Report: Integrated Marketing Communications Strategies of Unilever

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Unilever's integrated marketing communication (IMC) mix strategies, specifically focusing on its Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) brands within the UK market. The study begins with a comprehensive literature review, exploring the theoretical underpinnings of IMC and its significance in achieving competitive advantage. It then delves into the market environment review, examining the competitive landscape and consumer trends impacting Unilever's performance. The core of the report centers on analyzing Unilever's IMC strategies, including segmentation, positioning, and branding, with a focus on the Dove brand. The report also provides recommendations for future actions, considering the dynamic nature of the FMCG market. The analysis includes figures illustrating IMC communication tools and the integrated marketing communication mix, offering a holistic view of Unilever's marketing efforts. The report highlights the importance of adapting to changing consumer preferences and leveraging various communication channels to enhance brand awareness and customer loyalty. The report also explores the impact of social and economic factors on Unilever's strategic decisions. Overall, the report serves as a valuable resource for understanding and optimizing IMC strategies in the FMCG sector. The report concludes with references to the sources used throughout the study.

Analysis of the integrated marketing
communications mix strategies of your chosen
FMCG brand

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................................1
MARKET ENVIRONMENT REVIEW....................................................................................5
COMPANY STRATEGIES.......................................................................................................7
RECOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................11

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1IMC communication tools............................................................................................2
Figure 2Integrated communication marketing mix....................................................................4
Figure 3Different positioning of Bar Soap.................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
One of the most essential tasks for every organization nowadays is to design best
strategies through which they can attain higher competitive advantage. For this, they are
requiring to select best promotional and marketing tools through which they can enhance
their consumer base. The present report is study is based on the Unliever Plc. It is an Anglo-
Dutch multinational FMCG and world’s oldest consumer goods in UK. It comes under the
top three FMCG companies in the world which has a wide spectrum of different products
including food and beverages, personal care products etc. This study analyses the integrated
marketing communications (IMC) mix strategies for the UK market of Unilever and
recommend future actions for them as well. With the help of selecting best integrated
marketing communication Mix Company can easily coordinate their marketing efforts across
multiple communication channels (Blas, 2013). The present report gives proper description
about the market environment review and several strategies of FMCG Unilever as well.
Further, it can be determine that segmentation, positioning and branding strategies are the
most important points which helps in designing and implementation of integrated marketing
communications mix.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Nowadays, no company touches so many people’s lives in so many different ways.
Unilever is a brand which serves nutritionally balanced food to indulgent ice creams and
everyday household care products. For them, sustainability is the main concept and for this
they have set a sustainable living plan to decouple their growth. This plan helps them in
promoting their business and creating extraordinary movement for sustainable living.
According to Finne and Strandvik (2012) integrated communication mix is one of the most
effective concepts through which companies can easily achieve their target market.
However, most of the companies are using different promotional methods that are intended to
reinforce each other. Unilever can achieve all their corporate objectives by selling best food
and beverages products.
A Concept of marketing communication planning includes mass advertising to niche
market. Organizations are continuously using appropriate IMC marketing efforts across
multiple communication channels (Andersen, 2001). Unilever is trying to incorporate some
of the best and cost-effective campaign that still delivers the consumer value. The company is
very unique with having a proud history and a bright future as well. They are highly focused
with the sustainable growth and an intense sense of social purpose. The company is highly
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focused with developing new ways of doing business. For this, integrated marketing
communication mix is the most and best effective way through which they are able to achieve
their objective (Introduction to Unilever, 2015).
According to Varey (2002) integrated marketing communication is a term which is
highly focused with the company’s aspirations to align their communication efforts in a
consistent way. There are several researchers which have pointed out an important factors
contributing to the need for an integrated approach. Due to the increasing international
competition, company have to set their marketing communication mix as per the developed
FMCG market. McCabe (2012) in his study defines that company need to go through the
appropriate segmentation, positioning and branding strategies.
