Leveraging Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) for Brand Recognition and Sales: A Qualitative Study of Small Catering Firms in Kolkata, India

Abstract

This study delves into how small catering companies in Kolkata, India, are using Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) to create brand awareness and boost sales in a competitive marketplace. With the hospitality and food services industry in India developing with heightened consumer expectations, digitalization, and occasion-based consumption trends, small catering companies are at a turning point. In contrast with big hospitality chains, these smaller businesses do not have the human and financial capital to invest in widespread advertising campaigns. But most are employing a combination of old-school and new-school communication tools—terms used collectively as part of the IMC model—to establish a niche market and get noticed. From a qualitative perspective, the current research explores the practices of 15 small catering companies in Kolkata based on semi-structured interviews and participant observations. The participants were owners, operational managers, and freelance digital marketers representing these firms. The results show that although most companies don’t use the term “IMC” officially, their practices concur with its basic principles: uniform messaging, cross-platform advertising, building relationship, and feedback-based communication.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788199651562.2026.101-114