The Marketing Communication of ZAMOG - Research Paper Example

Introduction Marketing communications determine how effectively the marketer is able to market his products to the customer. It stretches beyond the traditional marketing mix which comprised of the 4Ps. Kotler (2000) contends that ‘a company’s total marketing communications mix, or promotion mix, consists of the specific blend of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and public relations tools that the company uses to pursue its advertising and marketing objectives’. In addition to these, promotions also include direct marketing to the consumers. The marketing communications environment has undergone a change and much depends upon the product, promotion, price and place in addition to the product’s packaging, shape, colour and design. Thus the marketing communications mix would depend largely on the product itself. Concept of Social marketing The principles of marketing communications mix vary across products and in the case of condoms, manufacturers and marketers globally have adopted the principals of social marketing. Social Marketing is the use of marketing principles and techniques to influence a target audience to voluntarily accept, reject, modify, or abandon a behaviour for the benefit of individuals, groups, or society as a whole (Kotler, cited by Domegan, 2008). UNAIDS (2000) defines social marketing as the adaptation of commercial marketing and the social concepts and techniques for the attainment of social goals. The concept of social marketing aims to make health-related information easily available and affordable to low income populations. Simultaneously it aims to promote the adoption of healthier behaviour. Social marketing has been applied in areas like obesity, tobacco consumption, family planning, safe sex, recycling, waste management and water purity (Domegan, 2008). The definition of social marketing according to Stead, Gordon, Angus and McDermott (2007) has four key features. There is a focus on voluntary behaviour change; social marketing is not about coercion or enforcement. The second feature is that the social marketers try to induce change by applying the principle of exchange – the customer must recognize that there is a benefit to him. Thirdly, social marketing also has to use the marketing techniques like research, segmentation, targeting, marketing mix and the marketing communications. Finally, the end goal of social marketing is to bring about improvement in the society and to the individual and not for the gain of the organization engaged in social marketing. In fact this is what distinguishes social marketing from other forms of marketing. In the case of condoms, social marketing serves to be an alternative source of products and information for people who seek privacy when obtaining such information UNAIDS, 2000). Through social marketing condoms can be made available at places where people usually visit rather the health clinics which are less frequently visited by men and the youth. Condom social marketing requires the support of the government and has emerged as an effective tool in fighting HIV/AIDS. Condoms social marketing has been able to reduce the stigmas normally attached to it. Zamog – intense condoms Intense Condoms launched by Zamog Limited in the UK in 208 has been making sincere efforts in the field of social marketing but their marketing communications have not been as effective as other brands in the market. They do promote subsidized condoms and they do seek to educate people. They are working towards bring about a change in the attitude of people towards safer sex and reduce the incidences of HIV/AIDS among the youth. In the UK they are selling through wholesalers, retailers, through vending machines and also distributing freely through the NHS and other non-profit organizations. They do carry information and the latest news on healthy sexual behaviour but their efforts are not directed towards enhancing public relations or sales promotion. Their corporate social and ethical responsibility does not end with giving out information through the website. However, they have not yet been able to make a break through in social marketing of condoms. Marketing communication strategy used by competitors With the change in the marketing environment, marketers have to shift from mass marketing and develop focused marketing programs (Kotler, 2000). This helps to build closer relationships with the customers in more narrowly defined micromarkets. Because of the advancement in ICT, marketers are able to keep track of the changing customer needs and requirements and a move towards segmented marketing has become essential. There are numerous brands of condoms selling around the world and the most popular are Durex and Trojan. While globally Durex is the largest selling brand, Trojan’s sales exceed that of Durex in the US. In Spain, US condom marketer Durex sells through pharmacy stores, grocery stores and hypermarkets (Marti, 2008). The marketing approach of the pharmacies is different from the grocery trade. Through out the world Durex sells through pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets but in Israel non-food products cannot be sold in supermarkets (SSL, 2008). In South Africa by changing the product display and improving the brand presentation and product availability, Durex could see sales enhanced. Previously the condoms were kept on a peg hanging power wing and lubes on separate shelves but consumers need to shop through this category quickly to save