Roles and Responsibilities of Marketing Functions

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
ACTIVITY 1 ...................................................................................................................................3
Explain the key roles and responsibilities of marketing functions............................................3
Roles and Responsibilities of marketing which are related to wider organisational context......6
A critical analysis and evaluation of the key elements of the marketing function and its
relationship with other functional units of an organisation.........................................................8
ACTIVITY 2 ...................................................................................................................................9
Compare the ways in which different organisations apply the marketing mix to the marketing
planning process to achieve business objectives ........................................................................9
Produce and evaluate a basic marketing plan for Coca Cola ...................................................12
Evaluate different tactics applied by Coca Cola to demonstrate how business objectives can be
achieved ....................................................................................................................................17
Design a strategic marketing plan that tactically applies the use of 7 Ps to achieve overall
marketing objectives ................................................................................................................18
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is an important function of business that is needed for planning and
developing marketing strategies and plans that will help in creating awareness of products and
services of the company in market(Akbar and et. al., 2017) . Marketing includes various
activities that are related to advertising and promotions of products and services offered by the
company. The different functions involved in marketing are advertising, delivering, selling and
promoting products among customers. The main objective of marketing department is to increase
the sales and profits of the company. The main aim of marketing department of a company is to
increase the customer awareness and loyalty. There are basically 7 P's of marketing which are
considered for analysing the market condition of the company. If there is no effective marketing
it will decrease the sales of the company. The company used in this report is Coca Cola which
was started in the year 1886 in United States. The main product offered by this company is Coca
cola drink and this also deals with other cold beverage drinks including diet coke, caffeine Coke,
Zero sugar , Coca Cola Cherry, etc. This company is placed amongst Fortune 500 companies of
Unites States. The following report explains importance of marketing function in this company.
There is an explanation of key roles and responsibilities of marketing function. There is
comparison of marketing mix of Coca cola with it's competitive organisation. Also there is a
discussion on marketing plan of the company for achieving objectives of the company.
ACTIVITY 1
Explain the key roles and responsibilities of marketing functions
A marketing function is an essential element for identifying unique features in a product
and services that are delivered to existing consumer and attracting potential buyer towards any
organisation(Armstrong and et. al., 2015) . The marketing leaders have to accurately operate
business activities taking in consideration important functions that are market research,
marketing plan, product development and designing, quality standards, branding and customer
support services. By effectively utilising these marketing function an organisation could
effectively grow its business. The marketing managers systematically formulate strategies that
will help them to manage tasks, by appropriately distributing and authorising duties to skilled
workforce so that work could get completed in an organisations. When talking about Coca-Cola,
marketing executive have to give emphasis on these marketing functions while evaluating

marketing strategies that will help in growing business in global marketing. Some of these
functions are described under beneath:
Market Research: This is the most important marketing functions which are used for
gathering market information, from both internal as well as external source for formulating
strategies for sustaining a business in competitive industries. In regards with Coca-Cola leaders
have to critically develop strategies while introducing new product in market(Baker and
Magnini, 2016) . A marketer should have in-depth knowledge about internal as well as external
environment that could impact flow of business activities in an organisation. The internal factors
include current business activities which are taking place inside the company, whereas external
factors include macro environment like changing buying behaviour of consumer in target market.
A market research helps to managers to gathers current informations which are required for
producing quality product for increasing customer base in specific industries.
Product Development: In this functions marketer have to conduct an investigation on
small sample from target while developing any new product in market. In reference with Coca-
Cola, the marketing team should analyse the life cycle of an existing product in market and
formulate strategies for adding new features in existing product and deliver to consumer in target
market(Campbell and Fabos, 2018). For instance, the leader could emphasize on adding unique
quality of liquid, shape and size of Coca-Cola bottles that will attract consumer for buying
product. The manager could also develop plan for introducing existing product with adding some
features taking in considerations health factor which will allow buyers to consume the product.
This initiative taken by marketing manager help them to increase customer loyalty towards the
organisations. It will have positive impact in improving market shares to create brand value of
company in manufacturing industries.
Market Planning: In this functions a marketer should give emphasis on exceeding
production of goods and increasing sales-promotional activities for generating new leads in
market for organisation in capturing competitive advantage in market. A market plan is
considered to be systematic framework which help managers to implement strategies that could
be effectively utilised for achieving short and long term goals of an organisations. The strategies
are discussed by efficient two- way communication process with other managers in work culture.
When talking about Coca-Cola, executive should focus on improving sale promotions by giving
special offers to existing and primal consumers. Also introduce various programs in internal

