Marketing Report: ARGOS Marketing Plan for Robotic Furniture Launch

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of ARGOS's marketing strategies, focusing on its marketing mix, a comparison with competitor Robert Dyas, and a detailed marketing plan for the launch of a new product, "ARGOS Robotic Furniture." The report begins with an introduction to marketing principles and the context of ARGOS as a British catalogue retailer. It then delves into a comparison of the marketing mixes of ARGOS and Robert Dyas, examining elements such as product, price, promotion, place, process, people, and physical evidence. The core of the report is the marketing plan for the robotic furniture, which includes an overview of the product, vision, mission, objectives, SWOT analysis, STP analysis (segmentation, targeting, and positioning), and a detailed marketing budget. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and the importance of marketing in achieving organizational goals. The marketing plan outlines strategies for launching the robotic furniture in the UK market, including promotional activities, budget allocation, and monitoring methods.

Marketing
Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1............................................................................................................................................1
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................1
P2............................................................................................................................................1
Covered in PPT.......................................................................................................................1
P3. Ways in which 2 organisations apply marketing mix to marketing planning process for
achieving corporate objectives...............................................................................................1
P4. Marketing Plan for the launch of a new product at market place....................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is deciphered as the set of moves or initiatives that are planned as well as
implemented by an organization for the derivation of positive outcomes. The main intent behind
carrying out the marketing activities is acknowledged to be the resultant increment in revenues as
well as profitability in the long run. Thus, marketing can be recognised as being one of the ways
through which a company can build a rapport with the people at large prevailing in market place.
Thus, marketing can be said to be a function which provides aid to a corporation in creating
awareness among the customers regarding the offerings of entity and thereby establishing a
strong brand name in the market place.
The present report is conducted to gain knowledge of marketing being carried out within
the confines of ARGOS, a British catalogue retailer operating within the boundaries of UK as
well as Ireland. The report explores the role and responsibility of marketing, interrelations of
functional departments of the company and comparison of marketing mix of company to rival
firm. At last, marketing plan for the launch of a new product has been prepared by the
organisation.
P1
Covered in PPT
P2
Covered in PPT
P3. Ways in which 2 organisations apply marketing mix to marketing planning process for
achieving corporate objectives
Marketing mix is acknowledged as the vaster concept which includes several elements
product, price, place and promotion which are further extended to three more elements such as
people, physical evidence and process. Marketing mix of ARGOS and Robert Dyas are done
with the motive of developing knowledge on several strategies that these companies can devise
for gaining long term benefits. Marketing mix of ARGOS and Robert Dyas in comparison format
has been explained as below:
Element ARGOS ROBERT DYAS
Product ARGOS is initially indulged into the On the contrary Robert Dyas basically
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catalogues development. The company
also introduces 1600 pages catalogues
twice in the year. Apart from this, it
also deals in furniture, refrigerator,
and insurance.
seen as the large scale retail company
which includes electronic appliances,
security, laundry, travel & leisure,
gardening items, kitchen products
which are sold in England.
Price The respective company emphasizes
on making use of low pricing strategy
as it is emphasising on economic zone
of the society. Pricing of this
company’s offering varies from place
to place.
On the other hand, ROBERT DYAS
makes use of affordable pricing
strategy as it wants to access all of its
customers in effective manner.
Promotion ARGOS is mainly giving preferences
to the direct form of the marketing in
order to reach customers and have
valid interaction with them. Also, it
uses other modes of interaction too
which includes social media
marketing, online banner, print media
and many other forms which provides
quick results to them.
Opposed to this, ROBERT DYAS
emphasises on using both the offline
and online form of promotions. Here
main preference is given to television,
radio, newspaper etc. All of these
promotional activities help the
company in enhancing awareness of
its customers towards the products
and services which increases their
sales performance in appropriate
manner.
Place ARGOS makes use of both the online
and offline medium for approaching
its customers. The respective
customers of this company can easily
access to the catalogues through online
as well as offline medium. Also, the
company has more than 900 stores
across UK and Irelands which are
On the contrary, if it is talked about
ROBERT DYAS its products are
easily available to in England
especially South East part. Also,
products are available through online
medium which can be accessed 24* 7
by its customers.
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developing under catalogues.
Process The management team of ARGOS
makes use of advanced form of
process in order to make all
functioning of the company in simpler
format. It deals in variety of products
which are being order online by the
customers. The time order is received
by this company through online
medium, seller confirms it and then
further move forward to deliver it to
the customers.
Whereas, Robert Dyas ensures to the
main high quality of the products
during its production process which
ultimately helps them out in satisfying
customers at higher level.
People ARGOS treats its staff as the main
people who are supported by the
managerial team each and every time.
There are almost 30000 employees
working in this company are getting
training and development
opportunities so that they groom
themselves and attain their
organisational goals and objectives.
On the other hand, ROBERT DYAS
emphasises on providing equivalent
opportunities to men and women.
Also, the company has enhanced
reserved position for women by 11%
across the whole organisation. This
ensures that Robert Dyas is valuing its
employees and putting efforts to
improve their well being in
appropriate manner.
