Marketing Mix Strategies for Fast Food

The assignment delves into the concept of marketing plans and strategies within the context of the fast-food industry. It uses McDonald's as a case study, examining its marketing mix and comparing it to that of Burger King. The research further explores how global economic factors influence organizational strategies for growth and expansion in the fast-food market.

Marketing
Essentials
(Project 2)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
P3. Comparison of marketings mix to achieve goals and targets...............................................2
M3. Different approaches to demonstrate the organisation's objectives.....................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P4. Development and evaluation of Marketing plan...................................................................5
M4 Practical analysis of the marketing plan for McDonald's.....................................................7
D2................................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Principles are the standard which are made of conceptual facts or theories for a particular
subject. Marketing principles defines the meaning of real marketing process by implementation
of different sources and options. Marketing principles explain the meaning of marketing theories
and traditional as well as basic approaches of marketing (Castronovo and Huang, 2012). As per
American Marketing Association “Marketing is an activity which involves different processes
from creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offers to deliver the same to customers
in an attractive way.” McDonald's is the largest fast food chain service provider which is offering
various services across the world. In this above context the marketing principles are defines as
per McDonald's point of view.
TASK 1
P3. Comparison ways in which firms apply marketing mix to the marketing planning process to
achieve business objectives
7ps McDonald's Burger King
Product McDonald's provides a wide range of
fast food products such as burgers,
sandwiches, chicken burgers, snakes,
cold drinks and ice cream. It
provides multiple options to the
customers under one roof for
different customers. It provides
quality products and satisfactory
customer services to the customer. It
provides home delivery services and
take away facility too. So, it becomes
more convenient and easy for
customers to take the benefits of
products at home (Ataman, Van
Heerde and Mela, 2010).
Burger King is also one of the fast food
chain service which is competing with
other fast food frequencies. It also
provides multiple ranges of fast food
products. It started the restaurants with
basic variety of burgers, French fries,
milk shakes and soft drinks. After
getting cut though competition by the
competitors it also started developing
its variety of products. It later it
introduced “Whopper Sandwich” size
with quarter pound, which changed its
entire image in respect of burgers and
sandwiches. Its new restaurants are also
run by the name of 'Whopper Bars”.
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Place McDonald's have the largest
customer market place in all over the
world. It has approx. thirty six
thousand and five hundred
restaurants across one hundred and
twenty countries. Its market place is
designed as per the location and
customer interest. Mostly, the
hygienic and clean places are first
choice for setting up the restaurant. It
prefers location as per the numbers
and flow of customers. Airports,
shopping malls, railway or bust
stations, petrol pumps and toll ways,
colleges and schools are the targets
place from the point of view of
McDonald's.
Burger king is providing its services
across the world and building a strong
brand image in global market. It is
providing its services in approx. eighty
countries and approx thirteen thousand
outlets. Most of the part is covered by
US market and operated by its own
management and structure. It market
place may be found in Europe, Oceania,
East- Asia and recently it introduced its
brand name in India.
Price McDonald's have large number of
product’s varieties and the price is
one of the important factors to sell
products to customers. Less price
always attract the customers.
Products like burgers, French fries,
snacks are competitive in the fast
food industry. Customers have
different options to choose the
effective one. Most of the time, cost
come first before the quality.
Price is one of the crucial elements for
competitive market. Burger King is also
a tuff competitor in fast food industry
and McDonald's is one of the nearest
competitors of it. It has to keep
moderate approach in changing the
prices of product. Its price menu and
standards are made for every income
group.
Promotions McDonald's has a positive impact of
promotions and advertisements. It
Burger King's promotion strategy
depends upon the brand image and
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has celebrities who promote the
products and attract customers. Store
decorations and different themes
attract the customers to come and
enjoy the quality food services.
Slogans and statements are also the
part of promotion mix.
product’s specialities. It uses the
content of product to promote the
product. Its restaurants chains are
innovated it self. Burger King has its
slogan “have it your way” which also
attracts the customers. Scratch cards
and food coupons are also one of the
sources to promote services.
