1. IMC Campaign 1
Final Project: IMC Campaign for West Coast Paddle Sports
Kelly Unruh
COM 365: Integrated Marketing Communication

2. IMC Campaign 2
Final Project: IMC Campaign for West Coast Paddle Sports
West Coast Paddle Sports (WCPS) officially opened their doors in November of 2011,
but the owners are no strangers to the sport. They previously owned a surf shop and have been a
staple in the surf community for over 20 years (Long, 2012, par. 1). Physical limitations, a shift
in the surf industry and stand up paddling becoming more and more popular, the need to
transition from an all around surf shop to a dedicated stand up paddle shop soon emerged. In the
past three years, a majority of the customer base has come from word of mouth contacts and
social media. In able to continue to build the WCPS brand, they will need to develop an effective
integrated marketing campaign that will identify their marketing and communication objectives,
set their strategic plan, and identify and implement the plan.
Marketing Background
Product
West Coast Paddle Sports is a family owned and operated retail store in San Diego, CA
with an emphasis on stand up paddle and outrigger gear. They carry a wide selection of boards,
paddles and accessories to outfit any paddler, from novice to professional. Although the store is
full of various paddle brands, from board and paddle manufactures to clothing and accessories,
the main focus of this IMC plan will be the WCPS brand. The owners take pride in their brand
and take the time to do it right. They stay on top of new innovations to the sport. They also help
promote the sport of paddling to newcomers through specific events. Customers know that they
can visit WCPS to learn more about paddling, its history and even a little about the history of
San Diego. The personal connection the owners of WCPS make with their customers is truly an
asset that is often difficult to replicate at other retail establishments.
Competitive Landscape

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San Diego is known for its rich surf culture and is a hub for surf manufacturers. Its
coastline is dotted with numerous surf retailers. Still a relatively new sport, stand up paddling is
gaining popularity, with over 1.24 million people hitting the ocean, bays, lakes and rivers with a
board and paddle (Wallack, 2012, par. 6). However, still low in numbers, there are about a dozen
key paddle retailers in the San Diego area. For every paddle retail store there is at least one
online retailer, or more. The online retailers will range from being the extension of a physical
retailer to a 100% online merchant. Both types of retailers will carry similar products and
compete for the same customer. This gives the customer the flexibility to shop in either location,
easier access to price compare and a way to test a product before making the purchase.
Competitors
Even though there are a limited number of physical retailers in the competitive landscape,
a few do stand out as the ones to focus on. There are two types of retailers – the high-end
specialty shop and the low-end discounter. YOLO falls into the specialty category. They are a
full service paddle shop, carrying mostly their brand of gear. Transplanted from Florida, they too
also provide a wealth of knowledge of the sport. Of the low-end discount retailers, Costco,
Creed, Isle and Paddle Planet look to sell paddle packages at such a discounted rate that many
first time or novice paddlers will shop there first. What they are getting in return are inferior
products and subpar customer service.
Becoming more and more popular, customers tend to practice ‘showrooming’, the act of
“examin[ing] merchandise in a traditional brick-and-mortar retail store, but make the purchase
online instead” (Swift, 2013, par. 1). No different than trying on a pair of shoes at the department
store then logging onto Amazon.com looking for the best prices. Cited as main reason why
consumers showroom is that they go “to obtain information about a product” due in part of the

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personal engagement they receive in store versus what they receive online (Swift, 2013, par. 6).
Paddle retailers feel the effects of showrooming, watching customers head online to Tower, SUP
ATX, Paddlesurf Warehouse or Craigslist, all major competitors of WCPS.
Marketing Objectives
Having a clearly identified marketing objective will help aid WCPS to achieve their goals
and to stand out amongst their competitors. The marketing objective of WCPS is to bring
awareness to the paddle community of its brand and position itself as having the right gear and
are the most knowledgeable to garner repeat purchases. A concise IMC plan will reinforce the
marketing objectives through all its touchpoints.
Communicating Objectives to Target Audience
Understanding the specifics of the strategic plan will help determine the best solutions to
communicating the marketing objectives to the target audience. Knowing that brand awareness is
a key component of the marketing objective, the communication objectives should be aligned to
deliver on the fact that WCPS is the place to go for “all things sup” (Long, 2012, par. 3).
Strategic Planning Process
Target Audience
The target audience of WCPS will be identified and defined as those paddlers who are
looking for a place where they can view, touch, learn and demo the various paddleboards and
equipment. This is an experience that one cannot get from an online retailer. There is not one
clear set of demographics to focus on, as all ages, men and women, in any location that is near a
body of water, enjoy paddling. The amount of disposable income the target audience has will be
a key psychographic trait. In building the brand awareness for WCPS, the target audience will

