The implementation of integrated marketing communication (IMC): evidence from professional football clubs in England

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is considered to hold strategic value for contemporary organisations. Yet, the actual implementation of IMC by client organisations remains under researched and represents somewhat of a black box for academics and practitioners alike. The study examines the perceptions of the IMC implementation process from practitioners working within professional football clubs. The findings reveal four diverse scenarios of IMC implementation and in so doing uncover neglected oxymora in the way in which IMC theory is translated in practice. The four scenarios: strategic integration, practitioners’ strategy paradox, unintentional IMC implementation paradox, and IMC absence, are each linked to a different level of practitioner IMC application. The four scenarios provide a more nuanced perspective of IMC advancement, unpacking the black box of IMC implementation and extending the IMC stage model to better present the IMC implementation landscape as examined among professional football clubs. This study allows for a more comprehensive and rounded understanding of IMC implementation, which can inform future practical application and research investigation.