Marketing Essentials: Roles, Mix, and Marketing Plan for Proton

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the marketing strategies of Proton cars, a Malaysian automotive manufacturer. It begins with an introduction to marketing and its importance, followed by an examination of the main roles and responsibilities of the marketing function, including market research, branding, product management, consumer service, and promotion. The report then explores the relationship between the marketing function and other organizational departments, such as R&D, finance, HR, and operations. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to comparing the application of the marketing mix by Proton and its competitor, Perodua, evaluating their approaches to product, price, place, and promotion. Finally, the report culminates in the construction and evaluation of a basic marketing plan for Proton, aiming to achieve the company's business objectives. The report incorporates current marketing trends such as influencer marketing and chatbots, and includes references to academic sources to support its analysis.

Marketing
Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY .................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
P1 Main roles and responsibilities of marketing function..........................................................4
P2 Relation of role of marketing function to wider organisational context ...............................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P3 Comparison of application of different ways in which organisations apply marketing mix
to accomplish business objectives .............................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Construction and evaluation of basic marketing plan for the company ...............................9
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................12
REFRENCES ................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is one of the most important activity of every business entity which aims to
have global presence. The main objective of marketing is to construct effective promotional
strategies which helps the company gain large amount of consumers and enhance their net
profits. Construction of brand image which communicates core values of the firm to the public
and helps the firm build a loyal consumer base is one of the maim aims behind marketing
activities. The present report is based on Malaysian auto mobile manufacturing organisation
Proton which was founded in the year 1983 and successfully introduced their first product proton
saga in the year 1985. The organisation is headquartered in Shah Alam which manufactures
250,000 cars every year. This report includes description about main roles and responsibilities of
marketing function and the relation of marketing function in context of the company. Apart from
this comparison of usage of marketing mix by different organisations is given in this report along
with the construction of an effective marketing plan for Proton which will help the company
successfully achieve their business objectives.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1 Main roles and responsibilities of marketing function
Marketing is defined as set of operations undertaken by the company in order to advertise
their products or services and persuade their target consumer base into purchasing particular
products. The main objective of various marketing activities such as promotional campaigns and
advertisements seek to identify the ideal consumer for a product and draw their attention to the
product or service (Brown and et. al. 2019). This increases recognition of the company and
enhances profitability of the firm. Proton has undertaken various marketing activities in order to
communicate with their global consumer base, enhance profitability and expand their
international presence through high dale of their products. Influencer marketing is a current
marketing trend which involves product endorsement through social media influencers and

celebrities. Usage of chatbots is future marketing trend which includes interacting with the
consumers through chatbots with the help of AI or by programming a predetermined scenario
(Campbell and et. al. 2018).
Marketing process
Marketing process involves the construction of clear mission for the overall process.
After this situational analysis is conducted to understand advantages and barriers faced by the
company. The construction of marketing strategy in marketing process focuses on usage of
marketing mix of the firm to build s plan with clear guidelines about execution of various
activities. The last step of the marketing process involves implementation of marketing plan with
regular supervision to ensure smooth completion of the process to accomplish various objectives
(Chernev, 2018).
Major roles and responsibilities of marketing function Market research: Conducting a market research is one of the responsibilities of the
marketing function. This involves gathering and interpreting consumer data to determine
viability of certain product. The firm is able to understand consumer expectations and
opinions through such research. Proton conducts regular market research in order to gain
information about the mindset of their target consumer base in relation to certain product.
This helps the company make business decisions which limits risks by identification of
gaps in consumer expectations. Branding: This marketing role involves construction of an effective brand image of the
company which influences the target consumer base into purchasing products of the
organisation and constructs beneficial image of the company in the mind of the
consumers (Christofi and et. al. 2018). This marketing function is accomplished by
Proton through promotional campaigns which construct affordable and innovative brand
image of the company in consumer's psyche. Product management: This marketing function includes interacting with the consumer
base, conducting competitor analysis and forecasting price of a new product in order to
identify growth opportunities related to new products . This function is completed by
marketing department at Proton by conducting massive market research before
introduction or development of product to secure high profitability and minimise risks.

