Blogging to Communicate: ASDA Marketing Mix Assessment 1 Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of ASDA's marketing mix, encompassing the seven elements: products, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical distribution. It explores ASDA's background, history, mission, vision, and core values, highlighting how these elements contribute to its success in the competitive retail industry. The report examines ASDA's product portfolio, pricing strategies, distribution channels, promotional activities, employee management, and operational processes. It also delves into how ASDA leverages these marketing mix components to attract and retain customers, build brand loyalty, and achieve its business objectives. The analysis emphasizes ASDA's focus on value, customer satisfaction, and its ability to adapt to market trends, including the use of online channels and digital marketing strategies. The report concludes by summarizing ASDA's overall marketing approach and its effectiveness in the UK market.

Blogging to communicate -
Assessment 1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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Background and history of ASDA
ASDA is a British supermarket retailer initially started its business operation on 19
February 1949, 71 years ago which is wholly owned division of Walmart. Company is well
known for providing products and services at discount rates thus most of the customers are
motivated to be part of organisation. It offers products such as grocery, general merchandise and
financial services to customers at single roof so that they can have easy to buy products as per
their respective requirements. In 1967, company has set up its stores in North East of England in
Billingham, Teesside and further expand its business by offering lower price products to
customers. Recently ASDA in November 2020, ASDA sales has been increased by 2.7% due to
early providing of Christmas products to range of customers.
Mission and vision statement of ASDA
ASDA mission is “ to be Britain best- value retailer exceeding customers needs always”
thus it wants to provide more and more value to individuals at minimum price possible so that
they are motivated to be part of company for satisfaction of their needs. Company through
delivering qualitative products at maximum discounts rates in retail industry has gained
competitive positioning.
Key values and purpose of organisation
The main purpose of ASDA operation is to provide good quality products at reasonable
or affordable rates so that everyone can easily buy for satisfaction of its respective need.” It has
also abided to core values in order to grow and sustain business operation in external
environment for longer time frame. Like it has respect and recognised efforts made by each
individual within organisation, planned different method to provide more better services to
customers to gain competitive advantages. So, ASDA through its core value and purposes is able
to maximise its market share and make more customers happy and satisfied.
Marketing mix is a strategy that is used by manager to influence or engage more and
more customers in the organisation so that end goals can be achieved. ASDA has make use of
different tools of marketing mix in order to attract millions of customers across United Kingdom
and worldwide (Rowley, 2016). Products, price, place, promotion, physical distribution, people
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and process are seven elements of marketing mix used to motivate individuals to become loyal
customers of organisation.
Products: It is most important element of marketing mix as without products or services
audience or target market cannot be attracted to be part of firm. Products or services are
unsatisfied wants of individuals thus organisations by offering unique, qualitative and better
products is able to attract them to purchase to resolve their problem or unsatisfied wants.
Company has a wide product portfolio thereby customers has varieties of options to select
specific products in order to fulfilled their requirements in best possible manner (MacInnis and
et.al., 2020). Different products and services offered by ASDA to its key customers that help in
growth and expansion of firm are as follows:
Grocery
Drink: There are various types of drink present in the supermarket of ASDA like wine spirits,
champagne, malt drinks, hot chocolate and soft drinks.
Household and laundry: light bulbs, toilet roll, batteries and tissues are offered by company so
that people can make their house clean and tidy.
Frozen food: Ice cream, garlic bread, vegetables, meat, fish, rich, potatoes and many other froze
food products are provided by company to make customers happy and satisfied.
Health and beauty: Sun cream, dental care, women toiletries, skin care products, fragrances,
bath and hair care items are some of the products of health and beauty range offered by ASDA so
that people can look and feel attractive.
Clothing: ASDA has offered tops, sportswear, skirts, shorts, jeans, jackets and accessories or
maternity wear clothes to customers so that they can select as per their choice and interested to
satisfy their needs in optimum manner (Contreras and Ramos, 2016).
