Marketing Report: Roles, Mix, and Plan for Marks and Spencer

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This report delves into the marketing strategies of Marks and Spencer (M&S), a leading UK organization. It begins by outlining the roles and responsibilities of marketing functions, emphasizing their contribution to business success, including influencing products and services, improving the customer base, achieving competitive advantage, increasing market share, and establishing customer relationships. The report then explores the interrelationship between the marketing department and other functional departments, such as HRM, sales, public relations, and finance, highlighting the importance of collaboration for achieving organizational objectives. Furthermore, the report compares the marketing mix techniques used by different organizations to achieve their business goals. Finally, it develops and evaluates a basic marketing plan specifically for Marks and Spencer, providing a comprehensive analysis of its marketing approach within the competitive retail market.
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Marketing Essential
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TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Roles and responsibilities of marketing functions..................................................................3
P2 Interrelationship of marketing with other functional department...........................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................8
P3 Compare between marketing mix techniques used by different organisation to achieve
business goals..............................................................................................................................8
LO3................................................................................................................................................11
P4 Marketing Plan of Marks and Spencer.................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Marketing is the set of activities or tactics that undertakes by organization to promote it’s
products or services in the business market. Marketing is important functions of the business
which assists to lead profitability in company. Currently, there has lots of business that
undertakes different functions of marketing to target their specific market. In recent times top
management of the company puts high efforts to make their marketing function more
sustainable. In today’s world competition is raised by and by within each sector in which upper
management must control over marketing team and orders them to use well-organized and well-
improved marketing strategies and tactics in the regular marketing functions. So, marketing team
of the business requires highly competent and creative employees for this job roles because they
can give effective strategies to keep company stay in competitive market.
In today’s world, only those corporations are successful and enables to achieve high
profit in the business which uses modern marketing strategies such as digital marketing because
these are cost-effective and gives more access to reach targeted customers as compared
traditional strategies. To understand role and responsibilities of marketing functions has an
example of M&S company. It is a British multination supermarket company which is
headquartered in London, England. The brief study provides understanding about roles and
responsibilities of marketing functions within organization’s success in the business market
through this report.
LO1
Roles and responsibilities of marketing functions
There are various marketing functions that gives huge contribution to lead success within
company because it offers opportunity to promote it’s products and services at the wide scale in
the4 business market. Currently marketing functions plays excellent role in M&Splc. In recent
years it become one of the most popular organization in it’s sector due to it’s top management
level. Marketing functions are also another reason to maintain organization’s position in the
UK’s retail sector. So, it will be valid to say M&S plc cannot maintain it’s brand image in the
business market without involving marketing functions on daily basis. While marketing manager
of retail company is also performed effective in it’s position to make company successful by
implementing all marketing strategies in their regular operations. Top level management of M&S
plc knows that competition in retail sector influences by and by so, HR department and
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marketing department of company are working together to develop innovative strategies and
tactics which helps M&S plc to gain highly competitive advantage in the supermarket
(Dabrowska and Podmetina, D., 2017). There are various roles and responsibilities of the
marketing functions which will discuss as follows and this discussion supports to understand the
realistic value of marketing functions in the retail company.
Influence product and services
Recently M&S plc offers wide variety in products along with extensive features at
affordable price to the user or customer in the retail sector (Uysal, 2016). In that state
promotional activities are highly required for the busines to influence it’s profit ratio in the UK’s
retail market. So, marketing functions is only way for this retail company that gives huge
contribution to promote and services on wide scale in the market and improves brand image in
the business market. However, M&S plc already has taken extensive benefits through it’s
marketing functions such as recently organization enables to promote it’s products and their
services around the world. This function of marketing is quite sufficient to achieve large revenue
in the retail market (Kuutsa, 2016).
Improves customer base
From past few years each retail company puts high marketing efforts for achieving large
customer base within UK. However, when an organization has wide customer base in it’s sector
then it become quite easier to gain more respective position like top most international
companies. There is top level management of M&S plc also try to build large customer base like
Primark, Waitrose and Tesco. In that state, marketing function is only way for the organization
which can support to gain large customer base. However human resource management must
instruct it’smarketing department for developing effective marketing campaigns in different
market segments which improves customer engagement (Martensen and Mouritsen, 2017). M&S
plc can get success in this marketing campaign when marketing team introduces some
informative advertisement that can negotiate people or customer to buy product and services
from M&S. With these steps, retail company enables to gain large customer base in the UK’s
retail sector.
