Marketing Report: Key Roles, Marketing Mix, and McDonald's Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive overview of marketing essentials, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of the marketing function, particularly within the context of McDonald's. It delves into key aspects such as brand management, market research, product development, and promotional strategies. The report examines the significance of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion, people, processes, and physical evidence) in the planning process and contrasts it with other organizational approaches. Furthermore, it presents a detailed marketing plan, incorporating elements like SWOT analysis to illustrate strategic decision-making. The analysis includes McDonald's specific marketing strategies, customer relationship management, and the identification of market opportunities. The report highlights the importance of adapting marketing strategies to meet changing customer needs and maintain a competitive advantage in the fast-food industry.

Marketing Essentials

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function........................................................1
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing related to McDonald's........................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P3 Role of marketing mix in planning process and its difference from others by comparison
with other enterprise...............................................................................................................7
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P4 Marketing plan................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
ILLUSTRATION INDEX
Illustration 1: Role and Responsibility of marketing function ........................................................2
Illustration 2: Marketing of McDonald’s.........................................................................................4
Illustration 3: 7 Ps of Marketing .....................................................................................................7
Illustration 4: McDonald's products.................................................................................................9
Illustration 5: Dairy milk ................................................................................................................9
Illustration 6: SWOT analysis .......................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Marketing is all about the effective method or technique of promoting products at
marketplace to capture the attention of millions of customers by satisfying their needs and wants.
This report is going to classified into four parts to explain useful role and responsibility of sales
manager as well as describes appropriate technique adopted by an enterprise. Basically, report is
going to highlight the various key elements of McDonald's and their promotional strategies for
maximizing their profit (Berkowitz, 2016). McDonald's is amongst one of the largest food retail
company, which was founded in the year 1954. It has total 30,000 number of stores till now
which is spread around in more than 120 different nations and is famously known for its quality
production and fast customer service in the food supply sector. In fact, this company is a one of
the leading enterprise famous for its foodstuffs at international level due to effective and
impressive marketing plan. At last it also throws some light on indispensable role of marketing
mix as well as its different from other organization. Their main strategy is to provide a higher
level of satisfaction to the customers by providing best possible services to them by together
attracting new customers. The aim of McDonald's is to open many more stores all around the
world to make a widespread presence in the globe and some rigorous strategies of market
expansion.
TASK 1
P1 Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function
Marketing department plays a very eminent role in promoting goods and services of an
organization to maximize their profit in a minimum duration with the help of effective strategies.
McDonald is international brand popular for its qualitative product and tasty food stuffs which
attract millions of consumers by implementing impressive merchandising policies. In fact, this
department consist of various roles and responsibility towards company success as well as it act
as a pillar for whole organization (Cant, 2010). Apart from this, marketing managers are liable to
perform all the marketing activities in an appropriate manner to attain its goals and target. In
additional, this department is responsible to identify the needs and demand of desired customers
by analysing overall marketing situation as well as study marketplace to understand the strategy
of their competitors.

Instead of this, marketing department of McDonald's performs various essential roles and
responsibility for success of a company and these are explained below: -
 Defining and management of brand- First and foremost role which is played by
marketing department is to describe the usefulness or advantageous quality of brand in-
front of whole society by adopting impressive methods (Dibb, 2013). Therefore,
management of brand name is very much important and necessary to introduce or launch
its product in an attractive way to capture the attention of numbers of consumers.
 Conduct campaign for marketing initiatives- It is very indispensable to implement
programmes or movements to begin promotional activities or task in an efficient manner.
McDonald always want perfection in their every work due to their goodwill and image in
Illustration 1: Role and Responsibility of marketing function
(Source: Function of Marketing, 2017)

