Southern New Hampshire University

MKT229: Principles of Integrated Marketing Communications

A study guide to SNHU's MKT229, a writing-intensive undergraduate course on advertising, public relations, corporate communications and sales promotion.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

MKT229 is a three-credit undergraduate course at Southern New Hampshire University. The catalog describes it as giving an understanding of advertising, public relations, corporate communications and sales promotions, and of the role media play in integrated marketing communications strategies.

It focuses on the planning, research and creative skills needed to reach IMC objectives, and the catalog marks it as writing intensive. The challenge is writing persuasively and precisely about plans, not only learning the terms.

Course at a Glance

ItemDetails
UniversitySouthern New Hampshire University
CodeMKT229
Credits3
LevelUndergraduate
Prerequisite (catalog)MKT205 (Applied Marketing Strategies)
NoteCatalog describes it as a writing-intensive course

What MKT229 Covers

ElementRole in an IMC plan
AdvertisingPaid messages in chosen media
Public relationsBuilding understanding and goodwill with the public and press
Corporate communicationsConsistent voice and reputation across audiences
Sales promotionShort-term incentives that prompt action
MediaWhere and how messages reach audiences

Key Concepts Explained

Integration means one message, many forms. The advertising, press release, in-store offer and social post should feel like parts of the same story. Inconsistent tone or claims weaken all of them.

Objectives drive everything. An objective states what audience should think, feel or do, by how much and by when. Without it, you cannot choose tools or judge results.

Research and creativity work together. Insight about the audience gives the creative idea something real to say, and the creative idea must be easy to carry across channels.

Invented illustration: a local bookshop wants more weekday visitors. Objective: raise weekday footfall for the next quarter. Core message: "your quiet hour with a book". Advertising: a poster and local radio spot. PR: a story for the local paper about a reading corner. Promotion: a weekday coffee-and-book offer. All pieces repeat the same promise.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

TypeWhat it testsApproach
IMC planPlanning and consistencyObjective, audience, message, tools, measures
Campaign critiqueAnalysisJudge message, channels and fit with the audience
Press release or copy sampleWriting craftClear headline, facts first, audience-specific tone
Research briefInsightQuestion, method, finding, implication

Writing for a Writing-Intensive Course

The catalog's note about writing means clarity and persuasion count as much as content. Short, concrete sentences work best, and each paragraph should do one job.

HabitWhy it helps
Lead with the pointReaders see your argument at once
Name the audienceKeeps tone and claims appropriate
Use specific verbsAvoids vague plan language
Edit for lengthCuts repeated ideas

A Study Approach, Theme by Theme

Advertising

Study a few adverts and write down the audience, the single idea and the action requested. Strong adverts usually have one clear idea. Practice stating that idea in a sentence; if you cannot, the advert, or your analysis of it, is probably unfocused.

Public Relations and Corporate Communications

Read a press release and note its structure: headline, key facts, a quotation and background. Think about who the audience is, such as journalists, customers or investors, and how tone changes for each. Corporate communications ensures the organization sounds like itself in all of these settings.

Sales Promotion

Review a few short-term offers and ask what behavior each aims to prompt and how long it can run before customers expect it permanently. Promotions can lift sales quickly but may train customers to wait for discounts, so a good plan balances them with longer-term messages.

Planning, Research and Creative Skills

The catalog highlights these three skills. Plan by writing objectives first. Research by collecting audience facts from credible sources. Create by drafting several versions of the core message and choosing the clearest.

Since the course is writing intensive, build time for editing: a second pass to cut repeated ideas often improves a draft more than adding new content.

Where Students Get Stuck

Study Tips for MKT229

How We Help with MKT229

Send the assignment, rubric and your brand or campaign. A marketing communications writer can explain concepts, prepare a custom plan or copy example, or edit your draft for clarity. See our business research paper help guide.

GradeEssays is independent of Southern New Hampshire University. We provide tutoring, model work and feedback; we do not access your course site or promise results. Your submitted work must be your own under SNHU's academic integrity policy. Orders are written from scratch with free revisions within the scope of your original request.

Write an IMC Plan That Reads as One Voice

Share your brief and brand. We prepare a custom plan or edit your draft.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MKT229 prerequisite?

MKT205, Applied Marketing Strategies, per SNHU's catalog.

Is MKT229 writing intensive?

Yes, the catalog describes it as a writing-intensive course.

How many credits?

Three, at undergraduate level.

Does it cover social media?

The catalog lists advertising, PR, corporate communications and sales promotion; MKT265 has a social media focus.

What is IMC?

Coordinating messages across tools so the audience hears one consistent story.

Can you edit my IMC plan?

Yes, as tutoring and feedback on structure, clarity and citations.