According to Danaher and Rossiter (2011) due to the increasing international
competition and globalization it is becoming more difficult for companies to design and sell
products that differentiate from their competitors. In this way, FMCG Company requires to
maintain the marketing communication channel through which they are able to attract more
number of customers. Due to the rapid development of new information and communication
technologies one can easily observe the diversification of the media sector. With the
increasing technologies of communication and advertising channels, companies have selected
the different areas of marketing communication (Integrated marketing approach, 2012).
Figure 1IMC communication tools
(Source: Integrated marketing approach, 2012)
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The above given figure shows some of the best and most common marketing communication
tools. These are the largely used promotion tools which includes everything from search
engine to banner advertisements and techniques. According to Sriussadaporn (2006) before
selecting best IMC communication mix companies need to go through the appropriate
strategies.Integrated marketing communication mix strategies involve the target market
selection of company as well as their segmentation on the basis of different traits. On the next
step, positioning and branding can be done through which company can reach out to their
determined profit margin. In case of selecting best approach they can easily maintain their
global growth and achieve higher success in future. This majorly requires a proper market
analysis of FMCG industry in UK (Gurau, 2008). It helps in analysing the level of
competition within the same area of filed and how better future strategies can be planned for
the same.
Unilever stated that no matter for them that who they are and where they are in the
world. The brand is trusted everywhere and people reach to Unilever from all around the
world. However, integrated marketing communication is closely aligned with the market
segmentation. Leitner (2007) in his study defines that market segmentation is one of the first
steps of developing a marketing communication plan. Under this stage, Unilever requires to
select their target market and break them into smaller group of people. Company need to
segment people on the basis of their lifestyles, demographic traits and product usage patterns.
Organization requires going through the segmentation on the basis of different traits such as
geographic location, behavioural attributes etc. (Barker, Valos and Shimp, 2012). By
selecting the target market internationally and break them into smaller groups company now
requires to select their target market. In this regard, a single target Unilever needs to select
which they want to target.
On the very next step, market positioning is taken into consideration as per the
integrated marketing communication mix strategies. According to (Navarro, Sicilia and
Ballester, 2009) positioning is the art and science of fitting the product into one or more
segments of the broad market. This strategy highly focused on either the consumer or the
competition. With the help of selecting positioning strategy, company need to create a
position for a product or service and they must have enough marketing money to occupy and
hold the position. Barrett (2006) stated that once identifying a given market segment,
communication strategies determines a positioning strategy. In this, a position outlines the
strategy that “company provides you the highest-end quality services to the young-adult
market as well”. Moreover, firm also requires selecting appropriate media and
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communication channel as well. With the help of this, they can reach out to the large number
of customers and provide them quality services as per their needs and requirements (Egan,
2007).
Further, the integrated marketing communication mix of Unilever covers the total
field and area where they can maintain better public relations (Unilever, 2015). In this, they
need to go through the personal selling, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion etc.
These are the major marketing mix.
Figure 2Integrated communication marketing mix
(Source: Egan, 2007)
In addition to this, the whole marketing mix includes all those business functions
through which appropriate product development can be done. Further, communication mix
refers to the best technique that is use to promote the products and services to target
customers. Unilever can easily target more number of customers by selecting a range of
advertising and communication channels (Griffin, 2002). Moreover, the whole above section
defines that one of the major benefit of selecting best integrated marketing communications is
that marketers can clearly and effectively communicate their brand story and create brand
awareness. They can reach out to the large number of people and promote their products
internationally. (Danaher and Rossiter (2011) stated that IMC creates a competitive
advantage for all those companies who are looking to boost up their sales and profit margin.
However, company can nurtures their relationship with customers throughout the exchange of
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messages. By this, company can enhance the positive level of experience among all their
customers and make them loyal customers.
MARKET ENVIRONMENT REVIEW
As per the survey conducted in the past years it has been founded that an FMCG
company has generated total revenue of $288 million. Among this, UK has the highest share
among all the countries i.e. $87.9 million. In the present study, FMCG brand has been
selected in which Unilever has taken into consideration (Introduction to Unilever, 2015).
