The Heart Foundation of Australia - Essay Example

Introduction The Heart Foundation of Australia is one that is widely known for providing assistance to those who are suffering from heart diseases. The main purpose is to focus on offering preventative measures through heart health, such as promoting exercise and diet that is healthy. This is combined with the ability to offer professional information about heart health that can be used for those that may be suffering from heart diseases (Heart Foundation, 2010). The situation which the Heart Foundation has built is one that offers new opportunities as well as threats with the basic industry. Understanding and analyzing the aspects of this provides the ability to help the corporation to continue to grow while allowing the right focus to continue to be a part of the goals and objectives of the Heart Foundation. Situation Analysis The industry and market for the Heart Foundation in Australia is one of the competitive strengths of the industry. Currently, the Heart Foundation is one of the only recognized national associations that works with different individuals for information and positive promotion of preventing heart disease. They have incorporated their strategy not only as an independent venture, but also by associating with farmers and manufacturers who are primarily responsible for heart health. More importantly, there is a strong demand to find answers to better health, specifically with a focus on heart failure. Chronic heart failure is responsible for 25-50% of illness and death in Australia, making it one of the leading causes of disease. However, there are few answers provided by industries to change this (McLennan et al, 443, 2005). For the Heart Foundation, this provides them with a strong demand in the health industry while allowing them to stay ahead because there are no other competitive factors in the industry. The company analysis is able to combine with the overall goals and objectives of helping to promote and prevent heart failure among adults. The company’s mission is to assist with information and activities which can promote a healthier Australia. The objectives are to focus on different age groups that are at risk for heart failure and to promote exercise, active living, dietary styles and preventative measures for heart disease. This is followed with information that is used to find ways to reduce and stop the problems with heart failure. The company has created a blue print to assist with health, all which is based on community wide benefits for health, promoting new levels of physical activity and assisting with health, the environment, public policies and the economy. The focus is based on reaching new national standards for a healthier Australia, which is allowing the organization to move into promotion through heart healthy foods as well as policy changes that are required for healthier living and eating (Heart Foundation, 2, 2007). The products and brands of the company are one of the weaknesses of the organization. The main focus is to provide research to those who are interested in heart health, including focused research studies on different types of food as well as how levels of activity promotes a healthy heart. Some promotional activities are followed by this. The company currently doesn’t promote their own products and the brand is linked to other products instead of their own. The problem that is a part of this is based on the corporate structures and the political agenda that many have. Advertisements for different problems and the association which they have with heart disease creates a different understanding of what is healthy and not. The advertisements and promotions are leading to complications because of where the associations with promotions are and may lead to limiting the health options for those who want to take preventative measures for heart disease (Montgomery, 8, 2008). The Heart Foundation is not interested in the promotion of its own products, which leads to a lack of profit and confusion with what should be a part of the main industry for heart health. To change this, there would need to be expansion of more research and combinations of new products and innovative options that continue to promote heart health. The complexities with the product and the weaknesses and strengths with the Heart Foundation are leading to different prospects for the organization. The competitors in the industry not being available and not having the links to other organizations or resources are providing the corporation with opportunities. The main competitors for heart health include the Healthy Heart Foundation and doctors that are promoting healthy hearts. However, the Heart Foundation is the only one associated with the government and which is working on a national level for preventative measures of heart disease. Expanding into products, moving into specific promotions to prevent disease and finding diverse target markets can provide better options for expansion of the Heart Foundation. By expanding and sectioning into different target markets, there is the ability to expand further while finding a new focus with the research. This combines with the current strategy, which is based on the ability to find research and to branch into different corporations that promote heart health. Combining this with different consumer needs and target markets will provide new expansion and options. However, if this is not done through the current strategy, then threats may arise from the other foundations and from doctors who begin to provide different medicines and concepts to assist in a healthy heart. The consumer analysis and insights is one that also creates a set of threats and opportunities. Currently, women and older men are looking for new ways to prevent heart disease, as this is one of the highest causes of illness and death. It is found that it is responsible for over 25% of premature deaths in women. Smoking and drinking constitutes of over 15% of the deaths of those suffering from heart disease. The dangers of this for the Heart Foundation are based on potential competitors promoting heart health. The government is now offering over $872 million for health measures to prevent heart disease (Roxon, 1, 2010). However, the same funding provides the Heart Foundation with new opportunities for expansion. Since there isn’t a lot of competition and since they are already established at an international level, they can use this as an opportunity to help the consumer needs and the trends for stopping and preventing premature death and illness and promoting health within the market. Definition of Advertising Problems The advertising problems of the Heart Foundation are first defined by the way that the company is organized. It is currently a non – profit foundation working under national policies and conditions. From one side, the Heart Foundation looks for volunteers to promote events and to assist with preventative measures for heart health. This includes research, activities in communities and donating or advocating heart health. The second aspect of volunteering comes from the promotion and research from doctors that is incorporated into the site. Healthy living comes from these concepts and builds the main campaigns for the Heart Foundation. The latest campaign is a conference being organized in 2011 for doctors and nutritionists to help in promoting heart health. The problem with advertising is based on the way in which the non – profit is required to initiate different activities and steps for heart health. Even though they are funded by the government and have volunteers, there is a focus on the volunteers for promoting activities, as opposed to finding creative and innovative means for promoting health. More important, the advertising becomes dependent on the corporations that the foundation sponsors to promote healthy living. The Heart Foundation is currently limited because there is a lack in a strategic plan that is based on reaching communities at the grass root level. Heart health is currently looked at for everyone, as opposed to finding a specific focus to promote heart health. The current promotions are based on physical activity and research, which may not appeal to several who are interested in gaining new levels of heart health. The reverse then occurs with heart health, which is based only on target markets that have gone through experiences with bad heart health, instead of reaching those who may want to find diverse activities or answers (Haskell et al, 1081, 2007). Diversifying the main part of needs for the community and initiating more options for communities can help the Heart Foundation to expand while allowing more products and services to be available to the community. Conclusion The ability to reach different communities and to diversify information is the basic need of the Heart Foundation. Currently, there are several strengths because of the focus on heart health and preventative measures that other corporations don’t have. The strong association with national policies, implementation of companies who have heart health and the research base provides a strong foundation for the corporation. There are also few threats with competitors in the market. For the Heart Foundation to continue there is the need to diversify options and activities while promoting heart health at a community base first. This will reach a stronger target market and provides more answers for those who are interested in preventative measures for heart health. References Haskell, William, R Russell, Kenneth Powell, Steven Blair, Barry Franklin, Caroline Macera, W Gregory, Paul Thompson. (2007). “Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendations for Adults.” Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. (116). Heart Foundation. (2007). Blueprint for an Active Australia. National Heart Foundation. Heart Foundation. (2010). About the Heart Foundation. Retrieved from: http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Pages/default.aspx. Mclennan, Clark, K Eckert, D Wilkinson, A Dawson, D Stewart. (2005). “Chronic Heart Failure Beyond City Limits.” Rural and Remote Health (5). Montgomery, Brett, Peter Mansfield, Geoffrey Spurling, Alison Ward. (2008). “Do Advertisements for Antihypertensive Drugs in Australia Promote Quality Prescribing? A Cross – Sectional Study.” BMC Public Health (8). Roxon, Nicola. (2010). “Hand on Heart – It’s Time to Call It Quits.” Minister for Health and Aging. Read More