Marketing Essentials Report: Roles, Mix, and Basic Plan

This report delves into the core aspects of marketing, focusing on the roles and responsibilities within a marketing function, particularly within the context of Marks & Spencer. The analysis extends to evaluating the interrelation of marketing with other organizational departments to achieve company goals, such as R&D, finance, and production. A significant portion of the report involves a comparative analysis of the marketing mix, contrasting Marks & Spencer with Tesco, examining elements like product, price, place, and promotion. Furthermore, the report culminates in the development of a basic marketing plan, providing a structured approach to marketing strategies and objectives. The report emphasizes understanding consumer needs, brand promotion, and profit maximization within a competitive market environment.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
P1. Roles and responsibilities of marketing functions.................................................................3
P2: Marketing roles in terms of wider organizational context....................................................5
P3. Comparative analysis of marketing mix................................................................................6
P4 Basic Marketing Plan...........................................................................................................13
Marketing mix...........................................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is responsible for showcasing organization to its customer in such a way that it is
able to achieve high level of brand awareness. Marks & Spencer is chosen for the analysis in this
report, the company provide wide range of products to its customers. Analysis of roles of
marketing is done in this report with the evaluation of its interrelation with other organizational
departments in terms of goal achievement for the company. Evaluation of effectiveness of
marketing mix in terms of goal achievement is done in this report with the development of basic
marketing plan.
MAIN BODY
P1. Roles and responsibilities of marketing functions
The most basic roles of marketing are transportation and warehousing of goods, gathering
market information etc. But in the wider context, their functions also consist acknowledgement
of consumers needs and demands and also finding out the ways through which the profit and the
productivity of the organisation can be maximised. The role of marketing at Marks & Spencer is
monitored availing the situational analysis. This will support the company in redefining goals
and targets of the establishment and developing new market objectives for enterprise and for
their buyers (Blachetta and Kleinaltenkamp, 2019). They introduce professional targets which
consists of profitability, success and growth perspective, costing etc. These objectives are
generally utilised for launching new commodities in the marketplace that help the company to
excel. These activities also include enhancing the market accusation by recognising the target
segment of the market which can be proved potential for the company. The main responsibilities
of marketing purposes are discussed below:
Identifying the needs of consumers: Marks & Spencer carried out various activities and actions
in order to recognise what their consumers really need from the company. As the preferences of
people keep changes frequently, so it very important for them to be familiar with the demands
and develop their products and service in accordance with that. Through this they can cater to the
demands of people easily and can maintain adaptability and competitive advantage.
Get ahead with the customers requirement: The marketing department of the establishment
have a dedicate team to conduct research and collect information of the current market trends
and what people are preferring and what all are their current demands from the industry. With

the help of this data company start building their commodities and services based on the data
collected in advance (Martensen and Mouritsen, 2017). So that they can deliver the product
before anyone do and can earn customer satisfaction, loyalty and advantage of making the first
move by increased sales growth and profit.
Satisfy the needs of buyers: This is one of the major roles to be fulfilled. The marketing team of
the organisation must focus their efforts on identifying and keep the track of things and services
which satisfy the needs of the customers at their fullest, and after acknowledging that personals
can cater these with value added features with best and modified quality. This will lead to the
attainment of large customer base and can also acquire huge share of market.
Profit maximisation: Establishment should build strong and valuable strategic formation and
business plan and give emphasise on their implementation in the marketing activities and
function in an efficient way that they turn out to be productive and bring out future growth
perspective for the organisation and along with that also increase the opportunities and scope to
earn greater profits margin (Sarkum, Pramuka and Suroso, 2017).
Market expansion: Due to the growing market company need to modify their activities and
direct them towards expanding the industry boundaries to national and international platforms.
Although many external factors like political, technological, Environmental, socio-cultural and
legal component may affect the functionality of the company but overcoming them by following
all the mandatory laws and regularities, M&S should work on their expansion of business. To do
that they establish their stores and outlets in various other countries and also increase the number
of outlets in existing regions and areas. They must try to penetrate in the developing nation
market as their operating expense is low and they can acquire larger market share with high
profit margins.
Brand promotion: Promoting and advertising of enterprise is very essential function, because
through that brand awareness increased people get to know about the company and their product
and services offerings. It will become popular in comparison with their competitors and can
attain competitive advancement. They adapted below the line and above the line marketing
strategy for promoting their brand. They use print and social media, also post their advertisement
on televisions and on radios, also by distributing leaflets and putting hoarding. Another tactic
they used is celebrity commendation, it is one of the effective strategies because when people

