Marketing Strategies and Literature Analysis

This assignment delves into the intricacies of marketing strategies, focusing on place marketing, entrepreneurial marketing in small businesses, social engineering vs. social marketing, and more. Students are required to analyze various literature sources, including 'Marketing: Culture Institutionalized' by A. Firat, 'Essentials of Radiation, Biology and Protection' by S. Forshier, and 'Services Marketing' by C. Lovelock, among others.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function of ALDI........................................1
P2. The way roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context
of ALDI..................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Comparing the ways in which ALDI applies marketing mix to the marketing planning
process to achieve business objectives...................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P4. Producing and evaluating a basic marketing plan for ALDI............................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is basically an action of promoting and selling services and goods. It also
includes market research and advertisement. Marketing is a study and management in
interpersonal relations. It is used to frame, bring and offer satisfaction to the buyers. The term
marketing is determined as the process of management in which services and goods are shifted to
the concept of buyers in order to satisfy their wishes and demands. It is an essential techniques in
innovative business firms. The process of Management involves like as creating strong relations,
opts best and suitable strategy, arranging demands of buyers and face off the competitors in order
to attaining pre determine goals and objective of the firm (Brooks and Simkin, 2011). Marketing
includes the association of four factors such as price, product, place and promotion. This
assignment is based on ALDI which is a discounted supermarket chain with 10,000 stores in 18
nations. It is a retail industry and located in Germany. They have sound turnover that is more
than 50 billion. This report is based on ALDI's marketing functions that is playing important
roles and responsibilities in order to develop the organisation. The creation or production of the
new products of ALDI is to involve betterments of applications and systems that are framed at
different prices which depend on capacity and capability of buyers. The assignment showcases a
discussion of marketing mix of two companies and basic marketing plan of Aldi.
TASK 1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function of ALDI
The concept of organisations has shifted to the buyers with the help of the process of
marketing. In other terms, it is an essential evaluation of the management of exchanging
relations. Operations of marketing deal with the creation, communications, exchange and
delivering goods and services that are having some value for the customers who are purchasing
the products, business associates and so on. This analysis is major and critical concept the
locality comes in to elements. With the marketing function, company wished to convince their
main target buyers that their goods are so creative and various from other product. They will
make their buyers satisfy and will ask them to purchase it cause if firm will do that thing then
they will be profitable (Brady, 2014). In this phase where all the competition is boost up and a
particular product is marketed by the more firm. The major and critical task is that how a firm
will be able to make their customers aware for their certain brand and its existence in the market
also there are some profits which are attached to it. Hence, for the same, marketing is an exercise
1

that provides assistance to the firm in order to capture more number of individuals that will be
converted into customers or buyers.
Marketing refers to the promotion and awareness for the some particular brand, product
and services. An organisation will divide a lot of budget for their marketing campaign because
they determine the importance of this activity that can be able to provide more benefits. For it
they ensures that their promotional and advertising activities are having uniqueness and
creativity or all the operations are arranged in a better manner with effective planning. They need
to understand the significance of the marketing and during it firm also needs to be aware that
they are too facing with the various different small and bigger competitors who are serving
services in the same division (Chamorro-Mera, Miranda and Rubio, 2014). All the marketing
exercises are created by the firm and keeping the demands and needs to buyers in the mind along
with it the aim of it is to make their wishes fulfil with the help of effective product. They are
required to sell their product but before it, firm needs to be bring out activities of marketing in
order to convince buyers for why they should buy firm's product and services.
With the change in time, trends are also changed and hence, the firms are more
concentrated on the demands of customers. It can be stated that now a days marketing has
become majorly buyer’s centred cause purchasing capacity and bargaining power of buyers is
enhanced. The mission for the marketing in firm is to boost up the consumer and along with it
they will be able to improve their profits at the same time (Fazlollahtabar, Aghasi and Forte,
2012). Therefore, firm will opt some strategies of marketing which are based on the buyer’s
needs and firm will determine objectives and goals as well.
Aldi is a discounted supermarket based in Germany. This is the retailer firm which
provides different and a large variety or range of products. All the activities of marketing revolve
around the elements of the product which they are offering to the buyers (Forshier, 2012). In
business, marketing reflects some benefits that buyers can have with the help of quality products.
There are different kinds of marketing functions that ALDI needs to perform and they are
detailed as:
Distribution: This element provides details about services and products that will be
distributed in the market and therefore, it depicts that what would be the technique or methods
that will be utilized or opted by ALDI to market services and products. For an example: ALDI
2

