Integrated Marketing Communication and Brand Management: the Case Study of Fiat 500

The increasing investments in communication put in evidence the need for innovation to fulfil and improve identity, positioning (brand and products), reputation, goodwill, networking. This paper aims to analyze – following the literature on brand management and marketing communication - the new synergy between real perspectives and virtual ones in communication. The aim is to demonstrate the importance of adopting a new integrated approach in order to manage the complex issues involved in communicating the brand to consumers and other stakeholders in the mature market of automotive. The Author considers the launch of FIAT 500, the new Italian small car, a best practice useful in terms of benchmarking, where many different tools and media are used in order to support the appeal of the car but also to reposition the corporate brand perception. A single product, a successful one, can be devoted to a new approach in managing an old brand. Moving from the empirical evidences of the communication strategies and operations, the paper identifies in a qualitative way the most effective factors that have led Fiat to attract again consumer attention and to succeed in repositioning its historical brand. Using this case study, as an exploratory case, the Author suggests the way in which a company can strategically plan and project an integrated marketing campaign useful also to an effective branding rejuvenation.