Marketing's no longer a simple game--it's time to get "integrated"!

[Previously posted on Google's BlogSpot by Keith Murray, August 12, 2009]

It use to be that a life in business was pretty straightforward: you had some pretty simple alternatives to work from: You made something and let somebody else sell it; you bought something that somebody else manufactured and you sold it; maybe you simply wanted to assist somebody else who made or sold stuff to get it sold for them [obviously for a fee!], so you went into, say, the packaging, advertising or media business.

Today, if you want to hang with the big dogs, however, you have to do all of these jobs--and more! "Simple" is gone and big stake, complicated, long-term deals are the rule of the day. Witness Hasbro, once a sleepy toy and game maker in a little back-water town in quiet New England--well, that's all changed.

Recently Hasbro announced a partnership in cable programming that puts their operation smack in the center of children's' TV viewing...and, consequently, programming...and thus advertising...and, thereby, new product development...and, down the road, eventually influencing most of what Hasbro makes, prices things at, where they sell their wares, and the chain of effect goes on and on--all to loop-back and affect marketing strategies and mixes again in new and interesting "waves."

This is the reason there is an increased emphasis in business on the word "integrated." Integrated marketing strategies, integrated marketing mixes, integrated communication plans--where will it stop?! It's any body's guess, but for now being a toy-manufacturer in a sleepy little New England town seems like a fairy-tale from long-ago. The Hasbro story is an interesting one to watch as it unfolds--it's now far from simple. Check out John Jannarone's report in the August 11 issue of the Wall Street Journal, "Hasbro Toys With Hollywood."

By the way, Hasbro's management attempt to gain strategic advantage in the marketplace seems smart and shrewed--but also gives investors in the firm something to think about--can the company pull-off the job that, now, is a lot more complicated to carry out than just selling Mr. Potato Head or making G.I. Joe action figures. In other words, if you've got skin in the game, the stakes just went up at Hasbro to pull it off.

So stay tuned--it'll be a very interesting story to see unfold! In the meantime--get integrated yourself if you don't want to be dealt out of the game of business!