What Is International Marketing for Joes Ice Cream Company - Coursework Example

Joe’s Ice Cream Company’s International Marketing Strategy By Location Joe’s Ice Cream Company’s International Marketing Strategy Introduction Marketing is a cornerstone policy for any business that entails plans and policies which a company or an individual adopts in an attempt to reach out to its customers (Lamont, 2002:56). When a company has no boundaries, and it targets overseas countries, then it is engaged in international marketing. International marketing thus involves the firm in making more than one marketing merge decisions beyond national boundaries, where it is currently positioned (Doole, & lowe, 2008: 75). Joe’s Ice Cream is one of the successful ice cream companies in England and the management has configured its successful entry into major Asian countries such as China, and European countries such as France (Zou, & Fu, 2011:60). Joe’s Ice Cream has functioning manufacturing facilities overseas, and there are ongoing coordinating successful marketing strategies across the globe. Situational Analysis Joe’s Ice Cream marketers must look forward to understanding the current and potential environment that their product can do well (Bennett, 2008:102). In reviewing its situational strategies, Joe’s Ice Cream has its strengths to exploit (Leeds Metropolitan University 2010: 12). The superior technology has given Joe’s Ice Cream a better platform to meet their growing customers’ desire for ice cream in myriad ways. This has ensured that its competitors cannot imitate their current technology hence retaining Joe’s Ice Cream as a unique brand in the market. Instead of targeting only its current market, Joe’s Ice Cream is required to keep on targeting new markets and customers internationally in order to grow their business. In addition, Joe’s Ice Cream is a strong brand name, which has boosted and created a major strength to the company (Czinkota, & Ronkainen, 2013:150). The company has continually exploited this brand through charging higher prices for their products as customers continue to place higher additional value in the discrete brand of Joe’s Ice Cream. Because of the strong management tactics and their ability to make use of cost advantage maneuvers, Joe’s Ice Cream continues to expand in the international market as a unique company. On another level, Joe’s Ice Cream has an unmatched opportunity through the availability of the fragmented market. The management has been able to fragment its international markets, hence creating diverse opportunities for the sale of Joe’s Ice Cream and its products (Keillor, 2007:70). In addition, this has expanded and increased its market share opening the window for a sustainable cost advantage. Joe’s Ice Cream enjoys international market, something that the small and growing competitors may not enjoy. On the contrary, weak customer service, especially in the selective Chinese markets, hurts the reputation of Joe’s Ice Cream international venture (Xu-Priour, Cliquet, & Fu, 2013:23). In such emerging global markets, customers have thus deflected their desire for Ice Cream to Joe’s Ice Cream competitors, who are more responsive to the customers. It is a weakness; the indigenous companies seem to exploit as Joe’s Ice Cream Limited try create that connection with the established trends in the markets. Finally, the threat of mature markets that Joe’s Ice Cream faces in countries like China and France pose a serious competitive ground (Sinkovics, & Ghauri, 2009:45). In order for Joe’s Ice Cream to grow in such competitive markets,and has to increase its market share a lot has to be done. This is something that might be difficult and expensive as Joe’s Ice Cream still is finding ways of attracting customers in these new international markets. Impact of Culture As long as Joe’s Ice Cream is moving away from its homegrown towns of England, the effects of culture shock are inevitable. For example, the poverty index between the haves and have-nots in France and China is one of the principal causes of social tension and a likely challenge to the better way to Joe’s Ice Cream to satisfy its customers (Zou, & Fu, 2011:110). For instance, China has a very wide gap between poor and rich hence creating a product that would cut across the two social classes would pose a challenge to Joe’s Ice Cream Company. Other social issues are cultural pressures, like those that in France of being conservative with their homegrown products. Cultural and language problems are not only the main social challenges, but also understanding the setting of the new society is another barrier for Joe’s Ice Cream (Cheverton, 2000:92). For Joe’s Ice Cream Company to prosper in France and China, access to production networks is highly significant, but the means of