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BUSINESS
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Case-1:
The use of the marketing mix in product launch
Introduction
NIVEA® is an
established name in high quality skin and beauty care products. It is part of a
range of brands produced and sold by Beiersdorf. Beiersdorf, founded in 1882,
has grown to be a global company specialising in skin and beauty care.
In the UK, Beiersdorf’s
continuing goal is to have its products as close as possible to its consumers, regardless
of where they live. Its aims are to understand its consumers in its many
different markets and delight them with innovative products for their skin and
beauty care needs. This strengthens the trust and appeal of Beiersdorf brands.
The business prides itself on being consumer-led and this focus has helped it
to grow NIVEA into one of the largest skin care brands in the world.
Beiersdorf’s continuing
programme of market research showed a gap in the market. This led to the launch
of NIVEA VISAGE® Young in 2005 as part of the NIVEA VISAGE range offering a comprehensive
selection of products aimed at young women. It carries the strength of the
NIVEA brand image to the target market of girls aged 13-19. NIVEA VISAGE Young
helps girls to develop a proper skin care routine to help keep their skin
looking healthy and beautiful.
The market can be
developed by creating a good product/range and introducing it to the market (product-orientated
approach) or by finding a gap in the market and developing a product to fill it
(market-orientated approach). Having identified a gap in the market, Beiersdorf
launched NIVEA VISAGE Young using an
effective balance of the right product, price, promotion and place. This is known
as the marketing mix or ‘four Ps’. It is vital that a company gets the balance
of these four elements correct so that a product will achieve its critical
success factors. Beiersdorf needed to develop a mix that suited the product and
the target market as well as meeting its own business objectives.
The company re-launched
the NIVEA VISAGE Young range in June 2007 further optimising its position in
the market. Optimised means the product had a new formula, new design, new
packaging and a new name. This case study shows how a carefully balanced
marketing mix provides the platform for launching and re-launching a brand onto
the market.
Product:
The first stage in
building an effective mix is to understand the market. NIVEA uses market
research to target key market segments which identifies groups of people with
the same characteristics such as age/gender/attitude/lifestyle. The knowledge
and understanding from the research helps in the development of new products.
NIVEA carries out its market research with consumers in a number of different
ways. These include:
·
using focus groups to listen to
consumers directly
·
gathering data from consumers through a
variety of different research techniques
·
product testing with consumers in
different markets.
Beiersdorf’s market
research identified that younger consumers wanted more specialised face care aimed
at own age group that offered a ‘beautifying’ benefit, rather than a solution
to skin problems. NIVEA VISAGE Young is a skin care range targeted at girls who
do not want medicated products but want a regime for their normal skin.
Competitor products
tend to be problem focussed and offer medicated solutions. This gives NIVEA competitive
advantage. NIVEA VISAGE Young provides a unique bridge between the teenage
market and the adult market.
The company improved
the product to make it more effective and more consumer-friendly. Beiersdorf tested
the improved products on a sample group from its target audience before
finalising the range for re-launch. This testing resulted in a number of
changes to existing products. Improvements included:
·
Changing the formula of some products.
For example, it removed alcohol from one product and used natural sea salts and
minerals in others.
·
Introducing two completely new products.
·
A new modern pack design with a flower
pattern and softer colours to appeal to younger women.
·
Changing product descriptions and
introducing larger pack sizes.
Each of these changes
helped to strengthen the product range, to better meet the needs of the market.
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Some of these changes
reflect NIVEA’s commitment to the environment. Its corporate responsibility approach
aims to:
·
reduce packaging and waste - by using
larger pack sizes
·
use more natural products – by including
minerals and sea salts in the formula
·
increase opportunities for recycling -
by using recyclable plastic in its containers.
Price:
Lots of factors affect
the end price of a product, for example, the costs of production or the
business need to maximise profits or sales. A product’s price also needs to
provide value for money in the market and attract consumers to buy.
There are several
pricing strategies that a business can use:
·
Cost based pricing – this can either
simply cover costs or include an element of profit. It focuses on the product
and does not take account of consumers.
·
Penetration price – an initial low price
to ensure that there is a high volume of purchases and market share is quickly
won. This strategy encourages consumers to develop a habit of buying.
·
Price skimming – an initial high price
for a unique product encouraging those who want to be ‘first to buy’ to pay a
premium price. This strategy helps a business to gain maximum revenue before a competitor’s
product reaches the market.
On re-launch the price
for NIVEA VISAGE Young was slightly higher than previously. This reflected its
new formulations, packaging and extended product range. However, the company
also had to take into account that the target market was both teenage girls and
mums buying the product for their daughters. This meant that the price had to
offer value for money or it would be out of reach of its target market.
