IMC Campaign Proposal for Amazon Astro Retail Launch Background Amazon is preparing to take a bold strategic step in early 2026launching its home robot, Astro, into physical retail environments in Australia for the first time. Previously available through a limited, invite-only release and online sales, Astro is now set for a broader public debut to compete head-on with Samsung's Ballie and LG's Rosie. These two competing brands and products will seek to gain market traction in Australia in the second half of 2025 through premium in-store demonstrations, emotional storytelling, and media buzz. Astro is Amazon's first home robota mobile, AI-powered device that acts as an extension of the Alexa ecosystem. It features autonomous navigation, home monitoring via a periscope camera, facial recognition, pet tracking, video calling, and integration with Ring and Alexa. Astro is designed to bring both functionality and peace of mind to tech-forward households, especially families and early adopters of smart home technologies. It requires a subscription to enable all features

1. Identifying and defining an optimal target audience is critical to the success of any campaign. Who should be the primary target audience for Astro, and why? The Board requires you to conduct research, present supporting evidence, and provide an insightful audience profile to justify their suitability. In your response, the Board expects you to cite at least three high-quality sources of evidence or support.

2. Having identified and substantiated your target audience, the Board now seeks your advice on the strategic implications of targeting this audience. What considerations must be taken into account when designing and planning an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) campaign that will effectively and efficiently persuade this audience at each stage of the marketing funnel? Do not present a full campaign; instead, focus on how the target audience's characteristics influence campaign planning, messaging focus, channel selection, and resource allocation across the funnel."