environment that are effectively utilised for having positive mouth marketing of existing or new
product in target market. A critical plan will help managers to formulate strategies that could be
beneficial for an organisation.
Product Pricing: It is the most important function as cost of product is analysed
critically taking in considerations, buying behaviour of target consumer for growing
business(Cavusgil and et. al., 2014) . In context with Coca-Cola, managers should focus on
estimating price of product in their decision making policies, where the cost of product should
satisfy need of customers. This process will help leaders to retain their target consumer as well
attract potential buyers towards organisation. The estimation of cost on product will help
consumer to decide weather they should purchase goods from specific company. Henceforth, the
effective pricing strategies will helps in gaining competitive advantage, improve customer
relationship and increased profit margin will result in growing business effectively at global
market.
Customer Service Management: The key element of marketing is satisfying existing
customer which will provide a path for growing business in cut throat competitive industries. In
regards with Coca-Cola, the manager should focus on effectively handle customer's complaints
services, providing credit facilities and after sale services to primal and existing consumer. This
initiative taken by leaders will help in increasing customer relationship by giving satisfactory
after sale services to customer. Thereafter, managing customer in desired way that it will result
in gaining competitive advantage from rivalry in an industry. Also these initiatives allow to seek
interests of more potential buyers towards the organisations.
Promotions: This functions involves providing knowledge about goods and service that
every organisation gives to their customers, while engaging them for buying and consuming
specific goods that have been introduced in market(Cohen, 2005). Basically, there are few
methods through which promotional activities have been conducted by marketer, in order to
gather attentions of customers to purchase the product. Some of promotional channels are
personal selling, advertisement, sales promotions and publicity. When talking about Coca-Cola,
managers have to invest more time on developing marketing plan, for improving promotional
activities with transparent information about product through effective communication channels.
The leaders could choose various online platforms like social media for advertising product
through You-Tube by introducing small advertisement pop-ups on every video that might be

viewed by online user. This step taken by executive will help in attracting potential and existing
buyers toward the products, it will help in increasing profit margin for the company.
From above briefed descriptions it has been analysed that these marketing functions, have
been identified as an important element in growing business and achieving objectives that are
designed by organisation(Dioko, 2016). While taking in consideration Coca-Cola, managers
have to give emphasis on formulating strategies that include critical assessment of market
informations through investigations, estimation of funds that could be effectively utilised by
producing products and packaging and labelling should be created innovatively, so that potential
buyers could be attracted towards the product which are already present in target market. It will
help in increasing brand value and profit margin of organisation.
Roles and Responsibilities of marketing which are related to wider organisational context
There are various roles and responsibilities of marketing managers that are important for
effectively operating business activities, while gaining business advantage in current competition
in market. The marketing leaders should inculcate skills that are utilised for engaging workforce
for actually performing task in an organisations(Duffett, 2017). The marketing functions has
huge impact in achieving competitive advantage for growing business in an industry. When
talking about Coca-Cola, marketing executive should give emphasis on estimating financial
budgets that are required for producing and manufacturing goods, implementations of
promotional activities and increase profit margins of company. There are strong relationship that
are build due to effective communication with other departments which are helpful in achieving
goals of company. Mentioned below are some of inter-relationship that marketing has with other
departments-
Marketing and Finance: The marketing managers have to estimate and discuss funds
that are required for producing and manufacturing product, as well as implementing sales and
promotional activities so that profit margins could be raised by the organisation. The role of
finance department is to provide accurate allocation of funds for operating business activities in
an organisation. In regards with Coca-Cola, leaders should give emphasis on proposing estimate
budget in front of finance manager so that activities can take place for growing business. In
contradictory finance department should pass the budget and allocate funds, so that raw
materials can be purchased from suppliers. Thereafter staff members effectively starts producing