Marketing Functions and Strategies

The provided document is a collection of research papers and articles on marketing functions and strategies. It covers topics like the social marketing mix, stakeholder-unifying philosophy for marketing, and corporate image's influence on brand equity in the IT software sector. The assignment also includes references to online resources such as SlidePlayer and Google images, providing visual aids like illustrations and diagrams to support the content.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function............................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibility of marketing relate to organisational context.................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P3. Ways in which organisations apply the marketing mix........................................................7
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P4. Marketing plan....................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Marketing can be defined as study of exchange relationships. It is a set of actions which
creates, communicates, delivers and exchange offers that contain some value for stakeholders
and society groups. It also known as process which is used by business organisation to promote
and sell their different products and services (Dibb and Simkin, 2013). It involves advertising
activities and market research of customers. Marketing is a huge concept which helps business
organisations in developing their performance and future growth. Through various
merchandising activities and practices enterprises can produce effective products and services,
also can compete with their competitive firms in market place. Basically, this concept is highly
associated with buying and selling of different goods and services. With the help of this, business
managers make their customers aware about various products and services (Wirtz, 2012). In
organisation, merchandising is managerial procedure by which organisational products moves
from production place to consumption place of customers. In this project, roles and
responsibilities of marketing function has been explained in the context of company namely
''Cadbury''. Along with this, a evidence based merchandising plan has also been explained. This
company is a multinational confectionery brand which is located in United Kingdom.
TASK 1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function
Marketing is a core concept which is used by different marketeers to promote and
advertise their different products and services. Basically market is a place where a huge number
of buyers and sellers come together to buy and sell various goods. Merchandising is most
important managerial process by which business enterprise can lead to higher growth and
success in competitive market place. With he help of this organisations can discover different
needs, demands and preferences of customer through which they can be able to produce
appropriate products and services as per requirements of consumers (Brassington and Pettitt,
2013). By using different strategies of merchandising Cadbury can increase its market share and
also can enhance its existing performance. There are various roles and responsibilities of
marketing department through which this company can increase its profitability and productivity
and those are following as under:
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(Source: The Marketing functions, 2017)
Market research: In this merchandising department use marketing information system
so that they can identify different needs and demands of customers and can make appropriate
decisions as per the requirements of consumers. Cadbury can identify such information by doing
market research in which it can conduct various customer surveys to discover their actual wants
and needs. Organisation can also predict different expectation of clients and can produce
products and services according to its prediction. Market research helps enterprise in evaluating
current and previous market trends, also can analysis position of different competitors
(Nikolaeva and Bicho, 2011). After getting knowledge about customers and contenders company
can make effective strategies to satisfy its customers and compete its competitors.
Planning: It is the main responsibility of marketing department as it provides effective
and systematic plans, strategies and concepts to accomplish organisational goals and objective in
a very short period. With the help of this, Cadbury can also develop, design, maintain, improve
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Illustration 1: The Marketing functions, 2017

and grow its different products and services to satisfy needs of customers. Company can make
effective plans to test their existing and new products. Effective marketing strategies and plans
can increase profitability and productivity of organization, which results in its higher growth and
development. Without appropriate merchandising planning no enterprise can communicate their
products and services to their potential customers.
Distribution: It is one of the most important task of marketing department in this,
merchandising team make huge efforts to distribute organisational products and services to
various stores so that customers can easily consume them. Only producing goods and services is
not enough, company have to distribute them in nearest store of clients so that they can easily get
them to satisfy their different needs and demands. Cadbury can make higher financial profit by
distributing its item in all over the world. If company will not distribute its manufactured
products and services in appropriate way than it can not utilise its available resources.
Financing: Every company needs budget to operate its different activities and practices.
Without sufficient capital marketing department can not execute any plans or actions. Through
organising various sponsorship, merchandising section can obtain enough funds to execute its
different activities. By providing high qualified products and services company can generate
enough finance to execute further activities and practices. For appropriate financial funds
companies can also take government assistance. It is the most important marketing function of
Cadbury, to collect money by loans, investments and own personal capital, so that company can
create and advertise different products and services (Hult andet. al., 2011).