saw their favourite celebrities and artist wearing those outfits and clothing’s they are attracted
towards them and they get this urge to but those products (Moorman and Day, 2016).
P2: Marketing roles in terms of wider organizational context
Marketing plays an important role in deciding organizational performance because marketing
department is responsible for having direct contacts with the customers and because of which it
is well aware of their requirements (Rudden, 2016). Therefore marketing departments is
responsible for developing close contact with organizational working in such a way that it is able
to synchronize the operations in such a way that high productivity is achieved. Following are the
roles which are played by the marketing department.
Marketing with R&D-
Marketing department has to work closely with the R&D department because marketing
department is well aware of the customer requirements and because of which it is able to
showcase the requirements to the R&D in such a way that the department is able to understand
the requirements and integrate it in new developed product. Through this step the marketing
department make sure that the developed product is able to fulfil customer requirements by
which it can increase the chances that high level of customer satisfaction is achieved by which
company will also be able to achieve high competitive edge and also provide new products. By
which premium pricing can be established this will provide high economic growth to Marks &
Spencer because of high profit margin. With that marketing department will also be able to
provide products on the basis of customer requirements by which chances for brand switching
can be reduced, through this marketing will make sure that company is able to achieve its
organizational goals.
Marketing with finance-
Marketing department is responsible for showcasing Marks & Spencer in such a way that
it is able achieve high level of brand awareness and for this it has to make sure that a good
financial budget is achieved and for which it has to develop close contacts with the finance
department by this it can make sure that high budget is achieved (Perreault, 2018). But on the
other hand finance department has to make sure that company is able to achieve a good
economic condition by which chances of goal achievement can be reduced, due to this it has to
reduce the expenditures done by the marketing department. Due to which marketing department

has to work in the limited allotted budget in such a way that it is able to high level of
effectiveness and also at a reduced pricing by which it can make sure that through developed
product company is able to achieve its targets.
Marketing with Production-
Marketing department has to make sure that the developed product is able to reach to the
customer in the shortest span of time by which it can ensure that Marks & Spencer is getting high
amount customer engagement and for which it requires a fixed date from production department
by which it can develop its working strategies. But the other side of the coin is that the
production department is responsible for developing product in large quantity and also has to
make sure that the product is able to pass every criterion and for which it required enough testing
and development time (Gupta and Nair, 2020). Thus marketing department has to make sure that
it is able to collaborate its working strategy with the production department by which high
product quality can be achieved at products can be made available to customer in efficient time
through which high customer loyalty is achieved.
P3. Comparative analysis of marketing mix
Marketing mix
elements
Marks and Spencer Company Tesco Company
Product Marks and Spencer Company offers the
best quality of retail products of retail
market that can best fulfil the need and
requirements of organisation in market.
Marks and Spencer Company offers
products like clothing, home products and
food products that can best support the need
and requirements of organisation in market.
Product of the company can be projected as
the key strength part of the organisation.
Due to effective range of products company
has achieved the maximum possible work
efficiencies in the retail market at global
Tesco Company is among the
leading brand part of the retail
sector at the global level.
Tesco Company offers
products associated with food
segments, clothing line and
different home products.
Product portfolio has
supported the organisation to
cater the need and
requirements of different
customer segments in market.
In comparison with Marks and

