The Creation of Successful Marketing Strategies - Essay Example

THE CREATION OF SUCCESSFUL MARKETING STRATEGIES al Affiliation) The 21st century consumer is much more complicated thanthat of the previous era. This can be attributed to certain factors such as education, access to technology and the basic fact that consumers are spoilt for choice. As a result, companies have found it extremely difficult to predict consumer behaviour. Therefore, the marketing campaigns that said organizations come up with end up failing miserably. In the 20th century, creating a successful marketing campaign was very easy. This is because the consumers of the day were much easier to understand and predict. Companies like Sony and Mercedes Benz created names for themselves by being able to successfully understand and predict consumer behaviour and in turn develop successful marketing campaigns; however, they have not been excluded from the turmoil of confusion that the 21st century consumer has brought with them. The modern day consumer, as with any other, is keen on the trends. However, the trends of the modern era are not as consistent. This makes it completely difficult for a company to make successful campaigns. A campaign can averagely run for about 3 months to 8 months. The longer a campaign runs and remains relevant, the more successful it is. However, in today’s market, an organization could focus on a certain trend and create a campaign based on it, and then as soon as it airs, the trend has shifted (Birke, 2013). This would mean that if a campaign were going to be successful, it would have to incorporate both the current and future predictions so that the organization in question is not forced to cut losses. The prediction of the future is the aspect that poses the greatest challenge. One of the most affected areas is the fashion industry. While in the 20th century, for instance, print was on trend for most of the time, the 21st century is very haphazard. Organizations have found themselves unable to predict the next trend that will pick up and for how long it will be trendy (Burcher, 2012). This is because there is not a clear line of direction as to where the consumer draws inspiration for trends. In 2013 and 2014, the trend of printed clothes was the dominant element until mid-2014 when the monochrome trend came in. Clothing lines that had developed campaigns based on the printed trend were thrown off balance by the certain introduction of the monochrome. It appeared as though the printed trend would carry on for at least two years but this changed drastically. The consumer would have to be rational and consistent with their trends, if successful marketing campaigns were to be developed by manufacturers. One of the reasons as to why the previous era was also very successful in the creation of marketing campaigns was the obvious preference of the consumer for quantity over quality. This is especially concerning the food sector. The education level in the former century was not high and therefore people’s eating habits were more for the purpose satisfaction and fulfilment. However, with the interrelation of various cultures and an increase in education level quality has become a key factor (Beller, 2013). However, the consumer has not really defined which of the two carries the day. There is an indecisiveness over which is of more relevance-quantity or quality. While in some aspects, consumers prefer quality over quality a good number of the population prefers the reverse. This puts the manufacturer in a position of relative confusion (Vyas, 2009). Jewellery retailers have been on the receiving end of this battle. The upper class prefers original and sophisticated jewellery rather than chunkier bits of low taste. The upper class it should be noted are the more “able” consumers. On the other hand, the lower and middle classes prefer more jewellery of a heavier nature, to make a statement. Yet, these are the larger section of the population. If manufacturers and distributors were carefully able to predict which of the two – quantity or quantity – is more important to the consumer, then their campaigns would be more successful. However, with all the three classes constantly being externally influenced, nothing is constant. For trend purposes, the upper class is also giving in to the quantity preference and due to imitation; the middle and lower class are giving in to the value of quality. Impulsiveness has also been a key concern in consumer behaviour. Because of the impulsiveness of the consumer, the manufacturer and distributor are unable to predict consumer choices. If consumers shopped stuck strictly in accordance with their income levels, manufacturers and consumers would have an easier time. Distributors develop campaigns championing the purchase of products that are within their target audience’s income range, only to find that consumers are willing to spend more on expensive products outside their range. In the same way, same distributors develop marketing campaigns for products of a costlier range only to have the consumer decide to stick to their income range. The impulsiveness of the modern consumer makes it difficult to predict their actions. If consumers were purchased in accordance with the season, then marketing campaigns would be based on the same (Finlay, 2008). However, for instance, some consumers opt to shop for winter during winter, while others opt to shop for winter ahead of it. Therefore, marketing campaigns developed during a certain season, are only partially successful with one section of the population. Marketers work with statistical provisions. Therefore, they develop their campaigns based on a certain purchase(s) per consumer. However, consumers usually end up buying in excess yet again because of impulsiveness. Most consumers cite the occurrence of failure and accidents as the reason they purchase products excessively (Rabolt, 2009). In the long-run the products in question end up being sold out. While this could appear as an advantage to the company, it serves as a disadvantage (Blyth, 2008). This is because consumers that need the products and are unable to access them, usually lose goodwill in the company reducing the company’s