Supports in achieving competitive advantage
To gain highly competitive advantage in retail sector can play excellent role only
marketing function within company. There are lots of corporation that have achieved large
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competitive advantage with the cooperation of marketing functions. M&S plc also has achieved
competitive advantage on it’s certain products. However, marketing team of the retail company
must create innovative marketing strategies and tactics which leads profitability rather than it’s
competitors like Tesco, Asda and others (Sharma and Chan, 2017).Generally,M&S plc also plans
to gain sustainable competitive advantage for long time with the support of marketing functions.
So, it is the major reason that manager of marketing department must create productive
marketing strategies and techniques so that it can achieve large competitive advantage in it’s
retail sector.
Increase market share
Marketing function also support in gaining large market share. In this instance, human
resource management of M&S plc requires to use effective marketing functions for capturing it’s
large market share within retail sector. However, M&S plc has already captured large market
share in the UK’s retail sector. But organization needs to capture large market share like Tesco
and Primark on it’s products because threats of new entrants are increased in the UK’s retail
sector. So, it is essential for M&S to implement all marketing function in increasing market share
effectively. In that case marketing team of retail company must divide it’s whole market into
small segments for precisely understanding the realistic demand of customers (Nuseir, 2019).
Then marketing team requires to target it’s customer based on the disposable income, attitude,
spending behaviour and others. In last, marketing team needs to conduct different marketing
campaigns to influence product promotion in different market segments. This type role of
marketing manager will supportM&S plc to gain wide market share in the UK’s retail industry.
Establishing customer relationship
Currently each corporation takes innovative steps in it’s business environment for
establishing effective relationship with users or customers in the business market. In this state,
marketing function is one of the better waysfor the corporation to build and establish good
relationship with external stakeholders. However, most of the people or customers like to prefer
goods and services only from those organizations in the business market which builds effective
relationship with customers. it is not easier task to builds and establish good relationship with
customer because it requires more efforts ad high involvement of employees to provide best
customer experience. As per the view of different business experts maintain effective
relationship with consumers requires to focus on their demands and needs then organization can
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gain trust of them on it’s brands and products as well (Sarkum, Pramuka and Suroso, 2017). So,
M&S plcmust take support of it’s marketing team to establish good relationship with customers.
However, marketing team of the retail company is responsible to target different market
segments and communicate with customers effectively. M&S plc has well-developed
communication skills which can play effectiverole for establishing excellent relation with
customer and users (Searle and et.al., 2018).
From the above discussion of marketing functions can be analysed that marketing
functions plays essential roles in leading profitability within business. but the major drawbacks
of the marketing functions are that it requires excellent managerial skills of marketing managers
then they can practice all marketing functions productively. If marketing manager of the
company unable to practice all marketing functions effectively then organization cannot achieve
it’s goals as well as cannot compete with it’s competitors. So, marketing manager of M&S must
recruit such staff who have excellent skills and can support to raise good will of the business
within business market.
Interrelationship of marketing with other functional departments
HRM and Marketing
HRM and Marketing function of the M&S plc are completely interlinked with each other
and helps company to meet it’s objectives on time. There has an example to understand
interrelation between HRM and marketing such as when marketing needs some skilful and
talented staff in their marketing functions, then they directly contact with human resource
managers of retail company to recruit new skilful and talented candidates for marketing team
role. In contrary, human resource department of M&S plc is responsible for undertaking all
instruction of marketing team while recruiting employees for the marketing department. HRM of
M&S plc must practices effective recruitment and selection strategies for recruiting some
talented and skilful staff for the marketing team (Parola and et.al., 2018). However, it is the main
system whereas all department comes together for cooperating each other so that they enable to
achieve M&S’s main goal in predefined time. in addition, when marketing department of the
retail company requires to improve skills and competencies in it’s team member, then also
marketing team direct communicate with human resource department. The reason behind is that
human resource management of the M&S plc always responsible to offer different training and
development sessions for it’s staff so that enables to improve their working performance as well
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as maintains their wellbeing within workplace effectively. The major drawback of the
interrelationship is that both HRM and Marketing department must have high understanding to
determine risk and opportunities which helps to take appropriate decision in the context of
business.