level.
Company also frame policies and strategies
to enhance and expand the product portfolio
of company in such a way that organisation
get to deliver the best possible outcomes
against the business operations entertained
by the organisation. The product range of
company has been capable enough to meet
the requirements of all types of customers
irrespective of any specific gender, age
group and other fundamentals related to the
social discrimination in between the
potential level of customers available in
market (Olson, Slater, Hult and Olson,
2018).
As the Marks and Spencer Company is a
big brand part of the retail sector it can be
denoted that the product portfolio of
company is more diversified and expanded
in comparison with the Tesco Company that
has also supported the organisation to
channelizes better and more effective brand
image in market.
Spencer Company it can be
projected that company is not
able to deliver the needs and
requirements of customers in
the best way possible.
The product portfolio of
company has supported the
organisation to deliver the
need and requirements of
potential level of customers
associated with the market.
Many times due to the product
portfolio of company other
organisation like Marks and
Spencer Company take the
competitive advantages in
market.
The Tesco Company has been
able to deliver the need and
requirements of customers but
it is not known for serving the
latest and trend products to
customers.
As the Marks and Spencer
Company has been able to
deliver the latest and trendy
products and many time even
the product company offer to
its customers becomes trend
and fashion in market that also
allowed the organisation to

take competitive advantages
against the business operations
entertained by the Tesco
Company.
Price Marks and Spencer Company is well known
for its effective pricing strategies that have
supported the organisation to deliver the
best level of professional outcomes to the
potential level of customers available in
market.
Management of Marks and Spencer
Company has guided the organisation to
deliver the needs and requirements of
customers in the best way possible by
serving the best and most convenient
pricing policies.
Company also offer discounts to its
customers over different occasions like
festivals and various other occasions where
company offer a huge discount to its
customers.
Pricig policies of Marks and Spencer
Company has been more effective which
has supported the organisation to take
competitive advantages against the Tesco
Company as the organisation has been
capable enough to offer better prices over
all top brands part of the retail sector.
Tesco Company has been
capable enough to meet the
needs and requirements of
potential customers available
in market (Strycharz and et.al.,
2019).
Pricing policy of company is
effective and can be stated as
the effective enough to meet
the customer’s requirements
and demands.
Company also offer discounts
over all different occasions
that has also supported the
organisation to attract
customers not only to sustain
the existing customers of
organisation but also the new
customers of organisation.
It can be stated that in
comparison with the Marks
and Spencer Company it can
be projected that Tesco
company could not deliver
better discounts which could
improve the overall pricing
offer by company.

Tesco Company also charges
better profit margins which
also increase the overall prices
of the different retail products
offer by company that also
look Marks and Spencer
Company to fulfil the need of
customers in more effective
manner.
Place Marks and Spencer company is operating
its business operations at more than 14000
locations at the global level.
The scale of business operations of
organisation has been more diversified and
vast in comparison with the Tesco
Company which only operated at
approximately 6000 locations at the global
level.
Marks and Spencer Company further
expanded at the global level in comparison
with the Tesco Company that only
channelizes its business operations at few
business locations at some countries.
The major expansion of the business of
company makes the brand more powerful in
comparison with the Tesco Company (Font
and McCabe, 2017).
Marks and Spencer Company has been
constantly involved in forming strategic
alliances with different stakeholder’s part of
the business operations which also make the
Tesco Company is expanding
at the global level.
Currently company is
delivering its business
operations at approximately
6000 business locations at the
global level.
In comparison to the Marks
and Spencer Company the
business scale of the company
is not much stretched as the
company is catering at only
few selected places or country
where as the Marks and
Spencer Company is offering
its services at the global level.
Tesco Company is also active
over the e-commerce mode
where also company get the
huge competition from the
Marks and Spencer Company.
Over the e-commerce platfor

