In the early 1980s, the need for integrated promotional tools increased. Companies began to perform IMC process that involves various promotional elements and other marketing activities to communicate with the customers by asking advertising agencies to go beyond traditional standards of advertising. Thus, advertising agencies have welcomed the request by combining and developing tools from Public Relations, Sales Promotion, Direct Marketing and then refer themselves as Integrated Marketing Communications agency that provides One Stop Service for all promotional needs of a company.

Tom Duncan and Sandra Moriaty stated that Integrated Marketing Communications is one of the latest generation of marketing approaches used by companies to be more focused on the customer acquisition, to build and develop relationships with customers and stakeholders.
According to them, there are three types of messages within a company:

• Corporate: philosophy, business practices, vision/mission and corporate culture
• Marketing: design, features, pricing, service support and distribution
• Marketing Communication: at this stage, messages must be sent and received on the basis of consistency both in execution and strategy to create a complete and consistent perception to customers and stakeholders through an advertising agency, PR, sales promotion and many more.

A company carrying out its business development could benefit from Integrated Marketing Communications since it helps business people to quickly adapt to changes in technology and media as a whole, like Internet Media that is growing very rapidly with the online transactions and the changes in traditional media such as TV, radio, and print media that are getting more specific and segmented making it easier for the customers to internalize the message.
Moreover, IMC is more effective and efficient because there are synergies of the tools that will benefit business people. For example, the public response over the ads contained in 6 sequels of the film James Bond with Aston Martin DB5 or in 4 sequels of Transformers with the Chevrolet Camaro known as the Bumblebee icon is clearly recognized by each brand, since the sales of both products increased in the same year with the launch of the films and it became a huge advantage because the products build the brand image of the companies that are consistent with the seemingly increasing product features.
Integrated Marketing Communications in Indonesia has grown rapidly as well, for instance, gadgets, especially smartphones. Smartphones now have become something people must take everywhere. The products advertised using IMC strategy are successful, just see how the products have changed the behavior of the customers. In the morning, afternoon, even until at night before falling asleep, many people can not be separated from their smartphones. This is one of the best IMC strategies.

Source:
IMC Article