Marketing and sales department: Marketing department supports the sales department in
Marks and Spencer Company. Marketing department provides all necessary information to the
sales department about the market position, trends in market, customers expectations and other
relevant information that supports sales department in company to achieve its overall targets.
Sales department channelizes different marketing and promotion campaign with the support of
marketing team in company. All such campaigns are planned, managed and monitored by the
marketing department in company (Siddiquee, Sammy and Hasan, 2019). Sales department in
company carry huge dependency over the marketing department in order to achieve all theory
departmental targets and objectives. Marketing department play huge role in creating a brand
value of the company which further utilises by the sales department in order to achieve the
individual goals of the department. Marketing department also conducts research over market
and trends of products which also supports sales department to launch new products that can
support such changing trends in market. Sales department also supports marketing department in
company by allocating all necessary information related to the products that further utilises by
marketing department in channelizing promotional campaigns. It can be projected that both the
department carry the inter dependency over other departments in order to achieve the overall
objectives of the department functions.
Marketing and public relationship: Marketing and public relation departments are also inter
related with each other. Both the departments carry the inter dependency over each other. Both
departments play the role of dressing the potential customers of company in relation to different
products offer by company. Marketing department supports public relation department by
guiding in respect to the potential customer base of company. Public relation department also
supports marketing department by establishing a long term relationship with potential customers
of company. Every time marketing department channelizes specific marketing campaign it
supports the sales of company as a result of the relationship established by the public relationship
department. Both departments in company support each others to achieve the overall objectives
of the department operations.
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Marketing and finance department: Marketing and finance department carry the strong
professional relationship. Marketing department of Marks and Spencer Company support finance
department by allocating the market research on retail sector. Finance department needs to take
improtant decisions related to brand partnerships, investment decisions which is immensely
based on the market research allocate by marketing department. On the basis of the information
allocate by marketing department about the retail market, competitors and other information
finance department making investment decisions that can support growth of company (Roach
and et.al, 2018). Finance department also support marketing department by allocating the
potential marketing budget. This is among the key part of relationship between both the
departments. Finance department allocate effective budget to marketing department that can
support marketing department in channelizing all marketing and promotional campaigns.
Marketing department also involves in corporate social responsibilities function which also
funded by finance department additional to the normal marketing department budgets. It can be
stated that both departments need to work together in order to achieve the objectives of
individual department.
Production Department with Marketing: Production department of Marks and Spencer is
responsible for making products and services that can cater needs and demand of each individual
so that company can sustain its business in competitive market.So, it coordinate with marketing
department to know about recent trends in technologies and customers preferences so that
appropriate changes can be made to retained customer’s satisfaction level and loyalty. Marketing
department of Marks and Spencer have strong interrelationship with production departments that
helps it to know about Uniqueness of products and services so that customers can be influenced
by putting minimum efforts. Marketing department also provide information to production
department to make specific modification in products so that people can be attracted and
company can grow.
LO2
P3 Compare between marketing mix techniques used by different organisation to achieve
business goals
Marketing mix is a tool that is used by marketing manager of Marks and Spencer to induce
various individual to select products and services of company so that it can gain competitive
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advantages. It helps in increasing brand image and overall sales volume of organisation as more
and more customers are ready to buy products of company (Siddiquee, Sammy and Hasan,
2019). Different firm uses different marketing mix tools in order to motivated or attract
individual to make purchase of products and services of firm so that it can achieve its objectives
within limited time frame. Therefore marketing mix tool used by manager of Marks and Spencer
and ASDA can be illustrated below:
BASIS Marks and Spencer ASDA
Products Company deals in wide
product portfolio in order to
fulfil needs and wants of each
age group individual such as
men, women and kids. It has
footwear, clothes, accessories
and jewellery for women and
furniture, decorative items for
home and gift. At the same
time provided financial
services to customers so such
wide range of products and
services have influenced
individual to choose products
of marks and Spencer Brand.
