Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1

Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1

ASBBS Annual Conference: Las Vegas 108 February 2010

The Role of Integrated Marketing Communications in

SustainabilityMarketing

Laric, Michael V.

University of Baltimore

[email protected]

410 837-4935

Lynagh, Peter M.

University of Baltimore,

[email protected]

410 837-4906

ABSTRACT

Sustainability has become an increasingly important issue. All firms operating in domestic and global

business must be cognizant of all aspects of sustainability. Marketing has to operate in this new

environment. This paper looks at sustainability and its importance in today's business world from the

perspective of marketing and Integrated Marketing Communications {IMC} in maximizing the firms’

efforts in this area. More and more online marketing is helping businesses build and develop new,

innovative and successful IMC programs, and special attention will be given to this function and how it

works with other components. Sustainability is first examines in terms of its macro aspects. Next several

micro examples are used to show how they tackle the challenge of sustainability from the perspective of

IMC. Based on these firms and organizations, the paper looks at what will occur in the upcoming years

regarding sustainability and IMC. The paper will wind up with a relevant summary and conclusions

section. The paper emphasizes the synergistic importance in developing excellent IMC programs.

NEW MARKETING

Marketing used to be thought of as being synonymous with sales. To be a good marketer, according to

the "old school," one had to sell, sell, sell. Harold Hill, The Music Man, was the epitome of a successful

marketer. There was a certain sleaze aspect to this sales approach, so marketing began to shift its focus

from selling to the consumer to finding out what that consumer wanted, and then delivering a product

that satisfied that desire. Thus was born the Marketing Concept. {Kotler and Armstrong, Pg.10}

Time passed and there developed more of a feeling for the needs of society, and a social conscience was

affixed to the Marketing Concept. This new focus has been massaged and tweaked so that a new kind of Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


marketing has evolved. Today there is a long run aspect to the discipline that involves many

shareholders, spotlights value. Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong see marketing as The process by which

companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value

from customers in return. {Kotler & Armstrong, G-5} Any marketing task is accomplished by effectively

combing the tools of the trade to achieve that stated mission. Those tools were named the four P's by

Jerry McCarthy in his book Basic Marketing. Professor McCarthy felt effective marketing required the

expert blending of Product, Price, Place and Promotion. { Perreault and McCarthy, p. 40}

Marketing managers are much more concerned with building long-term relationships with customers,

employees, channel members and all members of the worldwide community. This is an important

concept that relies on the teamwork efforts of all involved. Kotler and Keller feel that there have been

huge shifts in the field of marketing. One need only peer around the corner to see myriad activities that

were non-existent only a few years ago. Students today are BlackBerry Babies many of whom have

never read a real newspaper, or called their girlfriend/boyfriend for a date using a land-line telephone.

These very same future world leaders are, however, very concerned about the world they live in.

Managers are cognizant of the changes and are more and more turning toward holistic marketing. Kotler

and Keller look at Holistic Marketing as the development design, and implementation of marketing

programs, processes, and activities that recognize the breadth and interdependencies of today's

marketing environment. The four key dimensions are: Internal Marketing, Integrated Marketing,

Relationship Marketing, and Performance Marketing. {Kotler and Keller, Pg. xxix}

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

This paper will take one of those P's, Promotion, and look at how it can be used to help achieve the

goals of effective sustainability. Promotion requires the creative mixing of the basic tools which include

advertising, sales promotion, public relations {PR}, sales management, direct, Internet, outdoor, etc.

Belch & Belch see Integrated Marketing Communications {IMC} as A strategic business process used to

develop, execute, and evaluate coordinated, measureable, persuasive brand communications programs

over time with customers, prospects, employees, associates, and other targeted relevant internal and

external audiences. The goal is to generate both short-term financial returns and build long-term brand

and share holder value. {Belch and Belch, Pg. 775} The authors then go on to enumerate the concept of

IMC Management which they see as The process of planning, executing, evaluating, and controlling the

use of various promotional mix elements to effectively communicate with a target market. { Pg. 775}

It is important to note the importance of online marketing as a relatively new component of the IMC

mix. As previously mentioned, the youth of the world have very little contact with newspapers. An

informal poll of students in two marketing classes found that only 10% read a newspaper every day.

