Review of Marketing Literature and Research

This document presents a comprehensive review of marketing literature and research, covering a wide range of topics such as social marketing, destination branding, online marketing, and more. It includes an extensive list of references to relevant studies, papers, and books on marketing, making it a valuable resource for students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of marketing.

Hospitality marketing
Essential

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Roles and responsibilities of marketing function ..................................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing function with other functional areas of organisation
.....................................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Comparison between different companies marketing mix ...................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4 Development of marketing plan ............................................................................................8
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a management process which is concern with promoting the company's
product or service by advertising, selling, delivering and building relationship in order to gain
increased level of customer satisfaction as well as acquire best position within competing
industry. However, marketing function is regarded as one of the essential element within every
sector of establishment in terms of manufacturing, hospitality, production, service and so on.
This is because it enables them to reach larger number of population in an efficacious and
expeditious manner that lead them to obtain profit maximisation with an optimal utilisation of
resources. Hospitality industry refer to those business group which encompasses several range of
services like lodging, food and drink, event planning, accommodation, transportation, theme park
and etc. which are established with an aim of generating experiences and healthy relationship
with customers in an improved manner (Ali and et. al., 2014). For this report, InterContinental
Hotels Group has been considered which is one of the reputed hospitality UK company and it is
established in the year of 2003. In this study, it involves roles and responsibilities of marketing
function, interrelationship between marketing department with other functional areas as well as
comparing two organisation marketing mix. Finally, design marketing plan for accomplishing
organisation objective in a stipulated period of time.
TASK 1
P1 Roles and responsibilities of marketing function
In each and every establishment, marketing plays a vital role as it considered as lifeblood
of company because it helps them to improve its sales performance and profitability by placing
the brand in a best position which render them increased consumer satisfaction. In simple terms,
marketing refers to those business activity which is related with identification, selling,
distributing and promoting the goods or services among wide range of population for acquiring
improved customer relationship. Marketing process refers to an endless or continuous series of
process or actions which is mainly focused on building relationship between customer and
companies in order to gain increased level of customer satisfaction. However, it has several roles
and responsibilities which enable InterContinental Hotel Group to accomplish its business goal
in an effective manner and it is explained below:
Roles
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Establishing relationship: This determinant is viewed as one of the integral component
as it helps an organisation to examine customer taste and preference and also encourages IHG's
marketing function to offer relevant product that help them to generate a strong customer
relationship for long term.
Explore market size: Under this component, it helps IHG to determine existing or
emerging market trend and based on that it lead them to take corrective course of action that help
firm to expand their market size or share to different geographical region in an effective and
efficient way (Bačík, Štefko and Gburová, 2014).
Responsibilities
Branding: The primal intent of every company's marketing section to fulfil the
requirement of customer in a better way. However, this element help InterContinental Hotel
Group to determine new marketing channel by adopting several strategies which help firm to
reach wide range of population that benefit IHG to improve it sales performance and profit
margin.
Tracking market competition: Under this phase, it enable IHG company to determine its
position within marketplace. Therefore, marketing plays a crucial role in this at it aid firm to
identify its competition as well as encourage them to bring best solution in order to gain
competitive advantage within prescribed time limit.
Marketing concept including current and future trend
Moreover, due to introduction of advancement and digital technologies within industry, it
creates intense level of competition among companies which directly impact over firm's
productivity and proficiency Due to such rivalry, it alters consumer demand or need which
impose huge effect over IHG volume of sales and brand value. Some of the current trend of
marketing are IoT, digital marketing, online trading and so on that help concern to strengthen its
overall performance. But at the same time, IHG is taking initiative to adopt more innovative
technologies like omni-channel marketing, artificial intelligence, programmatic advertising,
video marketing in order to obtain best positioning within market and also can easily cope up
with all sort of upcoming challenges in an innovative style (Baker and Magnini, 2016).