establishing supplier relationships in these foreign countries will be a major barrier to its entry. Marketing strategies and plans The managers of Joe’s Ice Cream Company must radically change the company and rethink about the current marketing strategies and plans that will enable them respond appropriately to its new competitive landscapes. Implementing new information systems will play a fundamental role in shaping the business’s response (Keillor, 2007:66). This not only involves provision of external linkages to customers, suppliers, agents, marketplace, and other firms, but also enables the company to forge links within the enterprise and create active mechanism coordination. Market Selection, Entry Strategies and E-Marketing For Joe’s Ice-Cream Company to remain an ice cream of finesse, its ingredients would have to retain the authentic Joe’s stamp of quality that stretches as far as 1898 (Stern, 2009:48). The new market entry methods applicable in China and France should maintain Joe’s sacred recipe, which has remained unchanged and safe at the heart of his family (Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel, 2012:220). The most appropriate market entry methods would vary from direct/indirect exportation, Licensing, Franchising, and Piggybacking, Manufacturing abroad, or having a joint venture. Joe’s company may benefit from selling its ostentatious ice cream product to the direct customers in China. On the other hand, in an attempt to measure up the success of its products, Joe’s Ice Cream Company may sell the ice creams to a distributor (Keillor, 2007:54). The role of this home importer is to export the products of Joe’s company to China. Most importantly is the current e-business initiative (Jank, & Shmueli, 2008:86). To their advantage, traversing the globe may happen within the confines of their offices in England. Joe’s Ice Cream limited needs to sustain its production quality and supply chains globally since technology has not only given them quality in production but also given a global market village accessible to trade in (Cheverton, 2000:55). Conclusion and Way Forward In conclusion, an already competitive company, as Joe Ice Cream Limited future may not find it comfortable to concentrate domestically (Zikmund, & Babin, 2007:78). In order to remain relevant, the managers should stretch their sight into branding their products in other target markets and product opportunities in the international market bracket (Vella, & Foxall, 2011:84). The expansion of Joe’s Ice Cream product into Asia and Europe markets would not only make relevant, but also its flavor would brace the adversity of the global market, hence a definite consideration for the company. Bibliography Bennett, R. 2008. International marketing: strategy, planning, market entry & implementation. London, Kogan Page. Cheverton, P. 2000. Key marketing skills: a complete action kit of professional marketing concepts, tools and methods. London, Kogan Page. Czinkota, M. R., & Ronkainen, I. A. 2013. International marketing. Mason, OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. Doole, I., & lowe, R. 2008. International marketing strategy: analysis, development and implementation. London, Cengage Learning. Jank, W., & Shmueli, G. 2008. Statistical methods in e-commerce research. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. Keillor, B. D. 2007. Marketing in the 21st century. Westport, Conn, Praeger. Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & Mcdaniel, C. D. 2012. Essentials of marketing. Mason, Ohio, South-Western Cengage Learning. Lamont, D. F. 2002. Global marketing. Oxford, Capstone. Available from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=71328 Leeds Metropolitan University. 2010. PESTEL analysis. Available from: http://repository-intralibrary.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/IntraLibrary?command=open-preview&learning_object_key=i04n75603t Sinkovics, R. R., & Ghauri, P. N. 2009. New challenges to international marketing. Bingley, U.K., Emerald/Jai Press. Stern, R.M. 2009. Globalization and international trade policies. Hackensack, NJ, World Scientific. Available from: http://site.ebrary.com/id/10422281 Vella, K. J., & Foxall, G. R. 2011. The Marketing Firm Economic Psychology of Corporate Behaviour. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Pub. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=775928. Xu-Priour, D.L., Cliquet, G., & Fu, G.Q. 2013. Multichannel shopping behavior a comparison between chinese and french consumers in the cosmetics market. Lille, Atelier national de reproduction des thèses. Zikmund, W. G., & Babin, B. J. 2007. Exploring marketing research. Mason, Ohio, Thomson South-Western. Zou, S., & Fu, H. 2011. International marketing: emerging markets. Bingley, Emerald Jai. Read More