An Analysis of Integrated Marketing Communications at Tesco Express

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Tesco Express's integrated marketing communications (IMC). It begins with an introduction to IMC and its significance for businesses. The main body delves into various marketing communication channels used by Tesco Express, including advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and digital channels like Clubcard and social media. The report also outlines communication objectives designed to increase customer awareness, satisfaction, and ultimately, sales. A justification for the chosen communication channels is provided, followed by a detailed marketing communications plan, including SMART objectives, and situational analysis using PEST and SWOT frameworks. The report concludes with an evaluation of the marketing communications plan, emphasizing the importance of metrics and ongoing assessment for success.

INTEGRATED
MARKETING
COMMUNICATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Different types of marketing channels of communications.........................................................3
Design communication objectives for organizational situation...................................................5
Justification..................................................................................................................................6
Marketing Communications Plan................................................................................................7
Evaluation of marketing communications plan.........................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Marketing communications plays very appropriate role to many of companies and
businesses in this dynamic world. Currently top-level management within most companies has
given order to their respective marketing teams for integrating marketing communications. With
the support of integrated marketing communications any business can easily make an excellent
relationship with many customers in its respective marketing segments. At the end, business will
be able to gain large customer base just because of integrated marketing communications. This
report discusses integrated marketing communications of Tesco Express (Samar, Ghani and
Alnaser, 2017). There are Tesco Express leading retail company of the United Kingdom,
headquartered in England, London. This retail company has the strongest supply chain within its
home country United Kingdom. Currently upper management of this company has succeeded in
highly expanding Tesco Express at the local level. This is report discusses different
communication channels as well which Tesco Express’s marketing department can use for
maintaining an effective relationship with different customers.
MAIN BODY
Different types of marketing channels of communications
Marketing communication can be defined as the procedure of making public aware about the
products and reminds them about product selling and discount offers of the company (Elliot,
Ngugi and Malgwi, 2018). This approach supports target customers to understand the values and
benefits offers by products and services of a company which automatically builds loyalty and
trust of the users for the brand and establishes strong relationship between brands and customers.
Different types of communication channels
There are various types of communication channels such as personal selling, sales
promotion and advertising etc. develops effective communication platform wherein customers
can directly communicate with organization’s staff regrading quality of product or purchasing
process. Tesco Express is local convenience store organization that uses multiple

communication channels to promote it’s products in various countries across the world. Channels
are described as follows:
 Advertising
Advertisement is the communication channel that is used to promote or selling of goods, ideas
and services through sponsors openly. This channel is paid platform whereas organization
advertises it’s products through such media. This communication channel comprises traditional
media such as newspaper, television, radio, magazine billboards and digital marketing media
such as social media, digital display, internet etc.
Organization can select appropriate media for the commercialization of products and
services to the targeted customers within minimum time. Product or service advertisement on
newspaper, social media, magazine, internet, television etc. can support in attracting large
number of customers towards the organization. there are various benefits of the marketing
communication channels such as it supports to aware large number of people within short of
span time. This media involves celebrities as well to influence products and services that creates
positive image of the Tesco’s product. the major drawback of the communication channel is that
it has less persuasive as compared personal selling channel.
 Personal selling
It is procedure of selling of products directly to the customer. In this process representative of the
company directly communicate with customers face to face and gives brief description about
product’s benefits, features, prices and other attributes of the business to the users. The main goal
of this communication channel is to resolve all queries of customer by giving instant response on
each questioning (Huang and et.al., 2018). Thus, organization enables to build customers loyalty
for the company and it’s products and improves their purchasing behaviour. The major benefit of
the personal selling communication channel is that marketing representative or sales person of
the business can customize the message accordingly customer’s needs and expectations. Thus,
this platform creates dual communication channel. But this channel also posses’ some demerits
such as a limited number of customers can be reached at the same time. this marketing
communication channel is quite expensive as compared others which directly impact on selling
revenue of the company.

