Marketing Essentials Report: ASOS Plc, Next Plc, Marketing Plan

This report delves into the core aspects of marketing, examining the key roles and responsibilities within a marketing function, particularly in the context of ASOS Plc. It explores the interrelation of marketing with other organizational departments such as human resources and finance, highlighting how these collaborations contribute to overall business success. The report then compares the marketing mix strategies of ASOS Plc and Next Plc, analyzing their marketing planning processes and how they align with their respective business objectives. Furthermore, a basic marketing plan is developed, incorporating essential steps to guide the organization in achieving its goals. This report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of marketing principles and their practical application in a business setting, using ASOS and Next Plc as case studies to illustrate key concepts.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1.Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function....................................1
P2. Explain how roles and responsibilities of marketing related to the wider organisational
context.........................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Compare the way in which different organisation apply the marketing mix to the
marketing planning process to achieve business objectives. .....................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
Produce and evaluate a basic marketing plan for an organisation..............................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is one the of the most crucial part of the company as it help in increasing sales
and profits of the business ((Baines, Fill and Page, 2013). This is considered as an essential
function of organisation as it lead to attracting more buyers towards business. Marketing function
will have direct impact over development of business as it help in performing business activities
in more effective and efficient manner. It is important for company to perform all task and
activities of marketing function in more effectual way. There are different functions of marketing
which is helpful in overall growth and development of business. This company chosen for this
report is ASOS Plc. This company is dealing in clothing industry as well as online shopping
sector. ASOS Plc company was established in 2000 and its headquarter is located in London,
England, United Kingdom. This company is providing different type of product and services to
large market area of the world and its product line includes ready made fashionable products. Its
key products are clothes, shoes, trending accessories and different types of beauty products.
ASOS Plc company is developing products as per the need and want of customers as well as
offering top quality branded fashionable products. This report includes different roles and
responsibilities of marketing function towards business which will be helpful for company to
achieve its goal and objectives. It also consist of interrelation of marketing role and
responsibilities with other functions of organisation. In this report marketing mix of two different
organisation is conduct in order to evaluate and analyse marketing plan of each organisation.
Apart from this a proper marketing plan is developed which will help achieving set goals and
objectives. This marketing plan consist of series of steps that will lead to performing each and
every task in correct manner.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1.Explain the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function.
Marketing refers to the all those activities that is undertaken by company in order to
promote its product and services. This is an effective function of organisation as it helps in
performing organisation activities in more effectual way (Baker and Magnin, 2016). Marketing
function can be describe as set of activities that includes advertising, selling as well as delivering
manufactured products to different market area. It comprises of analysing market environment
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in order to offer product and services which will help in meeting with the preferences of
customers. There are different role and responsibilities of marketing function of ASOS Plc
company which is helpful in gain competitive edge over other rival companies. Marketing
function of respective company is developing strong and positive image in market and leads to
perform promotion activities in more effective and efficient manner. This leads to create strong
relationship with targeted functions .Marketing function is a role that helps an organisation to
analyse and source successful product for the market place. ASOS Plc company marketing role
and responsibilities is to analyse market trends as well as requirement of customers, setting right
price and promoting manufactured products and services in more effective manner. There are
different roles and responsibilities of marketing functions which are describe below in respect of
ASOS Plc company :
Meet consumers' needs and wants – Customers at all levels have different needs and
wants. Marketers' roles is to understand what the customers' needs and wants are and plan their
marketing strategies accordingly in order to attract more customers and in turn increase the sales.
It is the prior step a company needs to take. It is necessary to analyse needs and wants of
customers (Boschetti and Massaron, 2015). For doing so, they must gather information and then
analyse it. They influence customers shaped by their cultures and individual personalities,
thereby satisfying their demands. In contrast with Asos plc., the company conducts regular
surveys and campaigns in order to understand its customers demands and what expectations do
they have from their products and hence tries to meet consumers' demands fully by offering
products that are up to the level of their expectations. Awareness of the products and the
company is created and inputs are provided that in turn create interest among the audience by
brining in fresh customers, engaging them and hence creating new business opportunities for
Asos.