As NIVEA VISAGE Young
is one of the leading skin care ranges meeting the beautifying needs of this market
segment, it is effectively the price leader. This means that it sets the price level
that competitors will follow or undercut. NIVEA needs to regularly review
prices should a competitor enter the market at the ‘market growth’ point of the
product life cycle to ensure that its pricing remains competitive.
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The pricing strategy
for NIVEA is not the same as that of the retailers. It sells products to
retailers at one price. However, retailers have the freedom to use other strategies
for sales promotion. These take account of the competitive nature of the high
street. They may use:
• loss leader: the
retailer sells for less than it cost to attract large volume of sales, for
example by supermarkets
• discounting –
alongside other special offers, such as ‘Buy one, get one free’ (BOGOF) or ‘two
for one’.
NIVEA VISAGE Young’s
pricing strategy now generates around 7% of NIVEA VISAGE sales.
Place
Place refers to:
·
How the product arrives at the point of
sale. This means a business must think about what distribution strategies it
will use.
·
Where a product is sold. This includes
retail outlets like supermarkets or high street shops. It also incl des other
ways in which businesses make products directly available to their target
market, for example, through direct mail or the Internet.
NIVEA VISAGE Young aims
to use as many relevant distribution channels as possible to ensure the widest
reach of its products to its target market. The main channels for the product
are retail outlets where consumers expect to find skin care ranges. Around 65%
of NIVEA VISAGE.
Young sales are through
large high street shops such as Boots and Superdrug. Superdrug is particularly important
for the ‘young-end’ market. The other 35% of sales mainly comes from large
grocery chains that stock beauty products, such as ASDA, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Market research shows that around 20% of this younger target market buys
products for themselves in the high street stores when shopping with friends.
Research also shows that the majority of purchasers are actually made by mums,
buying for teenagers. Mums are more likely to buy the product from supermarkets
whilst doing their grocery shopping.
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NIVEA distributes
through a range of outlets that are cost effective but that also reach the
highest number of consumers. Its distribution strategies also consider the
environmental impact of transport. It uses a central distribution point in the
UK. Products arrive from European production plants using contract vehicles for
efficiency for onward delivery to retail stores. Beiersdorf does not sell
direct to smaller retailers as the volume of products sold would not be cost
effective to deliver but it uses wholesalers for these smaller accounts. It
does not sell directly through its website as the costs of producing small
orders would be too high. However, the retailers, like Tesco, feature and sell
the NIVEA products in their online stores.
Promotion
Promotion is how the
business tells customers that products are available and persuades them to buy.
Promotion is either above-the-line or below-the-line. Above-the-line promotion
is directly paid for, for example TV or newspaper advertising.
Below-the-line is where
the business uses other promotional methods to get the product message across:
·
Events or trade fairs help to launch a
product to a wide audience. Events may be business to consumer (B2C) whereas
trade fairs are business to business (B2B).
·
Direct mail can reach a large number of
people but is not easy to target specific consumers costeffectively.
·
Public relations (PR) includes the
different ways a business can communicate with its stakeholders, through, for
example, newspaper press releases. Other PR activities include sponsorship of
high profile events like Formula 1 or the World Cup, as well as donations to or
participation in charity events.
Branding – a strong and
consistent brand identity differentiates the product and helps consumers to understand
and trust the product. This aims to keep consumers buying the product
long-term.
·
Sales promotions, for example
competitions or sampling, encourage consumers to buy products in the short-term.
NIVEA chooses
promotional strategies that reflect the lifestyle of its audience and the range
of media available. It realises that a ‘one way’ message, using TV or the
press, is not as effective as talking directly to its target group of consumers.
Therefore NIVEA does not plan to use any above-the-line promotion for NIVEA
VISAGE Young.
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The promotion of NIVEA
VISAGE Young is consumer-led. Using various below-the-line routes, NIVEA
identifies ways of talking to teenagers (and their mums) directly.
·
A key part of the strategy is the use of
product samples. These allow customers to touch, feel, smell and try the
products. Over a million samples of NIVEA VISAGE Young products will be given
away during 2008. These samples will be available through the website, samples
in stores or in ‘goody bags’ given out at VISAGE roadshows up and down the
country.
·
NIVEA VISAGE Young launched an interactive
online magazine called FYI (Fun, Young & Independent) to raise awareness of
the brand. The concept behind the magazine is to give teenage girls the
confidence to become young women and to enjoy their new-found independence.
Communication channels are original and engaging to enable teenagers to
identify with NIVEA VISAGE Young. The magazine focuses on ‘first time’
experiences relating to NIVEA VISAGE Young being their first skincare routine.
It is promoted using the Hit40UK chart show and the TMF digital TV channel.
·
In connection with FYI, NIVEA VISAGE
Young has recognised the power of social network sites for this young audience
and also has pages on MySpace, Facebook and Bebo. The company is using the power
of new media as part of the mix to grow awareness amongst the target audience.