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also include “those loyal to other brands (OBL) or non-categories users (NCU)” as well as brand
switchers (FBS) and brand loyalists (BL) (Percy, 2008, p. 268).
Purchase Decisions
The next step is to understand how the target audience makes their purchase decisions.
They may be heavily influenced by other paddlers in their recommendation of which retailer to
shop based on their own preference and experiences. This influence from other sources will be a
big driver in the target audience’s brand loyalty. The paddle community is very close knit and
will share both their positive and negative experiences of a brand. As a mom and pop
establishment, WCPS makes every effort to know their customers and help them become better
paddlers. By exemplifying these traits, they can make the target audience feel at ease and want to
come back again and again, thus providing the positive experience that WCPS is looking for.
While influencers weigh heavily in the target audience’s purchase decisions, it is also
important to understand how or why the need to make a purchase came about, where and when is
the best place and time to connect with the target audience with messaging and what the
emotional state of the target audience is at each step. These are questions that need to be
continually being asked as the IMC plan is being developed.
Marketing Messages
Effective marketing communication needs to have a focus, narrowing in on one or two
key benefits of the product. For WCPS, the key brand benefits will be based on the target
audience’s need of having a retailer who can help them find the best paddle gear for their ability.
These benefits are the traits that help WCPS stand out and be centrally positioned among their
competition. WCPS relies on their wealth of knowledge to help educate and inform the target
audience on both the sport and the gear. Additionally, by stocking a wide assortment of products

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at various price points, every paddler who shops at WCPS will be able to find something to
satisfy their needs. Understanding their motivation to visit WCPS will aid in what message will
be told and how it will be delivered.
The consumer will move through four stages when processing the marketing message.
The message needs to gain their attention at some level. Once their attention is held, the
consumer must learn something about the brand, at minimum “the brand name and the key
benefit” (Percy, 2008, p. 175). The consumer will then take what they may already know about
WCPS and combine that knowledge with what they have learned through the marketing message
and accept it. This will help build and reinforce a positive brand attitude with the consumers. The
consumer’s emotions will influence how they process the marketing message at the attention,
learning and acceptance stage.
Communication Objectives
Understanding that the marketing objectives focus on brand awareness and positioning,
the communication objective should as well. To do so, the communication will build the
consumer’s “ability to recognize or recall” WCPS through brand awareness (Percy, 2008, p.
225). Based on previous experiences the consumer may have encountered with WCPS, the
communication will also build the positive brand attitude to satisfy their motivation for visiting
the store. The right mix of exposure, processing and communication effect will lead the target
audience to take action; to be able to recall that WCPS has extensive knowledge in paddle sports
and that they are the place to go for their entire paddle needs. Once at the store, their positive
experience will enable them to continue to make the repeat trips and purchases.
It is important that all of the components of the IMC campaign work together to follow
the communication response sequence for the desired outcome. To begin with, careful

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consideration into the location and frequency of the advertisements and promotions will be used
to avoid message fatigue. This drills down to the placement of the print ads, the frequency of the
emails and direct mailers to the database and the time of day for the on air surf reports. Having
the right balance of exposure of the marketing message will better aid the consumer in their
processing of the message.
Media Options
To deliver the brand message, an integrated marketing communication approach of
traditional and new media will be used. A 1993 study showed that local retail advertisers make
“media decisions [that] are primarily driven by a desire to effectively reach and stimulate a
specific target audience” (Cameron, Krugman, & Nowak, 1993, p. 46). Thus, these same “local
retail advertisers are bypassing ‘traditional’ advertising vehicles in favor of ‘new’ media and
direct-marketing techniques” (Cameron, Krugman, & Nowak, 1993, p. 39). With that said, for
WCPS, an ideal mix will include traditional advertising and promotion, new and other media and
direct mail. Through a partnership with board manufacturers, WCPS will place print ads in the
national paddle magazines as well as participate in the annual shop guides. Banner ads will run
on online paddle sites. On a local level, WCPS will sponsor the surf report on various morning
radio shows. A grassroots approach will be crafted by participating at different paddle events
along the west coast. This will include setting up a booth with banners, flyers and collateral to
build the brand awareness. Lastly, WCPS will leverage brand loyalty and word-of-mouth
programs through leveraging brand ambassadors to write blogs and mingle within the paddle
community.
Traditional Advertising

