BMP6006 - E-Commerce and Marketing: M&S Critical Review(2020)

This report critically examines Marks and Spencer's (M&S) marketing practices, focusing on their "This is not just food" campaign revival after 12 years. It analyses how M&S has embedded the marketing process, reflecting current marketing practices, and relates relevant omnichannel marketing theories. The report covers mission, situational analysis, marketing strategy, marketing mix, and implementation & control. It discusses setting attainable goals, defining the target market, establishing a clear brand identity, and combining online and offline strategies. The analysis includes recommendations for future campaigns, emphasizing the integration of both physical and online marketing channels to enhance customer engagement and brand image. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of adapting to current e-commerce trends while maintaining a balance between virtual and physical marketing approaches.

E-Commerce and
Contemporary
Marketing Practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
A) How Marks and Spencer (M&S) have embedded and applied the marketing process within
the trade journal article................................................................................................................3
(Source: 5 Essential Steps for a Successful Strategic Marketing Process, 2017 )......................4
B) How this reflects current marketing practises........................................................................6
C) Relate relevant omni channel marketing theories and models to the trade journal article.....7
(Source: Omnichannel Marketing Strategy, 2019).....................................................................7
D) Provide brief recommendations based on your review and analysis.....................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
E-COMMERCE and CURRENT MARKETING PRACTICES are interrelated and
aligned together as the trends and improving technologies and devices have provided huge
potentials changing the marketing environment in business world. Marketing is an essential task
for a company to undertake which is made more easy, cheaper and faster by introducing and
updated technologies. The report is developed on Marks and Spencer formally symbolised as
M&S. A retail store developed in British markets and situated in worldwide location with its
operations founded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer, headquartered in London,
England, UK (Li and Ku, 2018).
The assignment acknowledges the new marketing campaign which was introduced by
Marks and Spencer (M&S) again after 12 years with updated knowledge and resources. A
discussion is performed for identifying applied marketing processes and their reflection on
current marketing practices of Marks and Spencer. Moreover, relevant omni-channel theories
are related with the information provided in the article and accordingly recommendations are
provided at the end (Lin, Xie and Lv, 2016).
MAIN BODY
A) How Marks and Spencer (M&S) have embedded and applied the marketing process within
the trade journal article.
Marketing process is referred as a phenomena which is performed by by organisations
as it allows it to determine the problems of customers, respective opportunities available in
marketplace and develop efficient marketing plan to reach out to potential audiences who can be
changed into future buyers and long term customers (Pilelienė and Grigaliūnaitė, 2016) .
Through this article Marks and Spencer have integrated their objectives and implemented their
process of marketing. There are five broad stages to this process that are elaborated underneath:

(Source: 5 Essential Steps for a Successful Strategic Marketing Process, 2017 )
 Mission: The first stage is of deciding the mission of conducting particular marketing
actions. The article highlights the objective of Marks and Spencer to bring back their
food campaign which was running 12 years ago and now it is being introduced again with
better understanding and perceptions of people, in order to change their brands image and
identification in market (Hagberg, Sundström and Nicklas, 2016).
 Situational Analysis: The second stage of marketing process is of analysing and
evaluating the external market condition for hitting on the exact points and segments
which are aligning to the company's objectives and mission statement. The article
highlighted the current market analysis conducted by Marks and Spencer through which
it recognized the need for adding new twist and modify its 12 year old campaign. Marks
Illustration 1: 5 Essential Steps for a Successful Strategic Marketing Process, 2017

