Marketing Essentials Report: UK Pet Care Cat Food Launch Strategy

This report, prepared for the Pet Care Company, details the marketing essentials required for launching a new cat food product, 'Feline Feast,' in the UK market. It begins with an introduction to marketing and its importance in the pet food industry, which has seen significant growth. Task 1 explores the key roles and responsibilities of marketing functions, including market analysis, product design, pricing, and advertising strategies, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer behavior and legislative policies. Task 2 examines the relationship between marketing functions and the wider organizational context, highlighting the roles of the Human Resource and Finance departments in supporting marketing initiatives. Task 3 focuses on the application of the marketing mix (7Ps) to achieve business objectives, developing and evaluating a basic marketing plan. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and recommendations for the successful launch of 'Feline Feast,' aiming to capture a significant share of the UK cat food market.

Marketing Essentials
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
TASK 1......................................................................................................................................4
P1) Key roles and responsibilities of marketing functions....................................................4
P2) Roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to the wider organisational context........5
TASK 2......................................................................................................................................7
P3) Ways in which organisations use elements of the marketing mix (7Ps) to achieve
overall business objectives....................................................................................................7
TASK 3....................................................................................................................................10
P4) Developing and evaluating a basic marketing plan......................................................10
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Marketing refers to management process that is accountable for identifying and
fulfilling customers' requirements to maximize profit earning capabilities of organization. It
is useful to achieve long term sustainability of organization and product that affects demand
for products and brand loyalty. Therefore, marketing is considers as a concept of launching,
advertising and sustaining products as per which further decisions are made for future
business operations to improve quality services of entity. The growth of the pet food
industries since the twentieth century has been continuing its trail owing to the increasing
population of the pets. The improving quality of pet foods has become one of the major
concerns of these pet food manufacturing industries operating in the UK market. In this
report, the marketing essentials needed for the launching of a new product for a new company
in UK, Pet Care has been broadly elaborated for introducing its cat food product Feline Feast.
The cat food sector has reached to 209,000 tonnes with a 1% rise in volume (Pet Business
World, 2016). This necessitates the implementation of effective business measures to
understand the market and formulate plans accordingly to launch its new product and gain
market recognition. On behalf of the marketing manager of the Pet Care Company, a new
marketing strategy has been presented with a detailed report and PowerPoint presentation to
make the new Pet food company a big success in the business market of UK.
TASK 1
P1) Key roles and responsibilities of marketing functions
Marketing functions are a collection of activities that are conducted by the business
organisations to carry out a well-designed marketing plan on which all the business actions
will be based (Becker and Gerhart, 1996, p.790). The market manager needs to find out the
important factors that are required to conduct an effective product launching strategy and
formulate a marketing strategy. As the sphere of the business is not directly related to the
customers, who will be purchasing the products, it becomes an added responsibility for the
marketing manager to strategies plans in order to attract the consumer market.
The main aim of the marketing functions is to analyse the market in which the
business is operating and the product will be launched. The gathering of market information
and analysing them becomes a vital step to design the products according to the market
demands. As the human beings are the customers here and not the consumers, the products
need to be designed keeping in mind the inclusion of the essential ingredients to benefit the
pets, especially the cats in this context. The designing of the products are done considering
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what is demanded by the consumers and the setting of the prices of the products in
accordance to the market rates. Marketing functions also helps in the determination of the
advertising strategy of the new products that will grab the attention of the consumer market
(Lewer, 2013, p.644). Marketing planning is another aspect of the marketing functions that
helps the company to achieve its objectives and fulfil their targeted plans. This leads to the
designing of the products incorporating the essential elements in the products that will serve
the best foods for the pets. The products need to be developed maintaining the standards fixed
by the authoritative bodies of the state. There are stringent legislative policies in the UK that
ensures the safety of the products and their high quality. Therefore, prior information of the
necessary standardisation is assessed by the marketing functions that enable the proper
functioning of the business activities.
