Customer-First IMC Strategy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

In this course, students will learn to turn the corner from being tactical and creative professionals that develop successful IMC campaigns to becoming strategic managers that can drive successful IMC programs. To accomplish that goal, they will develop the skills to develop and manage IMC programs in alignment with an organization’s short- and long-term financial objectives, enabling them to participate successfully at a mid-to-senior level at a sophisticated corporation. A key concept that students will explore in detail is the concept of “customer centricity,” which lies at the heart of the IMC process — how we assess the value of customers and build IMC goals, objectives, strategies, tactics, and budgets with the aim of maximizing that value. In order to be able to utilize this concept effectively, students will also learn: · How to apply Cost-Volume-Profit (CVP) analysis and read basic corporate financial statements. · How to apply the Goals-Objectives-Strategies-Tactics process to create actionable customer-centric IMC plans that align with organizational objectives. · How to develop supportable budgets that align with organizational objectives and can drive customer-centric IMC plans. · How to make effective IMC-related business decisions. In order to help students develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary to achieve these goals, this course will employ readings from many sources, a number of case studies, a robust customer centricity simulation, and a final team project with a “live” client. Bonus: You’ll learn how to play backgammon. And, yes, there will be math. But not to worry, we’ll leave conjoint analysis and differentials out of the equations. The course was formerly called "The Management of IMC."