Conclusion
NIVEA VISAGE Young is a
skincare range in the UK market designed to enhance the skin and beauty of the
teenage consumer rather than being medicated to treat skin problems. As such,
it has created a clear position in the market. This shows that NIVEA
understands its consumers and has produced this differentiated product range in
order to meet their needs.
To bring the range to
market, the business has put together a marketing mix. This mix balances the
four elements of product, price, place and promotion. The mix uses traditional
methods of place, such as distribution through the high street, alongside more
modern methods of promotion, such as through social networking sites. It makes
sure that the message of NIVEA VISAGE Young reaches the right people in the
right way.
Answer the following
questions:
1. Describe what is
meant by a business being ‘consumer led’.
2. What are the key
parts of the marketing mix? Explain how each works with the others.
3. Explain why the
balance of the marketing mix is as important as any single element.
4. Analyse the
marketing mix for NIVEA VISAGE Young. What are its strongest points? Explain
why you think this is so.
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Case-2
: SWOT analysis in action at Škoda
Introduction
In 1895 in
Czechoslovakia, two keen cyclists, Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, designed
and produced their own bicycle. Their business became Škoda in 1925. Škoda went
on to manufacture cycles, cars, farm ploughs and airplanes in Eastern Europe.
Škoda overcame hard times over the next 65 years. These included war, economic
depression and political change. By 1990 the Czech management of Škoda was
looking for a strong foreign partner. Volkswagen AG (VAG) was chosen because of
its reputation for strength, quality and reliability. It is the largest car
manufacturer in Europe providing an average of more than 5 million cars a year
– giving it a 12% share of the world car market. Volkswagen AG comprises the
Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, SEAT, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Lamborghini, Bentley
and Bugatti brands. Each brand has its own specific character and is
independent in the market. Škoda UK sells Škoda cars through its network of
independent franchised dealers.
To improve its
performance in the competitive car market, Škoda UK’s management needed to
assess its brand positioning. Brand positioning means establishing a
distinctive image for the brand compared to competing brands. Only then could
it grow from being a small player. To aid its decision-making, Škoda UK
obtained market research data from internal and external strategic audits. This
enabled it to take advantage of new opportunities and respond to threats.
The audit provided a
summary of the business’s overall strategic position by using a SWOT analysis.
SWOT is an acronym
which stands for:
·
Strengths – the internal elements of the
business that contribute to improvement and growth
·
Weaknesses – the attributes that will
hinder a business or make it vulnerable to failure
·
Opportunities – the external conditions
that could enable future growth
·
Threats – the external factors which
could negatively affect the business.
This case study focuses
on how Škoda UK’s management built on all the areas of the strategic audit. The
outcome of the SWOT analysis was a strategy for effective competition in the
car industry.
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Strengths
To identify its
strengths, Škoda UK carried out research. It asked customers directly for their
opinions about its cars. It also used reliable independent surveys that tested
customers’ feelings. For example, the annual JD Power customer satisfaction
survey asks owners what they feel about cars they have owned for at least six
months. JD Power surveys almost 20,000 car owners using detailed
questionnaires. Škoda has been in the top five manufacturers in this survey for
the past 13 years. In Top Gear’s 2007 customer satisfaction survey, 56,000
viewers gave their opinions on 152 models and voted Škoda the ‘number 1 car
maker’. Škoda’s Octavia model has also won the 2008 Auto Express Driver Power
‘Best Car’.
Škoda attributes these
results to the business concentrating on owner experience rather than on sales.
It has considered ‘the human touch’ from design through to sale. Škoda knows
that 98% of its drivers would recommend Škoda to a friend. This is a clearly
identifiable and quantifiable strength. Škoda uses this to guide its future
strategic development and marketing of its brand image.
Strategic management
guides a business so that it can compete and grow in its market. Škoda adopted
a strategy focused on building cars that their owners would enjoy. This is
different from simply maximising sales of a product. As a result, Škoda’s
biggest strength was the satisfaction of its customers. This means the brand is
associated with a quality product and happy customers.
Weaknesses
A SWOT analysis
identifies areas of weakness inside the business. Škoda UK’s analysis showed
that in order to grow it needed to address key questions about the brand
position. Škoda has only 1.7% market share. This made it a very small player in
the market for cars. The main issue it needed to address was: how did Škoda fit
into this highly competitive, fragmented market?
This weakness was
partly due to out-dated perceptions of the brand. These related to Škoda’s
eastern European origins. In the past the cars had an image of poor vehicle
quality, design, assembly, and materials. Crucially, this poor perception also
affected Škoda owners. For many people, car ownership is all about image. If
you are a Škoda driver, what do other people think?