Process Process involves the services of
products delivered to end customers.
Its products are prepared in front of
its customers.
Process remains approx. same for most
of the fast food firms. Burger King’s
restaurants and food courts are operated
by the staffs and members. The
products and foods are prepared on site
in front of customers.
Physical-
evidence
Physical evidence of the organisation
defines the visibility and appearance
of organisation to organisation.
McDonald's layout and restaurants
remain attractive and hygienic every
time. It represents a clear image and
enhance surety in customers for
better services.
Burger King is one of the fast food
restaurants that is famous to introduce
different layout with innovative
concepts to customers. Its burger chain
as “Whopper Bars” is one of the famous
brand names across country. Even not
having much experiments in the layout
of restaurants, it simplicity and hygienic
environment attract the customers
(Armstrong and et. al., 2011).
People People represent the group of
members and staff of organisation.
There is always a staff of manager,
chefs and cooks and crew members
who keep aligned with the
operations.
In Burger King, the operations manager
is responsible to complete its daily
targets. There is always a manager,
supporting staff and delivery staff
present to meet daily targets and operate
customers flows.
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M3. Different approaches to demonstrate the organisation's objectives
Below mentioned certain major approaches which are helpful for a company in order to
achieve organisational objectives: - Market research – Managers are required to conduct a market research through which
they can easily know needs and wants of people and fulfil them in an effective manner.
Market research also provides information about competitors strategies and policies. Marketing planning – In order to achieve market goals and objectives, McDonald's
needs to create a marketing plan through which they can determine all aspects that might
be influenced firm's position and reputation in its target audiences (Day, 2011).
 Target market segmentation – In involves classification of customers on the basis of
their interest and choices and provide them accordingly. Systematic and effective flow of
services in target audiences helps a firm to cover high market share.
TASK 2
P4. Development and evaluation of Marketing plan
Marketing plan refers the outline of advertisement and marketing of the product in the
market to attract the customers (Kim and Hyun 2011.). An effective market plan increase the
number of customers and the product. The below marketing plan and strategies are described in
references of McDonald's. As a market leader and developing fast food industry in the world
market strategies and plan must be planned with perfect and practical ideas and thoughts.
Marketing plan based upon different aspects of the organisation :
 Introduction of the organisation: McDonald's was established in 1954. it provides
wide range of fast food variety to the customer. Quality products and best customer
service is the base of the organisation. It is working in 120 countries with approx
thirty thousand outlets.
 Mission and vision :
- Mission of McDonald's is to be the market leader in fast food industry by providing
satisfactory and quality products to the customers (What is Marketing essentials, 2017.). It works
around the theme of “To be our customer”. Its food services give a chance to relate with the
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culture and environment of the organisation. Its efforts always work around to making smiles on
the faces of customers. It creates a family bond between the organisation and the customer.
-Vision : Become best amongst all is the vision of the organisation. Its estimation is that if the
customer's point of view and overview about the organisation is good and positive then the
sustainability of the organisation become strong.
 SWOT analysis :
Strength
McDonald's is the brand name in the global
market. It is the main strength of the
organisation that it has already a platform to
show its capability. It uses economics scales to
make cost effective strategies and plans.
McDonald's is one of the organisation which is
capable to earn higher profits and it has a
capability to compensate the loss by utilising
the profit from other branches.
Weaknesses
Market stability and circumstances are unstable
and it creates difficult situation for the
managers of the organisation for making
strategies (Day, 2011). McDonald's take little
time to innovate the products and innovation.
Opportunities
McDonald's have large customer market and
its an opportunity for the organisation to give
extra services and different offers on products
so that customer get attracts.
Threats
McDonald's is flexible organisation and attract
the developing economy. Changes in rates of
currency in different countries are also create
challenges in deciding the price.
 Objectives : Objective explains the reason of the existence of the entity (Wright and
Watkins, 2010). Basically the organisations which are aligned in providing food
services and customer services are remains focused to achieve the customer
satisfaction level at their best.
