NEXT PLC Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign Plan Analysis

This report outlines an integrated marketing communications (IMC) campaign plan for NEXT PLC, a British multinational retailer. It establishes SMART marketing communication objectives focused on increasing sales by 10-20% within a three-month timeframe. The marketing communication strategy employs the STP (Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning) model, segmenting customers based on demographics and utilizing the VALS framework. The creative strategy emphasizes dynamic and engaging marketing campaigns through various media channels. The promotion mix incorporates advertising, public relations, and sales promotions, with a focus on both traditional and digital advertising. The report includes a Gantt chart for campaign implementation and sets an indicative campaign budget of £2000. The plan aims to enhance NEXT PLC's competitive value through effective advertising, publicity, and strategic segmentation.

Integrated marketing
communications campaign plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Marketing communication objectives.........................................................................................4
Marketing communication strategy.............................................................................................4
Creative strategy..........................................................................................................................6
Promotion mix and media selection ...........................................................................................6
Campaign implementation outcomes..........................................................................................8
Measure to campaign outcomes..................................................................................................8
Setting indicative campaign budget............................................................................................8
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Communication campaign plan is known as the short-term plan that is made for
generation of lead in market and for increasing sales and the main purpose is to manage its target
audience with its engagement and focus on marketing with the use of media (Blakeman, 2018)
This report is based on NEXT PLC, it is British multinational company that is retailer in
clothing, footwear and home products. The company was formed in 1864 by Joseph
Hepworth. This report covers making of communication plan and also framing of SMART
objectives. Moreover, it covers the marketing communications strategy as well as creative
strategy. This report also analyses contents of Gantt chart as well as measures the outcomes of
campaign. There is also indicative campaign budget being framed for understanding total amount
that has to be invested for achievement of the marketing communication campaign that leads to
success.

MAIN BODY
Marketing communication objectives
SMART objectives are the five goals that defines strategies for achieving of objectives.
These objectives are explained as follows in the context of NEXT PLC:
 Specific: NEXT PLC has its plans to increase its sales from 10% to 20% for ensuring
better growth in future.
 Measurable: These objectives are always measured by analysing all the previous sales
for finding the correct sales that are all analysed by NEXT PLC and its employees.
 Achievable: Customer needs are being identified and analysed in order to achieve these
for targeting a large number of customers to their brand so that they can contribute in the
great sales of the firm (Bruhn, and Schnebelen, 2017).
 Realistic: As the NEXT PLC plans for high sales, it offers various discounts and rewards
to their customers as they contribute in the increase the sales.
 Time frame: NEXT PLC will go through three-months communication campaign plan
for reaching all their predetermined sales.
Marketing communication strategy.
For analysing the communication strategy, STPD model is utilised and its full form is
Segmentation, targeting, differentiation and positioning. In context to NEXT PLC, these are
explained below:
Segmentation: It is the first step that is used in this marketing model (Chitty, and
Andrews, 2017). The main purpose of this is creation of different customer segments. NEXT
PLC segments all its customer on the certain basis like demographics as it covers all different
age groups of customers that buy NEXT PLC products and goods. For understanding this
demographics segmentation, VALS model is used and it is explained as follows:
The acronym for VALS is value, attitude and lifestyle. This model was developed in
1970s by Mitchell. This structural framework is being used and developed for keeping resources
and all consumer’s capacity that all accept the innovation and changes in market and in their
minds. There are different kinds of customers from which nine are main and they are innovators,
experiencers, thinkers, strivers, makers, survivors, believers, achievers. These are the customers