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Within the IMC strategy, advertising, “build[s] brand awareness and contribute[s] to a
positive feeling for the brand” (Percy, 2008, p. 82). Advertising contains the communication
message in a way that resonates and is memorable with the target audience. Advertising not only
reinforces the brand awareness and brand recognition but also aids in the brand recall. The
message delivered through the advertising needs to be impactful enough to keep WCPS top of
mind when the customer is looking to purchase a paddle related item. The copy, typeface, colors
and images used all work together to reinforce the positive brand altitude. Of the four different
types of advertising, WCPS will utilize retail advertising to promote the store and the products
and services offered.
Traditional Promotions
Traditional promotions are used to incentivize the “short-term sales or brand usage”
(Percy, 2008, p. 103). This can include coupons, sampling, loyalty programs, premiums and
sweepstakes. Using a retailer promotion, where the retailer funds the promotion and not the
brand, the offers are generally geared towards an overall purchase. The WCPS loyalty program
will look at offering promotions that are more customer-centric. An effective loyalty program
will “align [the] loyalty strategy with what matters most to the target customers, recognize that
price only buys volume but service earns continued loyalty [and] use [the] loyalty strategy as
both a defensive and an offensive weapon” to ward off brand deflection (Hoffman & Lowitt,
2008, p. 44). Much like traditional advertising, the same care and thought process in regards to
messaging and creative will be critical. Extending the continuity from advertising to promotions
will help strengthen the brand awareness and brand attitudes.
New Media and Other Options

9. IMC Campaign 9
In additional to traditional advertising and promotions, new media, or digital messages,
and other options also impact the IMC process. This messaging and creative needs to also
support the marketing objective and work in conjunction with the advertising and promotions.
WCPS will focus on online banner ads, classified listings and social media.
Direct Marketing
The last area to consider in the IMC process is direct marketing; a highly targeted tactic
that asks for a response (Percy, 2008, p. 153). A key component of direct marketing is a
comprehensive database of customers. Direct marketing can individualize the message to drive
the brand purchase intention.
Finalizing and Implementing the IMC Campaign
Creative Considerations
Once the IMC campaign strategy is put into place, the marketing message defined, and
the communication response sequence thought through, the creative execution puts it all together
in an impactful way. Consistency across all the IMC campaign touch points is carefully
considered. What may work for print may not work for radio. Imagery used on the print and
banner ads, coupons and direct mailers should all feature the paddle product being used
appropriately and in a way that the consumer can relate to. The layout will consist of four-color
lifestyle photos, a headline and a few lines of body copy. Orange and blue, the key colors of
WCPS, will help tie together all the pieces of the IMC campaign. A simple yet memorable tag
line will be created to link together the print executions with the radio spot, which will also
reinforce the brand benefits. Items like the loyalty member coupon and Craigslist posting will
feature products rather than the lifestyle shots. When talking about WCPS through social media,
word-of-mouth or even with the in store customer service, carefully crafted talking points used

10. IMC Campaign 10
will help reinforce the brand awareness, attitude and key benefits of having the right gear and are
most knowledgeable.
Brand Awareness
The key to brand recognition through the IMC campaign will be the distinctive WCPS
logo used on each piece. Although the logo is a typeface with specific colors, how they work
together will trigger the association to WCPS and not to another brand. In radio, the
repetitiveness of saying WCPS and the tag line will help with brand recognition. Eventually the
consumer will begin to recognize the brand outside of the paid advertisements, through stickers
on cars, the t-shirts others are wearing and the banners at various events. When it is time for the
consumer to need a new board or paddle, all the marketing messages that they have seen in the
past will jog their memory and they will recall that WCPS is the place that they will need to go.
Brand Attitude Strategy
The creative needs to evoke a positive emotion from the consumer to be effective. The
message needs to be authentic to generate that personal feeling. Through the high-involvement
transformational tactic, the creative and message must play to the consumer’s wants and desires.
The images should instantly take the consumer off on a daydream trip paddling down an exotic
river. Upon seeing the advertisement, the consumer should feel a sense of joy and excitement at
what their next paddle purchase will be.
Touch Points
Print. Retailers typically have limited budgets to spend on advertising and promotions.
This holds true for WCPS. The types of advertising that will be considered include print ads in
national and local publications as well as local radio and TV spots. The sport of stand up
paddling has three main national print publications. WCPS will partner with a board or clothing

