There are many companies large and small who have adopted integration as part of their culture; that clarity affects all of their actions and is a key to their success. Companies such as Starbucks, Wal-Mart, Gap Inc., Dell, Procter &Gamble, Amazon, Apple, BMW, and IKEA (there are many, many more) are all examples of highly visible companies that have found success in the Blur Age. In all the manifestations and applications of their brand, at all points of contact, their dialogue is aligned to a singular vision.

From products to culture to advertising to nearly every fragment of their being, these companies are stellar performers in their respective categories. It is because of their success that the clarity and flawless integration of these companies is so visible. Is it the marketing integration that drives that clarity, that success? Or is it the functioning of well-organized entities with clarity of vision that exhibits these traits? It’s all of these factors.

The very essence of IMC done right mandates that all things align. No one silver bullet, no one big idea, no lottery ticket mentality to marketing made these companies successful. It was silver buckshot, it all works, all integrated. That was easy: all of the companies mentioned spend millions on paid media marketing. Now how does a company with $5 million (the majority) speak to customers on a national and global dimension and achieve success—in an identical way with one twist. Greater reliance on key influencer drivers. The smaller companies must exhibit the same top to bottom saturated integration as all-stars, but because of their limited budgets they must rely more on word-of-mouth marketing. Otherwise, they would have to believe that their $5 million can drive mind share, preference, trial, and loyalty the same way Wal-Mart’s $450 million can.