Furthermore, marketing concept of IHG contains five elements which varies as per the current
and emerging trend of marketplace and that directly influence over firm's profit margin.
However, IHG makes a decision to imply some automation technologies which help them to
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survive firmly in upcoming days in an improved way. Thus , some of the marketing concepts
which IHG follows within its functional areas in context of present and upcoming trend which
are as follows:
Production Concept: This section relates with perception of consumer in which it
signifies that every consumer is directly inclined towards those product which are easily
available in the market at an affordable price. However, the operation function of IHG must put
their focus on enhancing production rate for attaining increased productivity.
Product Concept: In this, it states that customer is attracted towards those brand whose
value and quality is in best position within industry that enable IHG to retain its present
population as well as assist them to capture the attention of more individuals towards its brand.
Selling Concept: This section emphasizes that for obtaining the attention of customers,
an organisation make use of various promotional technique which empower firm to enlarge its
market share or size in a better manner.
Marketing Concept: This determinate states that in order to face the competition of a
company, this concept help IHG to deliver its product or service in a better value that assist firm
to target wide range of population for maximising the profit margin in an amended way (Baker
and Saren, eds., 2016).
Societal Marketing Concept: In this element, it major focus over satisfying the need and
requirements of targeted population so that IHG can acquire best position within competing
marketplace in an innovative and creative style.
Henceforth, the above mentioned marketing concept and responsibilities help
InterContinental Hotel Group to improve its sales performance as well as can gain competitive
advantage in a better way.
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing function with other functional areas of organisation
For attaining sustainable profitability among competitive industry, marketing function
assist establishment to implement corrective course of action and makes firm competent.
However, the foremost role and responsibility of marketing section is to produce the high quality
product or service for acquiring improved customer satisfaction as well as to enhance the volume
of sales in dynamic business environment. Along with this, in IHG there are different
departments who come together to achieve a common goal or purpose of company in an
efficacious and expeditious way. Even though, each business function contains their own role
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sand responsibilities yet they are interconnected with each other which aid enterprise to improve
its brand value in a better mode (Blythe and Martin, 2019). However, some of the
interrelationship of InterContinental Hotel Group's marketing function with other departments
that is discussed below:
Marketing department and Human Resource department: In an enterprise, these
functional areas play an trenchant role which assist organisation to bring high level of consumer
satisfaction without nay hindrances. However, in relation to IHG, for acquiring highly skilled
and talented manpower, it takes an initiative to adopt innovative and attractive platforms or ways
which help them to accomplish their aim in a better manner. To approach large number of
population or candidates, IHG's human resource section make use of its marketing department as
it takes an initiative to conduct campus placement, online recruitment, job fair, displays on
pamphlets or television that aid InterContinental Hotel Group's human resource division to
obtain productive and skilled workforce for their organisation. With the help of such activity, it
enriches IHG to strengthen its overall performance as well can acquire best position within
competitive advantage.
Marketing department and Finance Department: These both functional area has an
important role within establishment as it aids company to enrich its volume of sales in an
effectual manner. In regard of IHG business operation, its marketing section makes an attempt to
promote the product within competitive industry in a stipulated period of time (Boschetti and
Massaron, 2015). However, for obtaining the same, they utilise the finance department for
meeting out all expenses in an efficient way. Thus, IHG's finance division provide enough
amount of fund to marketing section, that help them to make use of various promotional tool i.e.
advertising, direct selling, sales promotion, personal relationship, social media marketing and so
on. Due to such activity, IHG can gain competitive advantage as well as can obtain sustainable
profitability in an innovative and advanced style.
Marketing Department and Production Department: These two business function plays
a significant role as it enables IHG to produce best quality of product into the market. Thus, for
attaining sustainable profitability, IHG marketing departments makes an attempt to examine the
need or demand of customer and based on that exchange those informations to production
function. Thus, production division acquires the market trend and takes an initiative in
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manufacturing the product into the competing marketplace that help IHG to obtain profit
maximisation in a trenchant and expeditious manner in a stipulated period of time.