and are based on their value, attitudes and lifestyle. NEXT PLC segments all its customers with
the main aim to achieve and target a great base of customers in market
 Targeting: There are different targets made and this the targeting is done on basis of
size, profits and reachability and accessibility of the customers. NEXT PLC targets every
segment by providing various goods and products to each and every segment that guides
and helps in making a large customer group. NEXT PLC basically targets middle class
and lower class people as its customers.
 Positioning: It can be called as the process of creation of good brand image and goodwill
in customer’s minds for more purchasing of its goods and products (Duralia, 2018).
NEXT PLC has been successful in gaining the complete trust of its customers.
 Differentiation: It is that strategy which lets NEXT PLC to offer its unique product as its
cloth that are unique identify its products different from its competitors. This clothes are
durable for a long time period.
Buyer persona
Detailed description about an individual that is a buyer who is a part of the target
audience of an organisation is buyer persona (Valos, Maplestone, Polonsky, and Ewing, 2017).
This is respective persona of a buyer but is based with detailed description and research on all
the customers that is existing and target audience. It can also be called a customer persona or
marketing persona. It is plan that is related with growth and development and also for the
betterment of organisation for establishment of plan to cover the target audience and market. In
NEXT PLC, the company makes individual persona for understanding all the triggering
customer points by which large customer’s groups are attracted to the goodwill and brand and
they contribute in the higher sales and profitability ratios and revenues in the market.
Point of parity (POP) are factors and elements that are compulsory and important for the
goodwill and brand that is considered a legitimate by the competitors in all their specific and
unique category (Fill, and Turnbull, 2019). It is the place or location where company needs its
goods and the competitors are not always necessarily better through which they can negotiate
their benefits and also refocus and puts their attention on all point of difference. Point of
difference are those factors that are related with goods and services and they establish
differentiation. It is the manners or ways that define the differences of the products and services

of the company from all its competitors. NEXT PLC lays point of difference by offering
differentiated goods and products through which they lead the value of their brand and goodwill
to increase and have greater brand value and also gets and gains the trust of the customers.
Moreover, NEXT PLC offers Unique selling point that USP by which they offer its
products as number one clothes and other products recommended by many celebrities and
influencers by laying down all points of differences through which they offer unique goods in the
target market share.
Creative strategy
NEXT PLC continues in creating dynamic, changing and creative marketing campaigns
that are made with the help and use of effective media and also by educating their target
audience that is customers with the help of impactful and attractive promotions and
advertisements. They do creative marketing campaigns that all range from being creative
commercials and advertisements to dynamic video content and information by digital media that
all bring humour and understanding about products (Juska, 2021). The NEXT PLC uses code of
conduct for guiding its targeted audience that is customers with the help of principles and for
retaining them for over 20 years along with the principles that shows all their values and also set
standards for the ethical behaviour for its employees and customers of NEXT PLC. On the hand,
the code of conduct is always and regularly is being updated, ensuring the changing context and
dynamic nature of the business.
Promotion mix and media selection
Promotion mix is known as the framework that is set for various marketing approaches
and techniques that are being used to develop the effective and efficient promotional efforts by
the marketers through which they can reach to boarder and more audience and for capturing of
more market (Kliatchko, 2019). In context to NEXT PLC, various promotional-mix that are used
are discussed below:
Advertising: The advertising is a major technique which helps a business entity to promote its
products and services. The advertisement of the NEXT Plc will be published on television and
internet in order to attract large number of customers (Kitchen, 2020)The advertisement policy
should be formulated and designed by experts in order to gain competitive advantage.

Public relations: The public relationship focuses on bonding of a business with the society in
order to increase business strength. A business organisation must focus on development of public
relationship in order to gain key control over major relationships.
Sales promotion- Promoting the sales is essential for development of key strategy which is
based on increasing sales turnover. The NEXT Plc company will perform its sales promotion on
social media to increase revenue and profitability.
Selection of media is one of the key approaches which is helpful for a business to
increase its advertisement and publicity approach (Luxton, Reid, and Mavondo, 2017). This is
one of the major roles of Next Plc to select the following two major approaches in order to gain
customers:
 Traditional advertisement- Next Plc will focus on development of traditional
advertisement in order to achieve key goals and objectives. The business will also
perform direct advertisement of products and services to gain effective growth at the
marketplace.
 Digital advertisement- In the recent times, information and technology has emerged as a
key practice which helps a business to develop focused approach. The NEXT Plc will
take into consideration social media and internet based advertisement. Main focus of a
business should be on hiring IT experts who are able to develop digital advertisements.