They have been in this business since the 1880s and help people to look good, feel good and
get more out of life. Company is planning for significantly vast expansion of their business
within this same area of field. It has been founded that they are facing tough competition as
UK market is full of FMCG brands (McCabe, 201). There are some of the most common
brands such as Tesco, Sainsbury and all other big brands of consumer goods. Due to the
increasing competition company need to attain best integrated marketing communication
strategies.
For this particular firm, a product category and Dove brand has been selected.
Company mainly believes that beauty and looking at the personal best is the result of
personal care. Most of the women’s as well as men’s are highly concern about their beauty
and hairs nowadays (Leitner, 2007). The Dove brand started its life in the year of 1957 and
always aims to deliver the products which tangibly improve the condition of skin and hairs.
Today, this brand offers a wide range of products such as body wash, shampoo, conditioners
and deodorants as well as various hair styling products. There are several key competitors of
this brand in the market such as Sunslik, Head & Shoulder and L’Oreal etc. It is a personal
care brand which is owned by Unilever in UK (Dove, 2015). There is a higher market
competition within this field. The major competitor of Unilever is Hoovers. Now, Dove is
world’s number one personal cleansing product and one of the most high profile brands of
Unilever. P&G’s Olay is the biggest competitor of Dove. In the year of 2014, Kantar’s brand
ranking placed Dove as the world’s 8th most valuable personal care brand. According to the
Unliever the brand is available around in 100 countries worldwide.
As per the market research of UK about Dove it has been founded that most of the
women says that they are very satisfied with their beauty and with their hairs as well. As per
the Lagrosen (2005) Dove is the UK’s top cleansing bar. In the year of 2011, 51 million Dove
bars have been sold out while 10.1 million women use it every week in the UK. Further, the
brand is highly committed with widening the definition of beauty for women. For this, they
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are encouraging all women to develop a positive relationship with beauty. Moreover, in 2005
self-esteem programme helps in making real changes to the ways women and girls embrace
beauty. Within this program, they educate all the girls about the positive relationship with
beauty (Gurau, 2008). Main target of company is to reach almost 15 million girls globally by
the end of 2015. As per the set target, they have reached around 8000,000 in the UK. Dove is
world’s leading brand and women’s are using its products on high range as well.
There are several market factors which may affect the strategic decisions of company
such as social factor, cultural factor, economy, laws and government, supply lines, consumer
trends etc. The whole strategic decision of Dove brand as well as Unilever can be highly
affected by the social factors (Griffin, 2002). This factors stated that people belongs to
different category as well as different level of income status and background. Due to this,
some of them prefer the products of Dove as per their income level whole some are not able
to purchase the products. Company can change their strategic decision as per the consumers
social conditions and provide them products on discount prices as well. In addition to this,
consumer trends are changing day by day. Changing market trend can highly influence the
entire direction of businesses marketing with very little notice to great effort. Trends can be
results of endorsements or any sudden changes in consumer preferences. It might lead to
affects the whole strategic direction of company (Finne and Strandvik, 2012). Further, local,
national and global economies are perhaps the greatest environmental factors to be dealt with
any business. Both the local and national economies of UK highly affect the marketing
decisions by determining how much customers can pay effectively. Moreover, changing laws
or government can also change the decisions of company as they need to retain their
customers on long term basis. In addition to this, it can be stated that all the above given
environmental factors may have significant influence on the strategic decisions of company.
COMPANY STRATEGIES
As per the above literature review it has been founded that companies can easily reach
through the intended and target audience by selecting best integrated marketing
communication mix. Unilever is one of the biggest FMCG industries and they are having
their tie up with the most famous and known brands of the world. Dove is one of those brands
and they have expanded their marketing objectives and expanded the definition of beauty for
all women (Egan, 2007). Dove is the UK’s best bar soap brand as well as higher seller of
Unilever. In addition to this, almost 10.1 million women use Dove every week in the UK.