whole world so just to maintain its picture at international level they want to throw lights
on every particular step (Simkin, 2013).
 Strategy maker- Marketing department is liable for making new and innovative strategy
to perform their promotional activities in overall world. Basically, planning is necessary
in every step of transferring goods and services from organization to desired consumers.
In fact, pre-plan strategies are always useful in removing barriers which might take place
during conducting encouragement programmes of a products. Apart from this, while
making strategy consent of board members or higher authority is mandatory due to their
power in an organization.
 Market research – It is very essential to acquire accurate information and data for
effective working of whole department by considering indispensable micro and macro
factors. In fact, research is also conducted by marketing department to get support in a
decision-making process. Therefore, appropriate news and evidences have a greater
impact on a decision-making process due to their vital role in a profit of an organization.
In other words, a cited company acquire information with the help of qualitative and
quantitative method as well as primary and secondary which provide precise and clear
data (Ebert and et. al., 2014).
 Product development – According to this, it shows that merchandising department are
also responsible in enhancing the quality and standard of a commodity of a McDonald
after getting aware about opinion of a various customers or whole society. In fact, growth
of product is only conducted after evaluation of a existing market and by understanding
current trends as well as taste and preference of different consumers (Ebert and et. al.,
2015).
Some of the other roles which is played by marketing department are-
1. Try to understand the requirement or demand of their old as well as new customers
because they are considered as end user.
2. In fact, they are liable to monitor marketplace to understand the policy of their
competitors.
3. Coordination in between marketing partners of a cited company to achieve the target or
objectives their plans.
4. Try to innovate something with the help of creative minds of their employees.

5. Create friendly and healthy environment which motivate employees to perform
activities with stress free minds to attain the objectives of marketing (Griffin, 2015).
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing related to McDonald's
Merchandising department also played different roles and duties for whole organization
because of their dual responsibility. In fact, McDonald have their branches at international level
which requires capable managers to perform maximum activities in a minimum time period.
Therefore, they also need to manage overall department of a company because all these are
related with each in every manner and liable to achieve objectives of a cited company. In
additional managers of marketing department needs to consider all the internal and external
factors which plays a very vital role in promoting foodstuffs of McDonald across the globe
(Fader, 2012).
Marketing plays a significant role in the success for each and every business
organization. It helps to create awareness about product and services in the market and also
provide competitive advantage. The most critical role of marketing is to identify the actual needs
of customer. so that they can design their product and services accordingly which can help to
increase customer satisfaction level. the marketing department of McDonald’s required that to
plays their roles and responsibility in a manner help to increase its profitability which is a
common goal for every business (Gummesson, 2011). There are following roles and
responsibility of merchandising department are:
Illustration 2: Marketing of
McDonald’s
(Source: Roach, 2012)

 Market research: Business environment is one of the competitive and complex task for
marketing department. Therefore, it is the responsibility of marketing manager is to
scanning such environment so that they determine the needs of customer and other
changing factor. There are various tools and techniques can be used in order to
conducting market research in order to provide various information about market and
customer. McDonald’s can conduct questionnaire survey and provide feedback form to
its loyal customers so that they can knowing actual needs.
 Developing marketing strategy: This is another role of marketing department related to
development and designing marketing strategies. There are various strategies required to
implement in order to promote firm’s product and services in an effective manner. for
example, McDonald’s conducting their business in UK, but due to increase in
competition cited firm losing its market share. thus, with the help of developing
appropriate marketing tactic and plan help to sustain its market position (Hagan, 2011).
 Customer relationship management: It refers to a practices and approach where business
organization manage its relationship with customer and improve customer satisfaction
level. marketing manager gather various information from data base system in order to
analyze satisfaction level. McDonald’s is having large number of loyal customer which
required to build a harmonious relation with them (Jacobs, 2014).
 Identify new market opportunities: Marketing department also monitor the current and
future market trends. As customer needs change over a period of time they need to
identity such changes and grab opportunities in an effective manner. for this, they can use
various methods and forecasting tools and improve its product performance in the near
future. McDonald’s can use these tools which can help to provide consistent growth and
meet its long-term target.
 Public relation: There are various stakeholders which includes investors, suppliers,
customers, employees, government and society. Marketing deportment is responsible to
maintain relation with them (MacRae, 2014). McDonald’s can use various

communication tools especially social media approaches like Facebook, Instagram, You
Tube etc.
 Launching of a product in international market- One of the major role which must be
played by promotional specialist is to introduce goods at international level to grab
opportunities from market of different countries.
Instead of all this duty marketing section is liable for managing overall promotional
activities of a McDonald to introduce or launch their tasty hamburger at international level. Their
main job is to create an impressive goodwill by representing organization in a positive light
which is a most important part of every business activity not only McDonald. At last it is what
which create consumers as well as try to generate more income by guiding future course of a
company by defining whether it will be a success or a non-achievement (Sladyk, 2014).
TASK 2
P3 Role of marketing mix in planning process and its difference from others by comparison with
other enterprise
Merchandising mix plays important role in planning process as this combination tells
about place, price, promotion, product, people etc. which directly as well as indirectly helps in
planning of an organisation (Judge, 2015). As with this method company can achieve its goals as
well as its objectives.
Marketing mix includes 7 Ps