Campaign implementation outcomes
The marketing campaign is a key concept which helps a business to effectively promote
its products and services. The business should focus on development of a Gantt Chart in order to
increase overall strengths (Patti, Hartley, and Baack, 2017). The application of Gantt Chart for
the implementation of key approach in marketing.
Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week 8
Situationa
l analysis
SMART
objectives
Strategies
Tactics
Action
plan
Controllin
g
Measure to campaign outcomes
In order to successfully develop a communication plan, it is essential for a candidate to
develop systematic approach by preparing a Gantt Chart. The above Gantt chart which is for 8
weeks include key practices of business development which are essential for focused growth.
After that Next Plc will take into account SMART objectives and achieve them with major focus
on primary goals and objectives. The major objectives of a company are achieved with key focus
on primary and secondary data collection based approach. The campaign will be able to seek
attention of target audience in a systematic and well defined manner (Porcu, del Barrio-García,
and Crespo-Almendros, 2017). The business organisations should also develop key approach in
understanding demand and needs of key customers to successfully implement major practices.
The marketing campaign plan will be also implemented with effective supervision and control in
order to achieve key outcomes.

Setting indicative campaign budget
Budget is very important part of marketing campaign which will help in anticipating the
expenditure and income related to the campaign. The financial plan will also help the companies
to analyse key growth based perspectives which are important for growth and expansion. It is
crucial for Next Plc company to develop a marketing budget in order to gain effective growth in
a short period of time (Turner, 2017). The marketing campaign budget of Next Plc is given
below:
Details Amount (£)
Content Creation 300
Social Advertising 600
Social engagement 200
Software tools 500
Promotion contexts 400
Total £ 2000

CONCLUSION
From the above analysis it can be concluded that marketing communication plan plays an
important role in increasing the competitive value of a business. The project concludes that
advertisement and publicity are two major objectives of a marketing management which
increases sales turnover. This project concludes the importance of STDP analysis is a major tool
which helps in segmentation and development of products and services. This project also
concludes that various aspects like advertisement, public relations and digital media marketing
which are important in overall development of a business.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Blakeman, R., 2018. Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to
implementation. Rowman & Littlefield.
Bruhn, M. and Schnebelen, S., 2017. Integrated marketing communication–from an instrumental
to a customer-centric perspective. European journal of marketing.
Chitty, B., and Andrews, J.C., 2017. Integrated Marketing Communications with Online Study
Tools 12 Months. Cengage AU.
Duralia, O., 2018. Integrated Marketing Communication and Its Impact on Consumer
Behavior. Studies in Business & Economics, 13(2).
Fill, C. and Turnbull, S., 2019. Marketing communications: touchpoints, sharing and disruption.
Pearson UK.
Juska, J.M., 2021. Integrated marketing communication: advertising and promotion in a digital
world. Routledge.
Kitchen, P.J., 2020. Marketing communications. In A reader in marketing communications (pp.
1-9). Routledge.
Kliatchko, J., 2019. Integrated marketing communication: Putting the human person at the core.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Luxton, S., Reid, M. and Mavondo, F., 2017. IMC capability: antecedents and implications for
brand performance. European Journal of Marketing.
Patti, C.H., Hartley, S.W. and Baack, D.W., 2017. Improving integrated marketing
communications practices: A comparison of objectives and results. Journal of marketing
communications, 23(4), pp.351-370.
Porcu, L., del Barrio-García, S., and Crespo-Almendros, E., 2017. Do adhocracy and market
cultures facilitate firm-wide integrated marketing communication (IMC)?. International Journal
of Advertising, 36(1), pp.121-141.
Turner, P., 2017. Implementing integrated marketing communications (IMC) through major
event ambassadors. European Journal of Marketing.
Valos, M.J., Maplestone, V.L., Polonsky, M.J. and Ewing, M., 2017. Integrating social media
within an integrated marketing communication decision-making framework. Journal of
Marketing Management, 33(17-18), pp.1522-1558.