 Consumer service: Providing excellent consumer service is another marketing role
which results in high consumer retention as they receive satisfactory response from the
company (Cooper 2020). Proton aims to provide high quality consumer service by
offering excellent customer support and maintenance services of their various products .
The organisation also offers various discount services on their products to enhance
consumer satisfaction.
 Promotion: This role of the marketing function aims to promote various products and
services offered by the firm as well as advertisement of CSR initiatives conducted by the
firm. Proton markets their products through social media accounts and conducts various
global events and roadshows to promote their products and advertise their CSR initiatives
(Cornwell 2020).
P2 Relation of role of marketing function to wider organisational context
Marketing department interacts and collaborates with various other division of the
company such as finance department and HR department to conduct their daily activities
effectively. This interrelation and collaboration helps the marketing department complete various
operations in alignment of larger business objectives of the company. Interrelation between
various divisions of Proton and marketing department is provided below:
Marketing and R&D department
Collaboration between R&D and marketing department is highly significant for the
success of the firm. This is because the main objective of R&D department is to find innovative
solution to consumer problems to satisfy their needs. Marketing department provides
information related to consumer repose and expectations to R&D department which helps them
construct products which maximise consumer satisfaction and exceed their experience. In
relation to Proton, the marketing department collaborates with R&D to construct products and
modify existing models which exceed consumer expectations and solve every issue faced by the
consumer (Dzyabura and Yoganarasimhan 2018).
Marketing and finance department
Financial requirements of various promotional activities are communicated to the
financial department by marketing division. Finance department coordinates with the finance
division to gather funds needed form marketing budget. This interrelation between finance and
marketing department facilitates completion of marketing operations without excess expenditure

and ensures optimal usage of financial resources of the company. In context of Proton various
marketing operations are conducted in co-ordinated effort between marketing and finance
department by formulating budget which ensures successful completion of marketing objectives
with sufficient utilisation of funds (Eletxigerra and et. al. 2018).
Marketing and HR department
The marketing department promotes employment needs and vacancies of the company by
collaborating with HR department in appropriate manner to attract talented employees for
recruitment and selection. This helps the HR department hire skilled individuals. The HR
department conducts various training sessions for employees at marketing department to enhance
skill-set of the employees so that various objectives are accomplished smoothly. This
interrelation between marketing and HR division results in construction of skilled employee base
which gives the firm competitive advantage in their industry. The marketing division at Proton
collaborates with HR department to attract skilled job seekers and fill each position at company
with diligent workers which helps the company secure a beneficial position in their industry
(Fill and Turnbull 2019).
Marketing and Operations
Operations division interacts with marketing department to gain information about
current preferences of the consumers and demand of certain product in the market which helps
them manufacture and supply required amount to meet the demands of the consumer base. Apart
from this operations division is able to produce goods which satisfy the needs of the consumers
to gain competitive advantage. In relation to Proton marketing department ensures that
operations division has accurate information related to consumer preferences is available to
operations division so that that goods which exceed consumer expectations are produced. This
helps the company retain consumers and construct a loyal consumer base (Hanlon 2018). This
consumer base stays with the company despite adverse conditions in the business environment
which helps the company survive with stable profitability for a long time period.

TASK 2
P3 Comparison of application of different ways in which organisations apply marketing mix to
accomplish business objectives
Marketing mix refers to a series of schemes adopted by the firm in which encompass
various elements which are part of overall marketing strategy of the company. In order to
compare usage of marketing mix by different organisations leading members of the Malaysian
auto-mobile industry Proton and Perodua are selected as basis of differentiation (Janšto and et.
al. 2019). Comparison of utilisation of marketing mix between Malaysian car manufactures
Proton and Perodua is described below:
BASIS Proton Perodua
Product Proton is a prominent member of the
Malaysian marketing industry which
offers a wide range of auto-mobiles as
a part of their product portfolio to
attract a large consumer base and
cater to the needs to every segment of
their consumer base. Proton Saga,
Persona, Iriz, Ertiga, Preve are several
of the current car models sold by the
organisation. In addition to this
minivans and pickup vehicles are also
designed manufactured and sold by
the firm.
The respective organisation has diversified
their product portfolio in order to compete
rivals and gain profitability. Innovative
products are offered by the Perodua as the
company provides minicars to their
consumers. Perodua Myvi is a minicar of
the company which has helped the
company gain stable profits in auto-mobile
industry. Rusa, Kembara, Kenari, Kelisa,
Viva are some of cars sold by the
organisation (Perreault, 2018).
Price The price at which the company
offers their products is considered
cheap in comparison to other
manufactures. This helps the company
effectively cater to the needs of their
target consumer group which consists
Perodua has adopted competitive pricing
strategy in order to attract consumer from
their rivals. The organisation has
implemented a pricing strategy in order to
offer cars at affordable prices which can be
purchased by consumers from every