Also, it is a misconception to feel that this trend is limited to the young. One of the authors recently

visited his barber, a man looking back on his 70th birthday. This hair clipper made a big deal about how

he can now get his early morning news from a slick new cell phone without ever getting out of bed. This

same author had a brother-in-law, a successful District of Columbia attorney, and inveterate reader of

the Washington Post, who canceled his subscription to the Post, opting to read it online. A Dell Sunday Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


insert advertisement encourages readers to Go online today for more deals from Dell. See:

DELL.COM/DEALS. (Baltimore Sun, 1 November 2009)

The Dell ad is further evidence that the backbone of IMC is the synergism created when all components

work together to achieve the stated objectives. In many ways this concept is easier said than done. A lot

of cooperation is required. In recent years the theory of IMC has become a reality. Don E. Schultz, a

long-time veteran expert in this area, along with colleagues Kitchen and Kim provide some very

encouraging views on the current status of IMC. These authors relate that the integration of marketing

functions has moved from theory to practice. Its specific applications may vary from market to market,

indeed, from enterprise to enterprise - but integrated marketing communications programs have become

standard for marketing organizations, agencies, and the academic community. (Kitchen, Kim, and

Schultz, Pg. 1)

Little doubt remains regarding the marketing power of good, effective IMC programs. They work well for

Dell, and thousands of others around the world. Hopefully, creative IMC applications can help make the

world a more sustainable place to live in. Such programs can be effective in bringing about more

sustainable practices, but can also help those firms who are taking steps to practice what they preach

improve their brand image. In the following paragraphs the concept of sustainability will be explored.

That will be followed by citing examples where firms have used sustainability to promote their brands.

SUSTAINABILITY

Only a Rip van Winkle type of individual would fail to note that the world has turned green. Everywhere

one turns the topic crops up. Making the world more sustainable is discussed in board rooms, farms,

college classrooms, academic conferences, etc. Everywhere one looks they see green, and it is not St.

Patrick's Day. Jaquelyn Ottman in 1998 saw sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs and survive. ( Ottman, Pg., 87) Kotler

and Armstrong in 2009 look at sustainability from a marketing slant. They define "sustainable

marketing" as Marketing that meets the present needs of consumers and businesses while also

preserving or enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. {Kotler & Armstrong, P.

584}. There is a constant theme in terms of this topic. This paper looks at the macro and micro aspects

of sustainability in terms of how firms, educational institutions, etc. use good practices. The next step is

to use IMC to promote their efforts. On a macro level, the topic is viewed from the prospective of

getting more people to "Go Green!" How does IMC help in this endeavor?

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE MACRO ENVIRONMENT

The macro aspects of sustainability are vital. If the world is going to be a more sustainable place, then

corporations and other organizations must adapt to the new reality and adopt IMC as a vehicle to be

used to get this point across. Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


The basic philosophical change is a conscious move that internalizes what economists call

“externalities.” Shareholders require that corporate accounting report production costs which include

the internal costs of the raw material and labor that take place on the manufacturing floor. Stakeholders

now require that shareholders become cognizant of the external costs like cleaning the polluted air or

water. Stakeholders require that recycling the waste generated which was considered “someone else’s”

problem, be treated as corporate responsibility. The plastic water and soda bottles already require

deposit in some states, in an attempt to discourage filling landfills. The cost of recycling them is

considered to be an externality by the shareholders, but required outside stakeholders to create a

mechanism for internalizing the cost.

On a macro level, we are experiencing a new environment. For example there is growing concern from

citizens groups about environmental issues (pollution free air and water, climate change, energy

conversation). These concerns often require action from government or non-government organizations

(NGO), or from the political process. The Internet has increased the influence of the citizenry by allowing

them to communicate online, organize by interest groups, and start blogs. People become more aware

of the fact that they eventually must pay for externalities. Finally, there is a growing awareness, coupled

with actual resources dedicated by the U.S. Government and the current administration to

environmental issues. There are actual incentives for producing Hybrid cars, alternative energy sources

(solar and wind), energy conversation (via tax credits for solar panels) air purification (as in cash for

clunkers) and other social externalities (insuring those without health insurance and increasing

investments in infrastructure and education. All these initiatives coupled with the financial crisis and the

economic downturn increase the role of the Government, thus making intervention in the free market

system combined with increasing popular awareness of environmental issues a new phenomenon and a

force to reckon with.

