Honda Marketing Communications - Case Study Example

Honda focuses on every aspect of marketing, not only on promotion and sales techniques, to persuade customers to buy but also on target market, marketing mix and the effective marketing strategy (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001) because successful marketing results in stronger products, happier customers, and bigger profits. Moreover, customers recognize the importance of knowledge in relation to the product being purchased. Several consumer behavior researches testified to this fact. Wong (2000) argued that a customer evaluates a product or a service.

Such action is based on the customer's reaction from the using the product or service, which means that the product or service should leave a good perception to the customer's contentment. Frederick and Salter (1995) explained that it can be ensured that a customer is satisfied by taking into importance the value package, which includes: price, product quality, service quality, innovation, and corporate image. Others also stated the importance of maintaining or establishing a uniqueness of the product, while also understanding customers and what pleases them (Denton 1993).

Customers should also understand the product and be allowed to set their own standards in order to be satisfied (Frederick & Salter 1995). Of all the components of a marketing plan, perhaps the most overlooked but most critical element is the definition of the target market. According to Claravall (2000), it is a homogenous group of people or organizations that a company wishes to appeal to. There are two basic targets for a product or service: the user and the non-user segments. Thus, there are also two business and marketing decisions that the company must decide upon in light of the basic targets.

The first is to cultivate the present market alone while the second is to go after non-users. The former can inspire consumer loyalty which is an important factor in the survival of any business. In introducing new car models of Honda will categorize its target market into two market segments: (1) the Honda cars users or those who have already tried the product, and (2) the Honda cars non-users. Honda cars users are further classified into (a) males and (b) females in order to differentiate the market appeal and competitiveness of the offered products in terms of sex as well as the specific users of the four specified models in order to determine the competitiveness of each product per se.

the Honda car non-users, on the other hand, are further grouped into (a) those who do not use cars in general, and (b) those who use other car brands. These market segmentation schemes according to product use will provide important information regarding the overall competitiveness of the Honda Cars as well as viability and opportunities for encouraging car non-users to not just try any other average cars but to choose Honda Cars among others. Moreover, companies now face the challenge of making its target consumers respond accordingly to their marketing efforts and those who understand its consumers' responses will have a great competitive advantage (Kotler & Armstrong, 2001).

In this light, the Honda management as well as the advertisers will keep in mind the differences that are distinct between and among the Honda Cars target market based on