Integrated Marketing Communication Effectiveness Valuation Tools: A Thirty-Year Bibliometric Analysis

In the context of digital transformation and media polarization, companies are increasingly resorting to integrated marketing communications (hereinafter – IMC) in order to ensure brand consistency and improve the effectiveness of communication strategies. This scientific study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on evaluating the effectiveness of IMC, in order to identify key theoretical and methodological approaches, dominant thematic areas, and the evolution of metrics from 1991 to 2021. The study utilizes bibliometric analysis with the Bibliometrix tool in the R environment and a sample of 320 publications from the Scopus database as its source base. The empirical basis for this research is an array of 30 peer-reviewed articles on BMI assessment and measurement selected from the same database, covering a period from 1. The research includes an analysis of the ratios of keywords, co-citation mapping and analysis of publication dynamics in order to identify thematic clusters, leading researchers and the intellectual structure of scientific fields. The results allowed us to identify five main research areas: (1) conceptual foundations of BMI; (2) brand capital and consumer behaviour; (3) valuation models and ROI indicators; (4) integration of digital media; and (5) BMI in the global and emerging market. It was found that over the last three decades there has been a shift from theoretical discussion to applied research, with particular focus on digital transformation. Future research should focus on developing an efficiency index, examining the long-term effects of integrated communication and its adaptation to digital and crosscultural environments.

1. Aria, M., & Cuccurullo, C. (2017). Bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis. Journal of Informetrics, 11(4), 959–975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007

2. Ashley, C., & Tuten, T. (2015). Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology & Marketing, 32(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20761

3. Batra, R., & Keller, K. L. (2016). Integrating marketing communications: New findings, new lessons, and new ideas. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 122–145. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0419

4. Caywood, C., & Ewing, M. T. (1991). IMC: Old hat or new advertising? International Journal of Advertising, 10(3), 295–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/0363-8111(91)90020-L

5. Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Pattnaik, D., & Lim, W. M. (2021). A bibliometric analysis of International Journal of Advertising: Past, present, and future. International Journal of Advertising, 40(5), 733–759. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-11-2020-0244

6. Duncan, T., & Moriarty, S. (1998). A communication-based marketing model for managing relationships. Journal of Marketing, 62(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252157

7. Duncan, T., (2002). MC: Using Advertising and Promotion to Build Brands Marketing Series. McGraw-Hill: Irwin Series in Marketing.

8. Erevelles, S., Fukawa, N., & Swayne, L. (2016). Big Data consumer analytics and the transformation of marketing. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), 897–904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.07.001

9. Keller, K. L. (2009). Building strong brands in a modern marketing communications environment. Journal of Marketing Communications, 15(2–3), 139–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527260902757530

10. Kerr, G., & Drennan, J. (2010). Same but different: Perceptions of integrated marketing communication among marketing communication partners in Australia. Journal of Promotion Management, 16(1–2), 6–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496490903571233

11. Kerr, G. F., & Patti, C. H. (2015). Strategic IMC: From abstract concept to marketing management tool. Journal of Marketing Communications, 21(5), 317–339. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2013.786748

12. Kitchen, P. J., Kim, I., & Schultz, D. E. (2008). Integrated marketing communications: Practice leads theory. Journal of Advertising Research, 48(4), 531–546. https://doi.org/10.2501/S0021849908080513

13. Kitchen, P. J., & Schultz, D. E. (1999). A multi-country comparison of the drive for IMC. Journal of Advertising Research, 39(1), 21–38.

14. Kliatchko, J. G. (2008). Revisiting IMC construct: A revised definition and four pillars. International Journal of Advertising, 27(1), 133–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2008.11073043

15. Kliatchko, J., & Schultz, D. E. (2014). Twenty years of IMC: A study of CEO and CMO perspectives in the Asia-Pacific region. International Journal of Advertising, 33(2), 373–390. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJA-33-2373-390

16. Luxton, S., Reid, M., & Mavondo, F. (2015). Integrated marketing communication capability and brand performance. Journal of Advertising, 44(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2014.934938

17. Madhavaram, S., Badrinarayanan, V., & McDonald, R. E. (2005). Integrated marketing communication (IMC) and brand identity as critical components of brand equity strategy. Journal of Advertising, 34(4), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2005.10639213

18. Mangold, W. G., & Faulds, D. J. (2009). Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business Horizons, 52(4), 357–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.03.002

19. Naik, P. A., & Peters, K. (2009). A hierarchical marketing communications model of online and offline media synergies. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 23(4), 288–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2009.07.005

20. Naik, P. A., & Raman, K. (2003). Understanding the impact of synergy in multimedia communications. Journal of Marketing Research, 40(4), 375–388. http://dx.doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.40.4.375.19385

21. Porcu, L., del Barrio-García, S., & Kitchen, P. J. (2017). Measuring integrated marketing communication by taking a broad organisational approach: The firm-wide IMC scale. European Journal of Marketing, 51(3), 692–718. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-08-2015-0587

22. Porcu, L., del Barrio-García, S., Alcántara-Pilar, J. M., & Crespo-Almendros, E. (2019). Analyzing the influence of firm-wide integrated marketing communication on market performance in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 80, 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.01.008

23. Rust, R. T., Lemon, K. N., & Zeithaml, V. A. (2004). Return on marketing: Using customer equity to focus marketing strategy. Journal of Marketing, 68(1), 109–127. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.68.1.109.24030

24. Schultz, D. E., Tannenbaum, S. I., & Lauterborn, R. F. (1993). Integrated marketing communications: Putting it together & making it work. NTC Business Books.

25. Schultz, D. E., & Kitchen, P. J. (1997). Integrated marketing communications in U.S. advertising agencies: An exploratory study. Journal of Advertising Research, 37(5), 7–18. (No DOI available).

26. Schultz, D. E., & Kitchen, P. J. (2000). A response to “Theoretical concept or management fashion?”. Journal of Advertising Research, 40(5), 17–21.

27. Schultz, D. E., & Patti, C. H. (2009). The evolution of IMC: IMC in a customer-driven marketplace. Journal of Marketing Communications, 15(2–3), 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527260902757480

28. Šerić, M. (2016). Content analysis of the empirical research on integrated marketing communication (IMC) from 2000 to 2015. Journal of Marketing Communications, 24(6), 577–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2016.1184708

29. Swani, K., Brown, B. P., & Milne, G. R. (2014). Should tweets differ for B2B and B2C? An analysis of Fortune 500 companies’ Twitter communications. Industrial Marketing Management, 43(5), 873–881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2014.04.012

30. Tafesse, W., & Kitchen, P. J. (2017). IMC – an integrative review. International Journal of Advertising, 36(2), 210–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2015.1114168

31. Tiago, M. T. B., & Veríssimo, J. M. C. (2014). Digital marketing and social media: Why bother? Business Horizons, 57(6), 703–708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2014.07.002

32. Voorveld, H. A. M., van Noort, G., Muntinga, D. G., & Bronner, F. (2018). Engagement with social media and social media advertising: The differentiating role of platform type. Journal of Advertising, 47(1), 38–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2017.1405754

33. Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2015). Bibliometric methods in management and organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629