brand more effective and powerful as
compare to other brands part of te retail
sector.
Marks and Spencer Company contain the
further online presence which makes the
organisation more capable to deliver the
business outcomes in comparison with the
Tesco Company.
As compare to the Tesco Company this
organisation could address the customers
over the e-commerce platform in more
effective manner.
also Marks and Spencer
Company is not able to deliver
the business outcomes in the
best way possible.
It can be projected that the
limited presence of the country
in comparison to the Marks
and Spencer company make te
brand less effective and
competitive and also the e-
commerce presence of Tesco
Company is not so much
effective as compare to the
Marks and Spencer company
which also provide the other
organisation a specific
competitive edge over Tesco
Company.
Promotion Promotion is defined as promoting and
marketing the product and services offer by
company.
Marks and Spencer Company utilises the
promotional channels like social media
marketing, search engine optimisation,
digital marketing, TV marketing, radio
marketing and many such marketing and
promotional platform that can deliver the
outcomes of business in the best way
possible.
Marketing strategies and policies of the
organisation is more advanced and effective
Promotion of Tesco Company
can be projected as among the
major strength of the business
operations entertained by the
company.
Tesco Company give huge
emphasis to channelizes the
various marketing and
promotional campaign over
platforms like social media,
television, radio, search engine
optimisation, digital mediums
and other such techniques to

in comparison with Tesco Company that
also provide the competitive advantage to
organisation.
In comparison to Tesco Company Marks
and Spencer has been much active to
utilises all modern promotion and
marketing tool that also supported the
organisation to take competitive advantage
in the market (Payne, Peltier and Barger,
2017).
This is the key strength of the company to
deliver the more diversified marketing
campaigns and operations that can best
support the business objectives of
organisation.
Promotion of Marks and Spencer company
has been more effective in comparison with
the Tesco Company that has also supported
the organisation to meet all different
business outcomes.
promote all different products
offer by Tesco Company
(McDaniel Jr and Gates,
2018).
In comparison to the Marks
and Spencer Company it is
more focused towards
channelizing the traditional
marketing and promotional
approaches to deliver the best
level of business outcomes in
business.
It can be projected that Tesco
Company could improve its
overall outcomes of business
due to effective marketing and
promotional strategies which
further can be expanded by the
company in comparison to the
Marks ad Spencer company is
the organisation started giving
more priority to the modern
marketing and promotional
tools (Chaffey, 2019).
Physical
evidence
Marks and Spencer Company ahs
channelized the strategy to deliver the best
quality of products and services to the
potential customers available in market
(Lim, 2020).
Company has formed a team who would
look over the quality management practice
Tesco Company aim to derive
the needs and requirements of
customers at the global level.
Company has also ensured its
customers to delic=ver the
best quality products as
comparison to the Marks and

of company.
The quality control practice of company is
more comparative as compare to the Tesco
Company which make the organisation
more effective in comparison to the Tesco
Company.
Spencer Company.
People People are denoted as the potential
customer base of organisation.
Marks and Spencer Company target to
all types of potential customers
available in market irrespective of any
specific gender, age group and other
form of social discrimination.
Company’s pricing strategies could also
allow the organisation to deliver the
best level of business outcomes in
compression to the Tesco Company as
the organisation has been effectively
deal with the all types of economic class
or background peoples at the global
level (Virtanen, Björk and Sjöström,
2017).
It can be projected that Marks and
Spencer Company is catering its
business at approximately 14000
business locations at a global level
which allow the organisation to deliver
the needs and requirements of more
number of people in the world as
comparison to the Tesco Company.
Tesco Company is active over
approximately 6000 locations
at the global level as
comparison to the Marks and
Spencer Company which has
supported and guided the
organisation to deliver the
needs and requirements of
more number of potential
customers in the market.
Company could effective cater
the needs of various customers
base due to availability of the
company over both e-
commerce mode and offline
trading mode where the
organisation can sail its
products at the stores of
company.
In comparison to the Marks
and Spencer Company it is
limited accessible as the
company is only active at
approximately 6000 business
locations which do not allow