Marketing Strategy for CIF in China - Essay Example

? Unilever – Marketing strategy for CIF in China EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Headquartered in the UK, Unilever is keen to launch its CIF in China. Unilever is an established brand in China but to launch CIF it wants to first evaluate the market and the marketing conditions. The marketing audit demonstrates that Unilever has a strong brand but is weak on liquidity. However, opportunities are immense and they should leverage advantage. China is politically and economically stable as it was not impacted by the global recession. It should consider launching CIF in China keeping in mind the local tastes, culture and consumer habits. The short- and long-term marketing strategy have been suggested while also defining the control measures. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Marketing Audit 1 2.1 SWOT ANALYSIS – internal environment of Unilever 2 2.2 PESTEL Analysis 3 3. Marketing Objectives 6 4. Market Mix Analysis 4.1 Segmentation 6 4.2 Targeting 7 4.3 Positioning 7 5. Market entry 8 6. Implementation strategy 9 7. Gantt Chart 12 8. Contingencies and Controls 14 References 15 Appendices 18 1. Introduction Unilever, one of the world’s leading FMCG companies, headquartered in London, offers products across several categories including foods, home, and personal products (Datamonitor, 2010). Unilever’s strategic priorities are the developing and emerging economies. The company has a diversified product portfolio as well as a wide geographical reach which explains diverse revenue streams. It has a strong portfolio of over 400 brands. Approximately 49% of its revenues in FY2009 came from emerging economies. This gives the company the confidence to tap new opportunities in the existing emerging economies. While Unilever has a strong presence in China as is evident from their sales figures between 2004 and 2007 (Appendix A), they would like to introduce a new product in China – CIF dishwashing liquid. CIF provides consumers with greater flexibility and convenience and is sold in 51 countries round the globe. Asia is its fastest growing market and India is the largest (Company website). The interest in selling CIF in China is based on the growth figures in several categories in the FMCG sector. The Chinese FMCG market is expected to grow at the rate of 15% per year in the next 5-year period (Datamonitor, 2010). The Chinese FMCG market enjoys a balanced development both in the food and the non-food categories (Ryan, 2004). Despite the growth in the FMCG sector in China fueled by strong economic performance and higher disposable income, the sector is fragmented and still developing. An in-depth study of the competitive environment and consumer demand in the respective FMCG sector has to be conducted to understand the dynamics of that sector. These would include and understanding of the price dynamics, trade distribution, and consumption patterns (Moodle, 2005)). Thus, based on marketing audit, the short- and long-term marketing plan would be drawn up. 2. Marketing Audit The Chinese consumers demonstrate brand loyalty when it comes to foreign goods. However, marketing in developing economies differs from marketing the same product in developed in developed countries. International marketing requires the right business strategy and revolves around being competitive. The strategy can be devised after an assessment of the internal and the external business environment. The international marketing strategy has to depend upon the product characteristics, the time of entry, the consumer characteristics and the brand reputation (Ferner & Varul, 2000). Other factors that influence the marketing strategy include the differences in the culture, political stability, demographics, customer needs and government regulations. The business environment is constantly changing and marketing audit reviews the current situation based on which the marketing strategy can be devised. 2.1 SWOT ANALYSIS – internal environment of Unilever Strengths Unilever is a leading company dealing in FMCG with 270 manufacturing facilities across six continents. It enters new geographical markets with innovative strategy (Anonymous, 2006). It has a diversified and a wide range of categories and brands. It boasts of a strong portfolio with 400 brand names across 14 categories of home, personal care and food products. Most Unilever brands are global leaders in their respective segments (Datamonitor, 2010). They have a strong focus on research and development, CSR too is their strength and they attend to the demands and needs all stakeholders including the consumers, the society, the suppliers and the employees. Weakness Unilever has a weak liquidity position which can adversely impact the operational activities. This is because its current assets are tied up in receivables and inventories. In Europe too it sharira performed weakly. Because of weak liquidity they reduced their advertising budget which is not a long-term strategy (Strategic Direction, 2009). In the FY 2009 the resources were insufficient to cover the short-term liabilities. Another weakness is that it has several categories which divide attention. The different categories include the food, home and personal care. Moreover the focus is on low-growth HPC products like detergents, bar soap and fabric softeners instead of brands. The company has a bureaucratic culture and cumbersome structure unlike P&G which demonstrates external focus (Wood, 2007). Opportunities The organization can focus on emerging economies while also restructuring the organization as the current management style is bureaucratic. Unilever can divest the non-core business as they divide attention and are less productive. The freed up capital from divestments can be invested to focus on consumer business. Unlever also