Principles of Marketing: Marketing Mix and STP Strategies of Head & Shoulder and Pantene

This study material explores the marketing mix and STP strategies of Head & Shoulder and Pantene. It discusses how these brands use product, price, place, and promotion to gain a competitive advantage in the market. The material also provides insights into the target audience and positioning of these brands.

Principles of Marketing

Executive Summary
Marketing is a significant business function which helps to increase in sales and
profitability of an organisation. There are several tools such as marketing mix, STP are used in
order to get competitive advantage. It is analysed that effective marketing and promotional
strategies need to be formulate by marketers in order to survive at market place for longer run.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
Analysed marketing mix strategies of selected brands...............................................................4
Product .......................................................................................................................................4
Price ............................................................................................................................................5
Place............................................................................................................................................6
Promotion....................................................................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
Analyse STP as a marketing planning process...........................................................................7
Segmentation ..............................................................................................................................7
Targeting.....................................................................................................................................7
Positioning...................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a process in which goods and services are exchanged between customers
and business owners. It is an essential function to aware, attract as well as retain customers with
company for a loner period of time (Pasquier and Villeneuve, 2017). Here, several tools such as
STP, marketing mix are used in order to promote goods and services at wide level. The report
considers two renowned brands such as Head and shoulder shampoo and Pantene Lady's
shampoo. Head and shoulder is a well known is well known brand of America which provides
anti-dandruff shampoo in different countries at global level. It is owned by Proctor and Gamble
and was founded in the year of 1961. Whereas Pantene is a brand which provides hair care
products and was started in 1945 in Europe. The current report gives an overview about
marketing mix and its several elements such as product, price, place and promotion. In
additional, STP approach which is used by companies in order to attract more number of
customers has also been discussed in following report.
TASK 1
Analysed marketing mix strategies of selected brands
Marketing mix is frameworks which is used by organisations to get higher competitive
advantage by preparing attractive promotional strategies. It is essential to increase in number of
customers and increase in sales and profit margin. Elements of marketing mix are given as under:
Product
It comprises products and services that are provided by organisation to cater the needs
and requirements of target audience. As per the current market trend managers need to evaluate
current market situation in order to produce effective product and services. Here Aaker's model
is used to enhance the brand value of a product and service (Kupec, 2018). It comprises five
different categories which are used to make strong presence of a brand at market place by
providing effective solutions to customers. Categories associate with the model are given as
under:
Brand Loyalty: It refers to number of customers who will give preference to brand over
other and do repetitive purchase. In context of Head & shoulder customer base of company are
loyal that provides higher competitive advantage. They not only use it but also refers to others to

get better results. Here, Pantene is also creating brand loyalty by various marketing campaigns
and strategies.
Brand awareness: This demonstrates the number of customers who are well aware with
brand. It is essential to increase in sales and profit margin. It is analysed that Head & shoulder
use T.V commercials, hoardings, celebrity endorsement to spread awareness among consumers.
In addition, Pantene also uses several ways such as newspapers advertisements, celebrity
endorsement to promote brand at wide level.
Perceived quality: It refers perception, opinion of consumers about brand. Head &
shoulder positioned itself as a shampoo which is specially for dandruff treatment (Wroblewski,
2017). So, it is perceived as a quality product in that particular segment. It is analysed that
Pantene is loosing its brand value due to use of Pro-V ingredients which is not good for hair.
Brand Association: It refers to the impact of brand name over buying process, attitude,
and purchasing habits of consumers. It is analysed that customers have positive attitude towards
Head & shoulder as it provides promised results. On the another side, Pantene is associated with
Procter and Gamble which is a renowned name at global market. Thus, brand is getting benefits
from its parent company and also use renowned personality to advertise product.
Other proprietary assets: In this regard, Both of the brand secure their market position
with patents and trademarks. So, competitors can not copy their business model, process and
more.
Price
Price refers to the monetary value which is paid by customers in return of values, benefits
they are greeting from products and services. There are several strategies that can be used to
determine appreciate price for a product and service. Different factors such as cost, profit,
capacity of buyers and more need to be consider by managers while determine price for their
products. In context both respective bands, pricing strategies are given as under:
Head & Shoulder Pantene
 Company adopts competitive pricing
strategy in order to attract more number
of customers (Sadiku-Dushi and
 Higher competition is prevailing in
market thus brand emphasis to keep its
price at competitive level in order to

