The Multifaceted Integrated Marketing Strategy - Research Paper Example

An Integrated Marketing Strategy for Fanta

Executive Summary of the Strategy

The dynamic and competitive business environment coupled with changing customer needs, taste and preference has had a huge impact on Coca cola’s second flagship beverage drink Fanta. Coca Cola’s beverage sales dropped by 1% globally during the 1st quarter of 2017 (Eagle, 2017). As a result of the drop in sales, coca cola will cut nearly 1200 jobs across its organization. An effective integrated marketing strategy will mitigate the drop in sales and instead increase the sales of Fanta. The integrated marketing strategy will be multifaceted in nature to enable the firm promote the product effectively, target the right audience or client base, and also safeguard or enhance the reputation and image of the product. Further, the integrated marketing strategy will incorporate the needs, considerations, and expectations of customers. This will enable the business to view the product from the perspective of the consumer. The integrated marketing strategy will Differentiate, Attract, Retain, and Grow the consumer base of Fanta.

Description of the Good/Service and Desired Brand Image

Fanta is a popular and visible brand throught the world with over 100 flavors. However, most of the flavors are found in different regions worldwide. The most common and identifiable fruit flavored carbonated Fanta products include Fanta Orange, Fanta fruit twist, Fanta lemon, Fanta raspberry and passion fruit, and Fanta apple and sour cherry (Coca Cola, 2017). Fanta is bubbly with a fruity and tingly fuzzy taste. The current product contains 5% juice with a 33% lower sugar level compared to Fanta products produced before 2006. The product is packaged in plastic and glass bottles or in aluminum cans.

Brand image generally refers to the impression that consumers have about a product. a product’s brand image is developed over time. It forms the basis of brand equity “which refers to consumer’s general perceptions and feeling about a brand and has an influence on consumer behavior” (Zhang, 2015). The primary purpose of a marketing strategy is to “influence consumer’s perception and attitude toward a brand, establish the brand image in consumers’ mind, and stimulate consumers’ actual purchasing behavior of the brand” which leads to an increase in sales (Zhang, 2015). Consumers view Fanta as a ‘fun and fresh’ carbonated beverage. It elicits feelings of happiness and celebrations in the minds of consumers.

Description of the Target Market, Including Buyer Motivations, Demographics, and Psychographics

The motivation to purchase a product does not depend or is not influenced by the product’s quality, but rather by the circumstances and need of the consumer. Abraham Maslow’s theory of hierarchy of needs examines the motives of consumer behavior (Svatosová, 2013). Consumers purchase Fanta to satisfy their social needs. The target market for Fanta is the youth (13-25 years) and women or mums. The fruity and tingly taste influences mums to buy the product and take it home to their families. On the other hand, the youth are motivated by the need for recognition and also the search for a ‘fun, fresh, and happy’ beverage that tends to light their moods.

Description of the Overall Marketing Strategy, Including Positioning Versus Competitors

Fanta’s target market is made up of young consumers who are seeking social recognition and mothers who purchase the product for their families. As such, the marketing strategy will be made up of promotions, advertising campaigns, public relations campaign, the use of internet marketing, and direct marketing to build long term relationships.

The product will be positioned in the market to ‘provide a fun, happy and lively experience each day.’ The experience will go beyond just consumption to give teens and mums a real life experience and a feeling of social recognition.

Despite Fanta being a popular and market leader in the beverage soft drink market, it faces stiff competition from Orangina in the US. Orangina is under Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The product is a carbonated beverage made up of citrus juice (12%) and orange pulp (2%). Orangina is positioned as a product whose “authentic taste of oranges with real fruit pulp and natural orange zest” gives the young customer the real drinking experience they yearn for (Orangina, 2017). Nonetheless, Fanta under the coca cola company controls 48.6% of the soda industry worldwide. Orangina outsells Fanta only in some regions such as France where approximately 8.8 million people in used Fanta compared to 11.2 million consumers of Orangina between 2014 and 2016 (Statista, 2017).

Description of Promotions and Advertising Campaign That Includes a Description of One Advertisement

Ogden & Ogden (2014) states that advertising is a major component in the IMC plan. Advertising and promotions sustains brands. Coca cola conducts market promotions and advertisements to market the product, educate consumers about Fanta, and also fight completion. This translates to increased or better sales in addition to good will. Fanta will conduct sales promotions by becoming a major sponsor of an event (like school events) in exchange for recognition. The firm will launch or display their advertisement at the event.

Since Fanta targets the young consumer, the advertisements will therefore contain young and happy people. For instance, an advertisement titled the ‘selfie campaign’ will feature happy, cheerful and playful teens taking selfies while drinking Fanta. The advertisement will emphasize the excitement Fanta brings into the lives of its consumers.

Recommend and Describe a Public Relations Campaign

According to Ogden & Ogden (2014), “publicity builds brands and advertising sustains them.” Companies build their brand or image by conducting public relations campaigns. Apart from disseminating information, PR campaigns influences the perceptions of consumers to view the company as being more credible. Fanta will employ a press and media kits tactic to increase publicity. Coca-Cola will send a media kit that includes a press release, photographs, and a CD or flash drive with electronic versions of the photos” to media outlets (Ogden & Ogden, 2014). The media kit will contain information about the product. The media companies will use the media kit information to write features about the Fanta product.

Description of an Internet Marketing Campaign Including Web Site and Use of Email

Internet marketing possesses various advantages. First, Ogden & Ogden (2014) acknowledge that it “is one of the least expensive forms of marketing and advertising.” Also, content posted on the internet is available to the consumer any time of the day. Some of the digital/internet campaigns Fanta will employ include the use of website and emails. Fanta will use both email and the website to market their products to consumers. a website dedicated to the Fanta brand will be launched. The website will contain personalized information that target the young consumer. Additionally, the website will display information about the product, major distributors in each region, and contact information of the manufacturer. Further, users who visit the website will be encouraged to subscribe to emails that contain the product’s information or news.

Description of a Direct Marketing Campaign Including Customer Relationship Management

Direct marketing focuses on the consumer. Thus, businesses skip other members of the supply chain and engage the consumer directly. Companies can save money by engaging consumers directly. Furthermore, organizations can personalize direct marketing thereby making consumers feel that the firm is speaking directly to them. Direct marketing leads to the creation of long term relationships with the customer. Fanta will personalize direct marketing by including customer names on the Fanta product.

Conclusion

The multifaceted integrated marketing strategy will promote the product to the right audience, enhance the brand of the product, and also improve sales. The integrated marketing strategy describes the product (Fanta) in detail, target audience, marketing strategy, promotions and advertising campaign, relationship campaign, the use of internet marketing, and direct marketing. The Integrated marketing strategy will Differentiate, Attract, Retain, and Grow the consumer base of Fanta.