LCBB4004: Marketing Fundamentals Analysis and Evaluation of Superdry

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Superdry PLC's marketing strategies. It begins with an introduction to marketing fundamentals, including the marketing mix, and then delves into a case study of Superdry, a UK-based clothing company. The report examines the company's mission and objectives, followed by a situational analysis using PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces, and SWOT analyses to assess the internal and external environments. The core of the report focuses on the marketing process, including strategy formulation, with a detailed look at the marketing mix. The report also explores how Superdry creates value for its customers through branding and marketing practices. Furthermore, it examines stakeholder engagement, differentiating between internal and external stakeholders and analyzing their impact on Superdry's marketing activities and communication strategies. The report concludes with a reflection on communication tools used by the company.

Marketing
Fundamentals
Analysis and
Evaluation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1A.........................................................................................................................................1
1) Processes and stages of marketing including the role of the marketing mix.....................1
2) The role of marketing in creating value for customers......................................................5
3) Stakeholder engagement and their impact on the marketing activities of an organisation 5
TASK 1B.........................................................................................................................................7
Reflection on communication tool.........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a crucial and vital part of any organisation that is helpful in setting a
connection and bonding with customers through use of various communication tool and
promotional techniques (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). Thus, marketing plays a vital role
in enhancing productivity and sales revenue of an organisation. This assignment is based on
Superdry plc which is a well known clothing company of UK having its headquarter in
Gloucestershire, UK. This assignment consist of an easy writing that is based on critical analysis
and evaluation of process and stage of marketing along with the role of marketing Mix. Further,
this essay also consist of role of marketing in cresting value for customers along with
Stakeholder engagement and their impact on marketing activities of an organisation.
TASK 1A
1) Processes and stages of marketing including the role of the marketing mix
Marketing is basically defined as a set of activities that include process of communicating,
delivering, producing products as per customers needs and exchanging products and services that
have value and ensure utility for its customers, clients, partners and whole society at large (de
Vries and Moscato, 2019). Thus, it can be evaluated that marketing is crucial aspect of all
organisation that consists of promotion of products and services through setting effective
communication and connection with customers to enhance selling and productivity of an
organisation. Further, it has been evaluated that the marketing process consists of various stages
an overview which is provided below with the help of following diagram:
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Figure 1: Marketing Process, 2020.
Source: Marketing Process, 2020.
It could be evaluated from above diagram that setting mission of organisation is the first
set of marketing process. In context of Superdry company the mission of this organisation is,
“To enhance awareness of its brand amongst the potential customers through better use of more
better and effective advertising and marketing strategy through use of digital and online media in
order to enhance its expansion all over the world (Mishyna, Mishyn and Parkhomenko, 2019).
On the other hand, the objective of Superdry consist of maximizing its stakeholder’s value and
becoming the global leader of urban style clothing. The next stage of marketing process consists
of situational analysis that consists of use of many models and techniques to evaluate various
internal and external factors. In context of Superdry company to have effective external analysis
use of PESTEL analysis is made that provide effective analysis and evaluation of all external
factors that consist of political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal
factors.
The political environment of UK is quite stable that offers much opportunity for
Superdry to expand and have stable business policies. Further, the economical environment of
UK is fast growing and developing that ensures stable growth rate and expansion opportunity for
Superdry. But the current Brexit issues has lead to some issues and barriers for growth of
Superdry (Deepak and Jeyakumar, 2019). Beside this, the social environment of UK is filled
with customers who likes and admire western clothes thus offer a high potential and success for
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clothes of Superdry with that have vintage American style and Japanese inspired graphics with
an ultimate British touch to make it clothes more superior and attractive. The vision of Superdry
company is British touch. Apart from this, regular upgrading in technological environment lead
to more effective strategy for digital and online marketing to cater and attract larger number of
customers (Kalemba and Weber, 2019). Furthers, it has been evaluated that use of eco friendly
products in packing of clothes are made by Superdry to keep a balance with its environmental
factors. Along with this all the set legal provisions and acts are also followed by Superdry to
coordinate with legal environment.
Apart from use of PESTEL analysis, implication of Porter’s five forces is also made by
Superdry as it lead to many advantages like provide better information about the factors that
affect profitability of an organisation and also lead to better analysis of business environment to
develop higher competitive strength (Çalı and Balaman, 2019). It has been evaluated that the
high level of competition is faced by Superdry from its rival organisation along with high risk of
potential of new entrants in to the clothing industry with new and innovative ideas that lead to a
threat for this organisation. Beside this, it has been evaluated that the power of supplier of
Superdry is limited as they are available in larger number thus, not creates much issues and
threats for Superdry. But beside this, barraging power Of customers is high due to availability of
large clothing organisation and thus, Superdry also faces the high risk of product substitutes but
its Japanese style along with British designs are quite unique than other clothing products.
