply trying
to sell them an idea or product. With interactive IMC, what the
customer has to say thus becomes central to customising future
messages. E-Trade is a prime example of a company that is
successfully integrating interactive IMC. E-Trades appeal is not
solely that customers can transact business on-line. It also
offers toll-free phone support through call centres, provides
tailored online portfolios, has broadcast studios that create
proprietary content for clients to access selectively on the
website, has personalised trade alerts, and on-site programmes
and seminars. Driving these interactive IMC programmes is the
companys data warehouse that has stored customer
information on its retail and corporate customers, which may
be accessed to cross-sell and up-sell the companys various
products. These data are then used in the form of propensity
modelling, which provides value-added products that are
personalised based on targeted customer profiles. Key to each
of these examples is the ability to track precise customer
responses in terms of specific messages delivered, media used,
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products offered, and any of a wide range of other responses.

Media responses from customers can take many forms such as
replies to email messages, visits to URL-specific websites based
on targeted advertisements, returned bill inserts, direct mail
efforts, traditional and electronic newsletters, online and
traditional surveys, and online and telephone-based polls.
These are just a few of the ways to build a database and dialogues with
customers. For those communicating over the internet, visits to
specific websites may be tracked via cookies and other customer
tracking software. Other types of cookies may be used to remember
preferences, browsing behaviours and past purchasing activities, along
with the ability to personalise and customise home pages. In addition,
response information and cookies may be used to personalise and
customise extranet pages where access is password-protected. These
pages can contain individual usage information along with a variety of
analysis tools that use individual data to make calculations. An example
of this type of customisation is the TIAA-CREF website, which
allows individuals to estimate their future retirement accumulations
based on their current accumulations along with a number of
additional variables selected by the individual. In this way, the
customer is provided with individual-level information that would be
very difficult for them to either obtain or determine on their own.
It should be noted that some segments are more likely to respond
to various forms of communication than others. For segments with
low levels of responses, it is difficult to develop smart marketing
programmes. In these cases, creative proactive approaches to
gathering additional data must be considered.
Moreover, the data received from customers may be used to make
the database more accurate and complete. They can also be used to
refine the current segments, identify new ones and to develop more
accurate classification models. Finally, the data may be used to track
the effectiveness of the current communication efforts.
CONCLUSION
This is the most exciting, most challenging time in the history of
advertising research. We are sure to see innovations in research during
the next several years the likes of which have never before been seen
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in the field (Lavidge 1999). When this is coupled with the new
approaches of IMC and electronic media, the face of advertising will
be changed forever. Our belief is that marketers must identify ways to
integrate the new media into their current communication plans. We
have argued that the unique characteristics of the new media require
that a database-driven segmentation approach to communication
strategy be employed. This should include the development of a
customised, interactive, integrated marketing communication plan as
well. However, an integrated IMC plan should not be considered an
end goal but rather a starting point in the development and
implementation of a smart marketing programme. This approach
changes the way we have traditionally viewed advertising and the
concept of integrated marketing communication as well.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

James W. Peltier is the Arno Kleimehnagen Professor in Marketing at
the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He has written awardwinning articles on database marketing and the integration of
psychographics into new media strategies. In 2001 he received the
Robert C. Clarke Outstanding Educator by the DMEF and sits on its
Board of Trustees. He has published in the Journal of Advertising
Research, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Journal of Direct Marketing,
among many others.
John A. Schibrowsky is a Professor of Marketing at the University
of Nevada-Las Vegas. He has received a number of research awards in
the area of database marketing and the role that psychographic data
plays in effective interactive marketing strategies. He has published in
the Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Journal
of Direct Marketing, Personal Selling and Sales Management, among many
others.
Don E. Schultz is presently Professor Emeritus-in-Service of
Integrated Marketing Communications at the Medill School of
Journalism, Northwestern University. He is a Visiting Professor at
Cranfield University School of Management, Milton Keynes, UK. He
is also President of the consulting firm, Agora, Inc. both in Evanston,
Illinois. He has authored over a dozen books on marketing and
communication and is a frequent contributor in trade and academic
journals.

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