Managerial challenges toward the integrated marketing communication (r)evolution. A qualitative study

Digitisation and consumer changes are driving a (r)evolution in the integrated marketing communication (IMC) landscape, where the traditional mass communication model coexists with new interactive and social paradigms. However, the marketing literature has been focusing primarily on digital media and on specific players’ points of view. This paper aims to widen and deepen professionals’ interpretative perspective of these changes. To this purpose, we have drawn upon 86 in-depth interviews with marketing and communication top managers and senior professionals within the communication network. The findings, synthesized in an holistic conceptual framework, show similarities/differences in the understanding of and in the perceived managerial challenges toward the IMC (r)evolution depending on the category it belongs to.