embarrassment. They then changed the display which is organized horizontally by sub-category and vertically brand and they are kept next to the feminine care products. Signposts are also provided to aid consumer choice. How the products are presented to the consumer can make a difference in the sales. Creativity and innovation come through the marketing personnel and if marketing personnel are involved, the innovation will respond to either user needs or to competition (Moenaert & Souder, 1990). In the US Durex is using a new medium of podcasting in its strategy to reach out to the young people with risqué marketing messages (B&T, 2005). Podcasting is a new medium that uses the internet to distribute radio-like audio files which can be downloaded into iPods and other MP3 players. Podcasting has become very popular with the youth market. In Indonesia, five brands of Durex have 30% of the market share and they are positioned at the high end of the market while Dualima is positioned at the low end of the market (STARH, 2002). Dualima is reluctant to invest in brand promotion because they are unable to compete after the Sutra brand has entered the market based on social marketing principles supported by German funds. After the market penetration of Sutra brands two other brands – Simplex and Artika have also receded from the market. Social marketing in Indonesia has threatened the commercial market for condoms that has been build over 15 years. In India, Kohinoor is the local brand of the TTK-LIG joint venture and has a 40% market share. It uses love, romance, pleasure and passion as the messages (SSL, 2008). They have a wide distribution network and sell through 200,000 outlets. Durex too has a good market in India too and condoms are now available at pharmacies and also at special cash counters just for condoms at the supermarkets. This reduces transaction time and embarrassment for the consumers. It has helped the growth of sales of Durex. Durex uses radio advertising in India which has boosted sales by 50 percent. It was also featured in a Bollywood film and the marketing team capitalized on this since the movie starred a superstar, and run a TV campaign round it. Social marketing organizers, Population Services International (PSI) use private sector funding to address the health problems of low income group in 60 developing countries. In São Tomé and Príncipe condoms were distributed only at health care centers but now they are available at restaurants, night clubs and stores. In Congo, National AIDS Council and the UN Population Fund have taken the initiative to make the condoms easily accessible (IRIN PlusNews, 2008). Apart from vending machines, apart from dance bars, university campuses, theme parks and hotels, petrol stations also sell the condoms because the taxi and bus drivers are at high risk of HIV. Their campaign carries the message – sex involves three parties – me, my partner and the condom. Hence the promotional message has to be innovative to attract the attention of the consumers. Zien and Buckler (1997) contend that innovation is essential to convert the dream into a marketable product. Social marketing of condoms taken up in Vietnam could bring about a change of behaviour among the people. It was previously marketed as a tool for family planning rather than for disease prevention. It was available through traditional outlets but now they use non-traditional outlets like cigarettes sellers. DKT International, an international NGO, under finance from FHI has been doing social marketing of condoms (FHI, 2002). They contribute towards education and promotion activities for the local Trust and OK condom brands. They have been able to motivate the non-traditional outlets to sell condoms and to attract the non-traditional target audience they conduct dramas, fashion shows, karaoke competitions, concerts, knowledge contests, a boating competition. They had to integrate political support, energetic, creative sales skills and effective communication and education about the risks of and ways to prevent HIV/AIDS/STIs. Recommendations for Zamog With the focus on social marketing, Zamog has to introduce a strategy to maximize benefit through its marketing communication strategy. As Kotler (2002) points out, the shift from mass marketing to segmented marketing has impacted the marketing communications. The message delivered through the different approaches must communicate the same single message to the consumers otherwise conflicting messages results in confused company images and brand position. They should communicate the message that changed behaviour benefits the individual and the society. Every step has to be integrated and creating a demand would require a stepwise process involving information acquisition activities and evaluation points. The user needs have to be identified and the company should also be prepared to face environments that shift from stable to unstable or in other words the company should be able to adapt the innovative approach to changing circumstances (Ettlie & Subramaniam, 2004). Advertising Advertising is impersonal and cannot be persuasive. They carry a one-way communication and the audience does not feel it is essential to pay attention (Kotler, 2002). Nevertheless, to build association with the product, Zamog should advertise through the internet. Marketing through the internet offers a departure from the traditional marketing environments (Hoffman, Novak & Chatterjee, 2000). They should tie up with other websites – those of NGOs and other socially responsible