The above trends increase the pressure on business organizations and others. Self regulation can help

silence calls for government regulation. Taking on increased commitment to environmental issues can

increase the support of stakeholders, and through that their view of the company and the support for its

products and services. Businesses that ignore externalities or destroy the environment generate

liabilities. Those that increase their social responsibilities, internalize externalities and are committed to

a sustainable environment create assets.

Lazlo uses the term sustainable value to form a framework which identifies the sustainable value as the

stakeholders’ value. Businesses firms and not-for-profit organizations, should strive to increase

shareholders value that at the same time also increases stakeholders’ value. The framework is made of

four quadrants, with stakeholders and shareholders placed on the Y and X axis. Organizations can:

1. Increase shareholders value at the expense of stakeholders’ value

2. Increase stakeholders’ value at the expense of shareholders’ value

3. Increase shareholders value and decrease stakeholders’ value

4. Decrease stakeholders’ value and shareholders’ valueProceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


The last option characterized business for many years. Corporations can increase stakeholders’ value at

the expense of shareholders values. -----To be continued

The macro aspects of increasing the public awareness and harnessing business and not for profit

organizations to help influence and guide actions which further global sustainability are the subject of

the next section where we provide examples of organizations and how they use IMC to that end.

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE MICRO SUSTAINABITY

Not for Profit Organizations

Integrated Marketing Communications is important in terms of showing what has been done, what is

being planned, and to encourage others to learn from good examples, and develop excellent sustainable

marketing programs.

Government organizations, educational institutions, public-interest lobbies, etc. must do their part to

make the world a better place to live in both now and in the future. All these organizations promote the

concept of sustainability, and have made great strides over the past ten years. For the most part,

individuals around the world are cognizant of the concept. Online marketing has been a wonderful way

for the dissemination of information on sustainability.

Government

The Environmental Protection Agency {EPA} can be looked at as a major role player in communicating to

everyone {epa.gov}. The EPA follows the internationally accepted definition of sustainability as meaning

the meeting of the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs. In their early days the EPA served as a watchdog making sure everyone followed the

rules and were not polluters. Near the end of the first decade of the 21st century their mission is now to

make sustainability the next level of environmental protection drawing on advances in science and

technology, application of diverse government regulations and policies, and promoting green business

practices {EPA, Pg. 1}

Non-Government Organizations

The Sustainability Institute is another example of an organization working to promote the "green"

concept. This is a non-profit organization founded in 1996. This Institute applies systems thinking,

system dynamic modeling, and organizational learning to economic, environmental and social challenges

{Sustainer, Pg.1}.

Another organization working to promote sustainability would be an organization named SustainAbility.

This organization, founded in the late 1980's, sees themselves as a strategy consultancy and think tank

working with senior corporate decision makers to achieve transformative leadership on the sustainability

agenda {Sustainability.com, Pg.1} In terms of macro promotion it should be pointed out the value of this

organizations Web address. That address probably was easy to get in 1987. How easy would it be today?Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


Publishing organizations have been a major factor in promoting sustainability. The Edward Elgar

Publishing Company's fall 2009 brochure titled Environment & Ecology lists myriad books about

sustainability. {Elgar}There are books on Tourism and the Environment (Becken, Pg.21}; Sustainable

Cities {Janssens, etc.}; Handbook of Corporate Sustainability {Quaddus and Saddique}; Sustainable

Innovation and Entrepreneurship {Wustenhagan}, and many more. The Elgar publication also promoted

a new journal coming out in early 2010. The publication will be called The Journal of Humans Rights and

the Environment.

