Advertising Consultation - Case Study Example

Running head: ADVERTISING CONSULTATION ANALYSIS OF BEN COHEN AND JERRY GREENFIELD CASE STUDY Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield Abstract Our market is growing and each day a new product is introduced in the market. There are so many similar products in the market that can satisfy the same need and a customer makes a choice on which is the best product that suits him. For this case, companies have to ensure vigorous marketing for their product is done to build brand recall and recognition. This paper discusses an advertising consultation of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, one of the leading producers of ice cream products in the UK market and other parts of the country. The company history date back in 1981 when two friends, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took a correspondence ice cream course after their college education. They their first ice cream shop in a renovated petrol filling station in Burlington, Vermont and later on their first plant in 1981. Since then, they have expanded their ice cream market to France, Canada, Belgium and Netherlands. Lately, there has been a great threat in the ice cream industry more so from Haagen-Dazs, a leading ice cream company that has a the highest market share in the market. This paper discusses advertising consultation advices to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield on the tactic they should apply for them to survive in the market. Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Case Study Questions 1. To maximise sales within any market a sound, well defined target market group of consumers is essential. Describe/identify the UK target market that would best suit Ben and Jerry's premium ice cream. Is its primary segment different from that of Haagen-Dazs target Are the two brands too similar in their positioning to the consumer Ben and Jerry's premium ice cream can still dominate the market thereby maximising sales within any market. All what is required of them is a well defined target group of consumer whom have the highest purchasing power. A target market is usually a market segment into which a particular product is marketed. Normally, it is defined by socio-economic grouping, gender or even age. For this case, the primary segment of Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield is similar to that of Haagen-Dazs. (Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede, 2002) Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield need to be market-focused or customer-focused in for them to succeed in the ice cream industry. They should first determine their potential customer's desire and then produce super premium ice cream appropriately according to the taste and preferences of their target group. According to marketing theory and practice, it is usually justified on the belief that a customer uses a product because they have a need or because they have perceived benefits. (Pine, 1993) Before Ben and Jerry Greenfield can market their premium ice cream, they need to strategize their target. This call upon them to use targeting strategy which is the selection of the customer they wish to sell to them their premium ice cream. For this case, their decision on targeting strategy should call upon them to ask themselves which segment they need to target. When Ben and Jerry Greenfield will be targeting, they should follow the following steps: Market segmentation Target choice and Product positioning 1 Market segmentation is usually the process whereby a market is divided into distinct subsets that have similar needs or those that behave in the same way. Since each segment is fairly homogeneous in their needs and attitudes, they are likely to respond similarly to a given marketing strategy. This means that they are likely to have similar feeling and ideas about a marketing mix comprised of a given product that is sold at a given price, promoted and distributed in a certain way. (Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede, 2002) Usually, the process of segmentation is distinct from targeting and positioning as targeting chooses which segments to address while positioning designs an appropriate marketing mix for each segment. For this case, Ben and Jerry Greenfield should identify groups of similar customers and potential customers for their premium ice cream. After this, they will be in a position to cater for the group they are addressing as they will understand their behaviour; and respond with appropriate marketing strategies that satisfy the different preferences of each chosen segment. (McKenna, 1988) The decision that Ben and Jerry Greenfield will make regarding targeting strategy will be influenced by the following factors: Strength of the competition in regard to the sale of premium ice cream. Premium ice cream market maturity. The volume of sales that is required for profitability. Diversity of premium ice cream buyers' needs and preferences. 2 Even though the two brand are too similar in their positioning to their customers, Ben and Jerry Greenfield super ice cream can still dominate the market. Since the ice cream market consists of competitors competing for customers' business, Ben and Jerry Greenfield needs to create a defensible sustainable competitive advantage against Haagen-Dazs. They should conceive tactics, strategies and business models to make it hard for competition to take away super premium ice cream customers from their business. (Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede, 2002) 2. With the nine communications objectives in mind, which are most appropriate as far as the UK market is concerned as Ben and Jerry seek to consolidate their market share In order for Ben and Jerry to seek to consolidate their market share in UK market, the have to set their communication objectives. This will involve two components namely; Identifying the audience for the advertising message. Secondly is to decide on what to say to the audience or the message itself that will be put across. The main audience for the advertising message in the UK market as far as Ben and Jerry's ice cream products are the consumers. Depending on the target group, Ben and Jerry should provide same message for each target group but it should vary with specific details. (Wernick, 1991) 3. Advise Ben and Jerry as to which communication objectives must be paramount in an overall communications plan for the UK. For the case of Ben and Jerry, they are supposed to measure the advertising results by measuring the states of mind the customer passes through. They should ensure they make potential customers who are not aware of their ice cream products to be aware of them. For this case, the advertising media used should make the customer to recognise the brand name and make him aware of the product and its usefulness. After this, the customer should be in a position to make up his mind on what product he should purchase as he has a firm attitude as to the reason he prefers a particular product. Lastly, one move ahead to purchase a product as a result of the ad and we can conclude that the advertisement has been acted upon. (Pine, 1993) 4. What is more important for the Ben and Jerry's case: brand recognition or brand recall Explain your reasons. Brand recall is the most important aspect as far as Ben and Jerry's case is concerned than brand recognition. This is because pure brand recall requires "unaided recall" as opposed to brand recognition where by it requires "aided recall". Brand recall is usually the degree to which a brand name can be recalled as a member of a brand product as distinct from brand recognition. 