has the opportunity to exploit the growth potential in emerging economy such as India and China. Opportunity in the growing out-of-home eating market is expected to reach $2.2trillion by the end of 2015 (Datamonitor, 2010) and Unilever can focus on this strategy too. Not only in the US and the UK, even in Hong Kong 2.5 meals out of every three are eaten away from home. Threats Economic slowdown has adversely impacted consumer priorities and hence the FMCG sector, and some Unilever products. Consumers look for cheaper alternatives and hence attracted to discount retailers. Retailers have entered the market with their own labels which affects the FMCG companies as competition is inetnsified. Unilever operates under fiercely competitive markets especially in the personal care and home care products. These exert pressure on margins. Government regulations in certain areas too impede growth. The European Commission (EC) has imposed restrictions on the use of chemicals which could lead to increased expenses, thereby affecting profitability (Datamonitor, 2010). The SWOT suggests that Unilever is weak in liquidity and hence needs to exercise caution is utilization of its resources. It does enjoy distinctive competitive position but competition has also increased as retailers and discounters introduce their own labels. Unilever needs to divest in some brands so that attention is focused on core brands and geographical areas. China has immense growth potential and they should go ahead with more brands and products in China. 2.2 PESTEL Analysis Political China is a one party state where the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) controls the state. The decision-making body in China comprises of the nine-member Politburo Standing Committee (BPA, 2010). The Chinese government is subordinate to the CPP. Political stability is the priority for the Chinese central government (EDC, 2011). Political stability impacts economic growth. Economic The economy of China is the second largest in the world and is the fastest growing major nation. China never entered into recession but the global recession left millions of workers unemployed in 2008 and 2009 (EDC, 2011). The economy could not remain immune to the global situation. Weakness in export demand from Europe and Japan has weakened the economy and hence 2011 is challenging because economists expect growth in China. The stimulus package supported by the government has helped sustain the economy. Most packages were aimed at encouraging the local private investors and the incentives for foreign investors remains unclear. A stable foreign exchange policy and stable exchange rate has enabled the country to withstand the financial crisis (Chen, 2004). Social Unemployment is on the rise in China which is a concern for any government. However, institutional reforms made the country vulnerable to the threat. Nevertheless, the migrants did not receive any support from the government and this segment is most at risk because of the economic downturn. Moreover, income inequality between the rural and urban population is wide which impacts the standards of living (Yep, 2011). The government initiatives for reforms have however produced tiered cities and town in different stages of development (Nielsenwire, 2010). The lower tiers markets hold growth potential for the retailers and the FMCG companies. Chinese consumers are conscious, demanding and have the purchasing power. They have the means to purchase, the willingness to try new products through new channels. A strong brand can leverage the potential in the Chinese market and can position itself in the new demand-driven economy. Technological Knowledge and technology are the drivers of economic growth and lead to international competitiveness. To achieve this, focus has to be on education, skills and technology. Application of technology is the fundamental determinant of success. Knowledge-oriented reforms have been carried out in China which has been growing at an average rate of 8-9 percent (Zeng, 2005). China had 53 technology parks and 49 economic and technology development zones by 2002. However, technological innovation in China is highly concentrated and uneven. About 58 percent of technological innovation comes from top ten Chinese regions which house 16 percent of its population (Li & Florida, 2006). Proliferation of internet and mobile phones in China is tremendous with an estimated 600 million mobile phones owned in China (Euro Asia Industry, 2009). Environmental China has experienced rapid economic growth which has led to the depletion of the natural resources and ecological imbalance with the pollution reaching alarming proportions. Consumption activities of households account for as much as 30-40 percent of environmental degradation (Chan & Lou, 2000). Consumer brands seeking to enter China might like to follow the example of Coca-Cola by establishing partnerships with government-owned entities. As consumers have become conscious buyers, FMCG companies should try and introduce “green products” as consumers prefer products that score on environmental credentials (Euro Asia Industry, 2009). Legal Risk for foreign investors prevails in China because of lack of legal protection and protection of Intellectual Property Rights. There have been disputes between the Chinese government and high-profile multinational companies such as Google and Tinto, which has further discouraged foreign companies (EDC, 2011). Hence for foreign investors rule-based business environment is being developed. An anti0monopoly law has recently been passed but till the matter is clarified inconsistencies may prevail for some time. Corruption prevails at all levels in China which has wider political implications. The CPP understands its role in reducing incidences of corruption. The PESTEL factors suggest that the business environment in China is conducive to growth and the FMCG sectors have tremendous potential. China has not even been affected by global recession but the Chinese consumer is educated and the nation is technologically advanced. The political situation is stable and the government supports reforms and growth. FDI in several sectors is permitted in China. However, environmental degradation is on the rise and the Chinese consumer is a conscious buyer. Thus, when introducing any new product these factors would have to be taken into account. 