Stylus Publishing 2009 catalog, printed on recyclable paper, reads Earthscan: Publishing for a sustainable

future {Styluspub}. Two of the publications listed are Sustainable Regional Retail Centers by Waer and

Sibley {Waer} and Governing Sustainable Cities {Evans, etc}

It is clear that there is a global interest in promoting the concept of sustainability. It is the effective use

of the tools of IMC, blended together in a strategic manner that helps make the concept become a

reality. Some measures of success are spelled out by Chris Laszlo in his very timely book called

Sustainable Value: How the World's Leading Companies Are Doing Well By Doing Good {Laszlo). In his

book there are eight disciplines that are the backbone of developing and creating sustainable values.

Those eight disciplines are: 1) Understand the current value position 2) Anticipate future expectations 3)

Set sustainable value goals 4) Design Value creation natives 5) Develop the business case 6) Capture the

value 7) Validate results and capture learning 8) Build sustainable value organizational capacity {Laszlo,

Pg. 136}.

What then have some firms done to maximize sustainability efforts? More specifically, how have they

used IMC to achieve the goals set forth by Laszlo (2008). Several firms/organizations/universities will be

looked at including Toyota, Pepsi Cola, Black and Decker, Boeing Aircraft, Arizona State University,

Michigan State University, University of Maryland and Giant Foods.

Educational Institutions

Actually it is hard to find an example of an educational organization that is not involved in some form of

"green" IMC. Part of this is done in response to certain pressures to go with the tide. However, many

firm go green because they honestly believe that this is the right thing to do, and that their actions will

make a difference. Since the authors are educators, a good starting point would be educational

institutions, i.e., Michigan State University and the University of Maryland at College Park.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY {MSU}- The latest word coming from East Lansing is "Be Spartan Green."

The MSU home page provides a link to their "Be Spartan Green" site. {MSU} The Web page is loaded

with examples of the things going on at MSU including a brand new recycling facility. The fall 2009 issue

of the MSU Alumni Magazine, with its green cover page, covers the new recycling center and other

efforts. (MSU Alumni Magazine, Cover Page). Mark Fellows writes about the green activities going on at

MSU. He writes that Environmental stewardship makes sense...we have world class faculty, staff and

students who can not only help the university but provide economic and environmental solutions for

Michigan and around the world {Fellows, Pg. 25}. At the Eli Broad College of Business undergraduate

students can specialize in Environmental Studies and combine that with a business area of interest, e.g., Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


finance. Even sports gets involved as the theme for the 2009 homecoming game on 17 October was "Be

Spartan Green."

UNIVERSITY of MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK {UMCP}-In October of 2009 UMCP was named "America's

Greenest Campus. Winning this contest reinforces the level of activism and interest that our students

have in environmental issues said Mark Stewart, UMCP Sustainability Coordinator.

{www.newsdesk.umd.edu} A news release on October 15, 2009 Governor Martin O'Malley, the

Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission offered

their congratulations. On the front page of the UMCP home page { } on 8 November was a banner

pronouncement stating that junior Joanna Calabrese was awarded the Udall Scholarship for

environmental leadership. The UMCP home page will allow a searcher to go to the Sustainability site. At

College Park, East Lansing and college campuses around the world sustainability is in the classroom, on

the sports fields, in administrative offices, and almost everywhere on campus. It is "buzz IMC" working

every day.

Business organizations

Giant Food-Giant Food is the largest food chain in the Washington, DC, Maryland & Virginia. Recently

Giant changed their logo and redesigned their website. These changes favor a new color scheme that

includes a lot of green. They have been community conscious for years, and now this has carried over to

sustainability.

The Giant Web site is their major IMC tool that promotes sustainability. They have a Plastic Bag

Recycling Program. They accept plastic shopping bags, dry cleaning and newspaper bags. They then send

the bags to their recycling company where they composite decking. In addition, they sell reusable bags

in their stores. They will take deduct five cents from each customer's total shopping bill. Giant has a

large fleet of trucks and they work to fuel usage and CO2 output. They work closely with the trucking

industry and the Environmental Protection Agency {EPA} to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution.

{Giant Foods Web} Giant, always has acted like a good citizen, has been a leader in sustainability in their

marketing area. They extol their "green" efforts in almost all IMC areas from store POP displays,

newspaper advertisements, radio spots, etc.