Organizational growth and reputation – The survival and growth of an organization
depends upon its customer base and and increase in its market share. The marketing function in a
company helps companies retain their customers and achieve their objectives by satisfying their
customers' demands. Asos continuously works towards achieving the objectives and goals set by
the management so ensure the growth of the company and maintain its reputation in the industry.
The company's marketing function plays a key role in influencing the level of demand. A
demand can either be positive or negative, latent or declining, therefore the marketing function in
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Asos plc. deals with the varied levels of demands posed by the customers and hence help the
organization to grow.
Expand market – The marketing function in a company uses different tools and ways to
expand in the market such as advertising, promotions, campaigns, event marketing etc. Today
technological advancements have made interaction with customers easy and more interactive
(Eng, 2017). The company majorly depends upon its marketing function to carry out various
promotional and advertising activities so that the company holds a position in the customers'
minds and hence there is expansion of the company in the market with various marketing
techniques used from tie to time. Marketing helps create demand, thereby increasing the
production and distribution activities. As a result the industrial growth raises and income levels
improve due increased employment.
Improved product offerings – Most companies today offer a wide range of products
under their product lines. Marketing function in an organization ensures that the packaging of the
products is attractive and appeals the customers. The products should be well packed and
labelled accordingly. Asos strives on producing products with improved features and keeping in
mind various aspects of product manufacturing and that the products have utility ensuring that
the products are available at the right time to the right people and at the right place. The
marketing function closely monitors the competition faced by Asos and helps maintain a balance
a balance of customers' expectations and what products are offered by the competitors.
P2. Explain how roles and responsibilities of marketing related to the wider organisational
context.
Organisation can be describe as a set of different functions as well as people which is
working with their full capabilities and potential so that desired aims could be timely achieves. It
consist of different functions and department which is helpful in perform task in more correct
manner(Halpern and Graham, 2013). It is very important for ASOS Plc company to interrelate it
business functions with other department so that they can achieve desired goals. When each and
every function of respective company is performing activities and task in correct manner than
only set targets will be successful meet. Major functions of ASOS Plc organisation consist of
human resource, marketing, finance, sales and many more. It is essential for marketing function
to interrelate their activities with other department as well as their activities. This will aid in
performing business task in more better manner. By interrelation of different function
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performance of ASOS Plc company will be enhanced and improved. This will help in meeting
the expectation of ASOS Plc by interrelating roles and responsibilities of marketing with other
departments of the respective company.
Human resource with marketing department – Human resource department can be
define as a function of organisation which leads to find and attract more capable employees
towards organisation. This function of organisation is majorly related to recruitment and
selection of capable employees as well as provide training to them. Marketing function of
ASOS Plc company will be only able to perform its task in correct manner when it has highly
skilled employees. This will aid in enhancing overall performance as well as conducting
marketing function in correct manner. For this marketing department of respective company
needs to provide their requirement and demand which needs to be full fill by new employee. It is
role of human resource department to find and hire those employees which is able to meet with
the expectations of marketing department. In this marketing team needs to advertise as well as
promote requirement of highly skilled employee for ASOS Plc company. Interrelation of
marketing team and human resource.
Marketing with Finance department – Marketing department is majorly related to the
activities of identifying new trends in market. This will be very helpful in understanding current
and emerging trend in market as well as promoting products of organisation in effective manner.
For promoting and advertising products and services of ASOS Plc company they needs to use
huge financial resource (Kongstvedt, 2013). Finance department of respective company role is to
clearly identify as well as analyse the requirement of financial resources in effective way. There
are different types of financial resources and other asset are required by marketing department to
conduct its promotional activities in market department. In this finance team is allocating certain
amount of money and financial resources in order to provide budgets to marketing department.
In this role and responsibilities of marketing function is to analyse market environment and find
out new or emerging trends which will help in performing daily activities of finance department
in better manner.
