Marketing Strategy Analysis: CSL's 4Ps and Competitors

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of CSL, a major biotechnology company, focusing on its marketing strategies and competitive positioning. It examines CSL's marketing mix, including product, pricing, promotion, and place (4Ps), and assesses how effectively these elements contribute to its success. The report compares CSL's 4Ps to those of its main competitors, Sanofi and Baxter International, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. A SWOT analysis is also included to evaluate CSL's internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats. The analysis emphasizes CSL's strong product quality, ethical marketing practices, and global reach, while also acknowledging challenges such as strict industry regulations and the emergence of new competitors. The report concludes by suggesting areas where CSL can further strengthen its position in the biotechnology market.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 1
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING
Student’s Name
Institution
Professor’s Name
Course
City
Date

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 2
THE MARKETING BACKGROUND OF CSL
CSL is in a very complex industry. The company has to be careful if it is interested in
maintaining its reputation. For many years, CSL has utilized different channels in marketing its
products. One of the latest media is the internet (Fitzgerald et al. 2014). Today, one is only
needed to key in the company names and get to know more about the products. However,
considering the type of products that the company deals with, there is a need for the company to
go beyond the marketing strategy and look into ways of ensuring that it meets the need of the
customers than just availing the products in the market (Festa et al. 2016). In the process of
marketing its goods to the customers, CSL utilizes Code of Responsible Business Practice.
Putting into consideration that the company markets to the global consumers, it makes sure that it
follows all the ethical marketing procedures and that is one of the reasons why the company still
has a good reputation in the eyes of the customers.
THE 4PS OF CSL
Product
CSL is one of the organizations which makes sure that its products are in line with the needs
of the customers. Recently, the company showed its interest to move into the Chinese market
(Hunt, 2017). The reason for doing so is because the company has been able to produce what the
customers need and there is no doubt that it can now serve broader markets. During
manufacturing, CSL makes sure that all ethical standards are met, and that is why the quality of
the products cannot be compromised. When it comes to the aspect of suppliers, CSL makes sure
that all its suppliers only provide goods which are of high quality to the customers. The move has
led to the company winning the hearts of many customers.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 3
Pricing
The profit of CSL has been predicted to increase by 20% after every year. The reason for the
prediction is because of the trend of the company (Tapp & Spotswood, 2013). When it comes to
pricing its products, there is one exceptional decision that CSL Company made. The company
produces products that are not produced by many organizations. However, that has never been
the reason for CSL to overprice its products. Every product at CSL is in line with its value, and
that wins the hearts of its customers thus making it the biggest Biotechnology Company in
Australia.
Promotion
As far as the issue of promotion is concerned, CSL does not concentrate some much on
promotions. The promotions that are conducted in most cases are only realized by the local
customers (Resnick et al. 2016). However, the reason for doing so has been associated with the
ability of the organization to win the hearts of the customers without going to the extent of
convincing them that they should buy. Through the word of its customers, the customers of CSL
increase and this is because the company only produces quality products and leaves the
customers to spread the word to their fellow customers.
Place
CSL has established itself beyond the location aspect; one can get the products of the
company in any place. Considering the type of products that CSL manufactures; medicines, it is
expected that getting the product of the company would not be a hustle (Salam et al. 2015). The
company works closely with the leading pharmaceutical with the intention of making sure that
the pharmaceuticals sell their products on their behalf because it cannot reach every customer.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 4
The company has however done a recommendable job in reaching a big number, and that is
evident by looking at how it has crossed the boundary of its country of origin. In 2012, CSL
started its operations in Africa, and now it is looking into ways of getting in China (West et al.
2015). The move shows how the company is determined to ensure that all its products are
everywhere and the customers can access them whenever they need them. One good job that
CSL has done as far as the issue of the place is concerned, it has worked with suppliers to make
sure that its products reach customers at the grassroots and that is an aspect which is very crucial
in marketing. It is by availing a product to the customers that one can meet their needs at their
level.
A COMPARISON OF CSL 4PS AND ITS CLOSEST COMPETITORS
Sanofi and Baxter International Inc. are the two major competitors of CSL. Sanofi gives
CSL a run for its money when it comes to products. The company markets most of its products
as not products which are manufactured by chemicals but drugs which are manufactured using
organic products. As a result, more customers are attracted to the products of Sanofi because the
world has been moving the organic way (Baker, 2014). When it comes to place, CSL is doing
better than Sanofi, and that is because CSL has effective mechanisms of availing its products in
the markets. When it comes to pricing and promotion, the two organizations seem to be playing
at the same level. When it comes to the comparing of the 4Ps of Baxter International and the 4Ps
of CSL, CSL stands tall. Baxter is trying, but it has not reached the level of CSL. There is so
much for Baxter to do if it wants to compete with CSL (Ke & Li, 2015). First, Baxter
manufactures products which do not get too many customers. Therefore, it has done less to
market its products. The world is a global village; there is a need for a company to have all
relevant information about its products. Considering the evolution of technology, organizations