SAMSUNG-Samsung Electronics is the flagship company known as Samsung. They are involved in many

types of businesses. They are involved in advanced technology, semiconductors, skyscraper and plant

construction, petrochemicles, manufacturing televisions, fashion, etc. (Samsung.com) There Vision and

Mission is to develop innovative technoligies and efficient processes that create new markets, enrich

people's lives, and continue to make Samsung a digital leader. (Samsung.Com). Sustainability is a vital

part of the Samsung culture.

Yoon Woo Lee, Vice Chairman & CO, in his annual report (2009) spells out the firms plan named "EcoManagement 2013 which spells out a comprehensive set of goals set to make Samsung a leading Eco-Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


Friendly company by 2013. The program set up is called PLANET FIRST, and operates under the slogan,

Better Green Experience with Samsung. (Samsung.com)

Planet First is a commitment, a mindset, and a fundamental approach that Samsung believes is critically

important as consumers seek to balance their desires for cutting edge technology while pursuing a green

way of life. Planet First means always considering our impact on the environment first as we continue to

work, develop, engineer, and design innovative products and solutions to inspire and satisfy our

customers. Samsung is committed to providing a better green experience through eco-friendly products,

solutions, and technologies that benefit our customers lives, affirm our shared values, and respect our

planet. (www.Samsung)

How does Samsung communicate to its target market their commitment to sustainability? There are

many avenues both internal and external. First, there has to be a "green" commitment by all those who

are a part of the firm's team. Second, a creative IMC program must be master-minded to get their

message across to consumers. The building of a Web site is an excellent starting point, and, as described

above, the Samsung Web site does just that. That site must be combined with other parts of the IMC

mix to synergistically get their green message across to the target market.

Two examples will be used to explore the way they deliver their message to the consumer. The Samsung

point-of-purchase displays at retail establishments promote the firm's dedication to sustainability. A

recent visit to a Best Buy outlet showed that the company stressed the theme in their very elaborate

display. (Best Buy visit 11/22/09) Another example was found in a full page ad that appeared in ESPN the

Magazine (30 Nov. 09, Pg. 12) The headline at the top of the ad is large, written in green and merely

says GRRRREEN!. The copy, also in green, touts the benefits of their LED TV. A large green leaf at the

bottom of the page directs the reader to the copy which says that the 1.2" ultra slim TV Uses up to 40%

less power. Consumes less energy, when compared to similar size LCD TV. Mercury Free. This is lean and

green in HyperReal. The background is not white, but a very light green. This magazine advertisement

very effectively communicates the commitment of Samsung to sustainability.

Cali Bamboo--Cali is a small firm in California that deals in bamboo products. This firm has taken a

serious look at the environment and developed an entire line of products that can be labeled

sustainable. (www.calibamboo.com) Ezilon recently wrote that there is a growing demand for

environmentally friendly products and that many bamboo-related companies are gaining momentum as

a reliable source for high quality and durable green building materials. {www.ezilon.com} Jeff Goldberg

of Cali is quoted as saying that Sales of bamboo fencing and lumber have skyrocketed in recent years

because homeowners have become weary of ever-decreasing hardwood forests and the threat that this

deforestation poses to an already fragile environment. ...200 years from now, people will look back on

our society and say they had scientific proof about the dangers of deforestation and pollution, and they

did nothing about it? This is unacceptable. We must change the way we interact with our surroundings.

It is the logical and ethical choice. More durable than traditional wood fencing, bamboo fencing has been

known to last for 40 years {www.ezilon.com}Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


Here is a fairly small firm founded by an energetic entrepreneur who has carved a niche in the market

based, in part, on the temper of the times, sustainability. They have effectively used an integrated IMC

approach to promote themselves. They are no Coors buying NFL spots, but strategically use IMC to take

them down the road to success.

GenGreenlife- Integrated Marketing Communications is one of the marking tools used by the

aforementioned firms like, but there are other ancillary types of organizations working in sustainability.