of consumers from the upper middle
class segment (Brown and et. al.
2019).
economic background. This has helped the
company attract large amount of consumers
due to affordability of their products
(Campbell and et. al. 2018).
Place Proton sells their products on an
international scales and are available
in global business centres such as UK
Australia and Singapore. Apart form
this the company also conducts their
business in Indonesia, Chile
Germany, Thailand, Egypt with a
strong presence in Malaysia
(Chernev, 2018).
The primary markets of the organisation
are located in Malaysia, Mauritius and
Singapore. Apart form this the company
has strong international presence with
outlets in Fiji, Nepal, UK, Qatar, Lebanon,
Nigeria and many other nations.
Promotion The organisation has adopted a
diverse promotional strategy in order
to gain profitability in highly
competitive market of global auto-
mobile sector. The organisation
promotes their brand through
television radio and print
advertisements. Along with traditional
promotional methods the company is
active on social media sites such as
Twitter to connect with their
consumers and accomplish their
marketing goals.
Perodua utilises creative marketing
strategies so that they stand out from their
competition and are able to persuade
consumers into purchasing their products.
The firm conducts various roadshows and
global motor sports events such as Marri
Roadshow. This helps the company
showcase the quality and superiority of
their products. In addition to this annual
tour of the company involves promotion of
their latest products in a way which
maximises consumer engagement
(Christofi and et. al. 2018).
People Proton employees skilled workers in
order to provide high quality products
to their consumers. In order to ensure
continuous development of the
Perodua has implemented employee
development programme in order to
enhance the competencies of their workers.
This programme involves training

workforce, Proton has collaborated
with department of skills development
in to construct and award skilled
employees Malaysian skills certificate
which will help them make career
advancements (Cooper 2020).
employees from every level in their
employee training centre to improve their
technical skills and corporate abilities.
Such training sessions build skilled
workforce for the firm and gain
competitive advantage in their field.
Process Proton has formed strategic
partnerships with various regional and
international brands like Honda,
Mitsubishi, Suzuki and many others
to offer products to their international
consumers and strengthen their global
distribution network (Cornwell
2020).
Perodua heavily relies on automation to
complete their manufacturing process. In
addition to this the firm uses local parts to
build their vehicles to improve the
economy through localisation. Distribution
network of the company across the globe
has helped the firm respond to consumer
demands in a timely manner.
Physical
evidence
The firm redesigned their logo in the
year 2000 with modern elements such
as tiger head and elimination of
traditional Malaysian symbols such as
crescent moon to appeal to
international consumer base. Apart
from this showrooms of the company
are constructed in a way which grabs
visitors attention through modern
technology and accessible layout.
Perodua has constructed an online website
with eye catching design which aligns with
overall brand image of the firm. Apart form
this online website of the company is user
friendly which provides best consumer
experience to every consumer. The
organisation aims to offer auto-mobiles
with sleek and practical design so that each
consumer gains maximum satisfaction
(Dzyabura and Yoganarasimhan 2018).
TASK 3
P4 Construction and evaluation of basic marketing plan for the company
Marketing plan contains a strategic outline of the marketing strategy which includes
detailed directions about organising and implementing marketing strategy in a way which helps
the company accomplish their business objectives in a timely manner. Resources needed and