 Strategies : Strategies defines the format and design of the task and wanting targets.
McDonald's has divided its market strategies in to multiple targets as market
penetration, market development, service and program development.
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 Budget : Budget shows the estimation amount of investment which is required for
implementation and performing the task. Below is the example of marketing budget.
The amount is in pound
Particular
(Marketing
Expenditure)
2014 2015 2016
Advertisement 10000 20000 35000
sales promotion 20000 26000 21000
Direct marketing 8000 15000 14000
Total 38000 61000 70000
 Monitoring and controlling : Monitoring helps the organisation to control the
operations and the performance of the organisation. Marketing department
remains responsible while performing entire task. Monitoring of the task helps to
find out the required areas of improvement and helps to design the plan as per the
results.
M4 Practical analysis of the marketing plan for McDonald's
As per above marketing plan of McDonald's it must be critically analysed the result and
the outcome of the task. For developing the marketing image and popularity in other countries it
is important to record the essential points regarding the customer point of view and the economy
rate of the country. Lower index results of purchasing power of customer shows the negative and
inappropriate situation (Fan, Lau and Zhao, 2015). It is also required to compare the actual
results to the wanting results. Increasing amount of customers and sales are the proof of
effectiveness of marketing plan. McDonald's brand image and theme is dependent on the happy
customer, so it is also required that the marketing plan got successful in achieving the goal and
objective of the organisation.
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D2
Marketing plan and strategies helps to excel the organisation's goals to operate the
function in smooth way (Castronovo and Huang, 2012.). Marketing mix helps the organisation to
expand the size of the organisation and also helps to focus on the goals and objectives. How
marketing plans helps the organisation to explore the operations at global level and making
customer interest in the market. Development and marketing plans helps to execute the
organisation's position in market (Luca and Suggs, 2010). Competition is the most available
factor which is faced by every type of organisation expect the organisation which run specific
business activities. For fast and food industry competition level remains high at every level.
Marketing mangers have to make their efforts to prepare the pricing policy.
CONCLUSION
The above research is able to elaborate the meaning of marketing plan and the different
dimensions of the marketing strategies and plans in practical manner. McDonald's which is
growing fast food industry is the opt for research this report. Marketing plan and marketing mix
are discussed as per the above organisation. Comparison of marketing mix between Burger King
and McDonald's would help to understand the market extension plan at global level. How the
global environment and economical factors effect the organisation in making the strategies and
plans for setup and explore the size of organisation is described by the practical over view and
examples.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Armstrong and et. al., 2011. Marketing: an introduction (Vol. 10). NJ: Pearson.
Ataman, M. B., Van Heerde, H. J. and Mela, C.F., 2010. The long-term effect of marketing
strategy on brand sales. Journal of Marketing Research. 47(5). pp.866-882.
Castronovo, C. and Huang, L., 2012. Social media in an alternative marketing communication
model. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness. 6(1). p.117.
Day, G. S., 2011. Closing the marketing capabilities gap. Journal of marketing. 75(4). pp.183-
195.
Fan, S., Lau, R.Y. and Zhao, J. L., 2015. Demystifying big data analytics for business
intelligence through the lens of marketing mix. Big Data Research. 2(1). pp.28-32.
Kim, J. H. and Hyun, Y. J., 2011. A model to investigate the influence of marketing-mix efforts
and corporate image on brand equity in the IT software sector. Industrial marketing
management. 40(3). pp.424-438.
Luca, N. R. and Suggs, L. S., 2010. Strategies for the social marketing mix: A systematic review.
Social Marketing Quarterly. 16(4). pp.122-149.
Peter, J. P. and Donnelly, J. H., 2011. Marketing management: knowledge and skills: text,
analysis, cases, plans. Plano: Business pub. INC.
Wright, M. and Watkins, T., 2010. Marketing financial services. Routledge.
Online
What is Marketing essentials 2017. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-marketing-essentials-iimbx-
mk101x>. [Accessed on 7th November 2017].
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