clientele. Ultimately, when the company in question runs another campaign, it would have to be doing so to a reduced audience (Mullin, 2014). If consumers were to be defined as rational, they would have to be observant of their culture. It is easier for a company to develop a successful marketing campaign if they are aware of the culture they are working with. For instance, a campaign in Africa would have to be carefully sensitized to avoid racial references. This aspect, if overlooked, could sink a campaign that was otherwise carefully laid out. However, in some areas, consumers are not particularly keen on culture (East, 2008). This is because of the influence of other cultures and ultimate diversification, for instance, in Africa, a clothing campaign would most likely avoid nudity and emphasis African aspects such as beading. However, there is the possibility that the same campaign would fail. This is because the western culture influences a good section of Africans that have taken up less conservative ways of dressing and western modes of accessorizing. Another major aspect of culture is religion. This is especially an area of importance as it is grey. Companies find themselves trending on slippery ground if they make statements are offensive to religion. If companies were well aware of religious inclinations of the population, campaigns would be observant of this and stand higher chances of success (Finlay, 2010). In developed countries, however, the stand that people have on religious attributes is not quite clear. An advert that makes religious inferences, either knowingly or unknowingly, elicits various reactions. Those of a high conviction in the religious category in question may find it offensive. Those that are liberal minded, might overlook the religious reference. In actuality, in the past, companies that have made mistakes of this nature in the past have done so unknowingly (Solomon, 2006). Religious diversifications as well as different levels of conviction pose a threat to successful marketing campaigns. Although in recent years matters of health have gained widespread popularity, it is still a controversial area. While in the 1990s McDonalds had essentially successful marketing campaigns, the same cannot be said of this century. This is not to say that McDonalds has unsuccessful campaigns, but rather that they are not doing as good as they were before. This is because of the onset of the healthy lifestyle era. Consumers have become inclined to leading healthy lifestyles. However, as with many other aspects, this too is inconsistent. There are only very few consumers in the market that actually consistently follow through with health matters (Noel, 2009). This causes a tug of war between health-observant manufacturers and those that are not. This is because the consumer constantly shifts between healthy lifestyles and unhealthy lifestyles. Brands such as KFC could be doing well one season, with their fast food campaigns and not do so well in others. Notably, the success of a campaign is determined partially by its ability to carefully portray the actual (hopefully consistent) market share that a company has (Poiesz, 2007). Another issue of similar concern is the ethical consideration of the consumer population. If a consumer were to be termed as rational, the marketers would be able to determine and understand their market share. The issue of poaching and animal skin in the fashion industry is an ethical complication. While a large section of consumers are into the use of animal skin, an equally larger one is not. A section of consumers shifts in between certain ethics without quite placing themselves in a certain category (Soscia, 2013). Successful marketing is majorly about the ethics of the consumer and not those of the marketer. If those of the consumer are distorted, it interferes with the development of successful campaigns. The media has played a huge role in influencing consumer behaviour, to some extent. However, many a times this varies with the content. For instance, it has been noted that the media play a big role in influencing certain industries such as tourism and fashion. However, the influence of the media in food related aspects is not as huge. The media could determine the success of a fashion trend by giving it airtime. However, in the food arena, consumers are more independent. In recent times, the American media has especially been keen on portraying gluten free products as the healthier and therefore more viable option. However, research has proven that only 30% of the American adult population adheres to gluten free living (Stahlberg, 2013). However, 74% of Americans, as determined in the same research, base their fashion sense off of the media perspective. This illustrates that it is extremely difficult to explain the influence that the media has on the public and the results that will come of it. If the marketers could understand this influence, they would be able to predict future trends and create campaigns in that light. A rational consumer population would be completely influenced by the media, partially influenced (constant ratio) or not influenced at all. However, the modern consumer falls in the partially influenced category (to an inconsistent ration). In contrast, rational consumer population, in the sense in question, would allow for creation of timely and accurate campaigns. Notably, the 20th century saw the media be more influential than it is now (Wright, 2006). This can be attributed yet again to an increase in the education level and the subsequent exposure comes with it. A rational consumer would have to be consistent in all the areas outlined above. This would allow marketers to create campaigns that stand higher chances of success. The above are primarily the most essential factors that enable the development of successful marketing strategies. References Beller, K. P. 2013. The consistent consumer : predicting future behaviour through lasting values. Sedona : LTS Press. Birke, D. 2013. Social networks and their economics : influencing consumer choice . West Sussex: Wiley. Blyth, J. 2008. Consumer behaviour . London: Thomson Learning. Burcher, N. 2012. 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