We can use neuromarketing to understand how consumers feel, think, and behave. Eye-tracking also gives us clues as to whether the tools we use in marketing communication can actually achieve the results we want. In this way, our messages will reach the masses much more easily and at less cost, making marketing communication more effective. Did the person receiving the message really notice the brand, logo, product, or was it just a fun activity for them? Eye-tracking can answer this question much more easily and with less cost, making marketing communication more effective. This chapter explores eye-tracking in marketing.
TopIntegrated Marketing Communications
The dizzying developments in production and transportation facilities and the spread of electronic commerce have saturated the market in terms of products and/or services. Businesses have now realized that they cannot gain competitive advantage due to the fact that the changes they will make in the marketing mix elements (product, price, place, promotion) can be easily copied. For this reason, integrated marketing communication (IMC) has become an important concept for businesses that want to get to know their existing and potential customers better and to establish and maintain long-term relationships with their customers (Mihaela, 2015:1149).
IMC was first proposed by Northwestern University in 1989 (Ivanov, 2012:538). It is defined as the transfer and sharing of information and meanings related to the product/brand in order to identify, stimulate or satisfy customers' wants and needs (Tuncel, 2009:118). With the development of communication tools, the fragmentation of traditional media channels and the rise of non-traditional channels, this definition has continuously evolved from a limited view of coordinating communication tools to a strategic process (Briggs et al., 2005:83; Mihatr, 2012:976). It was emphasized that IMC should cover the whole organization and should be stakeholder focused. From a more holistic perspective, it is emphasized to improve the integration of the whole of communication and messages produced by all departments, units and divisions of the organization (Porcu et al., 2019:147). A consistent message presented in this way will be able to draw a stronger image in the memory of consumers than contradictory or inconsistent messages. Regardless of the channels in which the consumer is exposed to the message, the brand image placed with consistent messages can also be protected. In addition, for the consumer who encounters consistent messages in different channels, this will be perceived as a quality indicator and will play an important role in creating customer loyalty (Šerić et al., 2014:148).
With an enterprise-wide strategic approach, IMC should deliver consistent messages from all communication sources, establish effective two-way communication with internal units and external stakeholders, focus on stakeholder-centered strategies by establishing long value-oriented relationships with them, and ensure high-level horizontal and vertical integration involving the entire organization. (Porcu et al., 2020:437).
In the implementation of the decisions taken according to the results obtained as a result of marketing researches conducted by businesses, the impact of IMC is communicated to the consumer through the marketing mix. Redesigning the packaging that will bring the business to where it wants to be in the eyes of the target audience, highlighting the features of the product or increasing marketing communication activities can also affect the emotions of the consumer by increasing direct or indirect experiences and mediate the establishment of a bond (Mihatr, 2012: 978).