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From 1999 onwards,
under Volkswagen AG ownership, Škoda changed this negative image. Škoda cars were
no longer seen as low-budget or low quality. However, a brand ‘health check’ in
2006 showed that Škoda still had a weak and neutral image in the mid-market
range it occupies, compared to other players in this area, for example, Ford,
Peugeot and Renault. This meant that whilst the brand no longer had a poor
image, it did not have a strong appeal either. This understanding showed Škoda
in which direction it needed to go. It needed to stop being defensive in
promotional campaigns. The company had sought to correct old perceptions and
demonstrate what Škoda cars were not. It realised it was now time to say what
the brand does stand for. The marketing message for the change was simple.
Škoda owners were known to be happy and contented with their cars. The
car-buying public and the car industry as a whole needed convincing that Škoda
cars were great to own and drive.
Opportunities and
Threats
Opportunities
Opportunities occur in
the external environment of a business. These include for example, gaps in the market
for new products or services. In analysing the external market, Škoda noted
that its competitors’ marketing approaches focused on the product itself.
Audi emphasises the
technology through its strapline, ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ (‘advantage through
technology’). BMW promotes ‘the ultimate driving machine’. Many brands place
emphasis on the machine and the driving experience. Škoda UK discovered that
its customers loved their cars more than owners of competitor brands, such as
Renault or Ford.
Information from the
SWOT analysis helped Škoda to differentiate its product range. Having a complete
understanding of the brand’s weaknesses allowed it to develop a strategy to
strengthen the brand and take advantage of the opportunities in the market. It
focused on its existing strengths and provided cars focused on the customer
experience. The focus on ‘happy Škoda customers’ is an opportunity. It enables
Škoda to differentiate the Škoda brand to make it stand out from the
competition. This is Škoda’s unique selling proposition (USP) in the motor industry.
Threats
Threats come from
outside of a business. These involve, for example, a competitor launching
cheaper products. A careful analysis of the nature, source and likelihood of
these threats is a key part of the
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SWOT process.
The UK car market
includes 50 different car makers selling 200 models. Within these there are
over 2,000 model derivatives. Škoda UK needed to ensure that its messages were
powerful enough for customers to hear within such a crowded and competitive
environment. If not, potential buyers would overlook Škoda. This posed the
threat of a further loss of market share.
Škoda needed a strong
product range to compete in the UK and globally. In the UK the Škoda brand is represented
by seven different cars. Each one is designed to appeal to different market
segments. For example:
·
The Škoda Fabia is sold as a basic but
quality ‘city car’
·
The Škoda Superb offers a more luxurious,
‘up-market’ appeal
·
The Škoda Octavia Estate provides a
family with a fun drive but also a great big boot.
Pricing reflects the
competitive nature of Škoda’s market. Each model range is priced to appeal to different
groups within the mainstream car market. The combination of a clear range with
competitive pricing has overcome the threat of the crowded market.
The following example
illustrates how Škoda responded to another of its threats, namely, the need to respond
to EU legal and environmental regulations. Škoda responded by designing
products that are environmentally friendly at every stage of their life cycle.
This was done by for example:-
·
Recycling as much as possible. Škoda
parts are marked for quick and easy identification when the car is taken apart.
·
Using the latest, most
environmentally-friendly manufacturing technologies and facilities available. For
instance, areas painted to protect against corrosion use lead-free, water based
colours.
·
Designing processes to cut fuel
consumption and emissions in petrol and diesel engines. These useclighter parts
making vehicles as aerodynamic as possible to use less energy.
·
Using technology to design cars with
lower noise levels and improved sound quality. Outcomes and benefits of SWOT
analysis.
Škoda UK’s SWOT
analysis answered some key questions. It discovered that:
• Škoda car owners were
happy about owning a Škoda
• the brand was no
longer seen as a poorer version of competitors’ cars.
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However,
• the brand was still
very much within a niche market
• a change in public
perception was vital for Škoda to compete and increase its market share of the mainstream
car market.
The challenge was how
to build on this and develop the brand so that it was viewed positively. It required
a whole new marketing strategy.
Škoda UK has responded
with a new marketing strategy based on the confident slogan, ‘the manufacturer
of happy drivers.’ The campaign’s promotional activities support the new brand
position.
The key messages for
the campaign focus on the ‘happy’ customer experience and appeal at an
emotional rather than a
practical level. The campaign includes:
·
he ‘Fabia Cake’ TV advert. This showed
that the car was ‘full of lovely stuff’ with the happy music (‘Favourite
things’) in the background.
·
An improved and redesigned website which
is easy and fun to use. This is to appeal to a young audience. It embodies the
message ‘experience the happiness of Škoda online’.
Customers are able to
book test drives and order brochures online. The result is that potential
customers will feel a Škoda is not only a reliable and sensible car to own, it
is also ‘lovely’ to own.
