The Promotional Activities to Uphold the Brand Identity of Coffee - Assignment Example

inserts his/her full Promotion- Coffee With growing awareness of the benefits of non-carbonated beverages, the carbonated market sector has been gradually declining in various parts of the world. The market share for carbonated beverages has witnessed a slow but steady decline from 2005-2010 (Euromonitor International). Keeping in view customers’ preference for products such as coffee has been increasing. The coffee shall target a diverse audience. The overall target audience for this coffee is defined as men and women whose age is between 18 to 60 years and who consume coffee or enjoy special coffee related meals and beverages. The coffee would appeal to these target age groups through contemporary and clean designs that shall be presented in a consistent way in its product and package designs, interior of the store and advertising. For young adults whose age is between18 and 24, the coffee shop would position itself as a place where college students can study, write, read and hang out with others. This target market tends to grow by 4.6% every year. The coffee shall be an ethically traded coffee (obtained through “fair trade”); hence, it shall focus specifically on career-oriented individuals living in urban areas with relatively higher incomes. These individuals are socially responsible individuals who care about sustainability and environment and would not hesitate in paying a premium price for an ethically traded coffee. Due to the presence of cultural diversity in UAE this strategy would be particularly useful in attracting foreigners and tourists who would rather go for ethically traded coffee rather than otherwise. The brand’s offerings are targeted towards such affluent individuals who are likely to go to Tim Horton’s or McDonalds. Furthermore, part of the proceeds of coffee purchases shall be donated regularly to local charity funds. The coffee would be promoted through television via placement in various reality and other shows. The “branded entertainment” strategy would be used here whereby the subliminal placement of coffee in these shows would subconsciously remind customers of the coffee brand while they watch their favorite shows (Hudson and Hudson). Since young, contemporary students and professionals are also targeted, therefore, contests can be run during popular shows such as “Friends”. Shows of this sort can be used to show a group of teenagers visiting the coffee’s outlet for getting together. The outlet of this coffee brand can then be promoted as being a place where individuals can relax, read novels or simply sit back and enjoy the music. Also, by acquiring affiliation with Friends and other popular television shows, contests that entitle participants to get a chance to meet the stars shall also be pursued. For instance, customers may find a code hidden on their “bills” that entitle them to such awards. Since, the youth segment is included in the target market, offering discount vouchers for the coffee with the subscription of local mobile communication companies (such as Du and Etisalat) could be particularly useful. Since UAE has become the hub of youth-oriented fashion brands, associating the coffee brand with such fashion groups such as Al-Futtaim and international brands such as Forever 21, Abercrombie and Fitch , Zara, Levi’s and various others could be a profitable promotional strategy. This is supported by the fact that young fashion retailers have recently gained a strong foothold in the Arab market in the last 10 years(Nair). Since there is blooming demand for high-end and main street fashion brands; therefore, it is a feasible strategy to promote the coffee brand by affiliating it with these renowned brands. Research suggests that UAE’s demographics shall witness a lot of change in the coming 20 decades, with 35-44 years being the most common age bracket(Euromonitor). This has meaningful insights for our promotional mix. Since the coffee brand is expected to include a range of coffee products (not just beverages) therefore, cross-selling can used to suggest similar coffee-flavored products to these customers. Because purchasing power is not a constraint here, this promotional technique shall be useful in promoting other coffee confectionaries that the brand shall stock. Sales promotion shall also be used. By offering a rewards program, the coffee brand shall keep its loyal customers hooked on to it and ensure repeat purchases. Reward points gained through coffee purchase may also be redeemed for other products such as discount vouchers on movie tickets, restaurants along with a lucky draw that entitles these individuals to win tickets to Europe. The UAE market includes tech-savvy individuals with most of them using Blackberry technology(Cosh). As part of this strategy, Blackberry, i-phone and android “apps” for the coffee shall be developed for users so that they can seamlessly and conveniently place their order online no matter where they are. Also, another “app” shall be developed that enables users to register their credit cards on their mobile phones. The code that is allotted can then be used to make payment in the coffee’s outlets in case customers forget to bring their credit cards. Setting up kiosks in popular shopping malls would be another strategy to promote the newly launched coffee. Launching the coffee brand in the tallest building of the world- the Burj would be part of the strategy. This launch would entail appearances of popular celebrities, singers and stars from around the globe. The high promotional cost would ultimately be recovered through entry tickets. Other tactics would include giving complementary gifts (such as assorted chocolates) to first-time visitors as well as to the first 50 customers at the time of its launch. A complementary gift card (redeemable for any coffee product) would be mailed to regular customers on local occasions and celebrations. As part of its larger promotional efforts, the coffee brand would be promoted not just at the individual but at the corporate level. Setting up coffee bars and kiosks within office cafeterias would provide greater exposure to customers. Sponsoring official dinners, events, and high-tea would be part of the corporate package. Discounts may be given depending on the minimum sales that the organization is able to generate for the brand. An extension of this concept would be made to individual parties and get together as well. Considering that socializing is a part of popular Arab culture, this coffee would be promoted at high-profile events as well as events of VIPs and political individuals. As part of this strategy, strategic networks and collaborations shall be developed with foreign embassies and institutions to enhance their awareness of fair-trade coffee and also enable future expansion into other countries. Most importantly, the coffee shall be promoted in domestic and international exhibitions and trade fairs to give the brand publicity as well as media exposure. Samples shall be distributed to customers to test the coffee’s taste which is likely to entice future purchases. Corporate social responsibility has gained momentum in the past few years with companies considering the ‘ethical’ impact of their product(Carroll). This coffee brand will capitalize on the growing emphasis on CSR by partnering with socially responsible and welfare organizations such as those that work in Africa and Kenya which are the major sources of coffee beans. Donating a certain amount of the coffee sale proceeds to these growers of coffee and investing these proceeds in the development of their communities shall be a part of the promotion mix. The coffee growers shall be rewarded at a higher-than-market rate which shall also be publicized through trade magazines and television promotions. The coffee would be sold in reusable cups and cup holders with environmental friendly materials as much as possible. To conclude, the above mentioned promotional activities shall help uphold the brand identity of the mid to premium-priced coffee amongst its users. The collaboration and strategic partnership with corporate events shall also open up venues for expansion into other non-coffee segments in future. Works Cited Carroll, Archie B. "Corporate Social Responsibility: Evolution of a Definitional Construct." Business and Society (1999): 268-295. Document. Cosh, David George-. "BlackBerry and Apple pie sliced up by Android." The National 3 August 2010. Document. Euromonitor International. The Coca-Cola Company in Soft Drinks (World). Research. London: Euromintor, 2011. Document. Euromonitor. UAE in 2030: The Future Demographic . Research. London: Euromintor, 2010. Document. Hudson, Simon and David Hudson. "Branded Entertainment: A New Advertising Technique or Product Placement in Disguise?" Journal of Marketing Management (2006): 489-504. Document. Nair, Manoj. "Youth fashion labels seek fast track in UAE." Gulf News 8 April 2013. Document. Read More