I have used Integrated Marketing Communication by Broderick & Pickton as a textbook in a marketing communication course and I was quite disappointed. In my opinion the book has a lot of shortcomings and I find it difficult to recommend the book to others.
One of the primary goals of a book in Integrated marketing communication is to give the readers a clear understandning of the marketing communication process and help readers understand and manage that process. Unfortunately Pickton and Broderick never achieves that goal.
Main problems:
The book lacks a clear structure. Pickton and Broderick have developed a model called The Wheel of integrated marketing communication. The problem with a wheel is that it has no clear beginning and end. The same applies to the book in my opinion.
It is ironical that the book argues for the benefits of integration. The greatest impact of marketing communication will be achieved if all parts are integrated into a unified whole. Integrated Marketing Communication is by no means a unified whole. At first glance it looks like a book by Pickton and Brodericks. Truth is Pickton and Broderick have only written a limited part of the book. The rest is written by some 22 other authors who have contributed to the book.
In my opinion the book lacks a clear perspective, it is to long and the chapters are of varying quality.