 Sales promotion
This communication channel includes different communication activities. In this process
provides incentives to the user to sell organization’s products instantly. This procedure supports
in attracting large number of users and influences them to purchase of the goods and services of
the company. With this communication channel organization can stimulate growth of sales of it’s
products and services. This technique comprises different offerings such as free gifts, discount
on price, vouchers, coupons and free samples. These techniques use by Tesco Express to
improve buying behaviour of users and in exchange generate high revenue. Whatever results are
received through this communication channel can easily measure. It also supports to influence
potential users to buy products and services of the company in large quantity and maintains their
wellbeing. The major drawback of the channel is this it is short tactic of attracting large number
of customers but it is not effective for long-term goals. This communication channel is also quite
expensive.
Digital channels
 CLUBCARD: Tesco Express plc has used this communication media to influence it’s
existing customers to buy it’s product and services effectively. In this Clubcard media,
organization allows it’s existing customer to get discount on it’s available products while
purchasing two and three times in a month.
 SOCIAL MEDIA; It is also used by Tesco Express to aware customer about it’s new
services and products. With this media company communicate with it’s customer
effectively and requests them to give suggestion on it’s official sites regrading product
and services. Thus, company engage it’s customer with social media.
All above discussed communication channels can be analysed that main motto of
communicational channels is to draw attention of customers or users towards products and
services of the company, creates interest among them to try product or brand of the organization
as well as develops desires them to buy such products and services then implement actions to
transform them from potential customers to final users (Saenko and et.al., 2016). Tesco Express
has used all marketing communication channels to influence it’s products and services in the
business market. These all communication channels help Tesco Express to aware customers

about products and its services and encourages targeted customers to buy it’s value added
services and products.
Design communication objectives for organizational situation
Tesco Express has goal to influence large number of customers to buy it’s wide featured
products and builds their trust on products and it’s services effectively. Recently organization has
launched organic food products in the market, so manager of the company develops
communication objectives in the context of marketing and business. The reason behind is that
organization has motto to get people in stores and generate high revenue on it’s new product.
Communication objectives such as:
Aware customers about new products
Marketing management of Tesco Express practices different communication channels
like traditional and digital media to promote products in the business market. With this strategy
marketer enables to aware it’s customers and new users about it’s organic food and it’s benefits
so that they understand value of the new products (Shareef, Dwivedi and Kumar, 2016). Apart
from this marketing manager uses personal selling media to reach those customers who are
highly health concern and wants such products that brings positive impact on their healthy.
Improves level of satisfaction in customers
With personal selling communication channel marketers provides dual communication
system whereas customers can direct communicate with sales owner regarding product quality
and services while sales employees instantly try to resolve all queries. Such interactive
communication helps organization to improve customer services for the products and services of
the company. Thus, marketer has achieved this goal of the company precisely.
Justification
There are various communications channels has chosen by marketing team of the
company for establishing excellent communication with different customers. Advertising,
personal selling, sales promotion, sponsorship, social media etc. are some key marketing
communications channels which has used by the marketing team of the company. Top-level
management and marketing manager at Tesco Express will be required to ensure that, all

channels are providing excellent role for the company or not. Basically, these all chosen
communications channels are very productive in the terms of maintain effective interaction
values with different customers within the market. Currently many other retail ventures also
highly use these all channels of communications, because these channels are efficient to provide
excellent results. These all channels will defiantly positively affect to the brand image of Tesco
Express within the market. Existing marketing manager should use different measurement tools
for always knowing the effectiveness of these channels (Brezak, Vlastelica and Kostić, 2019).
For example; KPI (key performance indicator) is very appropriate measurement tool that can
support to Tesco’s marketing department to forever gain excellent return from these all
marketing communications channels. The marketing department should avoid to take those
decisions while using these channels which can put negative of impression of Tesco Express on
customers.
Advertising: Advertising is one of the best communication channels, because it gives
opportunity to Tesco Express for promoting own brand the large scale in the market.
Sales Promotion: Sales promotion is also very helpful in promoting on brand within the market.
This channel mainly contributes in increasing sales ratio of company.
Social Media: In this modern world, social media channel helps in effectively influence
customers within the market.
Marketing Communications Plan
Marketing communications plan always supports to a company for gaining large
customer base within the market, so that upper management of Tesco Express should give order
to its department of marketing for creating a very productive marketing communications plan.
When marketing department of this company will create and implement marketing
communications plans within its workplace, then Tesco Express can easily make excellent
relations with different customers within the market place, while preparing the plan, marketing
department should involve various productive marketing channels for properly establishing great
communication between company and customers (Tzoumaka, Tsiotsou and Siomkos, 2016). A
well-developed marketing communications plan has been created below which marketing team
at Tesco Express should implement in its daily operations of marketing.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan
Aim: To gain more than 16% market share within the UK’s retail sector.
SMART Communication Objectives Specific: The company lead forever the UK’s retail industry after achieving its specific
aim. Measurable: The company easily measure its work progress of plan by adopting
various measurement tools, like; KPI. Achievable: Tesco Express easily achieve its aim by using different marketing
channels which has mentioned below. Realistic: Aim of gaining large market share its completely realistic.
 Time-orientation: The marketing management should make a proper work schedule
for completing its aim on time.
Situational Analysis
For situational analysis there are two market analysis tools has been used below named
PEST analysis and SWOT analysis.
PEST Analysis
PEST analysis is very supportive in identifying key external factors of a business. It
indicates four key factors which has been discussed below;
 Political factors: Political factors will definitely affect to Tesco’s business
environment, because this company has responsible to fulfil all obligations which has
passed by the local government, like taxation.
 Economic factors: Economic factors can productively affect to the business
environment of Tesco, because currently with the support of UK’s economic
conditions, this company can generate excellent revenue. Reason is, the UK has well-
developed economy.
 Social factors: Social factors of this country are very appropriate to Tesco, because
large number of people within this country believes in buying quality products and
services within the market (Shukurova, Shukurov and Bulekbayeva, 2017). So that,
Tesco Express has an opportunity to gain huge profit by providing quality products to
customers. Technological factors: Technological factors of the United Kingdom are efficient to