organizations to carry Intense Condom advertisements. Personal selling Zamog should accept that success is based on ‘understanding customers better than competitors’. Marketing communications theory also suggests that it is not enough to listen to the customer, it is essential to understand the customer (Olorunniwo, Hsu & Udo, 2006). This implies personal interaction with the customers. Hence, Zamog should organize focus groups at different locations to understand how the consumers react and what is actually happening at the ground level. This was undertaken by Durex who are basically in to commercial marketing but they do address the social cause. Through Durex Networking they have been able to have members registered with them with a common interest in such collaboration (IRIN PlusNews, 2008). Through this forum they are able to gather information regularly on what is happening at the ground level and how they could contribute. Sales promotion The first two forms of marketing communications may be performed by the traditional model but the persuasion function for differentiating the brand is difficult through the traditional model. Zamog can tie up with local cafés in select nations and regions just as Sensation had done in Ethiopia. They have tied up with a café in Addis Ababa where they lick business with a message (IRIN PlusNews, 2008). The staff wears Sensation t-shirts, the coffee is served in Sensation cups and each order is accompanied by a packet of Sensation condoms. This campaign is supported by social marketing groups and has evoked mixed reaction but the sale of condoms has definitely gone up. Since Zamog intends to enter social marketing, it should focus on tying up with local community organization instead of spending on packaging. To promote social marketing, Zamog would have to obtain sponsorship from international bodies like World Bank who have been used for procuring condoms for free distribution. This is often the practice as was also seen in Barbados. Durex, even though engages in commercial marketing, distribute free condoms to the armed forces, prison employees, and in tertiary educations institutions (Faura & Gardiner, 2005). Messages that Zamog conveys through the advertising and promotion should be behaviour change oriented and has to be country-specific. They should organize focus group discussions to enhance the knowledge and awareness within and through the group. As a social marketing approach this has been found to be very effective (Cho, Oehlkers, Mandelbaum, Edland & Zurek, 2004). The branding approach should have a thematic consistency. Public relations News stories, features, and events seem more real and believable to readers than advertisements (Kotler, 2002). The message reaches the buyers as news rather than sales-directed information. Social marketing places the behavioural changing individual at the centre of the process. This requires a deeper understanding of the social networks, relationships, of complex economic and social exchanges, of conflicts and communications (Domegan, 2008). One of the areas where Zamog can enhance its public relations is by educating the consumers about the environmental impacts of used condoms. There is a dearth of information on the adverse impact that improper disposal of used condoms can create. Social marketing interventions have so far ignored this aspect. In the UK about 60 million condoms find their way to the beaches and there are also incidences where the condoms have survived the landfill and incineration stage thereby contaminating the receiving waters (Ehiri & Birley, 2002). This can impact the aquatic environment as well. In developing countries it could block the septic tanks serving the individual households. Condom procurement has been a matter of research by the World Bank, World Health Organizations, UNAIDS amongst others. The guide to condom procurement has become important in the wake of rise in the incidences of HIV/AIDS which in turn undermines the economic development and poverty reduction efforts in affected countries (Merrick & Epp, 2001). Condom promotion along with effective communication and community mobilization has been found to the most effective preventive measure. While four different procurement approaches have been discussed, procurement through social marketing organization is helpful in the event that the company want to combine procurement with promotion and distribution. If logistics and distribution are weak, this is the best approach. Such an approach is effective in the developing nations. Zamog can contract out its condom promotion and social marketing to agents in different nations and regions who would have a better understanding of the local market. This becomes essential because religious beliefs influence social behaviour and religion influence marketing communications as well (Fam, Waller & Erdogan, 2004). Knowledge of the local market is essential to market the products and reach it to the target customers. Conclusion Even the brands like Durex that are primarily commercial, do engage in social marketing and distribute free condoms in association with some organization. While maintaining the social marketing approach, it is possible to have commercial viability through the right marketing communications mix. Features like changing product display, giving relevant and significant information, selecting the right distribution channels, and allowing for two-way interaction can enhance the social marketing of condoms. 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