Marketing Planning and Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Planning and Communications - Essay Example On the shore on the other hand, were millions of inhabitants who had barely recovered from the rampage of Hurricane Katrina and the like. The Gulf of Mexico was also polluted with 5 million barrels of crude oil and methane gas, surpassing the Exxon disaster within four days (Sachs, 2012). Biggest Corporate Fine in US History British Petroleum has so far put aside $42 billion payable as fines, compensation to the victims and well as restoration costs (the economist, 2013). In other words, the company has paid 14 billion for restoration and clean up of the site, 17.5 billion as compensation to individuals and small businesses, $4 billion in the form of criminal charges to the Department of Justice as well and $3.5 billion as penalties for oil leak under the America’s Clean Water Act (the Economist, 2013, p.66). Integrated Marketing Communications According to Percy (2008) integrated marketing communications is about planning, it aims at delivering a consistent and effective mess age. IMC applies to all forms of communications, be it consumer, business-to-business or corporate. Furthermore, by consistent message we mean that the message must have the same visual feel throughout media so as to form a distinct image that can be linked to the brand. Ensuring the proper implementation of IMC requires a strategic plan, the process begins by identifying the target audience and understanding their purchase decisions and behaviours. Strategic IMC for the BP Brand In 1997, the then CEO of BP John Browne was determined to make BP the world’s largest oil company through exploration, acquisition and marketing. Browne was of the impression that the consumers could be taught to identify with a brand of gasoline. But making the consumer identify with an oil brand was exceedingly hard as people hated oil companies and perceived them as villains following the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. With increasing awareness about climate change, oil companies were the worst perfo rming product category in terms of brand affinity (Sachs, 2012). Browne made significant changes to the approach of the company, including investments in solar energy research and withdrawal from oil- interest group Global Climate Coalition. These efforts were perceived positively by the consumers as British Petroleum was no longer resisting the fight against climate change with was now an active participant. By 2000, the company’s name was changed to BP with the tagline â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†, furthermore the company shield was replaced by helios. This new look was received positively by the masses, so the company further invested in advertising to supplement their green stance on the environment. Over the next few years the company built extensive brand equity, and John Browne one of the most popular CEOs in the world was granted knighthood. The truth in fact was very different from the facade created by green advertising because in reality the company was not makin g any significant progress in alternative energy. In 2010, BP’s operations comprised of drilling the world’