3 Since Ben and Jerry's have been in existence in the market for sometime, people are aware that they exist. For this case, their products should be able to be remembered when the actual brand name is promoted. When customers are asked anything to do with ice cream product, they should be in a position to remember a brand that is produced by Ben and Jerry. For this case, in regard to brand recall, the products should be able to be recalled or remembered if a customer is asked to recall the names of any ice cream that be knows. (Wernick, 1991) Ben and Jerry's products will have a distinct competitive advantage brand space, as it has the first chance of evaluation for purchase. If a customer is able to recall any ice cream product from Ben and Jerry, then they have a distinct competitive advantage to those products produced by Haagen-Dazs. (Schmidt and Ludlow, 2002) Even though brand recognition means that a product is widely known in the market place, we can not say this make a product to have a higher purchasing power in the market. This is because, a brand is only recognised for stated brand attributes. For this case, in brand recognition is usually when a brand name is recognised when it promoted with the actual name. For this case, a brand can only be recognised within a product class for certain attributes. For this case, a product has to be associated with a certain logo or attribute for it to be recognised. For example associating "safety with Volvo." (Schmidt and Ludlow, 2002) So, for the case of Ben and Jerry's case, their products requires a brand recall for they can be recalled first since they are 'top in the mind' when one is asked to name any ice cream product he knows. This will make their product to have a higher purchasing power in the market to those of their competitors. (Wernick, 1991) 5. Ben and Jerry are considering mounting a major UK advertising campaign within the UK. Discuss the most appropriate media and general communications plan you would advise Ben and Jerry. (No financial restraints apply, so there are no budget limitations at this stage). If Ben and Jerry want to have a major UK advertising campaign within the UK, then they should choose paid advertising as they will have degree control over it. For this case, Ben and Jerry will be in position of selecting the exact media that they intend to use, the precise message they want to put across, specify the time, location, number of repetition and how the advertisement will be distributed. (Pine, 1993) The most effective advertising media that is more appropriate for Ben and Jerry's product is newspaper advertisement. This is so because they will have full control on what materials are to be used in the ad - the length, illustration to be used and exact wording, exact day of the week it is to appear, number of times it should be placed, the position of the ad and the exact page. Since we have three main categories of newspapers that include; national, metropolitan and suburban, Ben and Jerry should choose the most appropriate one for their products. They may choose the national and metropolitan newspaper categories whereby these newspapers are meant for sale. On the other hand, they may also choose, suburban newspapers which are sometimes referred to as community newspapers that are usually distributed for free within suburban communities. The newspaper advertisements is more effective since it has the following advantages over other media. It is the most cost effective media Its wide reaching since it can be re-read by many Its measurable in terms of coverage It is non intrusive Lastly it is immediate (Pine, 1993) Ben and Jerry should develop their advertising campaign they need to develop an ad by use of the following steps. By first identifying and analysing the advertising target. By defining objectives. By determine the advertising appropriately. Creation of an advertising message. Develop a media plan Execution of the campaign Effectiveness of the campaign evaluation In his step of identifying and analysing the advertising target, Ben and Jerry should identify and analyse the target group they want to direct their advertisement to, and for this case, they must be ice cream potential buyers. On the step of defining objectives of Ben and Jerry advertising campaign should be clear, precise and measurable and should be used to measure the success of the advertising campaign. For this case, the main goal of Ben and Jerry's advertising campaign would be to generate traffic and to increase sales. On determining the advertising appropriation, means that the advertising campaign task approach should determine the achievement. The next step is to create an advertising message whereby Ben and Jerry should take into consideration the characteristics of target market so that they can create different messages for different target market. Ben and Jerry should develop a media plan by choosing the exact media they need to use and the date and time to place the ad. They will be able to measure the effectiveness of the plan on how many people that will be exposed by the message. For his case, as mentioned earlier, newspaper is the most effective for Ben and Jerry's ice cream product in the UK market. (Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede, 2002) The next step is to execute the campaign whereby it calls for the extensive planning and coordination. For this case, Ben and Jerry need to ensure that everything is scheduled properly to ensure that everything will be accomplished on time. The other step is whereby the effectiveness of the advertising campaign is evaluated. Ben and Jerry should measure the achievement of their objectives by assessing the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. (Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede, 2002) References Bhatia, T. K. (2000): Advertising in Rural India: Language, Marketing Communication, and Consumerism. Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Tokyo, Tokyo Press Graydon, S. (2003): "Made You Look - How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know", Toronto: Annick Press McKenna, R. (1988): "Marketing in the age of diversity", Harvard Business Review, Vol 66, September-October, 1988. Pine, J. (1993): "Mass customizing products and services", Planning Review, vol 22, July-August, 1993. Schmidt, K. and Ludlow, C. (2002): "Inclusive Branding: The why and how of a holistic approach to brands", Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Steenkamp and Ter Hofstede (2002): "International market segmentation: issues and perspectives", Intern. J. of Market Research, vol 19, 185-21 Wernick, A. (1991): "Promotional Culture: Advertising, Ideology and Symbolic Expression (Theory, Culture & Society S.)", London: Sage Publications Ltd. Read More