Role of marketing functions: - Marketing includes conducting survey and analysing
different views of customers on the basis of which, different ideas are generated for better
quality services and improving efficiency of entity. It involves function of launching and
promoting goods as well services provided by company. Including this, it tries to establishing
good relationship with its consumers for long term sustainability and improving effectiveness
of organization. However, publicity of products and other aspects of company is done
through designing, updating and promoting company website therefore online marketing of
entity and its products can also be done effectively.
The recent buying behaviour of the customers surfaces their preference to purchase
products that are branded in nature rather than relying on the local commodities, observes
Cassidy (2016, p.24). Therefore, the company needs to give a distinct name to the products
that they are launching and make an identity of their own in the market. It also helps the
company to maintain their individual stand in the competitiveness of the business market.
Marketing function greatly helps in the determination of all the related factors that are the
core elements in the developing and launching of new products in the market. Relevant issues
of promotion strategies, distribution of goods and transportation of products, storage and
packaging abiding by all the statutory legal policies are all covered in the wide scope of the
marketing functions. They are responsible for building the strong base for a new company
and produce goods according to the acceptability of the products, thereby making it an
absolute success (Davcik and Sharma, 2016, p.9).
Marketing department of organization is responsible for providing products to
increase profitability of firm and satisfying customers at high level. It plays essential role in
enhancing marketing and competitive strategies of organization. It includes different tools
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such as conducting market research and on the basis of its analysis, preparing planning for
further business operations. Moreover, it is supportive to fulfil all requirements of consumers
and increasing in efficiency of product qualities. In this regard, various tools and techniques
are applied for effectiveness of organization. Under this system, different innovative ideas are
created for adopting changes and getting adjusted towards market demand. However,
marketing functions are composition of product life cycle and quality features involves in an
attractive goods. Therefore, on the basis of these marketing functions various methods are
used for launching, advertising and sustaining products for long time period. In this regard, it
has been determined that several components are focused to maintain attraction of buyers
towards goods and services provided by company.
Along with this, it is accountability of marketing manager to setting up new products
in market and applying innovative ideas for promotion of goods. In accordance to this,
effective customer satisfaction can be obtained for enhancing productivity and profitability of
organization at large scale. It influences on long term sustainability that affects competitive
strategy of entity. However, demand for products and emerging positive attitude of customers
towards goods and services is presented. It impacts on brand loyalty for maintaining
attraction of consumers for making place in market for long time period.
P2) Roles and responsibilities of marketing related to the wider organisational context
The formation of a company necessitates the execution of the activities of the
marketing department of the organisation, who sets the basic stage on which rests the entire
functioning of the company. The marketing department works for the formulation of the
marketing essentials that determines the activities for the achievement of the ultimate goals of
the company. The marketing processes are the basics on which the further actions are
performed to carry on the business functions. Marketing functions help to determine the
various factors that are extremely crucial to design the business activities, opines Grieves
(2003, p.74). Thus, once the targets are fixed, the business activities are conveyed to the other
departments that play and equal significant role to enhance the performance of the company
and make it a distinct name in the business market.
Along with the marketing department, there is the Human Resource department, who
looks after the activities related to the employees working in the company and direct them to
the attainment of the business objectives. The financial department caters to the financial
issues of the company keeping a track record of the transactions, as well as sanctioning of
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money to conduct various events that leads to the development of a good reputation of the
company (Haines, 2016, p.93).
The Human Resource department organises the selection of the suitable candidates
according to the requirements of the company that will be capable enough to serve the
company’s objectives. The employees, who align their personal interests with the objectives
of the company, carry out the marketing plans. The formation of the marketing plans paves
the way for the Human Resource department following which they can arrange for the
adequate training of the employees and provide with the orientation programs. This results in
the proper carrying out of the designed tasks by the management to accomplish the goals of
the company. The Human Resource department constructs the manner of leading the
employees in accordance with the purposes of the company that it aims to achieve (Solnet et
al. 2015, p.279). The Pet Care Company will be successful to meet its target of launching the
cat food product in the market with a hoard of competent employees working there sharing
the same aim. The marketing plans along with the Human resource department help to
monitor the activities conducted in the company and develop newer plans considering the
positive and negative aspects of the existing ones (Hendry, 2012, p.25). The Human Resource
also helps in the coordination and communication of the associated members of the company
and aims at innovation, which will result to the most beneficial position of the company in
the days to come.
