Marketing Essentials Report: Asda's Marketing Mix and Strategies

This report examines the marketing essentials of Asda, a British supermarket retailer. It defines marketing and its functions, exploring the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within Asda, including market research, understanding customer needs, and improving the sales process. The report analyzes the interrelationship between marketing and other organizational functions like HR, IT, and production. A comparative analysis of Asda and M&S is provided, focusing on their marketing mix elements: product, price, place, promotion, people, physical evidence, and process. The report discusses how these elements are applied by each company. The report concludes with an overview of marketing function and how these functions help Asda achieve its goals.

Unit 2: Marketing Essentials

INTRODUCTION
Marketing can be defined as set of activities and process for creating, communicating,
delivering and exchanging offerings that have value for customers or clients. On the basis of this
definition it can be said that marketing involves several functions from creating product to
communicating and delivering it to customers. This report will discuss about marketing and its
essentials in context of Asda. Asda is a British supermarket retailer, it was founded in 1949 and
is headquartered at Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Functioning under retail industry Asda
operates at 631 locations and products of Asda are grocery, general merchandise and financial
services. In order to carry out its operations Asda employs around 165000 employees. This
report will discuss about role and responsibilities of marketing function and interrelationship
between marketing and other functions within organisation. This report later will also discuss
about application of marketing mix by different organisations and will involve development of
marketing plan.
TASK 1
Overview of company
Asda Stores Ltd. Is British supermarket retailer company who are selling products like
grocery, general merchandise and also provide financial services. This company was founded in
1949 and till now they are having 631 locations. They are selling their products in Britain but
their future plan is to expand their business in international market.
Introduction
Marketing is the process of advertising the product of an company and aware people
about their product and services. The term scope of marketing can be understood in terms of the
functions of the marketing manager. The major purpose of marketing manager is to generate
revenue for the business by selling goods and services to the consumers. Marketing is an
important part of the Asda because it helps them to identify their customers.
P1- Key role and responsibilities of the marketing function
Marketing team of create higher value for an company because they are having key roles
and responsibilities to do for an organization. Marketing team of the Asda company also have
some important role such as market research, listening to the customers needs, and they also help
to improve the sales process and customers.
Market research

Marketing of the Asda company is responsible to identify the new market where they
can expand their business and take competitive advantages. Marketing team play their role by
visiting the markets, and they collect the information about the markets where company is
thinking to expand their business. They try to find what are the availability of the resources,
location for the company, customers etc.
Listening to the customers needs
Asda Marketer denitrify the needs of the customers by the survey and feedback, so
they can develop the product to satisfy the needs and demand of the customers. Marketer roles
is to collect information and give this information to the product team of Asda, so they can
develop the product accordingly.
Help improve sales process and customers
The responsibility of the marketing function is to know the users and particularly the
customers’ feelings so they can create good relationship with the customers and convene them to
buy products of the ASDA company. It is a good way to create relationship with the customers
so companies sales can be enhanced.
M1- Application and Analysis of marketing role on Asda
Marketing team have various roles which helps ASDA to achieve their goals and
objectives in the business. Marketing role in the ASDA business is to analyse the competitors
in the market where they are operating their business. It can be beneficial for the ASDA because
they can able to measure the reaction of their Competitors when ASDA launch any new product.
Competitors analysis helps to identify the weakness of the other companies and ASDA can take
comparative advantages. Marketing also test the ASDA's new product before their launching in
the market. They run survey and test on some particular group and take review about their
product and services, so they can develop more better.
P2- Explanation of marketing role and responsibility relate to the wider organization
Marketing is not only limited in smaller area of the organization but it is also
interconnected with the other function of the ASDA company and provide them necessary help
to achieve their departmental objectives. Here are interrelationship between marketing and other
essential organizational function.
HR Function with marketing