Pricing: Pricing policy plays an important role at the time of buying and selling of
different products and services. Basically it is a procedure which is used by marketing companies
to communicate different cost or value of goods and and services. Marketing department of
Cadbury helps in deciding appropriate price of its confectionery items. If company will use high
pricing policy than it can not attract more customers, but if it will use low pricing policy than it
can not make desirable profit. So organisation have to determine appropriate price of products
and services so that people can easily purchase them, also company can make enough profit to
maintain its future growth.
Promotion: It is the most essential function of marketing. Basically it is a process of
promoting and advertising organisational goods and services so that, customers can be aware
about then and can purchase them from nearest stores. In other words, in this marketing
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department use various advertisement activities and some other kind of communication forms to
distribute important information about products, images, services so that desired results can be
achieved. Cadbury can promote its confectionery item by using help of social sites, television
advertisements and radio so that it can attract more customers to come and buy its products and
services.
Selling: In this, marketing department make direct and personal connection with their
potential customers so that it can evaluate and gratify their different needs, demands and
preferences. Company can sell its products and services by online, offline and personal selling
methods. Technology revolution has made marketing more convenient and comfortable so that
people can do online shopping. Marketer can also sell their goods and services online which help
them in minimising extra expenses. Online selling helps organisation to reduce employee
turnover cost. Cadvury can also use various selling techniques to distribute its confectionery
items.
Therefore, these are the some most important of marketing department which leads
organisational performance at higher level. Through focusing on merchandising department
Cadbury can reach to a huge number of customers and also can satisfied them by its delicious
confectionery items. This company can attract more consumers by spending on more promotion
and advertisement activities (Komppula, 2014). With the help of different elements of
merchandising organisation can provide its various products and services, at right time, at right
place and on affordable price. Through effective functioning of marketing enterprise can identify
different consumers and communicate them by various advertisement activities such as social
sites, television and radio.
P2 Roles and responsibility of marketing relate to organisational context
Marketing is a huge concept and it contains various activities which are essential for
organisational growth and development. Generally, it is consists of seven elements, these are
product, price, place, promotion, people, process and physical evidence. For better performance
and building strong goodwill company have to focus on these components. Because without
these elements marketing department can not make achieve their targeted goals and objectives.
In simple words, Organisational performance is highly influenced by merchandising roles and
responsibilities (Nath and Mahajan, 2011). Different functions of Cadbury such as human
resource, production, management are effected by core activities of its marketing team and their
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members. Effective roles and responsibilities of merchandising results in higher financial profit
of organisation, there are various function of Cadbury which are highly related with its
marketing section and these are following as under:
Business management: The most important responsibility of marketing department is to
manage over all activities of organisation because. Merchandising is the only aspect which
relates to all organisational functions. So it can be said that growth and development of company
totally depends upon its marketing section as it provides required strategies and actions to lead
organisation in right direction. In the context of company namely Cadbury, merchandising is an
integral part of organisational growth and development. Marketing section manages manage
various activities such as promotion and advertisement which is the core practices of
organisation because these action decides positive and negative development of company in
competitive market place (Nikolaeva and Bicho, 2011).
Introduction of new products: With the help of marketing concept company can
innovate new products and also can improve existing goods and services so that it can provide
better gratification to customers. By doing market research company can identify current trends
and different preferences of customers, after knowing that company can make appropriate
changes in current strategies, policies and plans of production to achieve desired results. Hence,
through using various aspects of marketing Cadbury can also innovate delirious confectionery
items so that more people can buy them. This company can also bring changes in its current
packing and packaging process so that its products can attract more customers in market place.
Attractive and unique goods and services also helps in providing competitive advantage to
company.
Financial & economic development: It is only marketing department which determines
the available finance and acquire required finance through sponsorships and taking loans.
Without enough capital no business can execute its production function and other operations.
Marketing department of Cadbury makes appropriate budget and also finds sources of finance so
that organization can perform its all activities and practices. Through merchandising company
can more efficiently attract and satisfy customers which will results in higher financial
development. This company also provides various job opportunities to people through which
they can improve their living standard. By creating employment this organisation can contribute
in high economic development.
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International expansion: Through effective marketing strategies company can export its
different products and services in all over the world. Organisation should expand their business
after doing market research of other countries, because their different rules, regulation and
policies can influence its growth and survival. Through conducting appropriate market research
of other nations, Cadbury can determine chances of its growth and development in those
nations. With the help of merchandise activities this company can easily expand its business in
all over the world. Along with this, through providing best quality products this organization can
build its goodwill at international level.
