Integrated Marketing Communications: A Case Study of M&S

This assignment explores the integrated marketing communications strategy of Marks & Spencer (M&S) in the UK and UAE. It evaluates different marketing channels, communication objectives, and the effectiveness of M&S's communication plan. The analysis includes a critical evaluation of the communication strategy, channel choice, and creative content, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of M&S's approach.

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
P1. Evaluate different types of marketing channels and how they serve communication
objectives within an organisational context:....................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
P2. Design communication objectives for a given organisational situation....................................8
P3. Provide justifications for the selection and integration of communications channels chosen.. 9
P4. Create a communication plan that effectively meets communication objectives for a given
organisational situation..................................................................................................................10
P5.Critically evaluate a marketing communications plan in relation to the communication
strategy, channel choice, creative content.....................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................14
Reference List................................................................................................................................15
Appendix........................................................................................................................................17
P1...................................................................................................................................................17
P3...................................................................................................................................................21
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Introduction
The concept of integrated marketing communication is simple where it ensures progressive
development of an organisation following an amalgamated practice, which consists of marketing
communication such as advertisement of products, sales and promotions, free associations,
digital endorsement and social media selling by applying different policies, in order to carry out
the absolute work as an integrated force.
It is an endeavour by an organisation, which also ensures that the entire marketing
communication medium should meet the expectations of consumers living across the world. The
study will take an in-detail evaluation about M&S integrated marketing communications in UK
and UAE and the proper channels and medium taken behind its success. This assignment will
also state about the purpose of such type of communication, which is effective for any other
organisation like M&S.
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Task 1
P1. Evaluate different types of marketing channels and how they serve communication
objectives within an organisational context:
There are various types of marketing channels of an organisation, which concentrates mainly for
the brand popularity as well as the companies brand loyalty and at the same time focuses on
company’s relationship with the consumers. It can be more simplified through a flow chart
below that where and how few different types of integrated marketing communications can be
classified into two segments based on some categories of consumers. The following flow chart
attached:
Different types of marketing channels:-
 Direct channels – It consists of directly an alignment between Manufacturer and
consumer.
 Indirect channels- It consists of interrelationship between Manufacturer, Retailer and
Consumer
‘Indirect channels’ follows an interlinked process. This process revolves around the above-
mentioned people. It starts from manufacturer, and then goes to wholesaler, from wholesaler to
retailer and to consumer. Not only that it also follows the process from manufacturer to agent,
and then to wholesaler, from wholesaler to retailer and then lastly to consumer. The whole round
of marketing channel goes in such procedure. On the other hand, ‘direct channel’ is a direct
coalition with a consumer. As stated by Crawford and Brennan, (2014), in relation to the types
above, as already known about M&S as one of the leading retailer of UK. It follows both the
types of channels for marketing communications. Some critical evaluation with laid examples
can illustrate more clearly.
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According to M&S, digital marketing is one such type, which is mainly decorated and at the
same time, direct communication with the consumers are attempted by the organisation. It also
focuses on what product is being advertised and makes investigation about the similar quality of
the product being sold in different stores of M&S situated in different locations of UK and other
parts of the country in UAE.As per Karell and Lang,(2015), although both the types of channels
of marketing is followed by this organisation. Incase of food products, it simply tries to bridge
the gap between manufacturer and a consumer unlike most of the company. For different
products different strategies has been maintained since the beginning of its foundation.
Communication objectives can be mentioned below in the form of an image for further
explanation.
Objectives of communications: It follows some elements, which has been typically in practice in
any organisation.
Advertising
Public relations
Personal selling
Sales pitching and promoting
Promoting through internet
Figure 1: objectives of communication
(Source: Parsons, (2016)
The above ingredients are applicable for marketing communication. As per these objectives,
lying on the part of advertisement, M&S stands outfit among all other retailer. It has been a
multipurpose approach in terms of every versatile product, which has been till, now established
in the market. Some demerits are definitely lying behind for any type of approach by a
manufacturer or it can be in other particular segment of the organisation. Coming to both the
negative and positive aspect, it will be understood with much more brevity. If a more simplified
network distribution can be availed by the consumers over internet then it becomes easier to
retain any consumers while selling any products. As an example if clothing is one such product
then based on an overview of a survey on last Ten months, it has been found that around 79% of
consumers have utilised the click and collect method of buying the product from several
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locations. It has become easier but it gave quite different in both the quality and the promoted
advertisement. A graphical presentation can be shown here.