An interesting firm is one that likes to find The Green Life in Everything, GenGreenlife {GGL}. They

encourage firms to advertise with them, and their Web site (www.gengreenlife} is a poporuie of green

information. The goal of the GenGreen network is to be the most comprehensive and diverse resources

available for people looking to live a locally-focused, environmentally conscious lifestyle. GenGreen is one

of the preeminent aggregators and distributors of environmental content on line GenGreen created and

maintains the largest database of accredited green businesses and organizations in North America. The

GGL Web site contains banner ads for various types of green related products. The site will also direct

searchers to green firms in myriad areas of the country.

Another interesting promotional tool of GGL is the "GenGreen Business Certification" program. This

certification, which must be renewed annually, gauges a businesses' environmentally and socially

conscious behavior based on the following criteria: environmental leadership, resource conservation,

human capital, purchasing decisions and daily operations. There are three levels of certification: Gold,

Silver and Bronze. {GenGreen} Once firms are certified they can use that differentiating factor as part of

their IMC programs.

BE A GREEN IRENE-Greening our world, one home (and office) at a time-This firm provides another

interesting example of the intreiguing use of IMC to foster and promote sustainability. One of the first

things that will support a successful company is the development of a clever name for the firm. Green

Irene both captures attention and tells a little story. Green Irene follows this up with a nice tag line that

tells the receiver what the company is all about. Their Web site, like so many sites dealing with

sustainability, is very green {http://greenirene.com} and features their tag line. Green Irene is both a

vendor of green products in addition to providing consulting services. As stated by Green Irene, EcoConsultants come from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds, but all are thoroughly

trained by Green Irene in topics such as energy-efficient lighting, energy conservation, toxic-free living,

water purity and conservation, indoor air quality, waste reduction and recycling, and emergency saftey

and preparedness. (GI)

Online promotion is a key ingredient of Green Irene, but they combine that with other tools. There are

local Eco-Consultants that provide a personal selling slant to the firm. One of the authors resides near

Pasadena, Maryland, and his consultant is Jennifer Durkin {http://greenirene.com/jenniferbaltimore}.

Ms. Durkin says on her site that as we green-over your home, not only will it preserve our Earth, but it

also can save you money along with protecting our earth. (ibid) She also works full time at the National

Aquarium in Baltimore, and helps promote her passion for sustainability to the many students, and

visitors who visit the wonderful facility located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


MARYLAND GREEN REGISTRY (MGR)-Smart, Green and Growing.-The MGR is made up of organizations

that have completed a best practices profile that covers environmental management and leadership,

waste reduction, energy and water conservation, transportation, and green building design. The motto

of the MGR is Organizations working toward a sustainable Maryland. (Http://

mde.state.md.us/MarylandGreen)

The MGR looks at various aspects of sustainability. The major categories covered are: Home,

Management, Waste, Energy, Transportation, Water, and Green Building. Governor Martin O'Malley

said that The MGR provides an opportunity for these organizations to share their stories and inspire

others to take steps to protect our air, land, and water, including the Chesapeake Bay. We're fortunate

to have more than 80 organizations in our state who have agreed to come forward and participate. The

CSX railroad became the first transportation provider selected to join.(CSX, 6 Nov. 09) From an IMC

perspective, membership in the MGR can be an effective part of their IMC communications. The mere

act of joining provided an excellent PR opportunities for the CSX.

SUSTAINABILITY AND IMC-The universities, firms, organizations mentioned above are representative of

the many throughout the world that promote sustainability. One would be hard pressed to find an

organization or educational institution that was not concerned. The cases cited in this paper are there to

help illustrate the important role that IMC plays in helping to make the world a greener place to live.

Effective IMC will make that dream of a greener world become a reality. On this macro level all parts of

IMC work together to promote sustainability. Television can reach the masses with stories about the

value of good green practices. Radio can target specific specific markets. Point of purchase promotions

can get the message across right at the point of contact. Magazines target specific mass markets. Trade

shows provide an excellent opportunity to get the green message across to specific target markets.

Online promotions have been described in many of the examples covered above, and help define the

green goals of the site developers. Personal selling, direct mail, transit advertising, etc. are all tools that

can be used to get that green message across.