Footwear: Formal, slippers, booths and leather are type of footwear provided by ASDA to
people so that customers have alternative options to select the best to fulfil their desire.
Mobile and financial services: Other than its core business that is supermarket products, ASDA
has also started providing mobile phone network and financial services. Such as credit card, car
insurance and business rewards.
So, all this products range has contributed in maximum engagement of key individuals
and expansion of business in competitive environment.
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Pricing strategies: It is another element of marketing mix that helps in communication
between company and people, as most of the customers while taking decision to purchase
considered price of products. People on the basis of their disposable income, budget and price in
comparison to quality or valued offered by company take accurate decision to make purchase
from specific organisation. There are many competitors in retail industry of United Kingdom so
customers have alternative options to select among or in another word more switching power
(Davcik and Sharma, 2016). Therefore, ASDA by focusing more on its pricing strategy is able to
grow and diversify its business operation in national and international market. The main focused
or target market of ASDA is families so it has set moderate or reasonable pricing strategy in
order to developed and retained strong positioning in retail industry of United Kingdom. It is
records of ASDA that company by setting lower price or offering more discount to customers
has added more and more customers in the organisation over time. Company have never
compromised or sacrificed quality of products and services to offers them at lower price possible
so that maximum number of individuals are motivated to select it rather that other competitors in
market. Pricing strategy has helped company in becoming one of the popular brands of UK as
customers are easily influenced to have its products for satisfaction of their respective wants
(Hanlon, 2019). The brand by setting lower pricing strategy is able to increase its overall sales
volume and profitability by delivering services to range of customers that are living in society.
Company in order to sell products in bulk quantity offered heavy discount at numerous occasion
so that customers can be pursued to be in organisation for fulfilment of their requirements.
Customers can easily view and compare price of ASDA with its existing competitors through
official website of company thus take right decision to make purchase.
Place: ASDA open it's official stores in the prime location of the market in order to provide
services and any products at reasonable price. Company focuses on easy availability of products
to the customer to achieve the goal. Location of the store plays a vital role while framing a good
marketing strategy in order to find the positive results. Company headquarters are located at big
Metro cities of different countries in the world. These headquarters controls the supply and
demand through different distribution channels to reach the targeted customers. Operation of
activities is done on direct and indirect channels bases to complete the task for the organisation
in a specific period of time. ASDA produces quality products who maintain the status and brand
name of the stores. Company has many partners such as wholesaler, retailer who are increasing
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the sales volume in the work process. Advantage of risk is being maintained by the company
itself in order to promote the product by retailers at the priority level (Aswani and et.al., 2018).
These all are done to gain the free advertisement by the wholesaler and retailers in the market
between the consumers to achieve the target of ASDA. Company also opens its online store on
different websites to connect with the customers.
Promotion: It is crucial element that helps in adding more and more customers in organisation
by generating awareness among maximum individuals. ASDA has effectively make use of both
offline and online channel to communicate or build relationship with end users so that they can
become loyal customers of firm. Price is the effective promotional tool used by ASDA to
gathered attention of large number of customers such as buy one get one free, and other offers
are common for company. Company has make use of traditional method like advertisement
through newspapers, billboards and other media outlets to share information to customers so that
they can make purchase as per their requirements. Charitable projected run by company has also
helped in creating huge awareness and strong brand image of company in minds and hearts of
customers (Mahoney and Tang, 2016). Sponsorship or partnership with short charity sports aid in
2008 has also helped in promoting products of company to customers thus enhancing its market
share. With development in technologies and changes in trends, ASDA has also make use of
digital marketing strategies to attract attentions of more individual so that company can expand
its profitability and market share. Official website contained all relevant data and information
related to company so that customers can take accurate decisions or order products online while
staying safe and secure at home in situation of Covid-19. Therefore, online channel has
contributed in generating more sales of ASDA as compared to offline methods (Tuten, 2020).