3. Marketing Objectives Based on the company’s internal analysis and the macro environment in China the SMART marketing objectives for CIF have been set. Specific – in line with the corporate mission to add Vitality to Life (Unilever.com), introduce CIF dishwashing liquid in China to provide convenience to consumers. The target is to capture at least 5% of the market share within the first twelve months of operations. However, the idea is not merely to sell but to create brand equity for the product. Since Unilever has its set up in China, it would not be difficult to monitor the acceptance of the product. Measurable – the growth of Unilever in China would give an indication of the target achieved with the introduction of an additional product. Achievable – the target is achievable because the top ten regions in China have the highest purchasing power and are technologically advanced. Moreover, potential also exists in the tier two cities as the consumers have not been tapped in these regions. Realistic – the targets are realistic because Unilever China has been doing well on its other products. The group liquidity position is weak but this would not impact the introduction of another product in the fast-paced China. Time – It is expected to capture 5% of the market share the first year of introduction of the product and 25% of the market in three years. 4. Market Mix Analysis 4.1 Segmentation The Chinese consumer is divided into two distinct divisions – the urban consumers and the rural consumers. The urban consumer is technologically advanced but potential also exists in the rural areas. However, for the initial launch the urban consumer segment would be tapped which is also the educated segment. This is known as latent class segmentation as these consumers have a certain perception of the brand, the price promotion and the product line of the company. Hence it would be easier to convince them of the benefits of the product. Promotional activities would be easier to be carried out with this segment. Value-based segmentation would enable the company to identify the most profitable segment. 4.2 Targeting Targeting helps in employing the right marketing mix. The target is the urban, educated, middle-class, consumers especially the professional women who also perform the household tasks on their own. They would understand the promotional activities. Targeting a particular segment would help in forming the strategy and timing for promotion. The younger group would have higher disposable income and this group also looks for convenience products. However, the profiles of older people have also undergone a change and they too look for convenience. After the initial targets have been achieved, in the second phase the tier two cities would be targeted. The overall population of China is 1.2 billion whereas only 400 million people live in the urban areas (Knowledge@Wharton, 2006). The lower tier markets have developed recently in China but the approach in marketing by the FMCG sector has to differ than the approach adopted for the tier one city such as for Shanghai and Beijing. The level of education is low in these areas. 4.3 Positioning Once the target market has been defined, the product positioning has to take place. This refers to the image and impression of the product and the brand. Unilever has to decide how to project the product and the brand. Segmentation provides an understanding of the consumer characteristics which then helps project the right image of the product being introduced. The markets today are volatile and sensitive and what appeals to one group of people may not appeal to another. Moreover, they want products that are practical and work well (Knowledge@Wharton, 2006). The positioning strategies have also to take into account how other segments would respond to the image being projected. Even though the company should target the urban middle class first, the higher segment too may be interested and hence their reaction to the positioning also has to be considered. This is because even within the cities income disparities are apparent and FMCG companies cannot afford to ignore this fact (Knowledge@Wharton, 2006). The middle class comprise of 25-30 million whereas the affluent class could be 8 million. It could hence consider a slightly different product with a different brand name for the higher segment. However, the product cannot be positioned as a luxury good because people prefer to buy luxury goods from the US directly. 