Ramadani, 2020).
 There are several rivalries such as
Pantene, Dove are present at market
place so that brand emphasis to provide
its product at reasonable prices which is
easily affordable by end users.
 In addition, marketers also adopt
promotional pricing strategy by
providing discounts and incentives that
helps to attract large number that helps
to increase in sales and profit margin.
sustain for longer run.
 It is analysed that organisation offers
quality products in lower price which
makes it enable to earn potential profit
margin.
 Pantene also undertakes value based
pricing at at periodic intervals to
remain ahead in competition.
 Brand also provides discounts and other
lucrative offers to customers to attract
them towards product.
Place
It refers to the location from where products and services are provided to end users. Here,
effective distribution and supply chain management approaches are used in order to meet with
the needs and requirements of consumers in time effective manner (Levit, Cismaru and
Zederayko, 2016). In context of Head & Shoulder, it has strong presence at global market and
operate business in different countries such as Canada, US and more. Company owns an efficient
distribution network of retailers and distributors globally. They offer products through
supermarkets, retail stores, discount stores and more. Pantene has also presence in international
market in more than 50 countries at worldwide. Organisation uses efficient chain of wholesalers,
retailers and more to provide products to end users at right time. Product can be founds at local
stores, supermarkets, discounting stores and more. With this, both of the brands are able to cater
the needs and requirements of end users within minimum possible period of time.
Promotion
It is a crucial element of marketing mix under which products and services are promoted
at wide level in order to inflate sales & profitability. Main aim of promotion is to enhance the
market share of organisation by increasing brand awareness. Here, several tools are used by
Head & Shoulder in order to attract more number of buyers. It uses newspapers. T.V

advertisement, hoardings, billboards to retain customers for longer run. In addition, brand highly
rely on celebrity endorsement and uses well known personality to grab the attention of target
audience (Bao, 2018). On the another side, Pantene is a global brand which use aggressive
marketing strategy to get competitive advantage. Company take helps of models and well known
personalities to promote its product. Marketers generally use glamorous models with glowing
and shiny hair so that viewers can connect easily. In addition, newspapers, TV advertisements
are also carried out by organisation to increase brand visibility. Digital platforms are also being
used by entity in an effective manner that will help to increase in market share at international
level.
TASK 2
Analyse STP as a marketing planning process
STP is process which are undertaken in order to select target segment and positioned the
product and services in right manner. In reference of respective brands, their STP strategies are
given as under:
Segmentation
It is the first step under which managers divide the whole market population in small
groups having similar characteristics. In context of Head & Shoulder and Pantene, their
segmenting strategies are given as under:
Demographic: Head and shoulder offers products at affordable price range which can be
easily purchased by lower as well as higher income group people. It is analysed that Pantene also
offers product to middle and upper class segment of customers. It is only offers hair care
products for females.
Psycho graphic: Head and shoulder specifically target those customers who wish to get
rid from dandruff. Pantene to people who are conscious about life style and wish to get healthy
and shiny hair.
Targeting
After segmentation, managers need to determine target audience that seems more
profitable in comparison of other segments (Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl, 2017). It is monitored
that Head & Shoulder targets higher middle class individuals who wish to use a renowned brand.
It is targeting middle age men who want to get rid from dandruff. Whereas Pantene targets

women of middle age specially who are in early 40s. In addition, it target women who are
conscious about life style and wish to get healthy & shiny hair to feel confident.
Positioning
It refers the perception of customers towards a brands. Head & Shoulder perceived as an
anti dandruff shampoo. It is analysed that brand has successfully positioned itself in the niche
segment among those customers who wish to remove dandruff from their scalp. Pantene is
perceived as a brand which provides quality product in affordable price range. In addition, it has
positioned itself as a brand which helps to get beautiful hair at reasonable price.

CONCLUSION
With above discussion, it is monitored that marketing mix is a crucial framework to
remain ahead in competition and sustain at market place for longer run. Discussion has been
carried out regarding target segment along with different elements of marketing mix which play
a vital role to attain predefined goals and objectives.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Pasquier, M. and Villeneuve, J.P., 2017. Marketing management and communications in the
public sector. Routledge.
Kupec, V., 2018. First Step of Marketing Audit: Risk Analysis. Marketing Identity, 6(1/1),
pp.370-380.
Wroblewski, L., 2017. Culture Management: Strategy and marketing aspects. Logos Verlag
Berlin GmbH.
Sadiku-Dushi, N. and Ramadani, V., 2020. Entrepreneurial Marketing Mindset: What
Entrepreneurs Should Know?. In Organizational Mindset of Entrepreneurship (pp.
181-210). Springer, Cham.
Levit, T., Cismaru, M. and Zederayko, A., 2016. Application of the transtheoretical model and
social marketing to antidepression campaign websites. Social Marketing
Quarterly, 22(1), pp.54-77.
Bao, H., 2018. Marketing of Tourism Services/Experiences'. The Emerald Handbook of
Entrepreneurship in Tourism, Travel and Hospitality. Emerald Publishing Limited,
pp.261-275.
Homburg, C., Jozić, D. and Kuehnl, C., 2017. Customer experience management: toward
implementing an evolving marketing concept. Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, 45(3), pp.377-401.
(Pasquier and Villeneuve, 2017)(Kupec, 2018)(Wroblewski, 2017)(Sadiku-Dushi and Ramadani,
2020)(Levit, Cismaru and Zederayko, 2016)(Bao, 2018)(Homburg, Jozić and Kuehnl,
2017)