Physical
Evidence
Catalogues developed by this
company are commonly seen in
around 75% of households which can
be taken as the physical evidence of
this company.
The due diligence procedures of
ROBERT DYAS are aimed at
illustration of company's commitment
to ensure that there would be
absolutely no slavery or human
trafficking within the supply chain.
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P4. Marketing Plan for the launch of a new product at market place
Marketing plan is defined as the documentation of planning done with the aim of creating
awareness among people about the brand as well as its offerings. ARGOS is a multinational
corporation which is engaged in provision of catalogues to clients across the globe.
As the company is currently not selling any of its products under its own name except the
catalogues and associated services, the entity now seeks to launch a new product named
“ARGOS Robotic Furniture” under its own name. To successfully launch the product at market
place, the management of this organisation has proposed a marketing plan with the help of which
the launch of robotic furniture would take place yielding the desired results.
Marketing Plan
Overview of the organisation: ARGOS is a British catalogue retailer functioning within
the boundaries of Ireland along with UK. It is acknowledged as being the subsidiary of
Sainsbury's. This entity operates by way of online as well as offline modes.
Current organisational offerings: This organisation mainly sells catalogues along with
sale of other products through its other brands. Such products comprise of kitchen ware,
consumer good, electronic items, furniture, beauty along with skin care, technological gadget,
DIY equipment and many more.
Overview of the New Product: ARGOS Robotic Furniture is a product which is
developed with the intent of giving an opportunity to people of UK to create their dream home
within a small space. This product has been especially designed keeping in mind the limitation of
space. Robotic furniture would allow users to convert their small space into smart spaces
whereby they can have access to all sorts of comfort, convenience and luxury.
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(Source: Self Generated)
Vision: With launch of Robotic furniture in the market, ARGOS intends to achieve the
following vision:-
“To be the word of mouth for people across the world”
Mission: In regards to launch of Robotic Furniture launched in the market, ARGOS
intends to establish the below mentioned mission:-
“To be the leader within global retail sector by creating out of box products”
Objectives: The objective linked to the introduction of Robotic Furniture in market is as
follows:-
“To enhance the profitability of the corporation by 15% by the end of 6 months as a
result of launch of robotic furniture”
SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis is seen as the effective framework that supports businesses in
analysing their internal environment in appropriate manner. With reference to ARGOS, Swot
analysis of this framework has been specified as below:
Strengths Weaknesses
 ARGOS owns hugh brand value as
well as market share within the retail
sector.
 ARGOS has highly skilled workforce
which inflates functioning of the
 The respective company is only having
design and development zone of
catalogues under its own name rest of
the other products are sold under
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organisational work and improvises its
performance within the industry.
different brands.
Opportunities Threats
 The company can gain more
opportunity by simply introducing new
products and services which will
attract maximum number of customers
towards them in quicker manner.
 ARGOS can gain higher opportunity
by selling its products under its name
only.
 Increasing number of rivalry as well as
existing competitors like IKEA, B&Q,
Habitat, Home Base directly increases
threat for ARGOS as its customers can
move towards them.
STP: The respective marketing manager of ARGOS, emphasizes on using STP analysis
for its new product named as Robotic Furniture. Explanation of this framework is given as
below:
Element Description
Segmentatio
n
Segmentation for the Robotic Furniture has been done on demographic basis.
Targeting In this, upper middle class and elite people have been targeted for introducing
Robotic Furniture in UK.
Positioning Positioning of Robotic Furniture would be performed by simply making use of
social media marketing, newspaper ads and other form of promotions in order
aware maximum number of people towards the potential customers.
Budget: Budget developed for ARGOS Robotic Furniture is specified as below:
MARKETING BUDGET (in £)
PARTICULARS I Year II Year III Year IV Year V Year
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Initial money 4050 7425 12230 14370 20890
Investment 8350 11525 23920 31540 12570
TOTAL 12400 18950 36180 45910 33460
MARKETING OUTLAY
Promotion 4647 2600 4691 1976 2113
Sales publicity 1366 805 2453 1493 1052
Direct selling 3136 1806 4752 2005 4331
TOTAL 9149 4171 11899 5474 7500
Monitoring and Control: Marketing manager of the ARGOS emphasizes on using KPI
and benchmarking method in order to monitor their existing performance of employees towards
this newly Robotic Furniture. This would also help the company to know that if they are
performing into wrong manner then they can easily take preventive action towards the same.
CONCLUSION
As per the analysis done above, marketing is acknowledged to be crucial for each and
every organisation providing aid to it in reaching out to the public at large. This helps in the
development of a strong brand image of the entity and its offerings at market place. In addition
to this, it has been acknowledged that marketing mix is a theory of marketing which consists of
certain elements, laying down the tactics used by an entity to inflate its stake within the market
place. Apart from this, it has been ascertained that marketing holds strong link with the other
functions of the company, assisting the corporation at large to leverage such interrelationships
and gain success at market place. Besides this, it is seen that a marketing plan is a written
documentation that consists of the stages through which an entity creates awareness about the
current or new offerings of the entity within the public.
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