However, it must be stressed that the power of IMC lies not in the single message presented in a radio

advertisement. The real strength of IMC comes from the synergism created when several vehicles are

used to send out the same signal. The Samsung message of Planet First is strengthened when the POP

display, the radio spot, and the advertisement in the ESPN Magazine all tell the receiver the same

message. The combined impact of a well coordinated, well planned, and well executed campaign is

much greater than the impact of each message by itself.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS-Sustainability is a vital part of the world of the 21st century. It is part of

almost every one's life. Almost all are concerned with making life more pleasant today and to take steps

to insure that future generations are not deprived of vital resources. Sustainability issues involve

everyone in your organization- from the CEO to the janitor. They all have varying degrees of

understanding, involvement, and perspectives about what can be done to assist in making your company

more sustainable. (Planet Partnerships)Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


This paper has looked at some of the issues related to sustainability. One of the major concerns revolves

around the issue of communications. First, how do you communicate with the population to get them to

be more green in their lives. This would be a macro approach. The second area this paper covers is the

micro aspects. Here firms such as Giant Foods, Samsung, etc. were looked at, and their efforts to be more

sustainable analyzed. The approach was to look at how these firms used an integrated promotions

approach to send a unified message. The hope is that this Integrated Marketing Communications approach

will be effective in attaining their promotion objective, and hopefully thus helping to successfully

achieving the marketing objective.

The encouraging news coming from this research is that sustainability is no longer an alien concept.

There appears to be lots of awareness of the need to be more green in our business and personal lives.

Likewise, there are many firms, organizations, individuals, etc. beating the bushes to promote

sustainability. The firms looked at appear to be using IMC to both promote what they are doing, but also

to encourage others to "go green!" Has the battle been won? No! there are still miles to go, and lots to be

accomplished. There are these exciting signs that IMC is working for many firms. The results will

hopefully be a world where everyone is green and not just the Irish.

Arizona State University

References

http://sustainability.asu.edu/ (Accessed 11-20-09)

Becken, Susanne (2005) The Role of Tourist Icons For Sustainable Tourism, Journal of Vacation

Marketing, Vol 11, No 1, Pgs., 21-30.

Belch, George, and Belch, Michael (2009) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing

Communications Perspective, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, New York, NY.

Biderman, David (2009). Retailers Get Innovative, The Journal of Commerce, November 16, Pgs. 30-34.

Calibamboo www.calibamboo.com (Accessed 11-20-09)

Edward, The Edward Publishing Company (2009) Environment & Ecology (Fall, 2009)

EPA http://www.epa.gov/ (Accessed 11-20-09)

Evans, etc ( 2005 ) Governing Sustainable Cities

Janssens, Maddy. (2009) Diversity, Economic Growth, and Social Cohesion, University College London.

Lazlo, Chris (2008) Sustainable Value: How the World's Leading Companies Are Doing Well by

Doing Good (Stanford University Press)

Kotler & Armstrong. (2009). Principles of Marketing (13

th

Ed.) (Pearson)

Kotler & Keller. (2009). Marketing Management (13

th

Ed.) (Pearson)

Perreault, William D. & McCarthy, E. Jerome ( 1979 ) Essentials of Marketing: A Global-Managerial

Approach (7

th

Ed.), R. D. Irwin, Chicago, ILProceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1


Quaddus, M.A., & Saddique ( 2004 ) Handbook of Sustainability Development Planning.

Stylus Publishing 2009 catalog, printed on recyclable paper, reads Earthscan: Publishing for a sustainable

future Sustainer Sustainability Institute, http://www.sustainer.org/ (Accessed 11-20-09)

Toyota http://www.toyota.com/ (Accessed 11-20-09)

University of Maryland http://www.sustainability.umd.edu/ (Accessed 11-20-09)

Waer, Hussam Al and Sibley, Magda {Evans, etc} ( 2006 ) Sustainable Regional Retail Centers, Liverpool

School of Architecture, (www.liv.ac.uk)

Wustenhagan, Thomas & Hamschmidt, Jost ( 2008) Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship,

Google Books, ISBN-1847200370

Proceedings of ASBBS Volume 17 Number 1

Documents

new marketing marketing

marketing concept

internal marketing

perspective of marketing

holistic marketing

effective marketing

marketing managers

relationship marketing