The financial department of the company charts out their expenditure according to the
expenses of carrying out the marketing plans. Developing and launching of products involves
ample production costs and need wide scale advertising through various campaigns (Huselid,
1995, p.636). These expenditures are looked after by the finance department and they manage
the rest of the activities accordingly. The conduction of the market plans itself requires
monetary aids, as market research and surveys cannot be done without proper measures.
Therefore, the marketing functions have to relate to the other department of the organisation
to execute an effective functioning of the business activities and get towards advancement
gradually with perfect coordination.
Marketing and finance: - Both departments of organization are interrelated with
each other. However, through conducting research, actual market position is gained that leads
to prepare budget and financing for further production of goods. However, adequate plans are
prepared for further investments and getting sources of fund regarding business activities.
Marketing and HRM: - For encouraging sales team and employees of the
organization, marketing of goods is created more efficiently. In this regard, production targets
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are meet systematically as well appropriate skills of staff is developed for contributing their
role and job in business activities.
Marketing department of organization applies several kinds of strategies for
expansion and effectiveness of entity. It impacts on different organizational functional
departments such as finance, production, research and HR. Therefore, through effectiveness
of marketing department, various tools and techniques are used for further business
operations and increasing product value in market for long time periodicity. In addition to
this, organizational context is obtained as wider by using tools and techniques for pulling
customers at high level. In this regard, various ideas are generated for operating further
business activities. It impacts on profitability and customer satisfaction tool for long term
sustainability in market. However, it is considered as basis for optimum utilization of
resources and proper balance between production and distribution of goods. It impacts on
financial position and other sectors of organization including production and research. In
accordance to this, it has been described that marketing plays crucial role in overall
expansion of business organization. Thus, it is essential to utilize marketing tools and
different techniques related to profit earning capacity and customer satisfaction. Therefore,
marketing is crucial for wider organizational context that is interrelated with entire business
operations. However, marketing is a systematic concept for increasing profitability and
efficiency of firm. Hence, positive and peaceful environment of entity can be created through
maximum customer satisfaction and increasing in demand for products at large scale.
TASK 2
P3) Ways in which organisations use elements of the marketing mix (7Ps) to achieve overall
business objectives
The entire functioning of the company depends on the marketing plan that has to be
built before the carrying out of the further actions. Therefore, the vital criterion to perform
the business activities is based on the competency of the marketing plan, which calls for an
essential management strategy. The first step to the building of an efficient marketing
strategy is the formation of the objectives of the company. The objectives reflect the actual
purpose of the company and their will to serve to their customers.
Objectives :- As a manufacturer of cat food, the company needs to design its products
with proper inclusion of the standards set by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association
(PFMA) that is their primary objective. The pet food for all kinds of pet is something
different from the pet food of a distinct animal. In this case, to produce pet food for the cats,
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it is necessary to understand the basic differences between dog food and cat food, as a cat
needs 41 essential nutrients in its diet that makes the company to be very particular about
incorporating all those to yield the best quality products (Pfma.org.uk, 2016). Therefore, the
objectives have to be formed considering the needs of the market and serve the customers
accordingly, which ultimately leads to the development of the company. Catering to the
customers the pet food products with high standards of quality is sure to benefit the company,
thereby leading to the understanding of the needs of the customers, which is one of the
foremost concerns of the company to generate higher rates of profit. This indicates to the
clear knowledge of the market in which the company is going to operate.
Marketing Plan: - Marketing plan consists of schedule to describe current position of
organization and strategies to be followed on for further business operations. However, it is
related to presenting all business activities including production of goods as well making
decisions for future plans. Including this, marketing plan is essential to present summary and
details of all business operations. Along with this, it is useful for preventing from upcoming
threats in future time also generates different ideas for improving quality services of
organization to reach out set target systematically. The increasing rate of pet food companies
have caused high competition in the market, especially in the UK market where the residents
are spending abundant money on pet care and the record has reached to the highest of
$7.16bn (Pet Business World, 2016). Owing to this, the Pet Care Company has to be
particular about coming up with business plans that will perfectly suit their purposes.