Analysing the external opportunities
and threats allows Škoda UK to pinpoint precisely how it should target its
marketing messages. No other market player has ‘driver happiness’ as its USP.
By building on the understanding derived from the SWOT, Škoda UK has given new
impetus to its campaign. At the same time, the campaign has addressed the
threat of external competition by setting Škoda apart from its rivals.
Conclusion
Škoda is a global brand
offering a range of products in a highly competitive and fragmented market. The
company must respond positively to internal and external issues to avoid losing
sales and market share.
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A SWOT analysis brings
order and structure to otherwise random information. The SWOT model helps managers
to look internally as well as externally. The information derived from the
analysis gives direction to the strategy. It highlights the key internal
weaknesses in a business, it focuses on strengths and it alerts managers to
opportunities and threats. Škoda was able to identify where it had strengths to
compete. The structured review of internal and external factors helped
transform Škoda UK’s strategic direction.
The case study shows how
Škoda UK transformed its brand image in the eyes of potential customers and build
its competitive edge over rivals. By developing a marketing strategy playing on
clearly identified strengths of customer happiness, Škoda was able to overcome
weaknesses. It turned its previously defensive position of the brand to a
positive customer-focused experience. The various awards Škoda has won
demonstrate how its communications are reaching customers. Improved sales show
that Škoda UK’s new strategy has delivered benefits.
Answer the
1. What was the key
weakness that Škoda was able to identify?
2. What strength did
Škoda use to turn its brand weakness into an opportunity?
3. How has Škoda
strategically addressed external threats?
4. What in your view
are the important benefits of using a SWOT analysis
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Case-3:
Marketing strategy for growth
Introduction
Businesses must respond
to change in order to remain competitive. Developing appropriate strategies which
allow them to move forward is essential. Wilkinson is a prime example of a
business that has responded to changing customer needs throughout its history.
It is one of the UK’s long-established retailers of a wide range of food, home,
garden, office, health and beauty products.James Kemsey (JK) Wilkinson opened
his first Wilkinson Store in Charnwood Street, Leicester in 1930. After the
Second World War, the 1950s saw a rise in the use of labour-saving devices and
DIY. Wilkinson responded by making this type of product the focus of its sales.
In the 1960s customers wanted more convenience shopping. Wilkinson started
selling groceries and supermarket goods and created the Wilko brand. In the 1980s
Wilkinson extended its range of low-cost products to include quality clothing,
toys, toiletries and perfumes. In 1995 it opened a central distribution centre
in Workshop, serving stores in the north of England and in 2004, a new
distribution centre opened in Wales. In 2005 Wilkinson launched its Internet
shopping service, offering over 800,000 product lines for sale online.
Wilkinson currently has over 300 stores, which carry an average of 25,000
product lines. 40% of these are Wilko ‘own-brand’ products. The company’s
target is to see this element grow and to have over 500 stores by 2012.
Wilkinson’s growth
places it in the top 30 retailers in the UK. Recently it has faced increasing challenges
from competitors, such as the supermarket sector. Wilkinson needed to combat
this and identify new areas for growth. Over two years it conducted extensive
market research. This has helped it create a marketing strategy designed to
continue growing by targeting a new market segment – the student population.
This case study focuses on how Wilkinson created and implemented this strategy,
using the findings of its market research to drive the strategy forward.
Marketing strategy aims
to communicate to customers the added-value of products and services. This considers
the right mix of design, function, image or service to improve customer
awareness of the business’ products and ultimately to encourage them to buy. An
important tool for helping develop an appropriate marketing strategy is
Ansoff’s Matrix. This model looks at the options for developing a marketing
strategy and helps to assess the levels of risk involved with each option.
Marketing strategies may focus on the development of products or markets. Doing
more of what a business already does carries least risk; developing a
completely new product for a new audience carries the highest risk both in
terms of time and costs.
Based on its research,
Wilkinson committed to a market development strategy to sell its products to a new
audience of students. This is a medium risk strategy as it requires the
business to find and develop new customers. It also carries costs of the
marketing campaigns to reach this new group. The main focus of the strategy was
to increase awareness of the brand among students and encourage them to shop regularly
at Wilkinson stores.
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Market
research
Market research is
vital for collecting data on which to base the strategy. Market research takes
one of two main forms – primary research and secondary research. Primary
research (also called field research) involves collecting data first hand. This
can take many forms, the main ones being interview, questionnaires, panels and
observation. Secondary research (also called desk research) involves collecting
data which already exists. This includes using information from reports,
publications, Internet research and company files.
Both methods have
advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of primary research are that it is
recent, relevant and designed specifically for the company’s intended strategy.