11. IMC Campaign 11
manufacturer for a co-op ad in which the manufacturer will place the insertion, produce the
creative and include a call to action directing the customer to visit WCPS. Special features, like a
shop guide, are common in these types of publications. It would greatly benefit WCPS to be
included and advertise in these special features. Local publications, typically community
newspapers, also help to build brand awareness.
Radio. Many of the local radio and television stations offer a surf report as part of their
weather broadcast. Oftentimes local businesses will sponsor these reports. Sponsoring the surf
report in the local market will be a benefit for WCPS. Not only will they receive name and brand
recognition, but will also be looked at as an expert within the community. Through a few lines of
copy spoken by the on air announcer, the brand benefits are effectively communicated.
Retailer Sponsored Coupons. Introductory coupons that offer a 10% discount off the first
purchase will appeal to those in the target audience who may be new to the sport or to WCPS.
These coupons will be handed out at various events or as an online code to be used at check out.
Specific coupons to the current target audience will also help increase the repeat.
Loyalty. Through a loyalty program, repeat customers will receive customized coupon
offers and premiums on subsequent purchases. The loyalty program will capture the customer’s
personal info, including the type of boards they ride, paddles they use or size of clothing they
wear. Having this detailed information helps customize the offers and identify who the strong
brand loyalists are.
Premiums. WCPS may also decide to include a free gift with purchase. Typical
premiums are a free paddle cover with any paddle purchase or free rail tape and spray on traction
with any board purchase. These additional premium items are not only a nice to have but shows
that WCPS is taking the extra step to make the experience of the customer that much better.

12. IMC Campaign 12
Online. With an online store presence, WCPS will leverage banner ads to create brand
awareness and direct the customer back to their website. Specific search terms will be purchased
and strategic ad placement will be considered. Postings on local Craigslist boards will inform
customers of current promotions to drive the traffic in store.
Social Media. Through Facebook, the current social media tool used by WCPS, postings
to its company page and special interest group pages will communicate events and promotions
instantly. These pages are a great way to increase customer interaction and participation with the
brand in a positive way. If an issue were to arise, then WCPS would be able to quickly resolve it,
thus keeping the positive brand attitude.
Grassroots Events. The best way for a retailer to create brand awareness and show that
they are knowledgeable would be to frequent events related to the products they carry. WCPS
makes a point to sponsor or participate in as many local stand-up paddle events possible. They
will also frequent Orange County and other nearby locales. Not only does this get the WCPS
name out there but also builds the relationship with the customer.
Word-of-Mouth. Through the loyalty program and social media, organic word of mouth
will begin to take shape. WCPS will identify and leverage a few key loyalty members to become
the unofficial spokespeople for the brand, contributing to the blog and talking to other paddlers
out on the water. For their outreach, WCPS provides additional perks through promotions and
premiums.
Personal Selling. Once in the store, personal selling will help reinforce the knowledge of
the staff and strengthen the relationship with the customer. This is where the customer will have
a positive experience with the brand.

13. IMC Campaign 13
Direct Marketing. A key component of direct marketing is a comprehensive database of
customers. Much of the direct marketing used by WCPS will stem from the loyalty program. The
database will be built using customers who opt in via the website, making past purchases in the
store or requesting to be added to the mailing list. The database can then be sorted and
categorized on any number of metrics, from first time customers to repeat purchasers. Depending
on the focus of specific mailers, from welcoming back a lapsed customer to celebrating a
customer’s milestone, the message can be highly personalized. The mailers can be sent according
to purchase cycles or seasons, or to announce new product in store. Direct marketing will also
reinforce the brand awareness and positive brand attitude with the customer.
Conclusion
Creating an effective integrated marketing communication strategy for the retail
establishment West Coast Paddle Sports includes a planning process that identified and defined
the target audience, marketing objectives and the communication methods used. Utilizing a
mixture of traditional and new media will focus on building the brand awareness within the
paddle community. To support the marketing objective, specific advertising and promotional
messaging and tactics were identified. These tactics will bring new customers in through trial,
reward the current customers, make the brand visible in the virtual setting and strengthen the
relationships through community events. Understanding how the target audience consumes,
accepts and processes the marketing message will aid in the frequency and timing of the
placement of the advertising. Once the strategy is complete, how the message is executed
through all the IMC touch points is critical. The message needs to be consistent with simple yet
impactful images and copy. The advertisements need to yield to the consumer’s emotional wants,
enticing them to take the next step towards the purchase.