Physical distribution: Company have created its strong presences in market by offering
valuable products at minimum price possible to maximum individuals. ASDA has strong
distribution channel and network of supply chain that helped in timely delivery of products to
end customers. The physical evidence of organisation is not only limited to its logo, equipment,
stores or brochure but website is also fantastic presences of company that helped in gaining
attention of existing and new individuals. ASDA has made its official websites attractive, easy to
use so that any person can easily view products; make order and payment by using the websites
(Churchill Jr, 2017). Thus, more convince to customers has helped in maximising engagement of
individuals and contributed in growth of firm.
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People: ASDA has highly dedicated, trained and qualified employees that are ready to put their
best efforts so that company can easily grow and expand its business operation across
worldwide. Organisation by providing healthy, safe and friendly working environment to
employees is able to motivate them to make optimum utilisation of their capabilities in order to
deliver best services to end customers. Management has ensure well organised structure, clear
stated roles and responsibilities to each and every individuals so that no further delay or
miscommunication or chance of conflict can be occurred in organisation (Cateora and et.al.,
2020). Open communication, respect and recognition of employees and promoting them to share
their innovative idea in decision making has helped in developing learning and collaborative
culture in the ASDA. Thus, it has contributed in influencing employees to effectively adapt to
external changes so that company can easily gained competitive advantages and expand its
market share. There are 165000 employees that are working in different stores of company to
provide better experienced to customers so that strong brand image of firm can be created.
Organisation also pays extra 2.04 to individuals that worked in unsociable hours that is between
10.00 P.M. to 6.00 A.M that has make them happy. Therefore, employees or high skilled
qualified and talented has contributed in building strong communication or relationship between
customers and organisation ().
Process: It specific about several steps or procedures that are undertaken by company in order
to attained its end objectives or meet customer’s expectancy in better manner. Systematic and
effective organised key activities have helped in timely delivery of services to millions of
customers. Initially ASDA has started its business with food sellers than it moved to other
household goods like kitchenware and meats items. Other business process such as financial
services, insurance are growing at rapid stage which clearly state that company is continuously
expanding its market or process to achieve end goals (Kemper and Ballantine, 2019). Company
in its process has also make use of innovative technologies such as self services machine that
helped customers in easily making of their payments. Most of the stores of ASDA are opened
early in the morning and closed at late night so that customers can come to stores as per their
ease and comfort. Despite of that there are some stores that are run 24 hours so that services can
be delivered or problem can be resolved in limited time frame.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Aswani, R and et.al., 2018. Search engine marketing is not all gold: Insights from Twitter and
SEOClerks. International Journal of Information Management, 38(1). pp.107-116.
Cateora, P. R and et.al., 2020. International marketing. McGraw-Hill Education.
Churchill Jr, G. A., 2017. Marketing. Saraiva Educação SA.
Contreras, F .L. and Ramos, M. L. Z., 2016. What is Marketing? A Study on Marketing
Managers’ Perception of the Definition of Marketing. In Forum Empresarial (Vol. 21,
No. 1, pp. 49-69). Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Davcik, N .S. and Sharma, P., 2016. Marketing resources, performance, and competitive
advantage: A review and future research directions. Journal of Business
Research, 69(12). pp.5547-5552.
Hanlon, A., 2019. Digital marketing: strategic planning & integration. SAGE Publications
Limited.
Keegan, W. J., 2017. Global marketing management. Pearson India.
Kemper, J. A. and Ballantine, P. W., 2019. What do we mean by sustainability
marketing?. Journal of Marketing Management, 35(3-4). pp.277-309.
MacInnis, D. J and et.al., 2020. Creating Boundary-Breaking, Marketing-Relevant Consumer
Research. Journal of Marketing, 84(2). pp.1-23.
Mahoney, L. M. and Tang, T., 2016. Strategic social media: From marketing to social change.
John Wiley & Sons.
Rowley, J., 2016. Information marketing. Routledge.
Tuten, T. L., 2020. Social media marketing. SAGE Publications Limited.
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