The main disadvantage is that it is more expensive than secondary research and
can be biased if not planned well. Secondary research is relatively cheap, can
be undertaken quickly and so enables decision-making sooner. However, secondary
research can go out-of-date and may not be entirely relevant to the business’
needs.
Wilkinson undertook
primary market research using questionnaires from students across the UK and secondary
research using government and university admissions data. The statistics
revealed that there were three million potential student customers.
They had a combined
annual spend of around £9 billion per year. This research confirmed that the choice
of focusing on the student market as a means of growth was valid. Wilkinson
undertook further research to identify how to reach students and persuade them
to start shopping at Wilkinson stores. This information was used to formulate a
focus strategy. This was aimed specifically at the needs of the student ‘market
segment’.
Marketing
to students
Wilkinson involved 60
universities in research, using questionnaires distributed to students
initially in Years 2 and 3 of a range of universities and then to ‘freshers’
(new students) through the University and Colleges Admission Service. This
ensured the widest range of students was included to eliminate bias. It also
gave a wide range of responses. From this initial group, students were asked a
second set of questions. Participants were rewarded with Amazon vouchers to
encourage a good take-up. The research focused on two areas:
1. student awareness of
the Wilkinson brand and
2. reasons why students
were currently not using the stores regularly.
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The market research
enabled Wilkinson to put together its marketing strategy. The aim was to ensure
the student population began shopping at Wilkinson stores early in their
student experience. This would help to maintain their customer loyalty to
Wilkinson throughout their student years and also to develop them as future
customers after university. Repeat business is key to sustained growth. Wilkinson
wanted to create satisfied customers with their needs met by the Wilkinson
range of products. A marketing campaign was launched which focused on a range
of promotional tactics, specifically designed to appeal to university students:
·
Wilkinson being present at freshers’
fairs – and giving free goody bags with sample products directly to students
·
direct mail flyers to homes and student
halls, prior to students arriving
·
advertisements with fun theme, for
example, showing frying pans as tennis racquets
·
web banners
·
offering discounts of 15% with first
purchase using the online store
·
gift vouchers
·
free wallplanners.
The challenge was to
get students into Wilkinson stores. The opportunity was to capture a new
customer group at an early stage and provide essential items all year round.
This would lead to a committed customer group and secure repeat business.
Outcomes/evaluation
Wilkinson wanted to
know what would inspire students to shop at Wilkinson more and what factors would
help to attract non-customers. The research provided significant primary
information to analyse the effects of the campaign. Wilkinson used
questionnaires collected from the first year undergraduates to gather
qualitative data. In addition, Wilkinson obtained quantitative data from various
other sources, including:
·
redemption rates – how many people used
the discount vouchers when buying
·
sales analysis – how much extra business
did the stores handle
·
footfall in stores analysis – how many
extra people went into stores.
This information helped
Wilkinson to develop its plans for future marketing campaigns. It identified Motivation
factors for the student audience which would help to encourage future purchase.
Key factors included products being cheaper than competitors and easy access to
stores. 23% of students questioned gave ‘distance from university’ as a reason
for not regularly visiting the store. The layout of the store was another major
problem affecting repeat visits. These findings have been taken on board by Wilkinson
in its future planning of store locations and layouts.
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Researching students’
opinions after the campaign showed that:
·
Awareness of Wilkinson brand had significantly
risen from 77% to 95% of those interviewed. This brought it in line with
Morrison supermarkets, a key competitor.
Conclusion
Wilkinson’s marketing
strategy began with its corporate aim to grow and increase stores across the
UK. It was facing increased competition from supermarkets and needed to
identify an area to focus on. To pursue a growth strategy, Wilkinson used
market research to identify new target customers. This enabled it to prepare
marketing strategies to fit the audience.
Primary and secondary
research was used to find out customer views regarding its brand. Data
indicated the student market segment was a significant area to focus on to
achieve market development. A marketing campaign using data from a follow-up
survey was put in place. The campaign showed significant increase in students’
levels of awareness about Wilkinson and its products. It encouraged them either
to shop more or to try Wilkinson for the first time. The campaign helped to
achieve many of the business’ aims, creating increased brand awareness and
repeat visits. It also helped to inform the company’s future strategies for
growth. Market research gathered will help to formulate future plans for new
stores. These will be in line with Wilkinson commitment to providing communities
with affordable products across the country.
Answer the following
questions
1. What is the
difference between primary and secondary research? Identify one example of
primary and secondary research carried out by Wilkinson.
2. Explain why Wilkinson
needed a marketing strategy to help them to grow.
3. Evaluate the
benefits of the marketing campaign to Wilkinson.
4. Analyse how
effective the marketing campaign was in helping Wilkinson respond to
competitive pressures.
