Principle of Marketing: Case Study of Marks and Spencer

This report discusses the principles of marketing and analyzes the current situation, marketing strategy, and marketing mix of Marks and Spencer. It also explores segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies used by the company.

Principle of marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY........................................................................................................................................3
Organisation current situation............................................................................................................3
Marketing strategy.............................................................................................................................4
Marketing mix...................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is defined as a process to promote company’s products in target market.
Principles of marketing are the fundamentals behind the marketing of company’s products in
front of target customers. This report is based on the case study of Marks and Spencer
Company. Company was established in the year 1884 by the founders Michael Marks and
Thomas Spencer. Company operate its business operations in retail sector by selling high
quality clothing, home products and food products. Henceforth, report will emphasis on the
existing situation of the organisation. This report will provide a key overview about the
different marketing strategies for implementing segmentation, targeting and positioning of
the organisation. Furthermore, report will analysis on marketing mix in respect to the
organisation.
MAIN BODY
Organisation current situation
Marks and Spencer Company is among the leading brand in retail sector. Company is
engaged with selling high quality food products, clothing and other retail items. Company
initiated its business operations in United Kingdom which further expanded other part of the
world also. Currently company is operating its retail outlets in more than 1400 locations
across the globe. Company is also listed in London Stock Exchange. As per the latest
financial statements company has generated the sales turnover of
£10,377.3 million which further resulted into the net revenue of £37.3 million (Kwang and
Sone, 2019). All statistics of the company indicated about its current position in the retail
market across the globe. Marks and Spencer is a well established brand that has channelized
into effective brand image of the organisation. Company caters all leading brands associated
with the retail sector. Company also carry strategic partnership with dealers and suppliers to
meet all needs of target customers of company. Food segment of Marks and Spencer has
received a huge dominance all across the globe. Organisation culture of the company has
becomes among the primary reason behind such a huge dominance of the organisation in
retail sector all across the globe. Forbes has project the Marks and Spencer Company as the
“World’s Best Employer” in the year 2019. Company is engaged with plenty of marketing
campaigns that has channelized into an effective brand image of the organisation all across
the globe.

Marketing strategy
Marketing campaigns of the Marks and Spencer Company has been well diversified
that has enabled company in improving its brand image all across the globe. Company STP
strategies can be projected in the following manners.
Segmentation: Segmentation is a processed which defined as identifying potential customers
for the products offer by company. It is precisely indicated as identifying the potential
customers for the company’s products based on the characteristics associated with products.
Segmentation is a crucial process involved in the entire marketing process as all strategies
framed by company are finalised on the basis of potential customers of the company.
Marketing team analysis the characteristics attached with the company’s products and on the
basis of the characters team form a specific customer niche group that can potentially
indicated as the target customer base for the product. Characteristics of the products for
establishing an specific niche group are projected as quality, price, expectations, life style of
peoples and other associated elements (Lamichhane, 2019). All the elements involved in
characteristics of the products take a part in purchasing decision making of customers. All
potential buyers procure such products that can best suits to the needs and demand of such
potential buyers. On the basis of the different features of products company create a specific
niche group that can buy company’s products. Price range of the company are mostly suitable
for all economic class people so the niche group for all food products of the Marks and
Spencer Company are very vast in nature. All strategies for marketing campaigns are planned
on the basis of that niche group identified in segmentation process. Marks and Spencer
Company also follow the strategic tool of taking feedbacks to identify the needs and demands
of the customers. This strategy allows company to find its customer niche group and also it
support the future products development strategy of company.
Targeting: Targeting is among the key pillars behind the sales of company. On the basis of
the segmentation process company form strategies to attract potential customers in targeting
strategies. Company is well known for selling its food products at the affordable price range.
Due to affordable price range company gets the feature to channelize mass marketing strategy
as a part of the targeting strategies of Marks and Spencer Company (Nugroho and Irena,
2017). Targeting has become crucial part of the company as it support company in
establishing a brand image of the company in target market. Company place its marketing
campaigns at all effective marketing channels like social media marketing, television
marketing, radio marketing and other reliable marketing platforms to get the effective success