will involve some of the new roles in their showroom but if they are not marketing in a proper
manner, goods and services will fail in the market area.
Financing: For the activities of marketing, they are required to have some certain budget
that will be used in order to bring up all campaigns of marketing. Improper amount of finance
would be a barrier in the market of products or services and hence, it is needed to have an
appropriate amount of fund to conduct effective campaigns of marketing for their offered
services and products.
Marketing Information: It is a prominent function of ALDI cause with the help of
market data, they will be able to know what buyers think or need to have as their demand and on
the grounds of the same they frame their marketing campaigns. This will provide profit to them
in order to facilitate effective services in market place as they have already evaluated the
demands (Gertner, 2011). At the time of festive season, firm can be able to offer new items for
entire family because this is the time when all the members come out and invest their quality
time with each of them.
Pricing: It is a hard and critical task in respect to determine the prices of the goods and
services that are needed to be sold by ALDI. Pricing should be flexible that helps in attaining the
competitive advantages. Therefore, what would be the suitable prices at which person will be
ready to purchase their offered products and services and grab competitive advantage this factor
is major player in the formation of success. ALDI needs to ensure that they will determine or set
as suitable price because law cost will capture more buyers but lowers the benefits margins.
Goods and Management of the Service: Although, they determine appropriate costing
but things will be gone in wastage if the product or services at the ALDI are not efficiently
arranged. Hence, for it, firm needs to have market survey and what are the demands of the
customers. Who are coming to the supermarket of ALDI. It is the responsibility of the manager
to ensure that supermarket is very neat and clean also the employees are effective in treating
customers with effective behaviour and helpful nature.
Promotion: There are different several stages that can be utilize by the ALDI in order to
market their services and product which are offered by firm. Advertising is an important tool
which is a paid kind of promotion that can also be undertakes in to the promotion and other side
social media is also a tool of marketing a product and through it firm will be able to capture more
3

and larger number of individual. Now a days, social media marketing is high in trend and
companies are investing more on it.
Selling: Marketing and selling are two exercises that are having link with each other. The
core aim of ALDI is to sell up the products and services that needs to be produce to the buyers.
In it, they also determine that buyers are having quality in the offered items. But sometimes,
main problem is the decision of the costing for certain product.
P2. The way roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context of
ALDI
Location of marketing is playing major role in order to boost up firm's productivity and
profitability. They will provide information about the different tools and techniques that can be
imposed to have competitive advantages. Functions of marketing reflects the interrelation with
different departments of the firm. It depicted that there needs to be a relation with the buyers and
firm so that they will have all the objectives which they are wanted to. ALDI believes in the
value that is entirely dedicated to the needs and demand of the buyers (Jones and Rowley 2011).
Firm are concentrating to build an effective image of their brand and makes powerful brand
value in the market. ALDI has used different kinds of strategies and promotional activities to
boost up the performance of their in the area. Through appropriate practises of all these activities
firm will be able to have objective and goals. A firm will be successful when the company have
larger numbers of customers. For capturing more numbers of persons and convert them into
buyers, firm will use some of the function which are detailed such as:
Research: No firm will performed their marketing function without the research of
market. In order to know what is happing in the market company will conduct a research and
look after different aspects of it. Through the evaluation of the market they will be able to create
firm's activities that needs to be done in proper manner. To determine objectives and Goals
Company needs to know about the rivals good and plans that they needs to take care.
Transportation: ALDI required to have transportation so that they will be capable to
move their product form one location to different one. Hence it is important that firm use
effective transportation that are cost effective and exist in the lower price.
Risk assessment: There may be some issues that can reflect on their performance and
market in negative manner. All risk are negative situation that can minimise the growth of the
company. The risk can be arranged with effective knowledge of risk (Joshi, 2012). They should
4

garb strong result so firm needs to carrying flexibility in their performance for it they required to
obstruct the risk.
Quality of products: It is the most important element that determine the level of success
of the ALDI. In order to satisfy the buyers they should ensures which all products relays on
quality level. They are known as the market leader for longer years because they never adjust
with the quality matters. They should set level of quality at their departments on continues basis
and convey everyone suitable information.
Product Development: With the research market, marketing function states about the
product development. Marketing persons will be aware for the department of research and
development needs of the customers because they are working in the related fields and having
clear image for buyer’s demands.
Human Resources: The functions of department of HR is to hire or recruit employees so
that ALDI will not face lack of employments. Marketing department help in order to spreading
awareness for announcement of filling up vacant post (Kennedy and Parsons, 2014). On the other
side, human resource management will provide information to marketing department which is
required for the market campaigns.
Customer Service: ALDI is concentrating on the buyers needs and accordingly they
makes changes in their campaign and marketing trends. With the help of it they are able to
provide satisfaction to their customer.
Finance: Fund is required for every marketing campaign hence it is essential to have
suitable and appropriate level of finance.
Administration: There are some policies of the ALDI that are followed by every staff
members. To confirm all the employees are following all rules of the administration departments
in it marketing assistant provide assistance in updating information according to the government
policies.
TASK 2
P3. Comparing the ways in which ALDI applies marketing mix to the marketing planning
process to achieve business objectives
Marketing mix considered with various elements that is called 4ps and 7ps. These are
essential for making any organisation strategies as well as take better decisions regarding
5