Some of the brand name are
Per Una, Indigo,
ASDA deals in products and
services such as fresh food,
home and personal care
products, and health and
beauty products. There are
various financial services in
which ASDA deals such as
Travel insurance, personal
loan and Credit cards that
provide ease and comfort to
customers to make purchase
from single stores for
fulfilment of needs of
customers. Strong brand
image and varieties of
products and services helps in
better satisfaction of
customers requirements and
future growth of firm.
Price Price plays important roles in
influencing individual to take
decision for purchasing of
specific products and
services. Therefore Marks
It can be stated that in term
of pricing strategy ASDA
have made success as firm is
well known for high discount
providers that have influence
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and Spencer have chosen
competitive pricing strategy
as it deals in qualitative
products and services
(Sharma and Chan, 2017).
Company provide products
form medium to high range
so that wants of different
individual can be fulfilled. It
also providesvarious
discounts on occasion in
order to increase its sales
volume and market share.
maximum number of
individual to make purchase
and fulfil their respective
requirements. Therefore
ASDA aim is to provide more
benefit or value to customers
through offering qualitative
products and services at
discount.
Place Company have its operation
in international market with
more than 1000 stores in 50
different countries that are
used to delivered qualitative
services and products to end
users. Marks and have more
stores in UK as compared to
other country such as
approximately 850 stores.
Customers can also make
purchase of products and
services through online
sources as it have its official
websites. So, it have provided
ease and comfort to people to
select products while staying
at their home or offices
Company in order to
delivered products and
services to large number of
individual that are living in
society have used both online
and offline medium that
helped in improvement of
overall market share and sales
volume of organisation.
ASDA have only 525 stores
that are less than marks and
Spencer. Stores of ASDA
have different formats such as
Supermarket and superstores
or supercentres. Among
various format supercentre is
largest stores from where
customers can shop. Online
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(Titus, 2018). presence have also
contributed in attracting
existing as well as new
customers ranges within firm.
Promotion It is another marketing
strategy that is used by Marks
and Spencer to retained and
expand its market share.
Company have used digital
marketing strategy and in
stores to attract maximum
number of customers for
growth and expansion of
services. Various medium
were used by Marks and
Spencer’s to promote
products and service such as
mobiles add, TV adv and
social media marketing that
have contributed in effective
achievements of goal and
increase in awareness of
brand image of enterprise.
Company have mostly used
sales promotion techniques in
order to retained and
influenced more customers in
the organisation. Reduce in
prices or discount offers have
contributed in increment of
sales volume and profitability
of organisation. Buy one get
one free are some of
promotion strategy that is
used by ASDA to retain
customers loyalty and
satisfaction level. Television,
social media or digital
technology are some other
means that have used by
marketing manager of ASDA
to influenced various
individual that live across
various countries.
Physical distribution Company have strong supply
chain that helps in effective
delivery of products and
services form warehouse or
stores to end users within
limited time frame and cost
Customers can easily known
about details of products and
services in which ASDA
deals through opening its
official websites. Better
customers care services,
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so that needs and demand of
customers can be fulfilled.
Wide area of operation and
24 hours after sales services
of ASDA helps in better
exchange of products and
services from company to
customers thus enhance
customers loyalty , brand
image and retention of people
within organisation.
timely delivery of services
have helped in maintain and
developing strong brand
image of products and
services of ASDA. Customers
are highly aware about
company name because of
innovative pricing strategy.
Process Employees of marks and
Spencer need to follow
standard process or procedure
to perform different task in
organisation so that
customers requirements can
be meet (Ungureanu and
et.al., 2019). Leaders of
marks and Spencer guide and
support employees to perform
new task or activities so
chance of error, mistake and
wastage can be reduce at the
same time maximum
utilisation of available
resources can be done for
overall growth and success of
enterprise in retail industry.
ASDA get products and
services from suppliers that it
have effective arranged in
racks of stores so that people
can easily come and select
products as per their taste and
preference. Standard process
helps employees to provided
best customers services
without any delay or
mistakes. Self services
machinery helps people to
make online payments for
purchased made within
ASDA stores.
People HR Manager have recruited
and selected employees that
More than 160000 people are
working in different stores of
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