Marketing and Communications Report: Ryanair Strategy and Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Ryanair's marketing and communication strategies. It begins with an introduction to marketing orientations, including production, marketing, and societal orientations, and identifies Ryanair's adoption of a societal orientation, providing examples. The report then delves into the marketing environment, discussing the importance of situation analysis and identifying political and socio-cultural factors impacting Ryanair's decisions, along with an analysis of its key competitors. Internal environmental factors, serving as Ryanair's strengths, are also explained. The analysis continues with an examination of market segmentation variables, including geographic, demographic, and psychographic segmentation, and their application to Ryanair's consumer markets. The report then assesses the 7 Ps of the service marketing mix for Ryanair, providing examples for each element. The second part of the report focuses on a communication campaign, including visual illustrations, promotional mix, target audience analysis, chosen communication channels, key messages, and the application of AIDA marketing theory. The report concludes with a summary of findings and a comprehensive reference list.

Running head: MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Marketing and Communications
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Table of Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................2
Marketing Report.............................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Task 1: Evolution of marketing.......................................................................................................2
Part A...............................................................................................................................................2
Describe the production, marketing and societal orientations in marketing...................................2
Part B...............................................................................................................................................3
Identify and explain the orientation adopted by Ryanair and provide 2 examples that demonstrate
Ryanair’s use of the approach..........................................................................................................3
Task 2: Marketing environments.....................................................................................................4
Part A...............................................................................................................................................4
Discuss the purpose of a situation analysis and explain why it is important for Ryanair prior to
setting a marketing strategy.............................................................................................................4
Part B...............................................................................................................................................5
Considering macro environment of Ryanair and identify and discuss one political factor, one
socio-cultural factor that impact Ryanair’s marketing decisions....................................................5
Part C...............................................................................................................................................6
Identify two key competitors of Ryanair and discuss the potential threats they pose to the
business............................................................................................................................................6

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Part D...............................................................................................................................................7
Identify and explain two internal environmental factors that could be considered as strengths of
Ryanair’s business operation...........................................................................................................7
Task 3: Marketing strategies............................................................................................................7
Part A...............................................................................................................................................7
Discuss the four major sets of variables that might be used in segmenting consumer markets......7
Part B...............................................................................................................................................8
Identify and explain the segmenting variables used by Ryanair, providing examples at the same.8
Task 4: Marketing Mix..................................................................................................................10
Part A.............................................................................................................................................10
7 Ps of service marketing mix of Ryanair by providing examples................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
Reference List................................................................................................................................12
Part 2..............................................................................................................................................14
Communication Campaign............................................................................................................14
Introduction....................................................................................................................................14
Task 1.............................................................................................................................................15
Visual illustration (As shown in PPT presentation)......................................................................15
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................15
Communication campaign.............................................................................................................15

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Explanation on how promotional mix theory can use to decide over selection of
communication channel.............................................................................................................15
Target audience and response in relation to new objective.......................................................15
Chosen channel..........................................................................................................................16
Communications key message...................................................................................................16
AIDA marketing theory for explaining the poster.....................................................................16
Explanation on how feedback was collected.............................................................................16
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................17
Reference List................................................................................................................................18

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Part 1
Marketing Report
Introduction
This study deals with marketing and communications of Ryanair (Ryanair.com 2017).
The current segment explains about various orientations in marketing (production orientation,
marketing orientation and social orientation). The next segment explains about identifying social
and political factors of airline industry and how far it influences in the working in real case
scenario with instances. The present study even explains about the competitors of Ryanair and
how far it poses threat in the business operations in the competitive world. Several sets of
variables are explained in the study and use of 7 Ps of service marketing mix of Ryanair (Wu et
al. 2015).
Task 1: Evolution of marketing
Part A
Describe the production, marketing and societal orientations in marketing
Evolution of marketing
Marketing has changed over years and became an integral part of today’s business
environment. The production-centered system had changed the relationship era of today for
period of years where specialization has emerged like sales versus marketing and advertising
versus retailing. The concept or evolution of marketing has taken the modern shape after going
through several stages since 19th century.