producing any goods or services for satisfying consumers’ needs or wants in appropriate manner.
Marketer always try to find best suitable way for promoting particular product or services as in
this, they conduct research or survey process where data has gathered and analyse particular
demands of customers, competitors and market trends (Baker and Saren, 2016). These helps in
making effective strategies for promoting company's goods or services and create strong image
among competitors. Aldi is one of the biggest super market stores as they focus on marketing
mix strategies for creating demand and attracts numbers of customers towards organisation. In
this, there are some comparison among Aldi and IKEA plc. as they consider various kinds of
strategies in marketing mix for achieve their business objectives such as:
Marketing mix
tools
ALDI IKEA
Product This firm provide affordable food
products to customers for satisfy their
needs or wants. They also offer
several products such as fresh fruit
and vegetables, health and beauty
products, clothes, stationery,
electronic products, house hold goods
as well as soft tools at ultimate price.
It is one of the leading global retail
chains across world. They offer
various kinds of products such as
outdoor furniture, baby and
children's products, bathroom
stage, desks, mirror, beds, chair,
cooking, cloths storage, decoration
and safety product.
Price Aldi has strong customer base as it
sell products and services in
reasonable price to people (Brady,
2014). They use pricing strategies and
provide quality of goods in the
market. They use unit pricing
strategies, market penetration,
competitive pricing, psychological
and loss leaders pricing that support
in achieving predetermined goals or
objectives and make customers loyal
This firm is competing with
various retail chain at global level
and local supermarkets so there are
several competitors of IKEA. Its
vision, business ideas as well as
concept is low price of products
and services. They focus on cost
control and efficient operational
details. They also use various
pricing strategies for their products
and services such as market
6

towards company. penetration and competitors based
strategies.
Place Aldi has approx. 8000 stores in 18
countries. They focus on particular
place for opening their venture so that
number of customers can reach easily
for buying any items (Chamorro and
Miranda, 2014). This firm use
warehouses for storing products and
online presence for providing
information.
This firm is also consider effective
place and distribution strategies
which is part of marketing mix. It
has global distribution network. Its
distribution centres are more than
50 countries and it also consider
effective supply chain for reducing
transportation costs.
Promotions They use comprehensive marketing
mix strategies for promoting their
products and services in the market. It
helps in creating awareness among
customers regarding goods and its
details in appropriate manner
(Fazlollahtabar and Aghasi, 2012).
Promotional tools includes print
media, internet, commercial ads,
electronic and display media so that
number of customers can be attracted.
This firm is also focuses on
various marketing activities for
providing information regarding
particular products and services.
They use various promotional
tools such as TV, prints, online
ads, billboards etc. IKEA launched
an advertising campaign at UK-
wide that name was home is most
important place and sign like Not
For Sale which was part of
campaign.
People This store has lower customers
services so they adopted strategies as
divided task among all employees and
assign work so that they can provide
better satisfaction to customers and
employees in effective manner (Fırat,
2013). Such as employees at the
They provide better environment
or atmosphere to customers and
employees. They use their
effective culture which are based
son togetherness, enthusiasm as
well as fun. They focus on
employees and provide training for
7

billing counter, sales person and
displaying variety of products to the
customers which support in meeting
their desired expectations level.
treating every individual in
appropriate manner so that the will
feel motivated and purchase
various good and services for
satisfying their need and wants.
Process Aldi firm always finds several or
suitable way for producing and
promoting particular goods and
services. They usually keeps the
limited number of high quality at
lower as well as reasonable price so
customers will not confuse towards
goods so it support in reducing the
selection time
It has several business process at
place. It produce approx. 44
productions units across 10
countries. They use effective better
procedures for producing products
and make appropriate and clean
working environment. IKEA has
most unique supply chain and
inventory management techniques.
It produce best quality of goods
and services by managing
resources and controlling on costs
so that better products can be get
and it also support in making
environment friendly.
Physical Evidence Aldi is global retailer store as it
renowned for business procedures,
global pricing and standardisation
(Forshier, 2012). Its store has
generally consist with home brands
and other recognised brands. This
provide cheaper products and keeps
everyday low price.
It has approx. 350 stores across 50
countries. IKEA has huge store
layout that provide more in
shopping experience to the people.
They use specific path in their
store and guide arrows that
support in achieving desired
outcomes. It has restaurants, baby
handling area, smoking zone,
parking area and many more for
8