in target market. All such strategies of company enable to attract all potential customers of all
food products of the organisation. As the food products is considers as the essentials for all
class and economic background peoples all such strategies supports company in targeting all
potential customers across the globe.
Positioning: Positioning is defined as all the approaches or tactics to connect with the
customers of company. Positioning play huge role in establishing a brand image in target
market. Marks and Spencer Company has positioned all its products in such a way that all
potential buyers can afford company’s products. Company has channelized discount
strategies to position its products in target market. This has allowed company to improve its
brand value in target market.
All the above aspects denoted about the different strategies used to channelize STP
for getting an effective success for all products of company in target market.
Marketing mix
Marketing mix projects different aspects of the organisation that can be summarises in
the following manner.
Product: Marks and Spencer Company deals in different product of food, clothing and other
home products. Company caters all leading brands associated with all product segment of the
company. Well diversified product range of company has been among the major USP of the
company across the globe (Salamat, Hadavifar and Rezaei, 2019). Company has also follow
the aggressive strategy to develop strategic partnerships with all dealers and suppliers so that
company can cater all latest fashion and trends to all potential customers of company across
the globe.
Price: Marks and Spencer Company follow the strategy to cater all its products at the most
affordable price range. Company has positioned its image as the discount store to attract all
potential customers. Quality products at the affordable price range have been one of the
major reasons behind the huge success of company in target market.
Place: Company operates its business operations in more than 1400 locations across the
globe. Marks and Spencer Company has been emerged as the global retail company across
the globe. Company aims to deliver quality retail products at the most friendly price range all
across the globe (Zhong and et.al.,2019). Company also look for strategic partnership to
expand its business area by opening new stores in more locations worldwide. All stores of

Marks and Spencer are conveniently available at walking distance in all major cities across
the globe.
Promotion: Promotion is also among the key aspects of the Marks and Spencer Company.
Marketing team of the Marks and Spencer Company channelizes its promotional campaigns
at all effective marketing platforms such as social media networks, radio marketing,
television marketing and other key promotional channels (Sharma and Sharma, 2017). Well
diversified promotional campaigns of the company have also delivered into effective brand
image of the organisation all across the globe.
People: Company has positioned as a discount store which enabled company to expand its
customer niche all across the globe. Company aims to cater its services to all economic class
and background peoples all across the globe. Diversified people segment of company is
among the key aspects of the organisation. This strategy of company also improved its sales
potential of the organisation all across the globe.
Process: Company follows the systematic process to promote all its products in target
market. Company channelizes STP strategy, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis and other
analytical tool to promote its products in target market (Priya, Zunke and Mitra, 2016). All
the process applies by company has improved the efficiency of company’s marketing and
promotional campaigns all across the globe. Company also follow the customer feedbacks
strategy to identify all needs and demands of target customers.
Physical evidence: Company ensures authenticity in all its products to all potential
customers of company. This is also among the key aspects of the organisation in target
market.
All the above points reflect about different aspects of the marketing mix factor.
CONCLUSION
This report has projected the current position of the Marks and Spencer Company in
the market. Company channelizes segmentation, targeting and positioning strategies to
promote all its products in target market. Company also channelizes marketing mix elements
to promote all its products. Marketing mix elements of the company emphasis on all seven Ps
elements such as product, price, place, promotion and other seven Ps factors. Company

marketing strategies are well diversified as it covers all potential marketing niches for
company’s branding.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Kwang, E. and Sone, M., 2019. The influence of marketing mix, on the student’s choice of
University–Two State Universities in Sweden.
Lamichhane, S., 2019. Marketing mix analysis to attract more customers case study: Sita Air
PVT Ltd.
Nugroho, A. R. and Irena, A., 2017. The Impact of Marketing Mix, Consumer’s
Characteristics, and Psychological Factors to Consumer’s Purchase Intention on
Brand “W” in Surabaya. iBuss Management. 5(1).
Priya, P. K., Zunke, S. and Mitra, A., 2016. Analyzing marketing mix to relate the consumers'
behavior and beliefs for high involvement goods.
Salamat, S., Hadavifar, M. and Rezaei, H., 2019. Preparation of nanochitosan-STP from
shrimp shell and its application in removing of malachite green from aqueous
solutions. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 7(5). p.103328.
Sharma, S. and Sharma, P., 2017. Marketing Mix Strategies for FMCG Companies in
India. Journal of Commerce and Management Thought. 8(4). pp.760-771.
Zhong, J and et.al.,2019. On the ensemble controllability of Boolean control networks using
STP method. Applied Mathematics and Computation. 358. pp.51-62.