14. IMC Campaign 14
IMC Planning Worksheet
Touch Points for
Decision Stages
Communication Tasks
Media Options
Target Audience
Communication
Objectives
Need to find retailer that
carries a wide
assortment of paddle
gear
Current paddlers as
initiators and influencers
New paddlers as
initiators
Create awareness of
product selection at
WCPS
Build brand awareness
and positive brand
attitude
National co-op print ads
Local print ads
Online bannerads
Craigslist posting
WOM
Need to find retailer that
is knowledgeable in all
aspects ofpaddling
Current paddlers as
initiators and influencers
New paddlers as
initiators
Create awareness of the
wealth knowledge held
by WCPS staff
National print shop
guides
Local radio surf report
sponsorship
Social Media/WOM
Consideration of local
retailers
Current paddlers as
initiators and influencers
New paddlers as
initiators
Strengthen brand
awareness
Build positive brand
attitude through
identifying the
differences between
paddle retailers
National co-op print ads
Local print ads
Local radio surf report
sponsorship
Geo-targeted online
banner ads
Local grassroots/events
Social Media/WOM
Visiting retailer to
purchase paddle gear
Current paddlers as
initiators and influencers
New paddlers as
initiators
Reinforce positive brand
attitude while in store
Trial
Incentivize purchases
Customer service
Premiums/gift with
purchase
Social Media/WOM
Repeat visits to retailer Current paddlers as
initiators and influencers
New paddlers as
initiators
Create purchase
intention
Cultivate personal
relationships
Reward loyal customers
Loyalty program
Direct mail
Coupons
Social Media/WOM

15. IMC Campaign 15
Creative Brief
Product: West Coast Paddle Sports Job: IMC Date: 2.24.14
Task Definition
Key Market Observations
Current and new paddlers need a place to shop a wide variety of product and gain
insightful knowledge on the sport
Source of Business
Current paddlers and new paddlers
Consumer Insight
The paddle community is close knit and relies heavily on word of mouth and
personal experiences. The brand needs to be trustworthy.
Target Market
Paddlers of all ages and skills looking to improve on their own ability and become a
part of the paddle community
Objectives and Strategy
Communication Objectives and Tasks
Build brand awareness and positive brand attitude that WCPS is the best retailer to
visit for all paddle purchases and knowledge
Brand Attitude Strategy
High-involvement transformational brand strategy that reinforces the positive
brand attitude
Benefit Claim and Support
WCPS has all the paddle gear needed and is the most knowledgeable in all things
paddle. Support: owners have been in the industry for almost 20 years
Desired Consumer Response
Accept that WCPS has everything that they are looking for in a paddle retailer and
will make it a point to visit the store
Executional Elements
Creative Guidelines
Evoke the feelings of being off on an exotic paddle trip, knowing that the gear and
advice comes from a trusted source
Requirements/Mandatory Content
Images:
-logo
-product being used correctly
-exciting images
Copy:
-contact info (address, phone, email, website, Facebook, blog)
-RTB explained
-Catchy headline

16. IMC Campaign 16
Media Budget Allocation
Communication Tasks
Build
category
and brand
awareness
Create
category
need and
initial
brand
attitude
Provide
incentive to
consider
Seek
positive
brand
purchase
intention
Act as
intention
Reinforce
decision
Primary medium:
National print
advertising
Secondary media:
National print
shop guide
Local print
Local radio
Direct Mail
Online banner
ads

17. IMC Campaign 17
References
Cameron, G. T., Krugman, D. M., & Nowak, G. J. (1993). How local advertisers choose and use
advertising media. Journal of Advertising Research. 33(6), 39. Retrieved from Gale
Cengage Learning Academic OneFile Infotrac database.
Hoffman, J.L. and Lowitt, E.M. (2008). A better way to design loyalty programs. Strategy &
Leadership. 36(4), 44-47.
Infoshelter. (2009, June 20). Marketing message definition. Inside Business. Retrieved from
http://www.insidebusiness360.com/index.php/marketing-message-definition-18841/
Long, B. (2012). About us. West Coast Paddle Sports. Retrieved from
http://westcoastpaddlesports.com/about-us/
Percy, L. (2008). Strategic integrated marketing communications: theory and practice. Oxford,
UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Swift, A. (2013, November 22). “Showrooming” affecting U.S. retail sales. Gallup. Retrieved
from http://www.gallup.com/poll/165989/showrooming-affecting-retail-sales.aspx
Wallack, R. (2012, July 208). A rising tide for stand-up paddle boarding. LA Times. Retrieved
from http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/28/health/la-he-paddleboard-popular-20120728

18. IMC Campaign 18
Appendix A
Full-page print ad – national publication

19. IMC Campaign 19
Promotion – Loyalty Direct Mailer