customers.
Marketing planning process:
For every organisation, it must be required to make effective and efficient plan which
must be in systematic way (Gertner, 2011). It is an essential for developing an organisation
through making marketing plan where company decide that how to sell particular goods and
services by using strategies and tools or techniques for reaching at potentials customers. There
are some steps which are following for better marketing plan such as:
Analysis: This is the first phase of this planning and in this consider environmental
studies which is required for analysing market trends or conditions as well as current
organisation situations.
Planning: In this phase, marketers make blueprints of selling products and services as it
helps in providing guidelines for implementing those procedures in effective way. Aldi has to
take various decisions regarding tools of marketing, pricing strategies, time of marketing,
budgets and methods etc.
Implementation: In this step, all planning generally converts into various actions. On the
other side, marketing tools starts their processing as per the drafts. In this continuous flow of
activities requires.
Controlling: It is the last phase which starts when all plan executed. This involves
several activities of marketing which must be checked at regular basis (Jones and Rowley, 2011).
In this phase, marketer ensure about plan that should be correct and reduce the gap from actual
plan.
TASK 3
P4. Producing and evaluating a basic marketing plan for ALDI
Marketing plan generally concern with documents which has written for outlining the
market strategies of the company. It also called as the blueprints that helps in displaying
marketing tools, advertisement of an organisation for future purpose. Every firm required to
make effective marketing plan that provides benefits to the business firm. Aldi group is
supermarket which deals in selling variety of products, food items and services for providing
9

better quality of goods to the people. There are effective marketing planning for Aldi
organisation such as:
Vision of ALDI: “Their vision is to enable British shopper to live richer lives for less.”
every people should have opportunities for buying every grocery items at the highest quality with
lowest possible price (Joshi, 2012). They offer their customers in smarter way to shop.
Mission of ALDI: Company's mission is to provide incredibly high quality of goods and
services at lower price to the customers and keep them satisfy by effective goods and services.
After analysing visions and mission of Aldi firm, it must be required for manager of
marketing department to collect relevant data as well as information regarding Aldi's SWOT
analysis such as:
SWOT analysis of ALDI
Strengths:
 Claims for serving top quality of products and services.
 Offers in affordable price to people.
 This firm operates its costs at lower level.
 It has approx 8000 stores in European and other countries. This firm has operations in around 15 countries at worldwide.
Weaknesses:
 This firm is still relatively small in comparative to other brands.Aldi has not been able to
impact at global level because that are very few other chain stores. Sometimes this group allegedly regarded as the Aldi store for cheap and low quality
items.
Opportunities:
 As per the market image, they need to invest more funds for advertisement so that they
can beat competition. They should take corrective actions regarding company such as expanding into growing
economies like Africa, Asia etc.
Threats:
 One of the biggest threats of Aldi is that they cannot cater to customers looking for
complete shopping experience (Kennedy and Parsons, 2014).
10

 Another threats are competitors as various retailers in the market who have thousands of
different SKUs.
 Last but not least, the private label brands of ALDI can be tossed away through
establishing brands among competitors.
Goals and objectives of ALDI
These are defined as the elements which known as the end outcomes that every
organisation or firm wants to accomplish from the different efforts (Papasolomou and
Melanthiou, 2012). Aldi focus on promoting its store at wide level as well as increase sales by
those target audiences who do not use such kinds of products.
The major goal of ALDI group is to provide best qualitative products to customers at
reasonable price that focus on creating demand among people and earn higher revenues or
profits. It will support in satisfying customers while meeting their desired expectations so that
they can achieve their set goals or objectives.
STP of ALDI
Segmentation: It is an effective strategy that helps in dividing market as per different
basis. Every firm generally segment their business into subset that support in reaching at target
audiences for particular market (Rossi and Allenby, 2012). It is very effective in selecting the
group of people for satisfying their needs and achieve goals of an organisation. Aldi group is
looking out of people to purchase grocery at competitive prices.
Target group: Aldi retail store is focusing on selling households items to people. It will
support in achieving target audience through proper segmentation.
Positioning: Aldi has strong brand as people can recognise with its private labels. It has
good placed in Germany and now it is trying to making position at international level.
After this, it is must be required to analyse the marketing mix in effective and systematic
manner. It support in achieving goals or objectives.
Marketing mix of ALDI
Product: It deals in variety of food products in effective quality. This group sales various
products such as food and beverages, fresh fruits and vegetables, health and beauty products,
cloths and households etc.
Price: Aldi use various types of strategies for effective pricing such as unit pricing,
market penetration, competitive pricing and many more.
11