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Production orientation in marketing- Production orientation in marketing before 20th century
was conservative as well as hire bound, as there was lack of information. In production-oriented
marketing, the success mantra was all about improved production and distribution. In this
orientation of marketing, the focus of business enterprise is to reduce costs by using mass
production (Wirtz and Lovelock 2016). This type of orientation in marketing should avoid
production efficiency processes that widely affect product design as well as quality. This concept
in marketing is one of the oldest orientations that are used by business organization to improve in
the production as well as distribution efficiency. The main objective of this concept of marketing
is to satisfy customer needs as well as aims at building relationships.
Market orientation in marketing- This concept in marketing was one of the first approaches
that actually fulfill the needs of a marketing strategy. The main aim is to build profitable long-
term relationships by way of maximizing value for the customer. This marketing concept takes
on an outside perspective that starts mainly with customers needs as well as aims at finding the
right products for the customers.
Societal orientation in marketing- This concept in marketing is an advanced version of
marketing that looks for possible conflicts between consumer short-term wants as well as
consumer long-term welfare. It is important for business enterprise to keep balance of three
considerations together and these are profit generation, consumer wants as well as interests of the
society (Ryan 2016).
Part B
Identify and explain the orientation adopted by Ryanair and provide 2 examples that
demonstrate Ryanair’s use of the approach
After evaluating three orientation of marketing concept (production concept, marketing
concept and societal concept), it is understood that Ryanair uses societal orientations in
marketing as their marketing strategy as this airline industry makes strategies where they can
generate profits, understand needs of the customers and even provide services that benefits
society (Corporate Social Responsibility).

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For instance, Ryanair had made ways to treat customers as discrete transactions. The new
model adopted by Ryanair is based on relationship marketing where they believe in maintaining
long-term relationship with the customers.
The next example to prove that Ryanair uses societal orientation in marketing is to look
at how the company deals with customer relationship management. The company uses customer
data (ensuring data privacy) aims at offering significant value as and when needed. Customer
Relationship Management will afford to maintain stronger relationship with the customers that
ensure timely messaging and tailored to the individual as far as possible.
Task 2: Marketing environments
Part A
Discuss the purpose of a situation analysis and explain why it is important for Ryanair
prior to setting a marketing strategy
Situation analysis is a collection of data that will help organization to analyze the internal
as well as external environment and to understand the organization capability, capacity and the
business environment as a whole.
The macro environmental factors are the external factors that cannot be controlled easily
and influences decisions made by organization and directly affect its performance as well as
strategies. Some of the macro environmental factors include political factors, economical factors,
social factors and technological factors.
On the other hand, micro environmental factors are the internal factors that affect a
company’s ability for serving its customers like the company itself, marketing intermediaries,
customer markets as well as public and suppliers.
The main purpose of situation analysis is to plan for consequences prior to
implementation of any new marketing strategy. Situation analysis treated as one of the important

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part in the business or marketing plan that need to be reviewed on monthly basis. This can be
judged by any company by highlighting the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats to the
organization or business (Killian and McManus 2015). SWOT analysis tool should be used by
the management of Ryanair prior to setting any of the new marketing strategy into practical
course of action.
Strengths Weakness
Strong Networking
Lowest fares
Updated fleet
Strong brand recognition
Experienced and specialized staff members
First mover advantage in low-cost market
High operating margins
Excellent cost management as well as logistics
Poor Customer Relationship Management
Limited landing slots especially in major airports
Seasonality
Poor website as well as social media presence
Controversial advertising
Need high level of innovation
Opportunity Threats
Improved customer service
Business travelers
New Aircraft
Accident
Loss of focus
Competitive response
Part B
Considering macro environment of Ryanair and identify and discuss one political factor,
one socio-cultural factor that impact Ryanair’s marketing decisions
Political factors- There are several political factors that affect airlines industry to large extent.
Deregulation is one of the political factors that show decrease in margins because of increased
competition in this marketplace. In addition, new security requirements are the cause behind
operational costs as well as waiting times that make air transportation less attractive (Kane et al.
2014). In terms of deregulation, several factors affect functioning of Ryanair such as price
restrictions on airlines, restricted entry and intervention by government.