Strategy making: Mostly, all organisational practices and activities is made by
marketing department. As merchandising is the main factor for regular growth and development.
Marketing section of a company makes well planned strategies so that its efficiency and
effectiveness can be increased. Marketers set various actions to produce qualified goods so that
they can satisfied their customers in a better way (Hays, Page and Buhalis, 2013). It is the
responsibility of marketing persons to make different strategies to consider different aspects of
business environment, because no company can survive in competitive market place without
cooperating with environmental changes.
Controlling: It is known as most important role of marketing department. They have to
monitor and review all organisational activities and practices. It is very essential to measure all
strategies, policies, plans or other aspects which can impact on organisational growth.
Merchandising section can improve organisational future performance by developing its various
promotional activities. Marketing persons needs to continuous monitor and review promotional
activities because if company will not promote their products in effective manner, than it can not
attract potential customers. Cadbury is highly depends on its marketing section because without
merchandising team its promotional activities can not be controlled.
Planning: Through effective marketing, company can manufacture products and services
in more effective and systematic manner. The main function of merchandising department is to
make long term plans so that company can accomplish its predetermined plan in a very short
period. With the help of well planned actions Cadbury can minimise extra cost and also can
reduce wastage. Marketing mangers are totally liable for making plans and executing them
within organization. Along with this, merchandising team also accountable for different
outcomes of organisational plans.
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Corporate image: Merchandising department helps company in making new and
innovative products and services which attracts more customers. Through providing unique and
innovative goods organisation can build strong goodwill in market place. Marketing includes
various promotional and advertisement activities by which enterprise can create positive image
of its different products in the mind of customers. It helps in increasing market share of
company, because mostly people prefer that brand which is more popular (Storbacka, 201).
Effective marketing section of Cadbury helps it in providing qualified goods and also make it
world's best confectionery brand. If company have good brand image than it can compete its
various competitors in market place and also can achieve trust of customers (Storbacka, 2011).
Hence, these are the main function which is related to marketing functions. Through
analysing above mentioned points it can be said that different roles and responsibility of
merchandising section plays a vital function in over all performance of Cadbury. This company
can enhance its performance by innovating new products and services, which will help in
attracting more customers.
TASK 3
P3. Ways in which organisations apply the marketing mix
Marketing mix is the huge concept of marketing which bring most favourable results for
organisational growth. It is known as merchandising model which includes set of various tools
which are used by different organisations to accomplish their predetermined goals and
objectives. It involves some important decisions regarding to product, price, place, promotion
(Lusch and Webster, 2011). In past decades there was only 4P's of marketing mix but in resent
time, these P's extended by people, process and physical evidence. All elements of
merchandising has been explained below:
Product: It can be any material and item which is produced by business organisations to
satisfy specific need and demand of customers, It can be in tangible and intangible form.
Price: It can be defined as a value or amount of money which is payable by consumers in
exchange of some product or service.
Promotion: It helps in marketing communication, different business enterprise use
promotional activities to promote their different goods and services.
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Place: It refer as locations or stores, where producers make their products available so
that customers can easily consume them. It is also known as consumption place of consumers.
People: It involves those individuals who are engaged in business activities and
practices. Generally, it involves employees, customers, investors, shareholders, supplier and so
on (Kim and Hyun, 2011).
Process: It involves those activities which are required for delivering products and
services to end users. It start from production and ends to delivery of goods and services.
Physical evidence: It is known as environment in which all products and services occurs.
Basically, it is defined as experience that customer feels at the time of consuming product or
service.
Hence, these are the most important elements of marketing mix which plays an important
role in achieving organisational goals and objectives. Cadbury can improve its performance by
efficiently using these components in its marketing strategies. These are most important aspects
which differentiate a company from others. There is a chart which differentiates the marketing
mix of two companies and it is is following as under:
Marketing Mix Elements Cadbury McDonald
Product It is a multinational
confectionery company and
produce various products such
as biscuits, chocolate bars, ice
cream, cooking items and
other desserts.
This is a biggest restaurant
chain and produce various
products like soft drinks,
coffee, French fries,
hamburgers and other range of
milkshakes.
Price This company use low pricing
strategy so that people with all
backgrounds can purchase and
afford its products (Mintz and
Currim 2013).
McDonald use high pricing
policy because it provides air
conditioner and other facilities
in its restaurants. Only rich
people can afford its high
pricing strategy.