Marketing department helps Hr department in recruitment process. Sometime they take
the helps of the marketers of the ASDA company to identify the skilful employees who can
work for them. Marketers gain the knowledge of whole market, and they knowledge they can
get skilful employees. In an advertisement also marketers only advertise the job post made by
the Hr manager. They advertise the job requirement on the various platforms and recruit
candidates who are eligible for the job and fulfil the criteria of the job.
IT function with marketing
In an It function marketers roles is to research the new trends in technology and provide
information to the IT department so they can implement new technology and helps ASDA to
take competitive advantages. It department work on the office whole marketing team work on
the whole market, and they search the trends and new technology which can be helpful for the
company in the growth and profitably.
Production function with marketing
production is an most important part of the ASDA company where production team
develop the final products for the customers. Customer trends in the market change with the
time and customers always look for the new things and better quality in the product. In this
condition marketing team collected the information about the customers needs and demand and
provide this information to the production team, so they can develop their product and satisfy the
needs of the customers.
M2- Interrelationship between marketing and other departmental function.
All of the departmental function are interrelated with marketing. Without marketing
function company cannot be successful in the business an they will not able to sell their product
to the customers. Marketing in Hr Help to advertise Job post in various internet or social media
platforms. Marketing in production- provide information related to the customers needs and
demand. Marketing in finance- provide information related to the finance sources. Marketing
in sales- Create relationship with customers so product can be sell.
D1- key elements of marketing functions and their interrelation
Key elements of the marketing functions are companies product, price, promotion and
place. Product- Role of the marketing is to introduce product to the customers in the market and
convene them to buy. Price- product prices are decided according to the satisfaction level of
customers. Place- Marketers find the place where company can get desired customers.

Promotion- marketing team advertise product in the market thorough social media and other
marketing techniques.
Conclusion
As per the report has been coved the role and responsibility of the marketing function and
how they helps ASDA company to achieve their goals and objective sin the business.
TASK 2
P3 Two business compression on the basis of marketing mix
ASDA company and M&S are two comparators who are having different product
specification, pricing strategies, expansion in different places and promotion strategies.
Marketing mix can be helpfully understand how what strategies they using and what are their
future plans for their business. Here is marketing mix comparison between ASDA and M&S.
Marketing Mix
Particular ASDA Mark's & Spencer's
Product ASDA is selling products such
as fresh food, Grocery, home,
beauty products. This all
products are also sell by M&S
but ASDA sell some different
products such as Financial
services, pet product etc. their
products provide quality and
long validity to use. ASDA is
taking benefits of online
market which means they
deliver product directly to
customers home.
M&S is selling similar product
which are also sell by ASDA
and other companies, but They
come up with the new concept
in food product called ready
meal products and its makes
easy for customers who are
doing job or busy in their life.
This makes brand different
from other and their product
also provide long validity.
Price Process of the product sold of
by ASDA are not that costly
and customers can easily
afford them. They are using
M&S is also using
comparative pricing strategies
but Marks & Spencer has its
own in house brands for

competitive pricing strategies
in which company try to sell
product in affordable prices.
They are cheaper than M&S
company
clothing for women, men and
kids. Generally these in house
brands are priced between
medium to higher category
because of its premium
quality. But M&S still follows
a competitive pricing strategy
as the customers now have
more options to choose from
because of the increased
competition
Place ASDA is selling their product
in the all over the UK and
outside through online and its
600 in total locations. ASDA
has collaboration with the Co-
Op in the basis of supply chain
management. Co- op see all
the logistic and distribution of
ASDA. This logistic company
has make easy for them to
supply their product in various
places.
M&S is having their business
in all around the world, and
they are having separate team
who manage their logistic and
supply of the product. Marks
& Spencer is an global brand
which has got more than 1000
stores operative in more than
50 nations. M&S major
business is in UK where the
company has around 850
stores. It has got 50+ stores in
India where it began its
operation in year 2001
Promotion ASDA is using various
promotional and
communication tools and
mostly used by them are
television, media outlets etc.
M&S promotion strategies are
different from ASDA
company because they are
using social media marketing
tools to communicate with the

so they can communicate with
their customers. They also use
sponsorship technique to
attract customers. ASDA
company is an one of the
leading sports charity sport aid
in 2008 where they supoort6ed
Athletes in Britain and provide
them funding for their
advertisement.
customers and it is helping
them to attract an aware
customers. Additionally they
use other communication
channels such as TV and
newspaper but their most of
the focus is social media
campaigning because it more
effective and cheaper as
compare to the TV and new
paper advertisement.
People Marketing of the ASDA is
having Good experiences of
UK market and member of
this team have role to aware
people about the brand and
product . Every member of
their marketing team have
different role and
responsibilities like one group
went to the market for the
research purpose, some people
market marketing plan and
some of them provide
informational to the production
department about demand and
needs of customers
Marketing team of the Marks's
& Spencers get training on
the monthly basis, so they can
develop new skills and their
responsibility is to attract
customers using the
communication channels and
advertisement campaign.
Marketing manager of the
company lead the team and
people who are working under
them have to executive the
plan and search the customers
who can buy the product from
M&S company.
Physical evidence ASDA's physical evidence
includes but it is limited to the
stores, logo, Brochures,
M&S is one of the top
multinational retailer company
who are having good