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Case-4:
Extending the product life cycle
Introduction
Businesses need to set
themselves clear aims and objectives if they are going to succeed. The Kellogg Company
is the world’s leading producer of breakfast cereals and convenience foods,
such as cereal bars, and aims to maintain that position. In 2006, Kellogg had
total worldwide sales of almost $11 billion (£5.5 billion). In 2007, it was
Britain’s biggest selling grocery brand, with sales of more than £550 million.
Product lines include ready-to-eat cereals (i.e. not hot cereals like porridge)
and nutritious snacks, such as cereal bars. Kellogg’s brands are household
names around the world and include Rice Krispies, Special K and Nutri-Grain,
whilst some of its brand characters, like Snap, Crackle and Pop, are amongst
the most wellknown in the world.
Kellogg has achieved
this position, not only through great brands and great brand value, but through
a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. This means that all of
Kellogg’s business aims are set within a particular context or set of ideals.
Central to this is Kellogg’s passion for the business, the brands and the food,
demonstrated through the promotion of healthy living.
The company divides its
market into six key segments. Kellogg's Corn Flakes has been on breakfast tables
for over 100 years and represents the ‘Tasty Start’ cereals that people eat to
start their day. Other segments include ‘Simply Wholesome’ products that are
good for you, such as Kashi Muesli, ‘Shape Management’ products, such as
Special K and ‘Inner Health’ lines, such as All-Bran. Children will be most
familiar with the ‘Kid Preferred’ brands, such as Frosties, whilst ‘Mum
Approved’ brands like Raisin Wheats are recognised by parents as being good for
their children.
Each brand has to hold
its own in a competitive market. Brand managers monitor the success of brands in
terms of market share, growth and performance against the competition. Key
decisions have to be made about the future of any brand that is not succeeding.
This case study is about Nutri-Grain. It shows how Kellogg recognised there was
a problem with the brand and used business tools to reach a solution. The
overall aim was to re-launch the brand and return it to growth in its market.
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The
product life cycle
Each product has its
own life cycle. It will be ‘born’, it will ‘develop’, it will ‘grow old’ and,
eventually, it will ‘die’. Some products, like Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, have
retained their market position for a long time. Others may have their success
undermined by falling market share or by competitors. The product life cycle
shows how sales of a product change over time. The five typical stages of the
life cycle are shown on a graph. However, perhaps the most important stage of a
product life cycle happens before this graph starts, namely the
Research and
Development (R&D) stage. Here the company designs a product to meet a need
in the market. The costs of market research - to identify a gap in the market
and of product development to ensure that the product meets the needs of that
gap - are called ‘sunk’ or start-up costs. Nutri-Grain was
originally designed to
meet the needs of busy people who had missed breakfast. It aimed to provide a healthy
cereal breakfast in a portable and convenient format.
1. Launch - Many
products do well when they are first brought out and Nutri-Grain was no
exception. From launch (the first stage on the diagram) in 1997 it was
immediately successful, gaining almost 50% share of the growing cereal bar
market in just two years.
2. Growth -
Nutri-Grain’s sales steadily increased as the product was promoted and became
well known. It maintained growth in sales until 2002 through expanding the
original product with new developments of flavour and format. This is good for
the business, as it does not have to spend money on new machines or equipment
for production. The market position of Nutri-Grain also subtly changed from a
‘missed breakfast’ product to an ‘all-day’ healthy snack.
3. Maturity -
Successful products attract other competitor businesses to start selling
similar products. This indicates the third stage of the life cycle - maturity.
This is the time of maximum profitability, when profits can be used to continue
to build the brand. However, competitor brands from both Kellogg itself (e.g.
All Bran bars) and other manufacturers (e.g. Alpen bars) offered the same
benefits and this slowed down sales and chipped away at Nutri-Grain’s market
position. Kellogg continued to support the development of the brand but some
products (such as Minis and Twists), struggled in a crowded market. Although
Elevenses continued to succeed, this was not enough to offset the overall sales
decline. Not all products follow these stages precisely and time periods for
each stage will vary widely. Growth, for example, may take place over a few
months or, as in the case of Nutri-Grain, over several years.
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4. Saturation - This is
the fourth stage of the life cycle and the point when the market is ‘full’.
Most people have the product and there are other, better or cheaper competitor
products. This is called market saturation and is when sales start to fall. By
mid-2004 Nutri-Grain found its sales declining whilst the market continued to
grow at a rate of 15%.
5. Decline - Clearly,
at this point, Kellogg had to make a key business decision. Sales were falling,
the product was in decline and losing its position. Should Kellogg let the
product ‘die’, i.e. withdraw it from the market, or should it try to extend its
life?