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TASK 2
P3. Compare the way in which different organisation apply the marketing mix to the marketing
planning process to achieve business objectives.
There are different ways though which respective company can improve its marketing
activities and perform business functions in effective and efficient manner. Marketing mix can be
define as a tool which will help in taking better business decision as well as performing task in
better ways. This tool will provide aid to organisation by comprising right product at right place
with right strategies. It is very important for ASOS Plc company to develop right product as well
as offer effective services to customers which leads to satisfy their needs and wants. Marketing
mix refers to the set of action that could be used by organisation in order to promote brand and
its products in targeted market area (Malhotra, 2015). This consist of major 7 P's that stands for
product, price, place, promotion, people, process as well as physical evidence. It is essential for
ASOS Plc company to identify as well as evaluate all of these 7 P's in correct manner as well as
develop better strategies. Comparison of 7 P's with competitors which help in identifying actual
performance of company and help in better understanding of market area. Difference between
marketing mix of ASOS Plc company and Next Plc is mention below in order to analyse
marketing planning process of both organisation which support in achieving business objectives.
Basis ASOS Plc company Next Plc company
Product Product refers to any substance
which is sell by company in
order to earn more products.
ASOS Plc company is dealing
in online shopping market area
as well as providing different
products which are related to
ready to wear clothing
products as well as range of
cosmetics. This company is
selling its products in five
major categorise and this
This includes all those
products that is developed by
company. Next Plc is a well
known brand it is
manufacturing different types
of products. This company is
developing unique design
clothing and other fashionable
products with high quality in
order to satisfy needs and
wants of customers. This is
very helpful in full filling
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includes separate product line.
It is offering clothing products,
shoes, footwear, cosmetics and
accessories.
market requirement by
producing quality products.
Price Price refers to the amount that
is charged by company in
exchange of their product and
services. ASOS Plc company
is setting price as per the price
set by competitors (Malhotra,
Birks and Wills, 2013). This
company is offering its
products as per competitive
prices based strategies. This
company is analysing prices
set by its rival company as
then setting prices of its
products in order to gain
competitive advantage over
other rival companies.
Pricing strategies of respective
company is cost effective. This
company is manufacturing
high quality products and
offering these product to price
rate which lead to gain some
profit. This strategies will help
in recovering the price of
product as well as earning
profits for business. Next Plc
company is considering
skimming strategies in its
business process.
Place It is very important for this
company to sell its
manufactured products to set
market area. In this company
needs to increase it distribution
channel. This will help in
delivery of right type of
product at right time. This will
help in meeting with the
exceptions of customers.
Next Plc company needs to
deliver its manufactured
products to targeted customers.
There are different ways
through which company can
place its products in different
market area. Respective
company is delivering its
manufactured products to
wholesaler and they are
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ASOS Plc company is placing
its products by new and
creative way. This is an online
company and it is offering its
products through digital
market area. This has attractive
online websites and this is
helpful in providing 24*7
services to customers.
placing it to different retailer.
This is helpful in placing right
product at right place (Nirschl
and Steinberg, 2018). This
company is also considering
online selling of product and
in this customer can select
their product from website.
Promotion Promotion refers to
communication of product
features in market area in order
to attract customers. This is
one of the crucial process of
company and it will have
direct impact over sales and
profits of the ASOS Plc
company. This company is
using modern tools and
techniques to promote its
product in market area. For
this it is using attractive
advertisement in its websites
and mobile application. They
are continuously updated their
potential customers about
discounts and offering.
There are different ways that
could be used by company in
order to promote its product in
market area. This is a well
known brand and it has strong
relationship with customers.
This company is using new
and innovative ways to
promote and advertise its
product in market area. This
techniques is very help in
attracting as well as
influencing more customers to
purchase the products of
respective company.
People People are considered as
employees who are working
with their full capabilities and
Next Plc company is
considering its employees as
the most important asset of the
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potential to achieve set goals
and objective of company.
