2010 ISBA Annual Conference: Integration is the antidote to fragmentation

Integration is the antidote to fragmentation, Michael Dick, integrated marketing communications director at Coca-Cola, told delegates at yesterday’s 2010 ISBA Annual Conference.

Outlining Coca-Cola’s approach to integration, Dick said there are two vitally important ways to come at it. The first is treating each campaign individually and understanding that “integration requires very different solutions”, while the second involves focusing on innovation. “Integration is responding to increasing fragmentation; it’s about being open, aligning messages and responsible marketing.”

However, Fallon chairman and founding partner Laurence green offered an alternative take, suggesting that “we should just go with fragmentation and open source asset creation”.

And for those in the audience wishing to be told exactly what to do, it turned out not to be their day, as Green told them that there is “no consensus and no obvious best practice”, adding “integration is usually self-enforced and self selecting”.

Despite this, there was a lot to be learnt, and a welcome reminder from Green – particularly for those in danger of losing sight of the bigger picture – that integration is just a means to an end.

But what happens when that does happen and integration fails?

According to COI chief executive Mark Lund, it is “usually down to not controlling human nature well enough. The skill is in creating the right governance, rewards and sanctions”.