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 5
should make sure that customers in overseas get to know about the products; something which
CSL and Sanofi have done. When it comes to place, Baxter has not done enough to avail its
products in the market for every customer who needs them to have them. Promotion would work
better to Baxter if it were to compete with CSL, but Baxter has not concentrated on promotion of
its goods. CSL is doing well. However, it needs to increase its suppliers and agents all over the
world. The healthcare industry has a lot of potentials and it needs to be explored. The products of
CSL have proven to meet the needs of the healthcare industry, and therefore, CSL should be
more aggressive.
References

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 6
Baker, M., 2014. Marketing strategy and management. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Hunt, S.D., 2017. Advancing marketing strategy in the marketing discipline and beyond: from
promise, to neglect, to prominence, to fragment (to promise?). Journal of Marketing
Management, pp.1-36.
Festa, G., Cuomo, M.T., Metallo, G. and Festa, A., 2016. The (r) evolution of wine marketing
mix: From the 4Ps to the 4Es. Journal of Business Research, 69(5), pp.1550-1555.
Fitzgerald, J., Cavanaugh, N., and Bhiro, R., 2014. CPR for the 4Ps-Breathing new life into the
marketing mix. International Academy of Business and Economics, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.
Retrieved from http://iabe. org/domains/iabeX/Default. aspx.
Ke, H. and Li, L., 2015, March. Research on the Development of Chinese market Based on 4Ps
Marketing Mix. In 2015 International Conference on Education Technology, Management and
Humanities Science (ETMHS 2015). Atlantis Press.
Khan, M.T., 2014. The concept of'marketing mix'and its elements (a conceptual review paper).
International journal of information, business, and management, 6(2), p.95.
Resnick, S.M., Cheng, R., Simpson, M. and Lourenço, F., 2016. Marketing in SMEs: a “4Ps”
self-branding model. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 22(1),
pp.155-174.
Salam, A., Inam, S.G. and Awan, W.A., 2015. The Impact of Marketing Mix (5 Ps) Elements on
Sales of UPS: A Case of Karachi Market-Buyer's Perspective. Journal of Business Strategies,
9(1), p.51.
Tapp, A. and Spotswood, F., 2013. From the 4Ps to COM-SM: reconfiguring the social
marketing mix. Journal of Social Marketing, 3(3), pp.206-222.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 7
West, D.C., Ford, J. and Ibrahim, E., 2015. Strategic marketing: creating competitive advantage.
Oxford University Press, USA.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 8
Appendix
CSL SWOT Analysis
STRENGTH WEAKNESS OPPORTUNITY THREAT
1. Biotechnology
is growing
fast, and that
is an
advantage to
the company.
2. The company
has unique
products thus
dominating
the industry.
3. High
investment in
research and
development.
1. A lot of
resources
needed in new
technologies.
2. There are
diseconomies
to scale.
3. Issues of
ethics in the
genetics field.
1. The global
industry is
insisting on
the use of
stem cells.
2. Advanced
technologies.
3. Increase in
hospitals thus
increasing
demand.
1. Regulations
are strict in
the industry.
2. Need for
skilled
employees.
3. The
emergence of
new
organizations
in the same
industry.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLANNING 9
Positioning Chart
Quality products
Effective Poor Marketing
Marketing
Questionable Quality of products
Blue- CSL Limited
Black- Sanofi
Yellow- Baxter International Inc.