Figure 2: graphical structure of sales and advertisement
(Source: Lischka et al., 2014)
It also reflects the number of respondents which has reduced because of some disappointing
experience faced by some of the consumers while delivery of the online products from Stores.
Advertising: Coming to the part of advertising of any product in M&S starting from food to
clothes, it emphasises on advertisement part so brilliantly that any consumer gets attracted easily.
But there should be a balanced way of approach before the consumers like that as if a consumer
should not be mislead in terms of any product mismatch or product quality or in case of any lack
of communication in sending the product in the exact location for delivery within the given date.
(Rathi, and Kulkarni 2017)
Public relations: In terms of public relations, M&S has a good background until date but if light
goes down to its negative aspects, it comes about the high range of clothing, which has
increased. However, as opined by Thacker, (2017), it has been worked upon quite rapidly and the
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prices have been lowered later. So building a good relation is important. As per M&S, it has been
kept so far well.
Personal Selling and promoting: when it goes to personal selling, this objective is held
responsible for both of its selling and pitching for any product personally after visiting the home
of a consumer. For any product which is not understood easily by any customer that is being
explained by the marketers from the company to provide detail knowledge about that particular
product individually.
Internet promoting or digital promoting:
Promoting any item for consumption through digital form is one of the first and foremost
objectives among other, which is applied in M&S since the beginning. In promotion of its brand,
it has recently developed its individual mobile site and its own App to sponsor more products.
All these above elements have helped a lot behind success of M&S to carry it forward to higher
level. Like other organisation, M&S has worked so beautifully on its hoardings and banners for
advertising the brand more colourful in social media. At the same time, it has also brought
together consumers more close to the manufacturer and has understood the requirement of the
people regarding the food quality, clothes, and other products also. Chuma and Digital River
2015)
Similarly, M&S has also worked upon its liaison with the consumers. Mainly focussing on this
element, the organisation has met on personal ground with the consumers while pitching and
promoting products. Parallel to this, it has also gone through the element of digital marketing and
recently which last upon its mobile site, its own App to provide more segments of products.
Therefore, in this way, the mentioned essentials have helped as an integrated marketing
communications until date.
.
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Task 2
P2. Design communication objectives for a given organisational situation
A wide scrutiny report can reflect here the above chosen objectives with some examples and
what M&S has done so far.
Advertising as one objective of marketing communications:
The most functional area of marketing communications for M&S is one and only its creative
style of advertisement. In its advertisement, social media is one such media, which has increased
its recognition. It has exclusively worked upon creating emoji. On the other hand, advertising of
Christmas in Television if taken as a scenario can be another example. Beside this, it can make
more striking by bringing any popular figure while promoting through ads in Television. Well
known persons from any background whether sports or entertainment field. Therefore, it can
gain attention of the consumers. Through these medium, the company can take the feedback of
the customers across the world, which will affect its brand positively.(Prokhorov and Tao 2015)
Public relations as an objective of marketing communications:
Apart from this, M&S has also discovered a loyalty card, which has helped to reduce waste.
Through loyalty card, retailers are able to get in touch with the consumers directly. Mainly,
Sparks has helped to reduce promotional advertising and decreasing big discount offers and
getting the business participation more personalised.(Nascimento and da Silveira,(2017)
Digital promoting as another objective of marketing communications:
Through digital marketing, another example can be displayed through Face book and Instagram.
M&S has promoted through this media as well. It has tried to reach the consumers in a more
personalised way through precise text messages in social media. M&S believes in story telling
form in promoting its ideas and concepts with more clarity. More apt justification can be given
through this media. It has helped to know the consumers more closely. Hence, consumers are
able to write a review for this promotion (Hong Chen et al., 2015)
Therefore, all these above objectives are quite evident here to justify the marketing strategy of
M&S now and in future.