develop the performance and productivity of Tesco Express within the market.
Currently thousands of technological gadgets and machines easily available in the
market which this company can use in its workplace for boosting own performance and
productivity.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis tool plays very well role in identifying major internal factors of a
business, it indicates four major internal factors which are as follows;
 Strengths: Tesco Express has the strongest supply chain within its home country UK.
 Weaknesses: The management should develop its problem-solving skills, because
many times management not able to systematically handle different organisational
problems.
 Opportunities: The company has an opportunity to attract many new customers by
offering quality products and services to them.
 Threats: Existing high market competition is the main threat to company.
STP Model
STP generally uses by companies for selecting and targeting their target market
segment. it involves three stages which has discussed below;
Segmentation: Segmentation is the first stage where company need to turn its whole large
market into small segments of market (DePrez, 2019).
Targeting: This is the second stage, in which Tesco Express has required to target its
customers and market one the basis of their interest, attitude, religion, caste, ethnicity and
income status. It is necessary to fulfil customers’ demands in effective manner.
Positioning: This is last stage within STP model where marketing team should choose various
marketing channels for establishing great communication with different customers.
Marketing Channels
Some key marketing channels has been mentioned below which Tesco’s marketing
team can be used.
Television advertisement: Television advertising is one of the best marketing channels which
can provide great opportunity to this company for effectively communicating with different
customers to promote own brand.
Social media: Social media also very productive channel of marketing, so that marketing team

should establish communication with customers through this channel as well (Camilleri,
2017).
Sponsorship: In this channel, marketing team has to sponsor different programs and events
within various cities or places for gaining excellent results.
Budget
Tesco Express pre-tax profit last year was £1,700,000,000,000. (£1.7 billion). In the
last year the company has invested total £74.8 million for the advertisement of its brand on
different marketing channels (Devlin, 2020). So that the management of company needs to
provide appropriate budget to its marketing team to effectively meets all communication
objectives.
Monitor & Control
Monitoring and controlling is very major part within plan, in which marketing manager
should properly monitor and control its each activity of marketing for getting better outcomes.
Evaluation of marketing communications plan
Communication strategy: The marketing team of company has required to adopt and implement
the strategy of communication (Andersen and Johansen, 2016). It is necessary to company for
effectively commutating with different people within the market.
Channel choice: There are various channel has been used in the marketing communications plan,
like; advertising, social media and sponsorship etc. These channels will definably give
opportunity to company for maintain productive communication values with customers.
Creative content: The marketing manager of Tesco Express has required to take productive step
towards making creative content. It is necessary to marketing team for positively influencing
customers within the market.
This plan of marketing communications will definitely support to this company for
maintaining excellent relations with different customers. Company should use those all
marketing channels within its daily operations which has mentioned this plan for perfectly
communicating with customers. Before implementing this plan in daily operations, the marketing
manager need to ensure that, it has a skilled and talented marketing team of not, because a

marketer should always have different well-developed and talent. Marketing team need to
specially focus on developing their communication abilities, because when team has well-
developed communication skills, then it can effectively interact with many people or customers
within the market. This is the main reason that, implementing marketing communications plan
within the market is not a small task to a company or enterprise.
There are marketing team of company should specially focus on using television
advertising channel and social media channels within its different campaigns of marketing,
because these channels are most productive channels in the comparison of other marketing
channels (Shkurupskaya and Litovchenko, 2016). Currently millions of people are using
different social media platforms, like; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram etc. By using social
media channel of marketing Tesco Express can easily interact with its various customers in
comment box, direct message, review box etc. This marketing communications plan is
completely efficient to positively affect Tesco Express within the retail industry of its home
country United Kingdom. Upper management, marketing manager and members of marketing
team has required to be very active in their personal job role for taking excellent outcomes
through this plan.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that the marketing team of company should identify and adopt
different productive marketing communications channels for gaining excellent results within the
market. There are top-level management at Tesco Express also has required to properly
understand the actual value of these communication channels, because these channels can enable
to company for attracting large customers towards own brand within the retail sector of the
United Kingdom.

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