Environmental analysis helps the company to determine the present situation of the market
and surfaces the requirements of the time and the potentiality of conducting the business.
Knowledge of the current situation beforehand prevents the company to face any serious
threats during carrying out their business activities (Lees-Marshment, 2009, p.27). It also
enables to find out about the competitor market and get an idea of the existing pet food
products that will help them to design their products with a difference and attract the
consumer market.
Objectives: - Marketing plan is prepared to summarize and present all business
activities to be implemented. However, it aims to achieve optimum allocation of resources
and fund that affects productivity and profitability of organization. Including this, marketing
plan involves setting targets for preventing threats and overcoming weaknesses for proper
management. Therefore, marketing plan is essential for preparing strategies and making
decisions for further years as well following on all business activities.
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SWOT Analysis: - The most important is the conduction of the SWOT analysis that
surfaces the positive and negative features of the business. The strengths for the company are
its innovative power and inclination towards the maintenance of the statutory regulations
providing the best quality raw materials. The company being a start-up one has limited
budget, which is difficult for them to compete in the oligopolistic market, but they have
bigger opportunities owing to the rising number of cat lovers in the UK (Euromonitor.com,
2016). In spite of the advantages the fact remains that the company has a major threat from
the already established pet food manufacturing companies and the daily introduction of
innovative products.
Strength
 Innovative power for further business
operations of PT food
 Best quality of raw materials
 Maintenance of statutory regulations.
Weaknesses
 Limited budget
 Difficult to compete in oligopolistic
market.
Opportunities
 To increasing interest of people for
purchasing cats.
 To adopt innovative technologies for
better quality services.
Threats
 High level of competition
 Changes in people interest
Market Segmentation: - Analysis of the market is furthered by the process of
segmenting, which has emerged as an efficient modern tool of marketing. Segmenting states
the reason for the purchasing of products by the customers, which enables the company to
launch its products in accordance with the preferences that is exhibited by the consumer
market (Lynn, 2011, p.76). The place and the people are two of the most important factors
that determine the designing of products by the company. It is also the individual preferences
of the customers to purchase a particular product. There are so many markets producing pet
foods with quality products, which make it a difficult choice for the newly emerging
companies. Segmentation of market will be able to solve it to an extent considering the
maximum intent of the customers in preferring a particular product.
Market Targeting: - It is another strategy adopted by the companies that focuses on a
particular group of customers and aims at producing its products considering the
requirements of that specific customer group. The company needs to select a target market
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that will pose to be the potential customers of their produced goods (Plan, 2016). This will be
beneficial for the company to identify one consumer market and particularly focus on their
needs, which will make them program in a convenient way without the disturbances arising
from the competitive market.
Market Positioning: - Marketing plans will bear fruitful results with an effective
positioning of its products in the market. Positioning of the products supports the
organisational purpose of selling their produced goods in the consumer market or the selected
group of customers, remarks Karadeniz (2009, p.51). The produced goods need to be
properly positioned in the market to attract the customers that will help in the growth of the
company. All these methods have to be properly implemented in the working process of the
company to facilitate an effective marketing plan, leading to the success of the company.
Marketing Mix: - The process of market segmentation, targeting and positioning is
based on certain marketing principles that are termed as the 7P’s of marketing mix. These
factors of the marketing mix aid the purpose of the marketing plan ultimately taking the new
company to the heights of success. The marketing mix consists of the product, price, place,
promotion, people, process and physical evidence, which together contributes to the
marketing plan of the company. These elements are combined in particular ways to attain a
specific objective that is termed as the marketing mix (Henley et al. 2011, p.701).
Irrespective of a combined usage of the factors, they bear individual significance in
influencing the marketing strategies.
