What Is the Definition of Marketing Communications?

What Is the Definition of Marketing Communications (MarCom)?

Marketing involves many different types of communication, from social media posts to paid ads and printed fliers. So you might be wondering what is the definition of marketing communications (marcom)? Marketing communications is the umbrella term for all the ways marketing departments engage with their potential and current customers. Whether marketing companies are informing people about their company, requesting they sign up for more information, or even presenting a discount code to encourage them to make a purchase, those are all forms of marcom.  

When a marketing department speaks about the company in any way to the public, that can be classified as marketing communications. Marcom includes a wide list of different types of marketing communications, including the following: 

• Direct advertising
• Website content
• Press releases
• Packaging
• Branding
• Printed materials
• Webinars
• Event presentations
• Email newsletters 

These examples aren’t used randomly, though. The marketing team strategically plans the specific combination of types of marcom that will best reach their target audience, which is known as the marketing communications mix. 

When differentiating between marketing as a whole and marketing communications, it’s helpful to think of marketing as a set of processes and systems that enable a company to engage with customers. On the other hand, marcom emcompasses the communication methods marketing departments use to speak directly to customers and inform them of a product, explain the company’s differentiating attributes, and convince them to make a purchase. 

Marketing communications should also be differentiated from integrated marketing communications, which involves ensuring messaging remains consistent throughout the company and across teams. Notably, marcom typically includes the activities the marketing team specifically undertakes to reach customers across a variety of channels.