Corporate Reputation and the Discipline of Integrated Marketing Communications

Despite the inherent risk of communications tactics, using the framework of an integrated marketing communications (IMC) strategy with stakeholders may help prevent reputation damage. This chapter explores how IMC has emerged as a reputation support force. It examines the development of IMC and the reputation-building process. The chapter also examines reputational risks with certain types of products that pose a threat to consumers, users, and influential people. It discusses how communicating with consumers and dozens of other "protected status" stakeholders can be a high-risk professional action capable of building or ruining an organizational reputation. To overcome these negative factors, the chapter primarily addresses the IMC strategic means to reduce the risk to the reputation of an organization or individual.