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Applying Integrated Marketing Communications Transe Express Performing Mischievous Bells at Festival Opening

It is currently the season for the Melbourne International Arts Festival, which is the city's most internationally oriented showcase of its vibrant and diverse art scene. Major roads in Melbourne's city centre are festooned with its characteristic purple and white banners, flapping on flagpoles in the wind. At many of the busy street corners like Swanston and Flinders Street, one can also find the festival posters pasted on billboards, tram-stop shelters and other public places.

By adhering to a strong thematic design aesthetic that is woven through all elements of the festival's brand touchpoints, the Melbourne International Arts Festival has embraced the principles of Integrated Marketing Communications or IMC. Through this, it is able to reinforce awareness, recognition and interest across multiple platforms by applying a consistent message through both visual and textual means. This is important for a short-lived (17 days) event, and requires significant investments to gain the greatest amount of visibility in the most cost effective way.

To see what I mean, do look at some of the festival's collaterals, which include:

Flagpole Banners... Ticketing Booth (at Federation Square)... and Brochures (which are thematically coloured both front and back). 
Other marketing channels similarly themed include newspaper and magazine advertisements, posters, T-shirts for helpers, standees and others.

As seen in the above example, the application of a consistent design aesthetic should strive towards simplicity and elegance. The use of bright colours, consistent typography (for the words), and highly visible locations helps to immediately raise awareness and interest in the campaign, without the need for oodles of text or messy visuals. Coupled with the right levels of media publicity, such a holistic approach may help to improve the effectiveness of campaign or festival marketing beyond just investing heavily in press, TV or radio ads.

Labels: advertising strategy, integrated marcoms, marketing strategy