The Use of Integrated Marketing Communications in the Volvo Ocean Race
This following defines and describe marketing communications and the concept of integrated marketing communications, then moving on to a discussion of sponsorship

Marketing Communications
Definition
Marketing communications: The communication of information which facilitates or expedites the exchange process. The role of marketing communications is to inform, persuade, remind, reassure the customers and differentiate the organisation in the minds of the customers.
There are three requirements for successful marketing communications : RELEVANCE ORIGINALITY IMPACT
Communication is about engaging with your target market;
Sender encoding => Message (Medium) => Receiver encoding
There are several categories of marketing communications, such as Advertising, Personal selling, Public Relations, Sales promotion, Direct marketing, Internet/Interactive, Post-Modern. In a group, these are known as the “Communication Wheel” Increasing focus on communications
Traditionally, marketing communications were based on the premise that sale of a product must be immediate or direct for advertising to be considered effective. For example, a good advertisement should:
• Attract attention (awareness)
• Stimulate interest
• Create a desire
• Bring about action
(AIDA model)
However those beliefs have now changed, sales no longer have to be immediate or direct, rather marketing communications should;
• ð Prompts trial
• ð Causes the brand to be added to the consumer repertoire
• ð Works through peoples attitudes with a view to changing their behaviour
• ð Establishing a relationship with the consumer e.g through a social media strategy (a good