Henceforth, these interrelationship of different functional areas enable IHG to accomplish
its target goal in an innovative and creative style as well as can improve its brand value among
other competitor. Moreover, it helps firm to function its process in a very smooth manner with
less possibility of arising conflict or dispute inside organisational structure (Brychkov and
Domegan, 2017).
TASK 2
P3 Comparison between different companies marketing mix
Marketing mix introduces to the set of tactics or actions, that an organisation uses to
advertise its product or brand in the market. Marketing mix have 7p's which are product, price,
place, promotion, physical evidence, people and process. Marketing mix will be done for
analysing 7p's of two different organisations i.e. InterContinental Hotel and Hilton Hotel.
Marketing
Mix
Description InterContinental Hotel Hilton Hotel.
Product A product is an item
that is made or
produced to fulfil the
needs and wants of a
customers.
It is the holding company that
not produce product directly.
Company mainly specialise in
providing of different service
in every room of hotel such as
plasma TVs, refrigerator, air
conditioners, private bar,
telephones and wi-fi
connection (Mittal, 2014).
In regard of this element,
Hilton Hotel contains
wide range of service or
product as it classifies as
a full service hotel within
UK hospitality industry.
Some of its product or
services ranges are
meeting, wedding and
banquet facilities, special
event service,
restaurants,, food and
beverages, swimming
pool, gift shops, retail
facilities and other
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service. Generally, its
classifies its product into
three categories i.e. core,
facilitating and
supporting. Moreover, it
deliver its all of its
services or products in
best quality that help
them to gain competitive
advantage within
competing marketplace.
Price The price of the product
or service is refer to
those amount which a
certain group of people
pays with an aim to
enjoy and consume
product in order to get
increased level of
satisfaction.
IHG use competitive based
pricing strategy. This is
because the information on
challengers is easily available
as various number of
challengers that exists within
hospitality industry.
In relation to price
element, Hilton Hotel
implies premium pricing
strategy as they mainly
prefer upper scale
customer and charge
high level prices because
of its image and luxury
brand.
Place Place is more important
element of marketing
mix. For this, company
have to position and
distribute the product or
service in a place that is
reachable to potential
buyers.
IHG sells its product or
service via two marketing
channels such as: sells directly
to its clients via its online
website and sells to
wholesalers located all over
the nation (Kennedy and
Parsons, 2014).
In terms of this
component, Hilton Hotel
serve its service in a
convenient place which
is one of the main reason
for them to gain wide
range of population
towards their brand in a
better manner. Moreover,
Hilton Hotel operates its
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guest or customer more
than in 745,000 rooms in
more than 100 countries
and territories.
Furthermore, Hilton
Hotel & Resorts brand
alone function 206,635
rooms in 85 countries
and territories.
Promotion Promotion is an
essential element of
marketing as it can
help an organisation in
brand recognition and
increment in sales
(Jenyo Gabriel and
Soyoye Kolapo, 2015).
Company uses different media
channels to advertise its
products or services.
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
radio, television etc. are more
useful channels of
advertisement used by IHG to
promote their products or
services and attract large
number of customers easily.
Hilton hotel is a brand
within hospitality sector,
which selects to choose
the effective promotional
activities to support them
stand out of the crowd.
Hotel gives for the
exclusive membership to
customers Well-
dedicated staff and team
emphasis on unique
marketing strategies to
bring regarding a new
marketing indulgence.
People The company’s workers
are essential part in
marketing or
advertising of product
because they are the
ones who deliver the
product or service to the
Intercontinental Hotels Group
have people working in its
retail stores, customer service
department and with suppliers
to obtain raw material. These
peoples are trained to respect
all clients and try to give their
In hospitality sector,
skilled or talented
manpower is required
who can bring increased
level of satisfaction from
customer in a wide
range. Thus to maintain
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customers. full efforts in attainment of
gaols of company.
consumer loyalty
towards company, Hilton
Hotel contains skilled set
of 169,000 personnel
who put their full effort
in acquiring impressive
consumer satisfaction
and help them to retain
them for longer period of
time.