Promotion It is a huge confectionery
brand because it spends a lot
McDonald do not give that
much importance to
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on its promotion and
advertisement activities.
promotional and other kind of
advertisement practices.
Place Cadbury provides its different
products in all over the world.
It also cover urban and rural
areas too.
On the other side, this
company is also have its
branches in various countries
but it delivers its products and
services only in city areas. It
do not consider rural areas to
provide its different goods. As
it thinks that poor people can
not afford its prices.
People This company give high
importance to its different
stakeholder such as
employees, customers,
shareholders, investors and so
on.
This company gives its central
attention to only its customers.
For better growth it should
also consider its other key
people.
Process Cadbury used various effective
and systematic process to
execute its organisational
activities and practices.
The plus point of this company
is that, its all process of
preparing food items is totally
transparent to its customers.
Physical evidence A huge number of its
customers and their
satisfaction level shows its
positive physical evidence.
Cleanness, transparency, speed
and good quality of its
products work as its physical
evidence.
Moreover, through determining above mentioned chart it can be evaluate that different
organisations use marketing mix in different way. Cadbury is a multinational confectionery
brand because it is highly focused on various components of merchandising mix. With the help
of this company can increase its efficiency and effectiveness, also can satisfy customer wants in
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a effective and systematic way (Menegaki, 2012). It is a important concept as it affects buying
behaviour of customers. Marketers makes their marketing plan to consider these aspect so that
they can easily achieve their desired goals and objective with less cost. Apart from this, this
company can make it different through using marketing mix elements, in effective way.
McDonald is also a well known brand but Cadbury is more successful because it gives its central
attention to each and every aspect of its products and services.
TASK 4
P4. Marketing plan
It is known as written business document which is made to determine the existing
position of company and its various strategies for a specific time covered through marketing
plan. Different organisations prepare merchandising plan to accomplish goals and objectives of
plan. Here is marketing plan of Cadbury in which its different objectives, schemes, budget and
other controlling techniques has been explain, important aspects of merchandising plan are
following as under:
Executive summary: Organisation can be evaluated through its strategic position in
market place in respect of its contenders (Mangram, 2012). Basically, it is a marketing plan of
Cadbury in which market research has been conducted to determine various future opportunities.
Along with this, market tools has been used to assess markets for business entity. The main
reason of making this business plan is to help organisation for expanding its business in its
domestic market as well as in international market through using various theories, concepts and
accurate models.
Company overview: Cadbury is a multinational confectionery brand which is situated in
United Kingdom. It was established in the year 1831 by John Cadbury. In 1969 it was
successfully merged with Schweppes. In resent time, this company is globally acknowledged as
most reputed confectionery brand. It has strength of approx 45,000 employees in all over the
world. This is known as fourth largest chocolate and sugar supplier company. Its most promoted
product is ''Dairy Milk'' , it is most popular chocolate in UK and other countries. Its major
principle are money value, high quality and appropriate advertisement.
Situational analysis: This is a huge concept through which company can get aware
about its current opportunities, threats, strong points and weak points. While making marketing
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plan company have to consider various aspects of it internal and external environment. Internal
and external investigation of Cadbury is following as under:
 Internal analysis: In this, company determines its inner aspects which can affect its
performance it market place. Marketing department can evaluate their internal elements
through SWOT analysis, it includes following points:
Strengths: The main strength of this company is that it is manufacturing in approx 200 countries
and it has build strong goodwill through providing qualified products (Vaňa and Černá, 2012).
Weaknesses: There are many confectionery brands such as Nestle, Mars, Hershey etc., which
affects its position in market place, high impact of its competitors is its biggest weakness.
Opportunities: Through using technological alternations Cadbury can enhance its confectionery
business. Along with this, by international expansion this company can achieve immense
success.
Threats: Emerging new laws and policies can be a great threat for Cadbury, also continuous
environmental changes can decrease its market share.
 External analysis: In this company measure those external factors which are
uncontrollable in nature. Generally, it consist of following elements:
Political factors: This element has a huge impact on confectionery companies of UK. According
to this Cadbury have to produce its products in a healthier way so that no side effect can be
occurred regarding products.
Economic factors: Business organisations have to make their important decisions to consider
national economy. Different crises in UK economy can affect Cadbury brand.