Target market can be set based on product, place, price and promotion, where the
product is conceived considering the needs of the consumer market. Pricing helps to
determine the value of the product that can be adjusted analysing the products of the
competitive market. Along with this, the place to distribute the products is much important in
order to target the potential buyers. Production of the products is followed by their selling for
which sufficient promotion is needed for the entry of the new products in the market. These
are the main 4Ps to enhance the marketing plan of the company and contribute to its
considerable growth. In addition to these are the 3 more Ps that subsequent the progress of an
effective marketing plan.
Without people there can be no business transaction in both the internal and external
spheres. The employees of the organisation are directly associated to the conduction of the
business activities, while the customers are the ones to purchase the service of the customers.
Their feedback is important for the company to formulate their plans in the future for better
accomplishments of its purposes and in a limited period. The production of the goods needs
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the implementation of processes that will be as per the modern standards of safety of the
employees and the technological amenities, opine Riordan (2003, p.188). Physical evidence
is present in almost all the services that the company provides without which the transactions
in the market place will not take place properly. There must be a business presence and an
establishment to deliver the service in the physical form. Product: - At first, product and related to it all quality features are planned for
launching and advertising in market. In this process, quality of raw materials for
manufacturing and production is recognized for marketing of goods and services
provided by PT food. Price: - After identifying product and its features, price is determined on the basis of
cost of expenses incurred on purchasing material, labour and additional. Thus,
adequate price is set on products and services for marketing of goods. Place: - For the purpose of fulfilling customers' requirements, proper place is decided
to provide convenience and easy way to meet customers. However, place for
marketing and transacting goods is determined for comfort zone of consumers
properly. Promotion: - In this process, product is launched and advertised in market to attract
customers and maintaining their interest towards cats produces by PT food. It is done
through different channels as TV, radio, magazines, online marketing and so on. People: - It includes workers' performance and customer dealing services that how
employee behaves with customer of the organization. Therefore, all their needs and
requirements as well satisfaction is identified for marketing plan and further business
operations.
 Process: - This marketing mix element is related to presenting process for launching
and advertising products in market. In this way, all processes for advertising and
business operations are created and planned for competitive strategies and different
implementations. Packaging: - It is a process to attract customers through outlook of the product. Thus,
innovative ideas are created for packaging products as attractive as possible. It
influences demand and productivity of goods produced by PT food.
Control and Monitoring Techniques: - The framed marketing plans need to be
continuously monitored to avoid the impending threats that can surface anytime during the
conduction of the business activities. The existing plans need to be controlled, so that there is
negligible chance of failure following the pre-constructed strategies. The best ways to control
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and monitor the marketing plans is to conduct a regular customer and feedback, which will
bring out the flaws existing in their execution of activities from the services that they receive.
To evaluate the marketing plans, it is most suitable to assess the target market sales and the
time span of its achievement. Budgeting is also an option to control the excess flow of money
for individual projects, along with the availability of the market share that the company and
its product hold in the consumer market (Page, 2008, p.41). This process of supervising the
entire thing helps the company to determine its glitches and rectify them within time to yield
maximal benefits.
TASK 3
P4) Developing and evaluating a basic marketing plan
The construction of a full proof marketing plan is not sufficient for benefiting the
growth of the company and accomplishing its purposes. The plan has to be strictly followed
to aid the performance of the company. The marketing mixes are the essential tools that the
company implements to achieve its targeted objectives. As the Pet Care Company has
decided on its objectives to produce the best quality products that will consist of all the
nutrients that are necessary for the diet of cats, it is important for them to focus on the
development of the product accurately. The company has also fixed a time span and a certain
budget plan within which they aim to achieve their goals and earn a market reputation. For
the attainment of these goals the company will have to take the support of the various
elements of the 7Ps and incorporate them in its marketing plan.
Marketing plan for organization's effectiveness and promoting goods is consists of
plans involving following details as:-
Bases Description
Objectives  To improve financial position of
organization
 To achieve customer satisfaction at
maximum level.
 To maintain and sustain consumers'
interest towards goods and services
provided by organization for long
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