5. Market entry The mode of entry has to be right in the first attempt because a wrong choice can lead to loss of market potential and loss of resources such as management time and commitment (Rajan & Pangarkar, 2000). The mode of entry depends upon the level of control required and the financial resources available. While wholly owned subsidiaries provide maximum control they also require maximum commitment and risks. Joint ventures, on the other hand, can be done with an intermediate degree of control. This allows the investor to have control over the operational factors and strategic decisions. There are several brands of dishwashing liquid available in China from different companies that come in different packaging of different sizes (Trade Media, 2011). Competition is intense and the Chinese consumers are known to prefer local brands for goods of regular use. Moreover, to market in China, the foreign firm must necessarily have 25% ownership through FIEs or foreign-invested companies (PwC, 2007). Unilever is already weak in liquidity and hence an investment of 25% at this juncture would block capital as the returns would not be immediate. Under the new regulations China now allows foreign companies greater access to its distribution sector. Even to engage in distribution activities, namely retailing, wholesaling, franchising and commission agents’ services, they would need to set up a foreign-invested commercial enterprise (FICE). At this point of time, none of these options are viable. Unilever should take advantage of the existence of the many dishwashing liquid manufacturers in China and introduce the new product through equity joint venture agreement. Equity joint ventures allow the foreign investors to share the assets, risks, profits and participate in ownership. The investment and stakes can vary from 5% to 95% (Rajan & Pangarkar, 2000) and hence Unilever could keep its financial resources commitment to the minimum. Unilever would contribute to product enhancement through technology transfer. Technology can give the investing firm an edge and allow them better terms in the joint venture (Smarzynska, 2000). Moreover, Unilever brand is well known in China and hence they should leverage advantage from the established brand name. Moreover, the existing manufacturer would be aware of the potential markets and the consumer demands. However, Unilever can conduct an independent research on the consumer needs for such products. Joint venture would not affect the speed and scope of market entry because this would be done with an existing local manufacturer. By providing the technical know-how and allowing the local manufacturer to sell in Unilever brand name, the company can enter China at a very fast pace. This strategy would give a boost to the organization or the group as a whole. It would also free organizational resources in terms of capital and management time. It would add to the overall profits without much capital investment thereby easing the liquidity crunch. 6. Implementation strategy Marketing Mix Product CIF – the dish washing liquid is sold as JIF, VIM, Viss, Handy Andy. Thus to cater to different segments in the same market, they can use different brands to differentiate between the segments. The product must provide value to the customer. They prefer local brands for goods that are of everyday use and not sophisticated in nature. The buyer’s purchase making decision is based on problem recognition (Marketing-in-China, 2011) and hence the product must project that this product would help overcome the problem of washing dishes and provide convenience. Price The Chinese consumer confidence falls only temporarily and rebounds almost immediately. Despite the financial crisis they continue to be more sophisticated in what products they look for and the way they shop. However there has been a shift from brand to value. Their options are becoming wider although there was a small decline in purchasing in home and personal care following the last global recession (McKinsey & Co, 2009). Thus, even though they are not price conscious, they would buy regular products that are inexpensive. Accordingly, the prices must be affordable and provide value for money. To enter the Chinese market the introductory price should not be more than CNY 8.00 for a 500ml bottle. The current prices are in the range of CNY 8.70 (Global Media, 2011) and hence it should be kept lower than the existing brands available. Once a sizeable market is captured and the brand is established the prices can be revised. Pricing strategy also has to take into account competitors prices. Keeping too low a price undermines its quality and hence prices should reflect the product image and product positioning. However, discounts can be offered when clubbed with other products from the company. Place Consumers in China look for branded products but if they are buying from their usual store and their regular brand is not available, they would buy an alternative brand (Appendix B). Very few would actually visit another store looking for the same brand. Thus it is very essential that the distribution strategy is carefully planned. Unilever should ensure that the new product is available through all retail outlets at most locations in the first phase. They should use the third-party sales and distribution models to ensure the product is readily available to them. This is cost effective considering China is such a diverse and limitless territory (Baquero, Bessler & Xu, 2010). The quality sensitive consumers would buy from the Grocery Chain stores such as Wal-mart and Carrefour (Appendix C). The price sensitive consumers would opt for the cheap grocery stores. The focus has to be on quality-sensitive consumers so that the product positioning is maintained. For the brand consumers, the affluent class, the same product under a different brand can be sold through malls such as Jusco and Parkson. Thus, in the introductory stage the [produch should be available at Wal-mart and Carrefour stores and then at Jusco and Parkson stores. Promotion Promotion comprises of several activities and several ways of communicating about the product to the customer. It comprise of activities like advertising, sales promotions, public relations and personal selling. Personal selling can be organized by community events where dry and wet sampling is carried out. Dry sampling comprises of giving out free sachets. This is a free campaign which is aimed at increasing trials. The Chinese consumer is very apprehensive of trying a new product; they are reluctant to pioneer (Yi, 2004) and always seek word-of-mouth opinion from friends and relatives. Hence, when