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Socio-cultural factors- There are several socio-cultural factors that affect airline industry to
large extent. Holiday popularity is one of the socio-cultural factors that show opportunities in
new market in new segment. In addition, it is noted that there is increase in relative type
traveling that creates new market opportunities.
The above factors help in creating marketing opportunities or threats for Ryanair because
these are external environmental factors that provide insights of information on how external
factors influences airline industry in any form. If there is any interference by the government, it
becomes difficult for the airline industry to come up with new policies for the development of
their company (Hambrick and Kang 2015).

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Part C
Identify two key competitors of Ryanair and discuss the potential threats they pose to the
business
Ryanair faces stiff competition from Easyjet and Alitalia. In the European space, it is
noted that Ryanair mainly competes with most of the traditional as well as low-cost airlines as
shown in the below diagram. Even, Lufthansa was one of the competitors that are largest airline
in the world in terms of market share in air transport marketplace (Goworek and McGoldrick
2015).
Easyjet is a direct competitor of Ryanair as both are competing aggressively in the LCC
segment as well as even introduced trans-Atlantic flights to Asia (Andrews and Shimp 2017).
The market is quite concentrated where Ryanair and Easyjet control over 73% of the market.
Figure: Competitors of Ryanair
(Source: Ryan 2016)
Ryanair deals in low fare airlines market segment and this prove as serious threat to
Ryanair as they have some rigid approach and faces difficult in adapting its strategy to the new
market conditions. It is necessary for Ryanair to broaden their strategy as well as adapt itself to a
more customer-oriented market to remain ahead of Easyjet (Ford 2014).

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Part D
Identify and explain two internal environmental factors that could be considered as
strengths of Ryanair’s business operation
Ryanair is one of the leading low cost airlines, no frills, large brand awareness and quick
turnaround that had won several awards from the year 1985. This airline company aims to
become leader in the airline industry and have a stable competitive advantage. Internal
environmental factors that could be treated as strengths of business operations at Ryanair are
listed below with proper justification:
Stakeholders- The stakeholders of Ryanair own the shares as well as rights to claim dividends in
the operations.
Employees- Employees of Ryanair are treated as one of the true asset for the company and they
are the real reason behind success of Ryanair (Ang 2014).
Corporate Social Responsibility- Corporate social responsibility means that Ryanair implement
those strategies keeping in mind about the environmental factors and societal needs. CSR is one
of the important functions that regulate mechanism that ensure a loyalty to law as well as ethical
standards. Even Ryanair provided incorrect information about carbon gas emissions and
company is even misleading about their pricing structure. Negative image of the company as
well as negative corporate social responsibility will directly lead to decrease in sale and loss in
profits (Darley 2016).
Task 3: Marketing strategies
Part A
Discuss the four major sets of variables that might be used in segmenting consumer
markets
There are four set of variables that might be used in segmenting consumer markets and
these are explained below with proper justification:

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Geographic segmentation- “Geographic segmentation means when business divide its
market based on geography”. One of the set of variable is geographic variable that
include location, climate, countries, nations, states as well as regions and neighborhoods.
Demographic segmentation- “Demographic segmentation means when business
segments into several markets in order to help business enterprise target their customers
in an accurate way”. One of the set of variable is demographic variable that include age,
occupation, gender as well as religion and income.
Psychographic segmentation- “Psychographic segmentation is all about dividing the
market based on attributes such as customer personality traits, attitudes, lifestyles and
values”. One of the set of variable is psychographic variable that include lifestyle, social
class as well as personality. It may happen that people belonging to the same
demographic group that have various psychographic make-ups.
Behavioral segmentation- “Behavioral segmentation is one of the marketing strategies
that is purely based on actual consumer buying behavior”. One of the set of variable is
behavioral variable that include benefits, usage rate as well as special occasion and
loyalty status (Armstrong et al. 2015).
Part B
Identify and explain the segmenting variables used by Ryanair, providing examples at the
same
From the above discussion, it is understood that there are four common set of variables
used for segmenting consumer markets. From the four set of variables, Ryanair had used
geographic and demographic segmenting variables in their business operations (Charter 2017).
For instance,
Geographic segmentation