Part from this, use of SWOT analysis is also made by Superdry to have better situational
analysis of internal factors. IT has been evaluated that unique product design and mix of
Japanese and American style in its cloth is the biggest strength of Superdry while high level of
competition is its weakness (Adesoga and Sunday, 2020). Apart from this it has been also
observed that making better use of digital marketing techniques is offering great opportunity for
Superdry to expand at global level where as the current Brexit issuers and political disturbance is
creating a threat for this organisation.
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Figure 2: SWOT analysis, 2020.
Source: SWOT analysis, 2020
The next stage of marketing process consists of strategy formulation that is necessary to
have better planning for future growth and development (French and Gordon, 2019). Marketing
mix plays a crucial role in setting effective strategy for Superdry through yielding better planning
and effective combination for strategy for its products, place, price and promotional strategy.
Marketing Mix plays a crucial role in delivering better quality product by Superdry through
yielding better strategy formulation on the basic of market analysis and current needs and trend
of customers. Apart from this, a crucial role is also led by marketing in deciding pricing strategy
of Superdry through yielding better analysis and evaluation of its competitors pricing strategy
thus, Superdry seek to have low pricing in order to make a sensible profit through attracting
larger number of customers (de Vries, Olech and Moscato, 2019). Further, marketing mix also
have a vital role in deciding suitable place and location for Superdry to enhance its productivity
that consist of relying more on growing virtual presence and online stores to yield more
convinces to customers. At last, a vital role is lead by marketing mix in setting promotion
strategy of Superdry that consist of use of digital and online modes of advertising and promotion
to attract larger number of customers at global level. The last stage of marketing process consist
of controlling and monitoring that is essential for Superdry to have better check and monitoring
on its marking process to maintain its viability and success (Chautard and Collin-Lachaud,
2019).
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2) The role of marketing in creating value for customers
Marketing plays a crucial role in creating value for customers through enhancing their
awareness and knowledge about products of organisation and also ensures delivery of product
that meet their expectations and demands. The marketing concept is basically the philosophy
that is used by company to analyze the needs of their customers and then make decisions to
satisfy those needs and demands in a better way than its competitors thus, marketing plays a vital
role in creating value for customers (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). The term Branding can
be define as a marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and
differentiates a product of an organisation from other products present in the market. The
advantage of branding is that it lead to better awareness about product in customers and also
differentiate it from products of other organisation (de Vries and Moscato, 2019). The
disadvantage of branding is that it is quite costly and time consuming for an organisation to
create a brand name.
Use of digital advertising and words of mouth along with billboards and social media
platform is made by Superdry to create its brand image and to have proper branding strategy.
Use of Ansoff matrix strategy could also be made by Superdry to have and create better brand
image as the four main strategy that form a part of this matrix lead to better strategy to grow and
form a brand image. Use of product development strategy could be adopt by Superdry lead to
betterment in quality of product to have a superior and more exclusive product range to create
superior brand image (Mishyna, Mishyn and Parkhomenko, 2019). On the other hand, market
development strategy is focused on better expansion at different location through effective
marketing. Beside this, ,market penetration lead to encourage more people to choose product at
a higher rate while Diversification strategy aim at launching a new product at new place to
enhance overall growth and productivity of Superdry.
3) Stakeholder engagement and their impact on the marketing activities of an organisation
Stakeholders are the person and parties that are directly or indirectly affected or can affect
the actions, operations, objectives and other polices of an organisation (Deepak and Jeyakumar,
2019). Thus, it can could be evaluated that stakeholders are the person that have some direct or
indirect connection with customers and forms a crucial part of decision making and strategy
formulation of a company. These stakeholders are mainly divided into two broad categories i.e.
internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders consists of entities and individuals
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that are within or working inside a business and have direct participation in business operations.
The internal stakeholders of Superdry company consists of its employees, managers, the board of
directors and all other investors and internally connected individuals who takes effective
participation in formulation of business strategy and other operations of Superdry company. On
the other hand the external stakeholders of Superdry company includes all these entities and
individuals who are not within a business organisation and resides outside the organisation but
are having direct or indirect interest in business operations and are affected by its operation and
performance (Çalı and Balaman, 2019). In case of Superdry company its customers, suppliers,
overall society and other related persons forms part of its external stakeholders which affects the
strategies and policy formulation of this organisation. Thus, it could be evaluated that it is
essential and necessary for an organisation to set an effective communication with its
stakeholders (Both internal and external) to ensure better strategy formulation that meets the
overall goals of organisation and its stakeholders.