This is a web based company
which is operating its business
functions digitally. ASOS Plc
company has less number of
employees as compare to brick
and mortar companies (Pike,
2016). This company is hiring
highly skilled and talented
employees who are well aware
about web based organisation
as well as digital company. Its
employees play a crucial role
in performing business
functions in better manner.
company. This company is
providing timely training to its
employees in order to improve
their work performance as well
as productivity. Training and
development program is very
helpful in improving skills and
capabilities of employees. This
help in achieving set goals and
objectives. People of Next plc
company are developing
strong strategies which leads
to achieving or earning more
profits.
Process It refers to the business process
in which company is
conducting its business
activities. It is very important
for company to choose better
business process which will be
helpful in performing business
activities as well as achieving
set goals. ASOS Plc company
is using digital business
process and it is not offering
its product and services in any
retail store. This business
process of ASOS Plc
company will help in help in
Next Plc company is using
new and effective process for
its business and it is perform
business task in effective
manner. This company is
developing clothing products
as well as other fashionable
accessories with good quality
of raw material. This is helpful
in developing high quality of
fashionable products. This
business process will help in
meeting with the expectations
of customers.
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providing 24 * 7 services to
potential customers.
Physical evidence Physical evidence of company
can be considerer as its
websites. This is an online
company which is offering its
products through digital
market. It is very important for
this company to develop
creative and attractive website
that is helpful in attracting
more and more customers
towards business as well as
offering better quality
products. ASOS website and
mobile application is its major
physical evidence which help
in dealing with comparative
advantages.
This company has developed
its positive image in market
and this could be considered as
the physical evidence of the
company (Puddle, 2015). This
is a well known company
which is recognised for its
high quality product and
services. Physical evidence
refers to all those elements
which help in satisfying
requirement of company.
TASK 3
Produce and evaluate a basic marketing plan for an organisation.
Marketing plan: A market plan reviews the marketing strategy for the new year, quarter
or the month typically including a brief overview of the business's marketing and advertising
goals describing the current marketing position of the company, a timeline of when will the tasks
listed in the strategy be completed, the key performance indicators the company will be tracking
and a description of the its target market and customer needs. There should always be a situation
analysis, marketing strategy and an expense budget in the plan always depending on a strategy
framework outlining the marketing activities on a monthly basis.
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Situation Analysis -
Situation analysis can be referred to as a systematic collection of the past as well as
present strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which is used by the managers in a
company to identify their impact on the company's choice of strategies and overall performance
(Purvis, 2015).
The strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors and opportunities and threats are
the external factors that can affect the working of an organization.
Strengths – Asos has a good brand image because of its continuous involvement towards
community. The brand derives benefits from its main focus on retaining customers and a
strong brand collection. Asos also works constantly towards refining its supply chain and
offering a variety of products.
Weaknesses – Asos has a weak country adaptation, and not known by many people with a
primary focus on only one segment. The brand is over dependent on the Britain market with
absolutely no stores and duplication of products by third party. It needs to invest more in
technology in order to improve its customers' experience.
Opportunities – The constant new trends in the fashion industry and changing consumer
behaviour can open new markets for Asos. The increasing demand can allow them to obtain
approx 7000 new products every week. Using the data from social media , blogs and
websites and analysing the same will help Asos in improving its customer base.
Threats – Asos should work on its marketing process in terms of positioning and unique selling
ideas. With these not defined well, the competitors can take advantage. There are retailers
larger than Asos already existing in the market and can pose a serious threat to the brand in
terms of brand recognition and brand image. There are new brands entering the market
offering high quality products at lower prices targetting various countries with distinct
cultures.
Objective -
Objective refers to the set aim and goals of the business. It is very important for
respective company to work in effective and efficient manner so that desired goals and objectives
could be timely achieved. ASOS company will have to develop SMART objectives as it includes
specific, measurable, achievable, relevant as well as time oriented (Simkin and Dibb, 2013). So
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