something comes for free they would be keen to see the effect and then start using it. In Wet Sampling consumers are shown the effect of using the CIF - this is a community event organized at the local level. The Chinese consumers have a lot of time to spend, look through, understand about the product before they make a purchase. Since the Chinese believe in relationship marketing and guanxi (Yi, 2004), they would assemble for a demonstration and then after discussion would be keen to try it out. The demonstration should show both manual and machine dishwashing. Advertising The television is the most widely used for of advertising for all consumer products (Appendix D). The local newspapers are also a good media to advertise in. Campaigns should be carried out extensively before the product is launched and before it is available at the stores. This would help ascertain the consumer response to the product even before it is launched. The product packaging creates an emotional bond with the consumer and China being a close nation, messages have to be printed in Chinese on the package. The packaging should also be designed in a manner that highlights the strong points of the product on the most visible parts / faces that would be on display at a supermarket. Sales promotions This would come after the product is launched. After obtaining an initial consumer response, Unilever can tie up with Tie-up with Dish Washing Machine companies to show CIF as "Recommended for use" for XYZ Dish Washing Machine. To encourage repeat usage discounts can be offered on repeat purchase against production of the previous empty sachet. Free gift items of use in the home or the kitchen can be given out along with every purchase. Public relations To build public relations as the product is launched free sachets should be distributed bundled with other related products. Trade Promotions - Special Discounts given to retailers so that they are incentivised to display it prominently and recommend it to customers so that they can make a higher margin. 7. Gantt Chart (I am unable to depict it in a chart form…have shown it here and also included an EXCEL file). Excel file Goals for the first year: Pre-launch: Market Research involving evaluation of competitor products and pricing – 1st April 2011 – 15 days Identifying the needs of the consumer groups – 1st April – 15 days Design the packaging to meet the local requirements – 16th April - 10 days Negotiate with the retailers and supermarket stores – 16th April – 7 days Advertising to create consumer awareness of the product with focus on differentiation – 16th April – 30 days Launch: 1st May Wet and Dry sampling events – 10thMay – 30 days Television and newspaper advertising – 16th April – 30 days Bundled offer with other related products – 1st May – 3 months Introductory offers – 1st May – one month Trade promotions – 1st August – three months Aggressive personal selling – 16th April – 6 months Post launch: after one year Feedback from retailers – 1st April 2012 – 7 days Customer feedback – evaluation of changed consumer preferences – 1st April 2012 – 20 days Evaluation and change of strategy if necessary – 7th April – 15 days Discounts on repeat purchase – 1st April 2012 – 1 year Evaluation of the advertising and promotions – 1st April 2012 – 15 days Focus on the rural areas and the retail shelf in those areas – 1st February 2012 – two months 8. Contingencies and Controls Care must be taken to ensure that the typical problems with modern trade are avoided. These are especially true of fast-moving items like detergents. The business environment is pressurized and the sales environment is crowded. Under the circumstances it is essential to have an exclusive intermediary who can focus exclusively on the sales and marketing of CIF. Without an exclusive intermediary, Unilever would have no control over how the product is displayed or sold. Unilever also has to ensure that a greater number of promotions take place through convenience outlets as these are frequented by Chinese consumers. The intermediary or the representative at the point-of-sale should be able to provide intermittent feedback on the changing customer preferences. These would help Unilever to stay ahead of competition. It would also help to alter the pricing, promotions and other important factors whenever necessary. Wholesalers in China do not provide sales and customer feedback to the manufacturers and hence Pricing and promotion fund leakage also occurs commonly when dealing with third-party distributors. Typically the FMCG companies pass on the discounts to then retailers and the consumers but in China it is difficult to keep track whether the wholesalers retain the promotional discounts or actually pass them on to the end consumers. FMCG companies in China have been trying to set up another model of directly approaching the markets but it is not cost effective. Hence, Unilever should have strict monitoring over the wholesaler stocks and movements. Control over distribution is essential because the wholesalers tend to focus on high-volume products. The geographic segment to be targeted initially has to be clearly defined because each region on China is a series of local consumer markets. 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(2005) 'How Technology and Knowledge Drive Economic Growth? -Cases of China and India', [Online], Available: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/144038/China_India_Innovation.pdf [12 March 2011] Company website: http://www.unilever.com/brands/homecarebrands/cif/index.aspx Unilever.com: http://www.unilever.com/images/ir20100428TheGovernanceofUnilever200510tcm13216301.pdf Appendix A Source: Braeken (2008). Appendix B Source: Braeken (2008). Appendix C Source: Marketing-in-China (2011). Appendix D Source: Marketing-in-China (2011a). Read More