Assignment on IMC Strategies for Building Brands

Assignment 2: IMC Strategies for Building Brands
Raunaq singh virdi
T00573876
28 November,2017

Table of Contents
Part 1: Marketplace Situation Analysis......................................................................................3
Internal Analysis.....................................................................................................................3
Strengths and weaknesses of Head & Shoulders................................................................3
IMC and promotional organization and its capabilities......................................................3
Previous IMC and promotional programs..........................................................................3
Brand image........................................................................................................................3
External Analysis....................................................................................................................4
Customer behaviour analysis..............................................................................................4
Competitive analysis...........................................................................................................4
Environment Analysis............................................................................................................5
Part 2: Target Market.................................................................................................................6
1. Explain how profiling the current target market of a brand can assist in identifying
segments and selecting segment characteristics that can help to create IMC messages and
media selection that reach a targeted prospect segment.........................................................6
2. From your target market, select and describe two target market segments for your
brand/product. Describe each segment separately by using the five types of segmentation
variables discussed in your textbook......................................................................................6
3. Identify the two most important consumer characteristics for each of the target market
segments. Explain how the brand links to these particular characteristics.............................7
Part 3: SWOT analysis...............................................................................................................8
To complete the SWOT analysis, prioritize it for your brand/product...................................9
Head and Shoulders anti dandruff shampoo.......................................................................9
Part 4: IMC Objectives.............................................................................................................11
IMC objectives to guide the development of your IMC plan...............................................11
For each objective, articulate whether it is a communication or behavioural objective and
provide the rationale for selecting this type of objective.....................................................11

Explain how each of these objectives evolved from the marketplace situation analysis, the
target market, and the prioritized SWOT Analysis findings................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

Part 1: Marketplace Situation Analysis
This part of the assessment is concerned with the analysis of the marketplace situation of the
product which means that the analysis of the external and internal environment of the
company is done. It is done to analyse the influence of the integrated marketing
communication on the external and internal environment of the product i.e. Head and
Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo. The analysis is done below:
Internal Analysis
Key Attributes and Benefits
Head and shoulders is one of the leading brands in the shampoo category. The company in
enriched with multiple celebrity brand endorsements and is always looking forward to
capitalize on their popularity. The company with its different ad campaigns lures in both the
rural and the urban market. It deploys different strategy for both the market and has a defined
STP for both of them. These are some of the key attributes and benefits of the marketing
strategy of Head & Shoulders.
Are the packages and label consistent with the brand image
The product has eleven varieties with five SKU’s each (2ml & 3ml sachet, 100 ml, 200 ml &
400 ml pack). It uses attractive white and royal blue colour combination as its base packaging
which looks in perfect alignment with the values of the company. Moreover, the product uses
a freshness essence in its packaging which in consumer’s mind creates a positive impression.
The company has recently came up with recyclable bottle, this makes head and shoulder the
first shampoo brand to come up with this kind of bottle, it is made up with 25% of recycled
beach plastic. This information is also shown in the marketing campaigns and is mentioned
on the labelling, builds a strong connects with the environment friendly audience.

Strengths and weaknesses of Head & Shoulders
The company to which the product belongs is a well renowned company across the globe.
Head and Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo is one of the leading shampoo brands in the
country. It is one of its own kinds and has large network of distribution (Njanja & Ogutu,
2012). The relative weakness of the brand is that it covers a particular set of customers who
are in search of dandruff eliminating shampoo. The other customers do not generally prefer
this brand which limits its coverage of market (Kotler & Gertner, 2002).
IMC and promotional organization and its capabilities
The company makes a good use of traditional promotional tools like newspapers, magazines
and digital marketing tools like television. The promotion programs of the shampoo include
sponsorships at various programs, promotional events where the customers are gifted goodies
and are made aware about the products of the brand (Ibrahim & Primiana, 2015). The brand
is capable to make use of its resources and to target mass population to use the products of
the brand.
Capability of the firm
Head & Shoulder is product of American company proctor and gamble who is the market
leader in the FMCG sector since a long time. The company has enough funds to spend
towards its marketing strategy and some of the best marketing agencies working for it, that no
company can beat it in its own game. Some of the bright minds of the industry work with
Head & Shoulders and are always working on how to attract the audience towards the
product, an extremely capable firm
Previous IMC and promotional programs
The brand makes use of the social media platforms which are used by the companies
nowadays for getting better reach to the customers (Dragnić, 2014).The company uses both
the traditional and digital platforms for the penetration of its campaign and achieve the
desired objectives.
 The company adopted a unique strategy of coming up with the USP of the product in
each of its campaign.

 It focussed on the problems of dry scalp and the flakiness it will provide to the hair.
Additionally company also focussed on the strength head and shoulders will give to
the hair and fight problems of hair fall.
 It used digital medium to interact and engage with the audience and asked them a lot
of questions on how to improve the product in an interactive manner.
 Ogilvy the agency for head and shoulders conducted an analysis on the most
successful campaign and recorded the points of maximum attention, to create a new
campaign on the similar lines.
Promotional Program: Head & Shoulders “Scalp Brave”
 Promotional objective: The objective was to make people feel bold, brave and
celebrate the confidence head and shoulders give them. The campaign had a central
idea that how a healthy scalp looks like.
 Promotional Mix Strategy: The campaign was launched with a mix of print and
digital. It was launched by company’s brand ambassadors, Giovanni, Dos Santos &
Sofia Vergera, and it reached an audience of 13 million. This was followed by print
and poster activations and making 40 short films which will run on its you tube page.
 Result: The results of the campaign were overwhelming, it lead to 20% increase in
the likes on the Facebook page and resulted in 20% increase in revenue in that
particular quarter.
Brand image
The brand has good image in the market. It is because it is the part of one of the best fast
moving consumer goods company P& G. This is a powerful brand of Procter and Gamble
which has its niche market (anti dandruff shampoo). The brand is associated with the top
celebrities to endorse their products which improve its image in the market.
External Analysis
Customer behaviour analysis
Who buys the product?