equipment and
website .Website of the
company is properly
maintained and show their
presence in the market.
Company has good expansion
in the Uk market which is also
an proof of their presence in
the market.
reputation in the international
market. This is an proof and
evidence of their presence and
they are also selling their
product in the online market
were also people can search
easily and allows customers to
view its products in high
quality images taken from
various angles.
Process ASDA receives products from
its suppliers and then these
products are organised and
kept on shelves for customers
to buy. Customers pick up
their products and go to
customer assistants to pay.
They can also use self-service
machines to make payments.
ASDA stores open very early
in the morning and close
late/around midnight. Some of
the stores have 24 hours
service. Not only this but they
are also using export system
which provide them
information about their
product so company can
identify the defects in their
products and company can
To make sure that the products
in the companies inventory
laws available. M&S has
implemented inventory
management system to
identify the availability of the
resources within the company
and this system is also capable
of future forecasting. M&S
also has online delivery
process b where orders are
received on the computer
system and according to the
products placed by the
customers delivered to the
customers.

develop accordingly.
P4- marketing plan evaluation and its development
Marketing plan and strategies are important part of the business because it can be helpful
for the ASDA company to make their sales easier and company can achieve their set goals
and objectives. B when company target the ideal buyers the smarter way and then can able to
reduce the cost of marketing and they can able to take competitive advantages.
Executive summery
This report has coved marketing plan of ASDA company, so they can increase the sales ,
satisfaction level and brand value. It has been included objectives, Situational analysis to
understand where company stand, marketing mix of the company stp plan, budget and in the
end monitoring an controlling.
Mission
“ ASDA's Mission is to be the most truct6ed retailer company, and they want to help their
customers to save money, so they can live better.”
Vision
“ ASDA vision is to become top retailer company in Britain, and they want to expand
their business globally.”
Objectives
 to increase profit by 10% till the end of year 2020
 to increase satisfaction of consumers by 20% through new and innovative product
 to increase brand value of company by 15%
Situational Analysis
Swot analysis
Strength
 Asda company has wide range of varieties of the product and services , including the
financial services.

 This company I popular for their marketing campaign that projects their services and
customers delight
Weakness
 ASDA company has very limited global presence as compare to the other companies in
this market.
 There are some critics about the company's product quality which is directly impacting
their reputation in the market.
Opportunities
 Online marketing is growing quickly which can provide benefits to the ASDA
company.
 Collaboration with the smaller company can help them to expand their business.
Threat
 New and existing companies within the retailer companies are providing their products
in less prices which is also forcing ASDA to decrease their product prices. It makes
propagability of the companies profitably low.
 Changes in the polices made by government is creating huge threat for the ASDA
business.
PESTEL analysis
Marketing plan
Marketing Mix
Product
Asda is a supermarket retailer and this is why, it has wide variety of products. Its products
include different types of food and drink items, household items, products for beauty and health,
clothing and footwear, outdoor and entertainment products and products for babies (Lahtinen,
Dietrich, and Rundle-Thiele, 2020). In these categories different products are available in Asda.
Price

Pricing strategy of Asda is cheap and reasonable pricing strategy. This is because Asda believes
in mass selling and low and reasonable price attracts more customers. This allows for high sales
volume and subsequently Asda can maintain high profit margin. Other than this, on particular
days it also adopts promotional pricing strategy.
Place
This is concerned with the point where buyer can buy goods and services. Generally there are
two places that are online and offline. For Asda its offline place is its stores and supermarket and
online place is its website where customers can place their orders.
Promotion
Aggressive promotional policy is used by Asda, in this its commercials are visible on most of the
promotional channels. Other than this, it also uses social media and digital marketing.
People
Employing around 165000 employees Asda offers attractive salary and compensation to them
(Pogorelova and et.al., 2016). Other than this, different training methods are also used for
developing employees and their potential for performance.
Process
There are different processes that are employed in Asda that are inventory management, supply
chain management and regular processes for retail operations.
Physical Evidence
This involves well managed and attractive stores, website and broachers of Asda along with its
attractive logo that help customers in identifying Asda and its products.
STP plan
Budget
Monitoring & controlling

CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion, it can be concluded that marketing is an important
activity for the success of organisation. Marketing play important role in organisation, that is not
limited to marketing but also relate with other organisational activities such as production,
finance etc. Marketing is undertaken by every type of organisation, however their practices and
strategies for marketing can be highly distinctive. These strategies are developed and
implemented under marketing mix of the organisation.