Strategic
use of the product life cycle
When a company
recognises that a product has gone into decline or is not performing as well as
it should, it has to decide what to do. The decision needs to be made within
the context of the overall aims of the business. Kellogg’s aims included the
development of great brands, great brand value and the promotion of healthy
living. Strategically, Kellogg had a strong position in the market for both
healthy foods and convenience foods. Nutri-Grain fitted well with its main aims
and objectives and therefore was a product and a brand worth rescuing. Kellogg
decided to try to extend the life of the product rather than withdraw it from
the market. This meant developing an extension strategy for the product.
Ansoff’s matrix is a tool that helps analyse which strategy is appropriate. It
shows both market-orientated and product-orientated possibilities.
Extending the
Nutri-Grain cycle – identifying the problem
Kellogg had to decide
whether the problem with Nutri-Grain was the market, the product or both. The market
had grown by over 15% and competitors’ market share had increased whilst
Nutri-Grain sales in 2003 had declined. The market in terms of customer tastes
had also changed – more people missed breakfast and therefore there was an
increased need for such a snack product.
The choice of extension
strategy indicated by the matrix was either product development or diversification.
Diversification carries much higher costs and risks. Kellogg decided that it
needed to focus on changing the product to meet the changing market needs.
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Research showed that
there were several issues to address:
1. The brand message
was not strong enough in the face of competition. Consumers were not impressed enough
by the product to choose it over competitors.
2. Some of the other
Kellogg products (e.g. Minis) had taken the focus away from the core business.
3. The core products of
Nutri-Grain Soft Bake and Elevenses between them represented over 80% of sales
but received a small proportion of advertising and promotion budgets.
4. Those sales that
were taking place were being driven by promotional pricing (i.e discounted
pricing) rather than the underlying strength of the brand.
Implementing the
extension strategy for Nutri-Grain having recognised the problems, Kellogg then
developed solutions to re-brand and re-launch the product in 2005.
1. Fundamental to the
re-launch was the renewal of the brand image. Kellogg looked at the core features
that made the brand different and modelled the new brand image on these.
Nutri-Grain is unique as it is the only product of this kind that is baked.
This provided two benefits:
·
the healthy grains were soft rather than
gritty
·
the eating experience is closer to the
more indulgent foods that people could be eating (cakes and biscuits, for
example). The unique selling point, hence the focus of the brand, needed to be the
‘soft bake’.
2. Researchers also
found that a key part of the market was a group termed ‘realistic snackers’.
These are people who want to snack on healthy foods, but still crave a great
tasting snack. The re-launched Nutri-Grain product needed to help this key
group fulfil both of these desires.
3. Kellogg decided to
re-focus investment on the core products of Soft Bake Bars and Elevenses as
these had maintained their growth (accounting for 61% of Soft Bake Bar sales).
Three existing Soft Bake Bar product were improved, three new ranges introduced
and poorly performing ranges (such as Minis) were withdrawn.
4. New packaging was
introduced to unify the brand image.
5. An improved pricing
structure for stores and supermarkets was developed.
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Using this information,
the re-launch focused on the four parts of the marketing mix:
·
Product – improvements to the recipe and
a wider range of flavours, repositioning the brand as ‘healthy and tasty’, not
a substitute for a missed breakfast
·
Promotion – a new and clearer brand
image to cover all the products in the range along with advertising and
point-of-sale materials
·
Place – better offers and materials to
stores that sold the product
·
Price – new price levels were agreed
that did not rely on promotional pricing. This improved revenue for both
Kellogg and the stores.
As a result Soft Bake
Bar year-on-year sales went from a decline to substantial growth, with
Elevenses sales increasing by almost 50%. The Nutri-Grain brand achieved a
retail sales growth rate of almost three times that of the market and most
importantly, growth was maintained after the initial re-launch.
Conclusion
Successful businesses
use all the tools at their disposal to stay at theSuccessful businesses use all
the tools at their disposal to stay at the top of their chosen market. Kellogg
was able to use a number of business tools in order to successfully re-launch
the Nutri-Grain brand. These tools included the product life cycle, Ansoff’s
matrix and the marketing mix. Such tools are useful when used properly.
Kellogg was able to see
that although Nutri-Grain fitted its strategic profile – a healthy, convenient cereal
product – it was underperforming in the market. This information was used,
along with the aims and objectives of the business, to develop a strategy for
continuing success. Finally, when Kellogg checked the growth of the re-launched
product against its own objectives, it had met all its aims to:
·
re-position the brand through the use of
the marketing mix
·
return the brand to growth
·
improve the frequency of purchase
·
introduce new customers to the brand.
Nutri-Grain
remains a growing brand and product within the Kellogg product family.
Answer the following
questions:
1. Using current
products familiar to you, draw and label a product life cycle diagram, showing
which stage each product is at.
2. Suggest appropriate
aims and objectives for a small, medium and large business.
3. Consider the
decision taken by Kellogg to opt for product development. Suggest a way in which
it could have diversified instead. Justify your answer.
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