 Product: A product is an item that is produced by company to satisfy its customer's needs
and wants. So, while doing any planning of a company product are given serious note as
they are only element on which company growth and rates are depend. The goods can be
tangible as well as intangible form both are considered while doing planning process in
an institution (Robbins, 2015).
 Price: cost is considered to be most important part of an organisation as according to
customer income and demand product value is set so while doing design process so
company need to provide cheap goods to buyers to cover large area of buyers. Before
entering in market company need to prepare blue print of values of product. Mc Donald
Illustration 3: 7 Ps of Marketing
(Source: Extended Marketing Mix 7P's. 2017)

has taken this opportunity very well as they enter in Indian market with cheap prices as
well as they covered wider area of people (Kennedy, 2014).
 Place: a firm must open its branches in areas where your target customer finds easier. So,
before establishing shops & stores firm need to analyse its place of production as well as
consumption. With this business objectives can be achieved.
 Promotion: Publicity can be done in many ways such as personal selling, sales
promotion, advertising Etc. these such methods are used by McDonald to attract its
customer. As this method is costlier than above ones so manager need to choose any such
activity according to its budget.
 People: Having qualified person at workplace is a blessing for industry. These persons
are only source of fellowship by whom firm agenda and goals can be achieved. So, this
factor plays essential part during scheming procedure (Parsons, 2014).
 Processes: This element run upon presence of its customer. As buyer will pay according
to services and goods which is delivered. So, procedure of fellowship should be clearly
defined to members as well as responsibility and duties should be lucid to employees.
 Physical evidence: every company needs some physical presence that how your business
is perceived in market place. For ex when purchasers think for fast food, only company
comes to their mind is Mc Donald. This states that company is achieving its target very
well as planning and achievement are at same level (Koontz, 2010).
McDonald is an American company known for its burger and fast food chain by having
its branches across the globe. On other side cad-bury is a British multinational
confectionery organization having its headquartered in an Uxbridge, west London and expanded
in more than 60 nations across the globe. In fact, both enterprises are different from each other in
various aspect and manufacture different products.

Here is an appropriate comparison in between McDonald and cad-bury given below-
McDonald Cad-bury
It offers hamburger and tasty food stuffs by
having its restaurants in different countries.
Cadbury is referred to be the market leader in
the chocolate industry sector with high number
of shares in the market. Some of their famous
products are Cadbury, Dairy milk, Perk, 5
stars, and gift packs of celebration chocolates,
etc.
Famous for its chicken burgers, French fries
and desserts.
It is a chocolate product manufacturer that
produces chocolates in the shape of egg.
High price goods by having numbers of tax. Whereas, chocolates are available at an
affordable price or cheapest and it specifies the
applicability of different pricing strategies in
comparison to other market competitors.
McDonald's products are available at their own Their products are easily available in the
Illustration 5: Dairy milk
(Source: Cadbury products, 2017) Illustration 4: McDonald's products
(Source: The Altered Perception Mcdonald’s,
2010)

store as well as franchise outlets. market in almost every corner of the world.
Its provides good quality products and services
to the customers according to their specified
needs and wants.
Cadbury uses various advertisement tools such
as television, print media and posters to convey
their message to the consumers as a way of
promoting their goods and services to them.
Effective solution are being made to any
existed problems and issues related to
customers.
The company is also known to invest huge sum
of money for the purpose of promoting their
products through television, newspaper,
internet and social media tools.
Both the companies are famous for its qualitative and standardised products by capturing
the minds of different customers of various countries. In fact, McDonald is popular for its high-
quality standard whereas cad-bury is a chocolate commodity circulated overseas and working as
sweet for whole world. Apart from this, acquiring attention of millions of customers due to their
pricing also. While comparing cad-bury and McDonald it is very essential to consider micro and
macro environmental factors because it have a greater impact on both enterprises due to its
branches in all over the world (Lancaster, 2010).
TASK 3
P4 Marketing plan
Merchandising plan is a comprehensive blueprint which outlines the appropriate
strategies for McDonald in coming year and it also describe proper steps of goal attainment. In
fact, a cited company trying to design an impressive marketing plan to run their business
smoothly by minimizing their losses (Massingham, 2010). There are many more reason behind
making a proper plan such as -
 Estimation of future cost.
 Hedging of risk.
 Ready to face challenges.
 For understanding the need of raw materials.