and Spencer also required to surprise and delight consumers by attracting them by a 60
seconds daydreaming advertisement video offering them information about great value
food products and mealtime inspiration for the families of nation (Gupta and Singh,
2017).
 Marketing Strategy: The step of marketing strategy is developed for thoroughly
evaluating a potential marketing strategy for the audience in order to be most effective
and achieve all their aims and objectives of developed through mission statement and
situational analysis. In the article it is clearly stated that Marks and Spencer is now
diverting its focus on wider market by resetting people perceptions about their food
products and brands and now going after less premium and more family-orientated
customers base (Chaparro-Peláez, Agudo-Peregrina and Pascual-Miguel, 2016).
 Marketing Mix: The next phase of marketing process is of establishing the marketing
mix which has 7 tactical areas to nurture, Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People,
Process and Physical Evidence. Marks and Spencer have expanded its product portfolio
making it more attractive and updating it by providing its smoked salmon to its new trifle.
Pricing is adjusted according to less premium customers, distribution channels are
physical and online, promotional tool is of Omni-channel marketing, people that is
workforce is well trained and inclusive of more expertise, processes are advanced and
constructive and all the action performed online through E-Commerce and with physical
stores will be enough evidence for their existence (Chaffey, Hemphill and Edmundson-
Bird, 2019).
 Implementation and Control: the last stage is of implementing all the plans in actions
and by thoroughly researching and identifying appropriate timing and dates to launch the
ideas. Marks and Spencer unveiled it on an event took place on 2 April about launching
their new marketing campaign by modifying their 12 years old movement and keeping
their “food porn” trademark (Fedorko, Bacik and Gavurova, 2018). The new campaign
will be launched through an advertisement on social media the very next day at 10:15 am
even ahead a TV debut. Also, introducing the intentions to carry on the marketing
movement the whole summer and beyond by featuring it on radio, through print media
and new-look-in-store marketing.

B) How this reflects current marketing practises.
Marketing is an essential task which irrespective of the size, scope and structure of
businesses (Islam, Hoque and Sorwar, 2016). Small or large, private or public, sole
proprietorship or partnership every firm needs to conduct marketing for their brand and
spreading awareness allowing them to compete in marketplace amongst all the other rivals. The
current marketing practices which are reflected in the article and performed by Marks and
Spencer according to the marketing process are various and linked with the plan. These
marketing practices are as follows:
 Setting attainable Goals: The marketing plans first stage is to set goals and mission
statements. Marks and Spencer conducted thorough market research and evaluated the
need for modifying their old marketing campaign and resetting it in the market for better
customer attraction and setting attainable goals (Liu and et. al., 2017).
 Defining target market: Next marketing practice undertaken was of defining the target
audience which was a integrated action of market research for analysing the current
market situation. According to which Marks and Spencer recognized the need for the
company to enhance their customer base and acquire wider market by moving to less
premium family-orientated consumers (Li, Liang and Li 2018).
 Establishing clear brand identity: Under this marketing practice the marketing mix tool
and stage of marketing process enabled Marks and Spencer to develop their identity. The
tactics and strategies developed through marketing mix plan supported Marks and
Spencer in rendering best and appropriate image of the brand in the market and most
importantly in new targeted segment (Kbilashvili, 2018).
 Combining online and offline marketing strategies: The implementation and control
phase of marketing process clearly stated the intention of Marks and Spencer of using
Omni-channel marketing procedures. Marks and Spencer while announcing the launch of
their campaign also unveiled the different sources through which they will be launching
their strapline again after 12 years (Johansson and Kask, 2017).

C) Relate relevant omni channel marketing theories and models to the trade journal article.
(Source: Omnichannel Marketing Strategy, 2019)
Omni-channel is considered as the hypothesis for the customers which shows that what
customers do is more valuable then other things. In terms of this, currently organisation use five
omni-channel marketing theories that are beneficial for company in order to promote and
advertise their products within the market. For this, few of them are mentioned below: Social Media: By considering the discussion regarding the marketing of company it is
analysed that social media is prominently used by company in order to attract their
customers (Gregory, Ngo and Karavdic, 2019). For this, Marks & Spencer currently use
television, facebook, instagram and twitter in order to attract their customers by showing
attractive advertisement. Moreover, they also set up their TV debut in the morning at
10:15 and its objective is to reintroduce their product in order to run their organisation
and also leads to increase sales and profitability. Websites: It is useful for the as many of people visit websites before their shopping and
also leads to gets significant reviews from their as it is useful for the company in order to
increase their customer base (Hua, 2016). Along with this, Marks & Spencer leads to
develop significant campaign in order to promote their product and these camps are also
promoted with the help of official website of company.
Illustration 2: Omnichannel Marketing Strategy, 2019