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P3. Provide justifications for the selection and integration of communications channels
chosen.
The chosen objectives can justify well how far it has helped M&S to improve its quality of
products and how far it is going to help in future as well.
Justification against Advertisement:
Through advertisement, M&S has successfully developed its products like Oak ham chicken, the
iconic chocolate pudding; lingerie and tailoring mainly by campaigning through television were
most fruitful for the company. Because of promotion of these products, today M&S is one big
brand across the world. Initially the organisation has given its inputs in its taglines and catchy
words, which has helped a lot in the presentation of the advertisement. It has engrossed
consumers and helped to build up a trust in its brand loyalty.
Justification against choosing digital marketing:
Through digital marketing, it has effectively helped M&S to stand in its feet. It unique way of
promoting is through messages to reach individual consumers is really a different step from other
organisation. Buying and selling process directly online has helped a lot. Consumers are able to
get the required garments and other products like cosmetics and food items online through
suppliers across the world today. As opined by Charles worth, (2018), like the women garments
such as women T-shirts and tops, and the cosmetics are available with range of prices. Those
selected items are reachable to the given address within 24 hours of selection and the ordered
products online in the nearest stores.
Justification against choosing public relations:
Beside all the above justification, it comes now to public relationships. Here M&S has involved
its agents to move from one place to another with the explanation of a brand new product if the
same is not understandable through internet or advertisement. This particular objective can be
justified with the example of Christmas ad, which has created a good relation between the
organisation and its relation with the public. Revenue from women swear had affected a lot
during that times but it was almost rectified later. As stated by Grunig ( 2017),it is clear that
despite of this several issues, M&S has successfully formed a good relation with the consumers.
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P4. Create a communication plan that effectively meets communication objectives for a
given organisational situation
Based on the overall overview of all the objectives and justifications above it can be suggested to
M&S to create some plan of communication for its future improvement, which it can effectively
meet those communication objectives. Some of them are as follows:-
Collection of products from store:
Bringing improvement in collecting the product next day from store is one such improvement,
which should be practiced well from now onwards in the organisation. Based on an E
Consultancy survey report, this was found on 2013, it was found in some negative aspects of its
suppleness of delivery in products. There was a gap scrutinised from the survey that many online
products were not going similar after it was clicked and then next day when it was about to get
collected from the store. (Nguyen, et al., 2014)
Checking the faults from store:
Through this type of communication, there will be a direct interaction between retailers and
consumers as well for product rectification and modification. This part comes in the segment of
creating good relationships with the consumers. This is another suggestive measure for more
improvement of M&S future communication.
Online browsing hubs in store:
Consumers should be given the option of browsing an index and barcodes while ordering the
product online. This particular option can be emphasised for future so that any consumers can be
to sight in detail about the detail of the products information post going through it.W.J, et al.,
2014)
Video play on the rail:
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There will be another suggestive measures, which can be as an important measure here again for
future. Videos should be played in rail, which has been selected by any consumers online. In
short, this suggestive technology can be applied for future for a better growth.
Acknowledgment of store:
The contribution of store is another such communication here, which needs to be improved here.
Physical store is quite a good communication where both online and offline sales of the products
can be improved. There are more suggestive measures, which will be stressed more effectively
like the use of ipads in stores. The training staffs need to be more trained for operating the ipads.
M&S should take the initiative to choose staffs for better implementation of products in the
ipads.(Niinimäki, et al., 2015)
Social media improvement:
There should be one 24hours social media marketing like face book, instagram as well as twitter
also to write a review and promotion should be done on every day basis with some more
advanced technology. (Iwase, et al., 2016.)
Improvement in clothing style:
Clothing styles can be improved more and as per customer’s taste of fashion. In addition, the
price range should be balanced for every type of customers. There should be inclusion of some
vouchers, offers or gift coupon facility during festivals and in different seasons also.
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P5.Critically evaluate a marketing communications plan in relation to the communication
strategy, channel choice, creative content.
Rapid globalisation and revolution in the information technology in M&S .one of the options is
integrated marketing is one of the communications to add value to the value to potential buyers,
which is used to create value for the possible consumers and also helps to authority directly the
purchase patters.
