Marketing Strategy and Ethical Framework: Mac Cosmetics Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Mac Cosmetics' marketing strategy, specifically focusing on the launch of their Mini Mac Lipstick. The report details the company's approach to goal setting, audience targeting (women who regularly use lipstick), and situation analysis, including the use of customer personas. It highlights the company's shift towards social media promotion to engage a younger demographic, contrasting it with previous strategies. The report also examines the ethical framework employed by Mac Cosmetics, particularly the application of the "Utilitarian Approach," emphasizing the importance of ethical advertising and transparency regarding product ingredients and potential side effects. The conclusion summarizes the successful launch of the Mini Mac Lipstick and reinforces the company's commitment to ethical marketing practices, including full disclosure of product information to build brand reputation and foster customer trust.

Running Head: MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 1
Marketing Strategy and Plan

MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 2
Marketing strategy is an approach that the marketing team of a company chooses for
accomplishing their product promotion or marketing related goals. In other words, marketing
strategy defines the strategy or methods that marketing team adopts for spreading awareness
in the potential audience or targeted customers. Selected company for this assignment is
“Mac Cosmetics”, founded in Toronto by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo. The company
launched a new product “Mini Mac Lipstick” in June 2019. In this essay, a marketing product
strategy that the company used for introduced a new product will be discussed. An ethical
framework will be analysed in this essay for identifying ethical issues which is encountered
while product marketingi.
The success of a new product launch "Mini Mac Lipstick" entirely depends upon the
marketing strategy which is adopted by the company. The management of the company has
previously adopted many marketing plans but the company changes its marketing strategy
with the launch of this particular because it is important to change strategies when time
knocks. In the below paragraphs, steps for adopting marketing strategies are discussedii.
Mac Cosmetics set goals and define objectives about their targeted audience. For launching
lipstick their targeted audience are Women who use lipstick on a regular basis. They analysed
the situation by conducting a customer persona for knowing the attributes of the fashion need
of their targeted audience.
Mac cosmetics map out their mission loudly in society. They outline their message in
pamphlets, television commercial, social media and on various other promotion platforms. In
this campaign, they use their most famous tagline "All ages, all races and all sexes".
While making tactics or strategies they consider the targeted audience, industry factors and
other important elements. While making tactics they include the social media tool because the
young population is connected much more with social media. Management of the company

MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 3
focused majorly on social media promotion for engaging the young population in order to
bring their attention. For "Ale Lipstick" launched in October 2016, the company focuses
mainly on television promotion but due to the engagement of young population on social
media, the company decided this time to focus majorly on social media toolsiii.
Mac cosmetics understands it very well that time is very precious. Management has made the
timeline for completing its product promotion and release the product in June 2019.
Management of the company made the promotion division. Departments are allotted to team
members who had specialized in their particular department. For example, teams who were
expert in social media handling process were allocated tools related to search engine
optimization. The team member who had strong contacts with the distributor was allocated
retail promotions.
Mac Cosmetics had taken out enough profit margin for their distributors. By following these
tactics, it enhances the motivation of their distributor and retail partners. Management of the
company knows that it is extremely important to keep distributors motivated because they
also help in spreading awareness about the product.
Product Marketing is responsible for the achievement and development of an item by
interfacing client needs to item abilities. The estimation of Product Marketing originates from
its profound comprehension of business sectors, clients and their needsiv.
"Is Lakme cruelty-free" under this article research has been conducted that lipstick and other
cosmetics which (in general) a company makes are cruelty-free or not? Generally, cosmetics
products are affordable and catches the interest of the customers. However, this research has
concluded that cosmetics products especially lipstick use the animal fat of cows and pig. It
means many living animals scarifies their lives just to satisfy the fashion need of human

MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 4
beings. NGOs are spreading awareness among the people that people should use vegan
cosmetics products instead of those products which uses animal fatsv.
The management of the company follows ethical promotion strategies while promoting their
products in the market. Following ethics in advertising is important because it is counted as
the responsible behaviour of the company. Ethical advertising plays a vital role in the
successful promotion of the product. Consumer or audience should be well aware about
product for which they are paying. It makes consumer feels like that the company actually
cares about their morale and beliefs.
Cosmetics company need to pay subsequently attention in following ethical promotion
strategy. When the company fails to follow then there are chances that in future any
consequence can arise. Mac Cosmetics always implies in providing fair knowledge to their
customer because it enhances their brand image in the market. By doing this they always
fascinate new buyers towards themselves. It is important for the management to act in a
responsible manner and to act honestly in front of their buyers.
“The Utilitarian Approach” is applied on the selected article. The management of the Lakme
need to make sure that they are following ethical corporate actions. They should focus on
enhancing their good quality and minimizes the harmful impact of their other actions. By
doing this, there market reputation and customer base will enhance. At the end, management
can enjoy great profit marginsvi.
Mac Cosmetics uses “The Utilitarian Approach” under which they always make sure about
the ethical corporate actions which produce the greatest good and minimize the harmful
effects. In other words, this approach implies that everyone should focus on the consequence
instead of focusing on the actions which identifying morality of a situation. This approach

MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 5
tries to minimize harmful effects at the maximum extent and maximizing the positive effects
at its maximum extentvii.
Mac Cosmetics believes that as per this approach even if they are using non-vegan products
then they should describe that to their buyers. In context with their approach, the company is
minimizing any harm which can cause a loss in their future. For example, in some products
the company uses animal meat by disclosing about this information in the market, if anyone
becomes ill after using the product with animal meat then the company have proof to show
that they previously disclose about their product ingredients. Although whenever any
company uses animal meat then they make sure about two things. First, they make sure that
animals are healthy and disease. Second, they make sure about obtaining legal permission
from the concerned authority before using animal meats in preparing the cosmetics.
As per the ethical standards, Mac Cosmetics should mention in their advertisement also about
the ingredients and harmful effects (if exists) of overuses of their particular products. By
doing this, it creates awareness among the buyers and they feel that brands are caring for
them. For the approach of “The Utilitarian Approach” Mac Cosmetics guides their buyers
about the product outcomes both positive and negative. While advertising for Mini Mac
Lipstick company address the positive point that this lipstick is long lasting. On the other
hand, in the disclaimer they properly mention that overuses of the product can create inches
on the lipsviii.
It has been concluded that Mac Cosmetics successfully launched its Mini Mac lipstick in the
Canadian market. Every time whenever the management launches new products, they
introduce a few additional tactics. For Mini Mac Lipstick the company majorly focused on
social media promotion. As per the current scenario, majority of the young population always
stay active on social media. Apart from this, it has been concluded that the company follows

MARKETING STRATEGY PLAN 6
the ethical approach of "The Utilitarian". Under this approach management heartily believes
that it is important to focus on the consequence rather than to only focus on the actions. Mac
cosmetics always disclose hidden information with their customers before offering them the
product. It shows the responsible behaviour and enhances the reputation of the brand in the
market.

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i Alam SH. Developments in promotion strategies: review on psychological streams of consumers.
International journal of marketing studies. 2015 June;7(3):46-67.
ii Claudia. 8 Marketing Promotion Strategies from Concept to Top Brand Practice. [Internet] Paris:
Claudia; 2018. Available from: https://blog.bannersnack.com/marketing-promotion-strategies/
iii Makeupdiscoveries. Is Lakme cruelty free? 2017. Available from:
http://www.makeupdiscourse.com/2017/01/is-lakme-cruelty-free.html
iv Schwemmer, C., & Ziewiecki, S. Social media sellout; The increasing role of product promotion
on Youtube. 2018 April;4(3), 34-47.
v SCU. A Framework for Ethical Decision Making. [Internet] Lismore: SCU; 2015. Available from
https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/a-framework-for-ethical-
decision-making
vi At (i)
vii At (ii)
viii At (iii)