Place: There are various stores of Aldi group as more than 8000 stores in 18 countries so
they are providing services at several places.
Promotion: This retail store use various promotional tools such as print, electronic and
display media for promotions.
Marketing strategy: It generally consider several methods which business firm designed for
attaining particular goals or objectives (Tripathi, 2013). This must be effective for achieving
goals.
Execution: - in this consist all activities in the planning which manager execute in proper and
systematic manner.
Evaluation: In this step, marketer analyse each step that involved in the marketing plan for
finding improvement area or fields for business organisation.
Marketing Budget:
Marketing budget
Particulars 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year
Initial money 54000 15000 15000 26000 20800
Investment 20000 15000 16000 14000
Total 54000 35000 30000 42000 34800
Marketing
expenditures
Advertisement 10000 7200 6800 6500 6200
Sales promotion 2200 2000 5000 3000 9100
12

Direct marketing 7700 6500 2500 7500 3000
Total 19900 15700 14300 18000 18300
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that marketing functions play a vital role in
achieving success. ALDI is one of the most famous supermarkets which has placed its position in
Germany and now, it is going to expand its business at global level. Marketing mix is effective in
creating awareness among customers and build a strong brand image. It has also been assessed
that Aldi provides various products and services to its customers at reasonable price for
satisfying their needs or wants.
13

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, M. J and Saren, M. eds., 2016. Marketing theory: a student text. Sage.
Brady, D. L., 2014. Essentials of international marketing. Routledge.
Chamorro-Mera, A., Miranda, F. J and Rubio, S., 2014. Facebook as a marketing tool: An
analysis of the 100 top-ranked global brands. International Journal of Virtual
Communities and Social Networking (IJVCSN). 6(4). pp.14-28.
Fazlollahtabar, H., Aghasi, E and Forte, P., 2012. Bi-objective two-stage decision-making
process for service marketing. International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences
(IJSDS). 3(3). pp.24-39.
Fırat, A. F., 2013. Marketing: culture institutionalized. Journal of Macromarketing. 33(1). pp.78-
82.
Forshier, S., 2012. Essentials of Radiation, Biology and Protection. Cengage Learning.
Gertner, D., 2011. A (tentative) meta-analysis of the ‘place marketing’and ‘place
branding’literature. Journal of Brand Management. 19(2). pp.112-131.
Jones, R and Rowley, J., 2011. Entrepreneurial marketing in small businesses: A conceptual
exploration. International Small Business Journal. 29(1). pp.25-36.
Joshi, M., 2012. Essentials of marketing. Bookboon.
Kennedy, A. M and Parsons, A., 2014. Social engineering and social marketing: why is one
“good” and the other “bad”?. Journal of Social Marketing. 4(3). pp.198-209.
Khan, M. N and Adil, M., 2013. Data analysis techniques in service quality literature: Essentials
and advances. Serbian Journal of Management. 8(1). pp.95-112.
Lehmann, S., and et. al. 2016. Replications hardly possible: Reporting practice in top-tier
marketing journals. Journal of Modelling in Management. 11(2). pp.427-445.
Lovelock, C., 2011. Services Marketing, 7/e. Pearson Education India.
Malhotra, N. K., 2015. Essentials of marketing research: A hands-on orientation. Essex:
Pearson.
Ogunmokun, G. O and Tang, E. C. H., 2012. The effect of strategic marketing planning
behaviour on the performance of small-to medium-sized firms. International Journal of
Management. 29(1). p.159.
Ozuem, W and Prasad, J., 2015. Online social gambling and its implications for the study of
marketing communications. International Journal of Applied Behavioral Economics
14

(IJABE). 4(3). pp.22-50.
Papasolomou, I and Melanthiou, Y., 2012. Social media: Marketing public relations’ new best
friend. Journal of Promotion Management. 18(3). pp.319-328.
Rossi, P. E., Allenby, G. M. and McCulloch, R., 2012. Bayesian statistics and marketing. John
Wiley & Sons.
Tripathi, K.D., 2013. Essentials of medical pharmacology. JP Medical Ltd.
15