Process The systems as well as
processes of the
enterprise impact the
execution of the service.
Hotel has their online delivery
process which will helps them
in increment of customer
number. In this, orders are
received within computer
system and relevant goods
from the stock list is shipped
to the service provider.
Under this marketing
mix, Hilton Hotel's flow
of processes, service is
highly consistent and
reliable that aid them to
minimise its operating
cost. Moreover, it utilises
various distribution
system, web portals,
online booking and so on
that assist firm to gain
sustainable profitability
in an improved way.
Physical
Evidence
In the service sector,
there must be physical
evidence that the
effective service was
delivered (Dioko,
2016).
Company has their online
website that is more effective
and user-friendly as well as
allows clients to view its
products or service in high
quality taken from various
angels.
In this, Hilton Hotel has
wide range of working
presence across the globe
as it has tied up with
many hotel chains and
websites that help Hilton
Hotel to enlarge its
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market size or share in an
improved manner.
TASK 3
P4 Development of marketing plan
Marketing plan:- It outlines certain actions that business intend to conduct to gain high
customer base engagement in products and several services of company. Marketing plan applies
marketing strategies to obtain the goals as well as achieve success (Mueller and et. al., 2015). It
is a kind of roadmap which assists organisations to follow particular steps to attain the objectives
of introducing particular product or service in market.
Overview of organisation:- Intercontinental hotel group is one of the leading company
operating on global level and is based in the country United Kingdom. The company leases and
handles around 5700 hotels and 8,50,000 rooms in around 100 different countries. It has its
headquarters in Denham city, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom and was found in the year
2003.
Mission of the organisation:- Mission statement of Intercontinental hotel groups is to
provide most preferable destination choice for professionals, perspicacious enterprise and leisure
marketplace.
Vision of the organisation:- The vision statement of firm is to be recognised as specific
in industry for fulfilling guest expectations in hospitality industry. Intercontinental hotel group
focuses on attracting different customers and develop brand for serving them.
Objectives:- To provide best services to customers in hospitality industry for obtaining
profit maximisation in an effective and expeditious manner.
 To make an increment in profit margin by 20% in next 6 months.
 To increase market area in United Kingdom by 10% in coming 1 year.
Strategy:- It is long period plan framed for conducting market plan development to
accomplish company's strategic objectives.
Marketing budget:
MARKETING BUDGET
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PARTICULARS I Year II Year III Year IV Year V Year
Initial money 10000 12000 16500 18060 20900
Investment 15000 16000 23840 39500 22400
TOTAL 25000 28000 40340 57560 43300
MARKETING OUTLAY
Promotion 10400 4000 8000 2800 6000
Online publicity 3000 3000 10000 5060 5050
Print media 7000 2700 10000 5900 10600
TOTAL 21500 9700 26000 13770 21700
Controlling and monitoring measures
For accomplishing the objective in a stipulated period of time, IHG make sure that its all
business process should be perform in an organised manner which lead them to lead better way
without any hindrances.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the discussed report that in order to survive competing
within industry for longer period of time, marketing plays a significant role as it enable company
to make use of available resources in a right time and manner which aid them to gain sustainable
proficiency. Along with this, it empowers firm to identify its internal and external business
environment so that they can be aware about current or upcoming market trend which lead them
to implement best strategic decision for gaining sustainable profitability in a better way. In
addition to this, marketing function is interconnected with other department of company which
collectively lead enterprise to gain competitive advantage in a better mode. Moreover, marketing
mix help firm to introduce relevant products which generate increased level of customer
satisfaction as well as assist company to place the goods in a proper place in an accurate time
frame. Additionally, marketing plan provide accurate or relevant guidance or direction to
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organization that help them to achieve their desired goal within stipulated time frame in an
innovative and productive style.
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