Target Audience: Target market segment of company Unilever are the males and
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females who uses beauty products and consider it very important. All those women who are
well aware about the beauty and care for their skin are the main targets of Unilever. The
major reason of targeting both males and females as their global core brands are personal care
such as Axe, Dove, Lux, Pond's, Rexona and Sunsilk. By selecting their target customers they
are able to attain their objectives and gain their profit margin as well. They have been
selected on the basis of their attitude and lifestyles as all women’s are highly conscious with
their beauty products (Introduction to Unilever, 2015). This target segment is selected on the
basis of product feature and buyer traits for buying the products. It is quite difficult for every
firm to select the best target market. By utilizing the R&D department Unilever is able to
select specific target market in an appropriate way.
Brand positioning: For the differential appeal of Unilever, Dove has been selected as
per the most attractive product. The main reason behind this selection is that it is very well
known brand and committed to helping all women in the concern of their beauty products.
Company is making several strategies for occupying a distinct position in the era of beauty
products. With the help of this company can easily portray that what they want to achieve
from their customers (Dove, 2015). It is all about customer’s views and opinions. In this way,
Dove can position their market on the basis
Figure 3Different positioning of Bar Soap
(Source: Dove, 2015 )
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As per this branding strategy it has been founded that Dove is a premium price
products and it highly targets females. However, some males also go for the product of Dove
and they are able to use it as their beauty products. From the above product positioning
illustration of Dove it can be stated that Dove lies between high moisturizing and no
deodorant category.
Media selection and communication mix management: Unilever is world’s largest
brand and industry of FMGC products and they are highly concern about their
communication mix management (Unilever, 2015). They make use of different tools for the
appropriate marketing communication such as Advertising, Personal selling, sales promotion,
public relation and trade exhibition etc. These are the most effective ways of creating brand
awareness and attracting customers to purchase their products (Danaher and Rossiter, 2011).
Further, Unilever use their website and SEO tool as the major communication mix through
which they can avail any type of information for their customers and attract them.
RECOMMENDATIONS
There are various ways through which Unilever can make their integrated
communication making mix more effective such as:
They can make a comment or feedback page on their website from where they are
able to gather various feedbacks of customers and providing them high quality services as
well. This is the most effective to reach to the intended and target audience and their
requirements as well. Moreover, it can be stated that the whole pricing decisions of Unilever
were highly affected by the marketing communication activities. Unilever should continue
with health and safety welfare of workers especially the SHE program is very encouraging.
With the help of this, they can develop their positive brand identity in the mind-set of their
customers as well. Further, it can be stated that Unilever should intensify the use of public
relations in order to improve their communication and relation with them. Maintaining proper
communication mix helps them in enhancing and promoting their brand in an effective
manner. They can make better public relations by providing them high quality services as per
the needs and demands of their customers.
They can make their IMC strategies more effective by taking several initiatives such
as Dove’s “Real beauty Sketches”. These types of campaign are able to attract more number
of customers. Company should have to develop best company video and take participation in
several online campaign fests. Today Unilever believes that success means acting with the
highest standards of corporate behaviour towards their employees, customers as well as local
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communities. For this, they are require to take several initiatives in an effective way for all
their global core brands such as personal care market are Axe, Dove, Lux, Pond's, Rexona
and Sunsilk.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that it is quite essential for firms
nowadays to maintain better integrated communication marketing mix so that they can align
their strategies in an effective way. Unilever is the most famous brand and they are able to
attract and retain more number of customers by selecting best IMC channels. The main target
market of company is males and females both and they are able to reach through the target
audience by the way of using appropriate communication mix. For this, they have adopted
personal selling, sales promotion, public relation, trade exhibition as well as website of their
company as their communication marketing mix. Further, it also has been concluded that by
selecting appropriate positioning, segmentation and targeting Unilever is able to facilitate the
design and implementation of integrated marketing communications mix.
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