 Email marketing: This marketing technique is effective for the existing and present
customers as for this, Marks and Spencer leads to promote their products by sending
mails to them on their personal mail id. For this, when customers visit the store and due
to this, Marks and Spencer get details about their customers like their name, mail id,
contact number and so on. For this, they use it when the company introduce and launch
new product and regarding this they need support from their loyal customers in order to
promote it and get chance to increase their customer base. Digital advertising: In terms of this, company promote its product by using digital
method and online platforms by digitalising their marketing methods. For this, Marks and
Spencer use search engine marketing, pop-ups, displaying ads, native advertisement and
so on which is useful attracting customers towards their product which is helpful for the
company (Smirnova, Rebiazina and Daviy, 2017). Along with this, Marks and Spencer
also adopt effective leverage advertising method like mobile apps, affiliated programs,
social media and many more.
 Print ads and catalogues: As per this factor, Marks and Spencer advertise its products
through catalogues and banner by representing attractive slogans and lines that leads to
attract customers for the longer period of time. Along with this, they put these banner on
each and every street where it is visible for each person and distribute their catalogues in
order to show their competent and abilities. (Baran and Galka, 2016) Currently, Marks
and Spencer use magazines, newspaper, TV and other methods in order to represent their
products through very attractive method that leads to attract and retain them for longer
period of time.
D) Provide brief recommendations based on your review and analysis.
The current report discussion is developed on integration of marketing and E-commerce
utilized by Marks and Spencer in introducing their new marketing campaign which was stopped
12 years ago but now being presented by integrating it with omni-channel marketing theories and
techniques. E-commerce have brought huge opportunities for businesses and retail sector is the
most contributed industry through it (Guercini, Bernal and Prentice, 2018).
Marks and Spencer dealing in retail sector requiring to move according to current trends
in of the industry which is internet and era of online shopping. People are most concerned about
their ease and comfort which brought the aggressively developing social media markets and

online applications. Marks and Spencer is working according to the social and current trends of
the industry which introduced it to make use of Omni-channel marketing strategy and separate
approaches or theories of it (Al Mazrouei and Krotov, 2016).
According to the article and discussion conducted in the report it is understandably
proven that company is totally diverted towards virtual tools and marketing actions which do not
fulfils the criteria of omni-channel marketing as it is a combination of both physical and online
actions. Therefore, it is highly recommended, suggested and expected that Marks and Spencer
will also focus over their physical marketing channels and resources. Moreover, it is important
for company to communicate same information on either of the platform, online and physical
(Ladegaard, 2018).
CONCLUSION
The report summarises the importance and requirement of companies to evaluate the
market and accordingly spread awareness for improving their brand image in the potential
marketplace amongst potential audiences. Marketing process and their integration with relevant
marketing practices are reflected. Moreover, omni-channel marketing is discussed and
thoroughly evaluated about how entity used them for launching their marketing campaigns and
ideas.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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The case of the UAE. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 14.
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contemporary marketing strategy. Taylor & Francis.
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management. Pearson UK.
Chaparro-Peláez, J., Agudo-Peregrina, Á. F. and Pascual-Miguel, F. J., 2016. Conjoint analysis
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pp.1277-1282.
Fedorko, I., Bacik, R. and Gavurova, B., 2018. Technology acceptance model in e-commerce
segment. Management & Marketing. Challenges for the Knowledge Society, 13(4),
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Gregory, G. D., Ngo, L. V. and Karavdic, M., 2019. Developing e-commerce marketing
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Gupta, H. and Singh, S., 2017. Social Media in Contemporary Marketing: YouTube Advertising
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Hua, N., 2016. E-commerce performance in hospitality and tourism. International Journal of
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Li, Q., Liang, N. and Li, E. Y., 2018. Does friendship quality matter in social commerce? An
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