Marks and Spencer: Global Marketing Strategy Report for South Africa

This report examines Marks and Spencer's global marketing strategy, focusing on its planned expansion into the South African market. It begins with a brief background of the company and the rationale for selecting South Africa, highlighting the increasing demand for clothing items. The report then delves into brand positioning, customer value propositions, and the adoption of an adaptation strategy to tailor products to the local market. It also outlines the marketing communication strategy, including both offline techniques like sales forces and promotional materials, and the value-based pricing strategy. The distribution strategy emphasizes direct sales to retailers, bypassing intermediaries to minimize costs. The report also covers physical evidence, such as store ambiance and layout. Finally, the report concludes with a summary of the key strategies and provides a list of relevant references.

GLOBAL MARKETING

TABLE OF CONTENT
 Introduction
 COMPANY BRIEF BACKGROUND-
 ABOUT SELECTED INTERNATIONAL MARKET
 BRAND POSITIONING
 CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITION
 PRICING STRATEGY
 DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
 PEOPLE, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE-
 CONCLUSION
 REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION
 Global Marketing is a strategy that includes everything like planning, production,
promotion, and distribution of company's product in a worldwide market.
 Global marketing is relevant for such companies whose product has global
demand like, durable items, cloths, auto mobiles etc.
 The Report describes a marketing programme of into a new international
market .
 It further explain marketing mix of the product.

COMPANY BRIEF BACKGROUND
 It is a multinational retailer company which is headquartered in Westminster,
London that deals with home products, food products and clothing items.
 It was founded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. At present,
company owns 990 stores across United Kingdom, which includes 600 stores that
deals only in food items.
 Till 1950, all the goods of the company are sold under same label i.e., 'St. Michael' .
But, women's cloths, girls school uniform are sold under 'St. Margaret' label until,
whole range of merchandise items became 'St. Michael'.

ABOUT SELECTED INTERNATIONAL
MARKET
 Marks and Spencer Plc. has selected South Africa for starting a new clothing
store which deals in men and women wears.
 Company has select this country because, the demand of basic clothing items
is keep on increasing in South Africa as, both poor and rich people have a
common desire to look attractive and everyday more than 2 billion Africans
wears all types of clothing items .
 So, this is an opportunity for the company to create a multi-billion dollars
market in the country.

BRAND POSITIONING
 Product Positioning
 Brand positioning means, the process through which company
creates image of their production the minds of targeted customers.
It is an important part of marketing strategy.
 Brand positioning can be done in different ways like, positioning
by product attributes, by price or quality etc.
 Marks and Spencer will adopt product positioning strategy for
selling existing range of products by performing Research
regarding taste of peoples through conducting survey etc

CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITION
 Customer Value Proposition is a promise by the company that it will
provide value to the customers for the price paid by them to the
company. And why customer would buy products of the company.
Marks and Spencer Plc. Can adopts different ways for providing value
to customers like,
 Customer Service- Company should ensures that, there is a feedback
mechanism for collecting feedback of customers. So that, company
can solve post- purchase queries and problems of customers.

STANDARDISATION AND
ADAPTATION STRATEGY
 In standardisation strategy, company choose to standardise the
product in all the aspects. It includes, product pricing, marketing and
distribution etc. In adaptation strategy, company modify existing
product according to different customers and market.
 Marks and Spencer Plc has adopt adaptation strategy for starting a
new clothing store in South Africa.

MARKETING COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY
 It is a strategy that company uses to reach their target market by using
various types of communication media.
 Offline- Sales force of Marks and Spencer Plc. can directly
communicate with customers regarding quality and price of the products
company is offering at clothing store.
 Simple techniques can be used like, typography, letters, brochures etc.
containing photos of dresses with price can be provided to clients.
Discounts can be given to attract customers.

PRICING STRATEGY
 Value based pricing
 It means, setting the price of product according to the value customers are getting.
It will help Marks and Spencer Plc. In strengthening its brand name and building
customer relationship.
 Value based pricing will be based on the attributes of cloths that company is
offering in African market like, it is modifying the pattern and colour of skirts in
women category according to culture of peoples in South Africa..

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
 Marks and Spencer Plc. has a vision and clarity of product they are
offering to customers.
 Company will sell the clothing items directly to retailers or the person
who buys products from company in bulk in South Africa.
 There will be no role of wholesalers or any middleman. This will save
the time of company in delivering the goods to customers in Africa.
And cost of distribution of clothing items for company will also
minimised.

PEOPLE, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE-
 Physical evidence means, all the factors that attracts the customers in
clothing store.
 Clothing store will have a good ambience like, wall papers of Brand
Ambassador e.g. Actress or actor. Good colour combination on the
walls of stores.
 Layout of the store will include proper display of cloths at entrance
gate of clothing store. Right type of furniture must be used for
customers so that, they will feel comfortable.

CONCLUSION
 The report has described the selected international market by Marks and Spencer
Plc. For starting a new clothing store.
 It also describes product positioning strategy of company to establish its brand
image, different ways in which value of product is perceived by customers.
 It further describes adaptation strategy used by company and communication
strategy used to reach target customers. Moreover, report has outlined value based
pricing strategy and distribution strategy of company.

REFERENCES
 Rugman, A. and Verbeke, A., 2017. Global corporate strategy and trade policy.
Routledge.
 Gillespie, K. and Riddle, L., 2015. Global marketing. Routledge.
 Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G., 2015. Principles of Marketing-Global Edition.
Pearson.
 Grant, R.M., 2016. Contemporary strategy analysis: Text and cases edition. John
Wiley & Sons.

CONTINUE
 Gerschewski, S., Rose, E.L. and Lindsay, V.J., 2015. Understanding the drivers of
international performance for born global firms: An integrated perspective. Journal of
World Business.50(3). pp.558-575.
 Fabbe-Costes, N. and Colin, J., 2017. Formulating logistics strategy. In Global
Logistics And Distribution Planning (pp. 83-104). Routledge
 Horner, R. and Nadvi, K., 2018. Global value chains and the rise of the Global South:
unpacking twenty‐first century polycentric trade. Global Networks. 18(2). pp.207-237.