Market analysis:
These are marketing strategies need to achieve by M&S :
 Representation structure campaign: Those are planned to commune an exact
status for the manufactured goods, as well as to emphasis the ways that it could
complete the lifestyle of the clients. As per Gonzalez Bailón, and Wang,(2016),it
depends on those presentations that are going to increase the attention of the
consumers in the market.
 Sole advertising scheme: It is the one quality of the manufacturing goods which it
differentiates the product from the rivalry.
 Positioning the strategies; which focus on the ways that customers differentiate
the products comparing with their perception of the competitors' products.
 Straight reaction: immediate reaction is required from the customer in respect of
buy, a request for broacher, or a leaving to the store.
Running the element mix of M&S:
Deciding what is the medium, which will be used to convey the message of the
M&S campaign. There are five elements of promotional mix:
 promotion: any salaried form of non-personal announcement of thoughts or goods
in the major medium .It takes place in many forms such as, TV, poster, movies
and means of communication .(Ghosh and Roth 2015)
 Public relations: are “the on purpose, intended and continued attempt to create
and maintain mutual understanding between an business and its publics ”
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 Straight marketing: As stated by Holloway, (2017), it is the communication,
which can be prepared to appeal to the addressed purchaser. It takes place in my
forms such as straight mail, tele-promotion, and internet promotion.
 Sales promotion: The activities, which aim to impermanent, amplify in sale. They
obtain place by many forms such as purchase one get one free, free model and
cash off coupons.
 Individual selling: this is intended to meet the customer’s needs by communicate
face to face between the purchaser and vendor.
M&s had two objectives inside its selling relations campaign. It has tried to show
that its goods have been characterized and differentiate from the competitor goods
by its elevated inferiority, fashionable, great worth and to improve the perception
of customers in conditions of excellence and trend. At the finish of each period on
or after each year M&S carry out M&S announcement campaign .(Bauer and
Palmatier, 2017)
Marketing tools and sales endorsement in M&S campaign convey a message is ‘value
importance each money’ also M&S has also tried to say its aim audiences that it has to built its
standing in value of excellence , it has improved historical attributes of excellence besides that
M&S has launched the movie because the profitable publicized in movie developed a powerful
thought to the customers . As opined by Amal and Kudo,(2016),at the same time the
advertisement was developed on the internet to maintain the TV and furthermore, the audience
were transport the ad to each other by email .therefore the marketable internet was effective in
two ways distribution the message between the customers and cost .promotional tool which has
been by M&S promotion , is added which is measured as a types of sales endorsement and it
was used to support the aim audience of M&S to expend more .
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Conclusion
An business enterprise requires an image, which describes itself a trustworthy and dependable
which is not only notice in developing proft but also places notice to the customers as well
Integration of marketing tools is in relation with the business’s strategic purpose is transmitted
through a chosen media, results in helpful integrated marketing communication strategy. This
merger of plan, tool, communication and medium is called market communication mix.
Nevertheless, with the development of new technologies and advances in turn information tools
communication has totally revolutionized and has impact in business in M&S strategy. .One of
the largest business organisations in the trade commerce is M&S. It is one of the UK's most
important retailers of garments, food, residence ware and monetary forces, helping 12 million
patrons a week on in excess of 400 UK supplies. London, UK is the headquartered of Marks and
Spencer .M&S has been throughout a group and has been a lot of struggles. By considerate
M&S's planned place, it r help to be familiar with their marketing plan as they are directly linked
to each other.
It is excellent to start by analysing; by the SWOT and PEST analysis as a way of the planned
capability of an organization. Consequent, an external analysis will be standard Subsequent, for
business to do well a Marketing Communication strategy has to be designed and numerous
advice and solution will be optional for Marks and Spencer. All of that will be introduce and
analyze all the way through the story. environment to Marks and Spencer .M&S ethics are
quality, worth and services however they are they are paying attention to their brand more than
on giving attention to their customer needs .however there are many evidence of success the
marketing relations movement of M&S. the market share of M&S in terms of cloths and foods
increased from 10% 2009 to 2% in 2010 roughly .
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Appendix
P1.
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P3.
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