role of employees is included in this plan to attain business objectives and ensure success of the
company (Eletxigerra and et. al. 2018).
Executive summary: Proton is car manufacturing company which is based in Malaysia
with headquarters in Shah Alam. The firm was established in the year 1983 and has since
expanded their operations in 15 international regions with 12,000 employees. The organisation
offers a wide range of affordable and innovative auto-mobiles and has a strong market presence
in Malaysia. The firm aims to offer electric vehicle in order to generate new sources of income
and enhance their product portfolio. Marketing plan for the completion off this task is mentioned
below:
Mission: The mission statement of Proton is to continuously develop innovative products
and services to win hearts and minds of their consumers.
Vision: The vision of Proton is to become leading mobility services provider on an
international scale.
Objectives:
 The organisation aims to become leading auto-mobile manufacturer in the world.
 The organisation aims to develop gain competitive advantage by increasing market share
of the company.
STP strategy
This analysis involves segmentation of market, targeting consumer base and positioning
products in the minds of consumers to gain profitability. This analysis helps in development of
an actionable marketing strategy which helps the company achieve their business objectives
effectively (Fill and Turnbull 2019). STP analysis of Malaysian car manufacturer Proton is
provided below: Segmentation: The segmentation factors which Proton needs to utilise in orderer to full-
fill their marketing objectives include behavioural factors such as consumer loyalty
towards the brand, demographical factors such as age group of consumers and
geographical factors such as region of the consumer as various geographical region s
require vehicles of different built. Targeting: Proton needs to identify the target market for their products in order to gain
information about ideal consumers of the product so various promotional operations give
desired results. The target market for electric vehicles consists of upper middle class and

elite consumers. Along with this consumers which focus on sustainability of their
purchase are also target consumer base for the firm (Hanlon 2018).
 Positioning: This step in the STP analysis includes usage of promotional activities
which secure favourable position of the brand in the mind of the target consumer base
(Janšto and et. al. 2019). In order to accomplish this task Proton needs to endorse their
electric vehicles through celebrities and well known personalities in motor-sports to
attract the attention of the consumers and drive sales of their electric vehicles.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
 Technological advancements of
vehicles of the company is strength of
Proton as it attracts consumers towards
purchasing products of the firm.
 Proton offers high quality products at
reasonable prices which is highly
advantageous for the firm (Perreault,
2018).
 The company has low market share
when compared to leading members of
the international auto mobile industry.
 The organisation does not offer huge
variety of products and services which
discourages consumers from buying
their products.
Opportunities Threat
 Various international markets across
Europe and US provide growth
opportunities to Proton.
 Emerging market of electric vehicles
provides the company opportunity to
expand their product portfolio and gain
profitability.
 High competition form cheaper
Chinese substitutes are a threat to the
company (Brown and et. al. 2019).
 Increasing fuel price has reduces the
sale of the company in most Asian
markets. Rise in fuel price is threat to
the company
Monitoring and Controlling
Proton needs to continuously monitor their marketing strategy in order to ensure correct
execution of various operations. In order to accomplish this task Proton needs to utilise various
tools such as Key performance indicators to check the progress of their marketing strategy.

Benchmarking is another monitoring technique which needs to used by Proton to track and
measure success of various operations related with accomplishing objectives of their marketing
strategy. Benchmarking will help the company make continuous improvement in various
operations and processes so that the firm provides goods which exceed consumer expectations
(Campbell and et. al. 2018).
Proton is aiming to offer electric vehicles in the market which needs to be promoted
through celebrity endorsements. A marketing plan has been developed for the company which
includes vision, mission and objectives for the firm. SWOT and STP analysis in order to identify
resources required for enhancing product and achieving business objectives so that overall
profitability of the firm increases and it gains advantageous position in the global auto-mobile
industry.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that marketing plays a vital role in the success of
any organisation. This is because marketing enables communication between the firm and their
target consumer base which persuades the consumers into purchasing the product or service
offered by the company. Marketing function is interrelated with various other functional areas
of the firm. The organisation is able to gain desired results through their promotional operations
by the use of marketing mix. Construction of a clear and detailed marketing plans allow the
company to accomplish their marketing objectives in given time with optimal utilisation of the
resources to increase profitability of the company. This firm is able to accomplish their business
objectives by smooth completion of their promotional activities without unnecessary
expenditures.