Superdry is having an effective communication strategy to interact and set a connection
with both internal and external stakeholders. To communicate with internal stakeholders that
consits of employees, directors and other investors and associated clients Superdry conduct and
schedule regular meetings along with sending out newsletter, separate online screen to screen
meetings and conference calls (Kalemba and Weber, 2019). Along with this use, of digital
platforms like official emails, official phone calls, etc are also used by Superdry to communicate
with its internal stakeholders. Beside this, to communicate with external stakeholders that mainly
consists of its current and potential customers use of an effective marketing and promotional
strategy is made by Superdry company that consists of use of social media platforms like
fcaebook, twitter, instagarm, blog, pinterest, YouTube along with Billboard, banner advertising,
blog advertising and use of other digital forms of promotions and marketing to communicate
effectively with the stakeholders to make them aware about recent collections and products of
Superdry. Further, it could be evaluated that stakeholders directly create an impact on the
marketing strategies of Superdry as they are completely based on the nature and type of its
customers (Adesoga and Sunday, 2020). The stakeholders of Superdry has created an impact on
marketing strategy of Superdry as it has been evaluated that today the stakeholders are more
attracted with use digital and social marketing techniques that created an emphasis and impact on
Superdry to adopt and use social media and other digital toold for marketing of its product. It the
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marketing strategy of Superdry does not match with the expectations and desires of stakeholders
it can ruin the whole business and negatively impacts its sales and productivity. Thus, can be
evaluated that stakeholders caret a vital impact on marketing strategy of Superdry as they are one
on the basis of whose expectations and needs the marketing strategies and promotion tools are
designed and implemented (French and Gordon, 2019).
TASK 1B
Reflection on communication tool
From the above assignment I had learnt abut the concept of marketing along with marketing
process that consists use of PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis and marketing mix to produce and
deliver a better quality product to consumer. Further. I had also learnt that marketing plays a vital
role in establishing communication with customers that consist of better promotion and
advertising of products and services. Communications can be defined a process of transferring
vital information from one person to another person (de Vries, Olech and Moscato, 2019). On the
other hand, the term Integrated Marketing Communications is basically a concept that ensures
that all forms of communications and promotional tools that are used by an organisation to send
and deliver relevant information and messages should be carefully linked and well integrated
with each other.
The communication tool that is used by Superdry consist of sales promotion through
billboards and other advertising along with use of digital and social media platforms that consist
of blog and other platforms like facebook, instagram, etc. The advantage of using Blog as a
promotion technique is that it lead to develop a better Relationships with existing as well as new
customers through enhanced connection and communication (Chautard and Collin-Lachaud,
2019). The drawback of using Blog as promotional tool is associated with poor content and
Inconsistent posts that hamper the promotion of products. The other promotional tool used by
Superdry is sales promotion the advantage of which is that it lead to attract larger number of
customers but the disadvantage of it consists of higher marketing and promotion cost.
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CONCLUSION
On the basis of above essay it can be conclude that marketing is vital part of all organisation
that lead to effective communication and better promotion of product. Further, it can be
summarised that use of PESTEL analysis and SWOT is made for better situational analysis while
marketing mix lead to effective strategy formulation. Beside this, it can be summarised that
effective communication with stakeholders is vital for all organisation that consist use of social
media and digital platforms.
Thus, on the basis of above easy it can be recommended that effective use of PESTEL
analysis and SWOT should be made by an organisation to develop better understanding about
target market so that a more suitable communication and promotional tool could be adopted to
attract larger number of customers.
REFERENCES
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Analysis. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal. 24(1).
Çalı, S. and Balaman, Ş.Y., 2019. Improved decisions for marketing, supply and purchasing:
Mining big data through an integration of sentiment analysis and intuitionistic fuzzy
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Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F., 2019. Digital marketing. Pearson UK.
Chautard, T. and Collin-Lachaud, I., 2019. Introducing the storytelling analysis methodology in
marketing: Principles, contributions and implementation. Recherche et Applications en
Marketing (English Edition). 34(3). pp.27-46.
de Vries, N.J. and Moscato, P., 2019. Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Fundamentals for
Business Data Analytics. In Business and Consumer Analytics: New Ideas (pp. 119-162).
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de Vries, N.J., Olech, Ł.P. and Moscato, P., 2019. Introducing Clustering with a Focus in
Marketing and Consumer Analysis. In Business and Consumer Analytics: New Ideas (pp.
165-212). Springer, Cham.
Deepak, R. K. A. and Jeyakumar, S., 2019. Marketing management. Educreation Publishing.
French, J. and Gordon, R., 2019. Strategic Social Marketing: For Behaviour and Social Change.
SAGE Publications Limited.
Kalemba, A. and Weber, G. W., 2019, October. The Concept of Contradiction Finding and
Classification in the Field of Marketing Communication Quality Management. In New
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Economies: 19th International TRIZ Future Conference, TFC 2019, Marrakesh,
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Mishyna, S., Mishyn, O. and Parkhomenko, N., 2019. INNOVATIVE METHODS AND TOOLS
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