Social factors: The most important aspect of business enterprises is their customers. As
chocolates are versatile gifts so people require them in every occasions. Which helps Cadbury in
rising its sales revenue.
Technological factors: To compete with different competitors company can take help of
technological support. Cadbury can also use advanced technical methods for making its
production process more effective.
Environmental factors: Business environment of company also affects performance of every
organisation. Due to decrement in cocoa production Cadbury is facing environmental problems.
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Legal factors: New rules, regulations and policies of government also affects a lot
organisational performance. For better performance Cadbury have to follow Coca and Chocolate
products Regulation Act (Cronin-Gilmore,2012).
Marketing objectives: Every business organisation is established to accomplish its
specific goals and objectives. The corporate motive of Cadbury is to increase its sales of
minimum GBP 25 million in 2018 and also achieve GBP 80 million in 2020, UK market. Along
with this, its operational objective is to attain 80 % customer awareness within one year of
launching marketing plan.
Marketing Strategy: Company can achieve higher success by using effective and
systematic strategies. Cadbury can expand its its business with the help of following strategies:
 Segmentation: In this company divides its market according to their customers groups.
Cadbury can segment its market in three areas which are Urban, Suburb and rural
markets. This company should divide its market on the basis of demographical and
psycho-graphical factors.
 Targeting: After segmenting, company should evaluate different markets and then
choose appropriate market to target customers so that company can achieve its
objectives. Cadbury can consider super and hyper markets, and other convenient stores
where customers consume goods on daily basis.
 Positioning: Company can make its great position in market place by providing more
qualified goods. Cadbury can attract teenagers by using adventure aspiration. Also, it can
modify its chocolate taste because children love to have various tastes. So this company
can make its position to consider these things.
Marketing budget: To operate different activities and practices Cadbury needs
appropriate budget plan because without enough capital this company can not produce products
and also can not accomplish its marketing objectives. Here is a marketing budget of this
company which is following as under:
Marketing budget
Particulars
1st
year 2nd year
3rd
year 4th year 5th year
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Initial money 18000 10000 4000 5000 10000
Investment 8000 14000 13000 8000
Total 18000 18000 18000 18000 18000
Marketing
expenditures
Advertisement 8000 10000 4000 5000 5000
sales promotion 1000 2000 6000 1000 1000
Direct marketing 1000 2300 3000 2500 1000
digital marketing 5000 1000 2000 4000 1000
Social media 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000
printing 1000 700 1000 1000 2000
Events 2000 2000 1000 1000 5000
Total 19000 17000 18000 15500 16000
Control: This is the last step of marketing plan. In this business persons evaluate
organisational activities and practices on continuous basis so that company can easily achieve it
desired goals and objectives. Cadbury can measure its performance by following points:
 Customer satisfaction shows the actual growth of company.
 Business mangers of confectionery organisation can utilise various controlling
techniques to regulate organisational performance (Endres, 2013).
CONCLUSION
Through concluding this project report, this is come to realisation that marketing is an
essential element of every business organisation. Without this no company achieve its
predetermined goals and objectives. With the help of merchandising concept organisations can
easily communicate their different products and services to their potential customers. Various
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activities of marketing such as promotion and advertisement helps a lot in attracting a huge
number of customers. In this report, it is highlighted that there are different elements of
merchandising which is used by Cadbury brand to accomplish its desired results. Along with
this, these elements also differentiate a company from others. In this report, comparison of two
leading company has described to know the their marketing position in market place. Different
activities, practices and strategies of marketing can lead Cadbury to higher level of success.
Basically this organisation is a multinational confectionery brand which is expanding its
business in all over the world, it can more extend its business by using different concepts of
marketing. For better growth, companies should use different tactics and actions of
merchandising so that they can attract more people and build high reputation in competitive
market place.
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Online
The Marketing Functions. 2017. [Online] Available
through<http://slideplayer.com/slide/7276343/>. [Accessed on 21st July 2017]
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Business Essentials Information Session. 2017. [Online] Available
through<https://haskayne.ucalgary.ca/executive/BEInfo>. [Accessed on 21st July 2017]
Marketing functions. 2017. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.google.co.uk/search?
q=images+of+7+marketing+functions&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKE
wjcsaGGou_UAhUJRY8KHUPxAYUQ_AUIBigB&biw=1315&bih=678#imgrc=3zFR
zUQkZwqs0M:>. [Accessed on 21st July 2017].
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