Omnichannel Integration in Integrated Marketing Communications: Implications for the Consumer Journey

CLAS College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, 80204, The United States of America

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Abstract

The rapid evolution of technology, along with the prevalence of social media, mobile apps, and e-commerce, has significantly changed how customers connect with businesses. Consequently, the consumer journey has become more fragmented and nonlinear, posing challenges to traditional integrated marketing communications (IMC) in terms of consistency, coordination, and effectiveness. While omnichannel integration is widely viewed as an important part of the solution, its mechanisms and implications remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to provide a literature review that outlines how omnichannel integration shapes the consumer journey. It focuses on three areas. First, it analyzes the mechanisms of data integration, touchpoint coordination, and experience consistency. Second, it evaluates the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses resulting from these mechanisms. Finally, it addresses practical limitations in implementation. The research finds that touchpoint integration is the most important for the consumer, as it improves experience consistency and reduces decision-making effort, thereby increasing satisfaction, trust, and engagement. However, challenges remain in achieving this across consumer journeys. It is recommended that firms prioritize effective coordination rather than seamless integration. Lastly, this study supports the shift of IMC from communication coordination to experience management.